SALT LAKE CITY — All things considered, Kyle Whittingham is pretty pleased with his team's performance through the first half of the 2016 college football season.

"Everyone wants to be 6-0, but I think that 5-1 at the halfway point is a solid place to be," Whittingham said. "If you want a letter grade, I think it's a B-plus, A-minus."

Acknowledging all the injuries the Utes have battled on both sides of the ball, 5-1 is indeed a good place to be. The Utes are tied with Colorado and Arizona State atop the Pac-12 South Division at 2-1 in conference play, and hold the tie-breaker with the previously left for dead and now rising USC Trojans.

They finally got over the hump with Arizona, snapping a four-game losing skid, and handled business with in-state rival BYU in yet another nail-biter, stopping Taysom Hill on a 2-point conversion. Best of all, and for arguably the first time in eight years, the Utes have a balanced offensive attack, led by a pass-first quarterback and an improved group of wide receivers. And oh yeah, they may just have the third-straight Ray Guy Award winner in Mitch Wishnowsky, big news for a program that turns special team units into rock stars.

That doesn't mean it's been pretty. The Utes were pretty thoroughly dominated by the men of Troy until the last 15 or 20 minutes of the game. The defense has more than once looked vulnerable, in both facets of the game (see Cal throwing for 300-plus yards and scoring 28 points in 17 minutes, USC rushing for 6.5 yards a carry, or Arizona putting up 475 yards of offense playing with more than one backup at multiple positions).

It may be nice to be pick up a sixth win in a row versus BYU, but is it all that nice considering that yet again, it was by such a small margin? And after years of watching Shaky Smithson, Reggie Dunn and Kaelin Clay taking kick returns to the house, Utah's struggles in the return game hasn't exactly been a pleasant sight.

Let's get down to the nitty-gritty of handing out grades:

Offense: B (435 ypg, 28 ppg)

This isn't an electric offense, but when compared to years past, it's far and away the best Utah offense we've seen since the Brian Johnson era. That said, it has seen its share of struggles, especially as quarterback Troy Williams has found his footing and endured some growing pains.

The running game has seen more running backs (six) in just six games than would be typical in six years. The wide receivers have been up, and they've been down. The offensive line has seen some huge highs and (gulp) even lower lows.

In total, this Utah offense is averaging 72 yards per game more than last season but a full two points less scoring per game. The Utes have struggled upon arriving in the red zone, scoring only 74 percent of the time, and a touchdown only 52 percent of the time. More telling perhaps, is the following stat: The Utes score only 4.31 points per trip inside the opponents' 40-yard line, 96th in the nation. The national average is 4.72 points per trip. Ohio State is the nation's best, at 6.49 points per. On the surface, Utah's offense is fine, perhaps a little better than average, but the statistical reality can be a little frightening.

Still, the Utes don't need the offense to be electric. Scoring more points would be helpful, but the Utes are elite in one area: time of possession. They have controlled the game from this standpoint, averaging 36 minutes of possession a game, allowing opponents only 24. Never was this more evident than in the Cal game, where the Utes allowed the high-octane Bears only 17 minutes of possession, arguably the only reason they were in the game late.

Defense: B+ (350 ypg, 19.0 ppg)

This defense doesn't seem as strong as it's historically been, but on paper, this is the Utes' best unit of the last three years. The defensive line is absolutely elite, and the secondary is contributing in both the pass and the run more than ever before, at least since the Utes joined the Pac-12.

The Utes have continued their success getting to the quarterback: 18 sacks in six games is good for 16th in the nation, on pace to better their total from last year. They've also added nine interceptions, the eighth best total in the country.

But disappointments have been evident; the linebacker position leaves something to be desired, and the Utes' defensive red zone statistics are more than a little troubling. The Utes are yet to stop an opponent once they arrive in the red zone, last in the nation. The good news? Utah rarely lets anyone in the red zone, tied for second in the nation at only nine opponent red zone attempts. Overall, a top defensive line and a ball-hawking secondary are strong points on which Utah has relied and upon which it will continue to rely.

Special teams: A-

Mitch Wishnowsky is going to win the Ray Guy Award, and you heard it here first. Also, raise your hand if you thought he might be better than Ute legend and two-time Ray Guy Award winner Tom Hackett. Andy Phillips has been fantastic, considering his own injury struggles. The only thing precluding the Utes from getting an A-plus here is a softer than usual return game in both departments. Boobie Hobbs has been OK, but he's no Kaelin Clay. The Utes may have found something in the kick return game with Cory Butler-Byrd, who returned three kicks for 86 yards in last week's win over Arizona, but previous to that the Utes had been dead last in the nation in kick return average, at only 13.9 yards.

Coaching: A-

No, 5-1 is not 6-0, but the Utes are in a great position to accomplish their overall goal: to win the Pac-12 South Division. To have done so battling myriad season-ending injuries is a testament to the depth the Utes have accrued through recruiting. Whittingham has been spectacular in clutch moments (the Utes are 9 for 10 converting fourth downs), the only exception being the Cal debacle that is the Utes' only loss. It hasn't been perfect, but it's been good enough, especially in the only stat category that matters: the win-loss column.

Overall: B+

Midseason individual awards

• Best offensive player: Troy Williams
• Best defensive player: Marcus Williams
• Best special teams player: Mitch Wishnowsky
• Best freshman: Zack Moss
• Breakout player: Pasoni Tasini
• Best unit: defensive line
• Breakout unit: wide receivers
• Best coach: Guy Holliday

Stephen Lindsey is a student at the University of Utah currently working as an intern with KSL.com in Salt Lake City. Contact him at th3sl3@gmail.com or interact via his Twitter handle, @slthe3

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