Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah is an offense away from competing for the Pac-12 Championship. More accurately, it’s the passing game that has kept Utah from reaching the heights the program strives to obtain.
“That was the thing that kept us from winning a championship last year was not being able to throw the football nearly effectively enough,” Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said. “That's got to change.”
That change is a must for Utah football. It’s not just a casual platitude to satisfy some preseason rhetoric, it’s a necessity and a focal point in a wide-open conference dominated by pass-heavy programs. It’s also what Utah’s defense deserves for the years of carrying the program.
Midway through last season, Utah climbed the polls to a No. 3 ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 Poll, all while trending near last place in the Pac-12 in terms of passing the ball. Utah finished the season as the 11th-best passing offense in the conference and No. 105 out of 128 teams in college football.
The program’s 2,340 passing yards and 15 passing touchdowns on the season paled in comparison to that of its Pac-12 counterparts. Washington State lead the country with 5,059 passing yards, and Utah was less than 1,100 yards below the conference average and just over 10 touchdowns less than the conference’s average of 26.1.
Utah’s leading receiver, Britain Covey, was a 5-foot-8 freshman quarterback turned receiver, who totaled 519 yards and four touchdowns on 43 receptions. Covey finished his freshman season as the conference’s 22nd-best receiver. In comparison, the Pac-12’s leading receiver, JuJu Smith-Schuster, finished the season with 1,454 yards and 10 touchdowns on 89 receptions.
Although not expected to have an athlete on the roster capable of 1,500 receiving yards in a season, Utah expects a stable group of wide receivers capable of making big plays for “chunk yardage.” The main goal: spread the field and become a more diverse offense.
Utah’s wide receivers coming into the 2016 season are relatively inexperienced, but Whittingham reiterates that he’s confident in the athletes he has competing for the starting roles. Co-offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick said this year’s group of players is a “huge improvement” to that of last year.
“The guys that played a year ago have all gotten better,” Roderick said. “We had some young guys last year that kinda took their lumps, and you see huge progress is those guys. We’ve added a couple of guys that we didn’t have a year ago — Tim Patrick being back from injury makes a huge difference — and a couple of the new kids.
Whittingham added: “They’re stepping up with their physicality, they’re competing for the ball.”
Among the projected impact players is that of Tim Patrick, who is coming off an injury in 2014 that sidelined him for the last season and a half. Roderick said having Patrick back makes a “huge difference,” while Whittingham said Patrick adds a “new dimension” to the offense.
“He just puts his head down and works. He’s just excited to be back out here. It’s been a long time since he was healthy, and he just feels very blessed and fortunate to be out here with his teammates,” Whittingham said. “He’s all about getting the job done. There’s not a lot of extracurricular with Timmy.”
Standouts Tyrone Smith and slot receiver Kyle Fulks remain the favorite to fill out the starting receiver positions. Smith adds another bigger body capable of winning the “jump balls,” while Fulks adds a speed element to the offense.
“Kyle Fulks has been a standout in camp. He’s ready to go,” Roderick said. “We all believe in that kid. He’s fast; he’s probably the fastest guy on this team. He’s going to be a name that everybody knows this year.”
“Kyle Fulks is having a great camp,” Whittingham added. “He’s playing the best football he’s played since he’s been here.”
Although Patrick, Smith and Fulks appear set for the starting receiver positions, receiver coach Guy Holliday said it’s important to continually improve and never become complacent with mediocre receiving, saying “you’re judged on your last day.”
“He believes in all of us and we all know that whatever he says is going to help us be better,” Patrick said of Holliday. “Sometimes he can get a little crazy, but we all know that he loves us all. He just wants us to succeed because he really wants to pass the ball. We just have to perform; it’s all up to us. No matter what he does, it’s all up to the receivers to catch the ball.”
Receivers looking to earn at least some playing time include Caleb Repp, Siaosi Wilson, Alec Dana, Kenric Young, Demari Simpkins and Tyler Cooperwood, according to Whittingham. Ideally, Whittingham would like a six-man rotation among receivers to diversify the offense and give opposing defenses different looks.
Additionally, tight ends Harrison Handley and Evan Moeai would add another element to the receiving game. Whittingham said the team plans to run a two-tight end set from time to time to mix up the playbook.
Whoever starts, Whittingham expects a greater emphasis on passing the ball and having a deep threat. In Thursday's scrimmage, quarterback Troy Williams hit Smith in stride to complete a 68-yard touchdown pass. Whittingham called the play the best of fall camp. Although just a sample, it's a glimpse into Utah's strategy to improve its offense and compete with the Pac-12.
