Utah Utes Projected to Finish Third in Big 12 by Phil Steele

The Utah Utes are expected to finish third in the Big 12 conference, according to Phil Steele's latest preview magazine. With less than two months until fall camps open, college football preview season is in full swing, and Steele's publication has the Utes trailing behind Texas Tech and BYU. Utah finished third in the conference last year, completing a turnaround with an 11-2 overall record and a 7-2 mark in the Big 12, after being ranked tied for No. 1 by Steele coming off of a 5-7 season. This year, Steele has the Red Raiders going back-to-back, even without quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who declared for the NFL supplementary draft. The Utes are in a fascinating place heading into the season, with Morgan Scalley now in charge of the program after longtime coach Kyle Whittingham stepped down and joined Michigan. Quarterbacks Devon Dampier and Byrd Ficklin return, alongside running back Wayshawn Pakrer, and the Utes have a talented team, but there are questions about the rebuilt offensive line. The Utes hit the transfer portal for some key wide receivers, including Utah State's Braden Pegan and San Jose State's Kyri Shoels. On the defensive side, the line will feature all new full-time starters, but familiar faces in defensive ends Kash Dillon and Lance Holtzclaw and defensive tackle Karson Kafusi. Utah's linebacker unit should be solid with the return of Johnathan Hall and Trey Reynolds stepping up in a starting position, and safety could be the strength of the team with Rabbit Evans and Jackson Bennee. One of the key camp battles will be for the other outside cornerback spot, which could come down to Akron transfer Elijah Reed and USF transfer James Chenault. Overall, Steele's projection has the Utes in a strong position, but there are many factors that will determine their success in the upcoming season. The Utes' quarterback room is rated as the best in the Big 12 by Steele, and with the right combination of talent and coaching, they could make a deep run in the conference. With the new season approaching, fans of the Utah Utes will be eagerly watching to see how the team performs under Morgan Scalley's leadership.