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Pick Six Previews: A look into Utah’s road trip to SEC country (+ game prediction)

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Pick Six Previews: A look into Utah’s road trip to SEC country (+ game prediction)


Estimated learn time: 5-6 minutes

SALT LAKE CITY — Contemporary off their highest preseason rating at school historical past, No. 7 Utah is dealt one of many hardest exams of the opening weekend.

In a uncommon Pac-12 vs. SEC matchup, the Utes journey right down to Florida for an evening sport in The Swamp. Though Florida is unranked, they recruit at a top-10 stage and have a roster full of NFL prospects.

Recreation Grader

(Opponent-adjusted statistical dominance by way of Choose Six Previews)

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3-year common (2019-21): Utah 68.9 (seventh) | Florida 65.2 (tenth)

2021 Season: Utah 69.5 (seventh) | Florida 53.6 (thirty first)

2022 Season: N/A

Regardless of Florida’s 6-7 file final yr, the Recreation Grader formulation nonetheless positioned them thirty first out of the 66 Energy 5 packages. It was actually a story of two seasons, as Florida took eventual SEC champion Alabama to the wire and began 4-2 with a top-20 rating, however then misplaced 5 of their remaining six FBS video games. FCS Samford dropped 52 factors on their protection and the Dan Mullen period resulted in a meltdown.

Florida with the ball

Quarterback Anthony Richardson takes over because the full-time starter after splitting reps with Emory Jones final season. Richardson is presumably the quickest quarterback in America and might rating from anyplace on the sphere.

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His dynamic scrambling means might require further assets from the Utes protection, with a spy or extra zone protection. Richardson has some room for enchancment within the cross sport after a 59% completion charge and 6-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio final season.

Florida’s offensive line posted excessive grades in each my Run Push and Cross Safety metrics in 2021. Three starters return, together with O’Cyrus Torrence, who transferred in from Louisiana-Lafayette with new head coach Billy Napier. The teaching transition and new schemes make the offensive line tougher to forecast, a minimum of straight away within the season opener.

A key positional matchup might be Florida’s large receivers towards Utah’s secondary. Within the Rose Bowl, Utah’s nook depth was skinny; and whereas Florida does not have the identical first-round firepower of Ohio State’s receiver group, they’ve loads of weapons.

The highest receiver of 2021, Jacob Copeland, transferred out of Florida to Maryland, however the Gators added Arizona State’s yardage chief in Ricky Pearsall. Justin Shorter is a stable possession receiver who completed with 5 50+ yard video games over the second half of the season, and Xzavier Henderson has a top-100 billing and brings a vertical risk.

Napier’s offense at Louisiana operated primarily out of 11 personnel, or one again and one tight finish. They had been principally out of shotgun, pistol, and had considerably much less quarterback-designed runs than Mullen’s offense. We’ll see how inflexible that’s, contemplating Richardson’s spotlight means.

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Utah with the ball

Utah’s 2021 offensive line ranked No. 1 in my Run Push metric, No. 2 in Cross Safety, and returns three starters from that group. The steady of working backs drew the uncommon four-way “OR” on the depth chart and contains a headliner in touchdown-machine Tavion Thomas and group chief Micah Bernard.

I count on Utah to have success within the run sport, as Florida’s line of defense has youth on the two spots round potential first-round choose Gervon Dexter.

Cameron Rising was the season-changer at quarterback after the group began 1-2 with out him; the group ranked No. 4 nationally in Recreation Grader with him because the starter.

After a number of down seasons, Florida’s secondary is getting stronger and is skilled. It is going to be a problem for the Utah receivers to realize separation, however the tight finish duo may very well be the game-changer. Each of Utah’s tight ends, Brant Kuithe and Dalton Kincaid, positioned on my preseason All-Pac-12 groups, with Kuithe incomes a fourth group All-America spot.

Schematically, new defensive coordinator Patrick Toney is off of the Ron Roberts teaching tree (together with Baylor’s Dave Aranda) in how they attempt to confuse quarterbacks. They disguise blitzes, usually drop an finish or edge participant again into protection, and change him with a rusher from the linebacker or security stage.

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Florida definitely has the athletes for this advanced scheme, however that is the season opener, and we’ll see how rapidly they put in all the pieces in spring ball and fall camp.

Recreation prediction

Napier’s first transfer was to rent an “military of staffers” to bolster the operations and recruiting. Their official team program photo is placing, as they take up nearly a whole stadium part. I believe it is a matter of time earlier than Napier has Florida harnessing the elite in-state highschool expertise and returning to the nationwide high 5 in recruiting. The medium- and long-term outlooks are robust.

However Utah catches them within the opening sport of the transition season, which can also be Napier’s first Energy 5 sport as a head coach. Conversely, Utah brings in all of the coach continuity, expertise, confidence and group identification. I picked Utah to not solely win the Pac-12 but in addition to make the 2022 playoff. Whereas this opener might be a troublesome check, search for Utah to depart SEC nation with an announcement victory.

No. 7 Utah (-2.5) 27 | Florida 20

P.S. I’m not shopping for “Humidity-Gate.” Nationwide pundits are utilizing the Gainesville humidity as the explanation to choose towards Utah. This jogs my memory of when the media picked Florida to beat Nebraska within the 1995 nationwide title, due solely to the sport being performed on grass and never turf. They had been lifeless unsuitable, and Nebraska rolled up the largest title sport blowout in school soccer historical past and is taken into account one of the best group ever.

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Most up-to-date Utah Utes tales

Brett Ciancia is the proprietor of Choose Six Previews, a university soccer preview journal graded because the “Most Correct Season Preview” since 2012 (by way of Stassen). Ciancia was named a Heisman Trophy voter in 2019 and was invited to the FWAA’s All-America Staff choice committee in 2020.

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Former Utah quarterback Brandon Rose transfers to UMass

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Former Utah quarterback Brandon Rose transfers to UMass


Former Utah quarterback Brandon Rose has transferred to UMass, marking a fresh chapter in his collegiate career. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound signal-caller was among a handful of Utah quarterbacks to leave the program during the latest transfer cycle, seeking new opportunities to showcase his talents.

Rose’s time at Utah was marked by development and perseverance, highlighted by moments of promise before injury setbacks. In the 2024 season, Rose saw action in three games, starting one. In his first collegiate start against BYU, he displayed his dual-threat abilities, throwing for 112 yards and two touchdowns while adding 55 rushing yards. Unfortunately, a season-ending injury in that game cut short his promising campaign. Earlier in the season, Rose made his collegiate debut in Utah’s season-opening win over Southern Utah and later completed seven passes for 45 yards in a second-half appearance at Houston. After redshirting in 2022 and not seeing the field in 2023, Rose’s eventual move to UMass offers a chance for a new beginning.

Rose entered college with a strong resume from Murrieta Valley High School in California. Rated as a three-star pro-style quarterback, he amassed 7,521 career passing yards and 74 touchdowns. As a senior, he led his team to a Southwestern League championship, earning league MVP honors. That year, he recorded 3,002 passing yards, 33 touchdowns, and 236 rushing yards. Despite a shortened junior season, he threw for 1,415 yards and 11 touchdowns while completing 70% of his passes. His sophomore year was equally impressive, with 3,087 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and 395 rushing yards.

UMass provides Rose with a platform to compete and potentially secure the starting quarterback role. Known for his accuracy and mobility, he brings valuable experience and a hunger to prove himself at the collegiate level. With a history of overcoming challenges, Rose’s transfer to UMass signals a promising opportunity for both him and the Minutemen.

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Meet Derek Brown, Utah's newly elected attorney general

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Meet Derek Brown, Utah's newly elected attorney general


SALT LAKE CITY — After taking the official oath of office on Wednesday, Derek Brown has become Utah’s newest attorney general.

Now that he’s in office, what’s next? He joined Inside Sources to talk more about his priorities for office.

Below is a partial transcript of this interview as well as the full podcast.


KSL NewsRadio modified this interview for brevity and clarity.

HOST TAYLOR MORGAN: What are your priorities as you take office?

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GUEST DEREK BROWN: I think the key to that is transparency. When I served in the House of Representatives, I learned that people appreciate when you are open and you make it clear to them what you’re doing. And as people understand what we’re doing in the Attorney General’s Office, we’ll see successes, there will be an increase in trust … That’s just the natural outgrowth of transparency, and I’m going to be doing a number of things proactively so that we build that feeling of not just transparency but [also] trust.

MORGAN: My understanding is that you and your family have put your assets into a blind trust … and you have officially stepped down from any non-profit boards. Is that correct?

BROWN: That’s correct… I just feel like it makes sense, in light of this position, to just eliminate any potential conflicts of interest in advance. I’m a little sad to do it because these are great people. I love being there, making a difference. But at the same time, I feel like we’ve got those organizations onto a good footing.

People make Utah great, not government, says Gov. Cox at inauguration

MORGAN: [How] would you explain your role to listeners? What does the Utah attorney general do primarily?

BROWN: We have 280 attorneys, and they provide legal counsel for all the boards, commissions, and agencies of the state. Everything from the University of Utah to UDOT to DMV… So there’s literally 280 attorneys that do every conceivable area of the law… It is the largest law firm in the state of Utah, so my job is to make sure it’s also the best, most efficient, most well-funded, and well-respected law firm in the state of Utah.

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Listen to the podcast below for the entire interview.

 

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.



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RECAP: Panthers 4, Utah Hockey Club 1 | Florida Panthers

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RECAP: Panthers 4, Utah Hockey Club 1 | Florida Panthers


“Sometimes they go in, and sometimes not,” Boqvist said. “I feel like our line played pretty well. We’re working hard and winning a lot of pucks down low, trying to play with speed. When we have time and space to do stuff, we will.”

From there, penalties proved costly for the Panthers.

After coming up short on their first two trips to the power play in the period, the third time was the charm for Utah as Logan Cooley lit the lamp to cut Florida’s lead to 2-1 at 13:41.

Stomping out any would-be comeback for Utah, Boqvist regained the two-goal cushion for the Panthers when he cashed in on the empty net from deep in his own zone to make it 3-1 at 17:59.

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At 19:38, Eetu Luostarinen tacked on another empty-netter to make it 4-1.

Finishing strong, the Panthers led 12-3 in scoring chances at 5-on-5 in the third period.

“I liked the bench,” Maurice said. “I liked the mood of it. They’re pulling for each other, supporting each other, battling and grinding. Understanding we come into this building, these teams come wired for us and are ready. Get out of the first period even. We’re good on the road like that. Then I thought we built. Halfway through the first period we got our game going.”

THEY SAID IT

“He’s earned it. We’ve used him at left and right wing, and he’s played center for us. He’s played with different people. He’s a really competitive guy.” – Paul Maurice on Jesper Boqvist

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“Speed, skill, hard work. He works really hard, but he also has that ability to take over games with his speed and skill. He has a great shot. We’ve seen that all year in practices and games. He’s fun to watch. He’s one of those players where it’s just a matter of time until he breaks out, and he’s breaking out right now. It’s been fun to watch.” – Aleksander Barkov on Jesper Boqvist

“He’s so good, right? It’s so fun to watch. Playing against him for a couple years, it’s not easy.” – Jesper Boqvist on Sergei Bobrovsky

CATS STATS

– Carter Verhaeghe extended his point streak to three games.

– The Panthers are 7-for-8 on the penalty kill over their last two games.

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– The Panthers have four players with at least 30 points this season.

– Sergei Bobrovsky is the third goaltender to earn a win against 33 NHL franchises.

– Sam Bennett won a team-high nine faceoffs.

– Matthew Tkachuk and Jesper Boqvist each recorded five hits.

– The Panthers held Utah to just eight shot attempts at 5-on-5 in the third period.

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WHAT’S NEXT?

Grab your popcorn.

Meeting for the third time this season, the Panthers will try to improve to 3-0-0 against the Boston Bruins when the two rivals clash at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.

For tickets, click HERE.

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