Utah
Three takeaways from No. 12 Utah’s win over Southern Utah
No. 12 Utah kicked off the 2024 season in impressive fashion with stars Cam Rising and Brant Kuithe returning to make strong statements in a commanding 49-0 victory over Southern Utah. The Utes delivered the expected result, showcasing their dominance while fine-tuning their game plan. As the team now sets its sights on a more challenging test against the Baylor Bears, here are three takeaways from Thursday night’s performance.
Utes run game shows promise
One of the most encouraging signs for Utah was the performance of their running game. While no single rusher stood out — the leading rusher managed just 34 yards — the team still compiled 185 rushing yards. This collective effort underscores a promising ground attack, one that has clearly benefited from improvements along the offensive line. The push from the line was solid, creating enough space for running backs to find creases and utilize cutback lanes, a notable improvement from last season when running room was often hard to come by.
However, for the rushing attack to be sustainable throughout the season, Utah will need one or more backs to emerge as go-to options. The distribution of carries worked against Southern Utah, but consistency from key players will be essential as the Utes face tougher defenses. The balance of an effective passing game, led by Rising and Kuithe, seemed to open up more opportunities for the ground game, setting a positive tone for the season ahead.
Caleb Lohner’s impactful debut
Caleb Lohner, a converted basketball player, made a notable debut for Utah. Playing significant snaps, Lohner showcased his athleticism and versatility, particularly with his acrobatic, contested touchdown catch late in the game. The play, which appeared to be a back shoulder throw, demonstrated Lohner’s excellent hand-eye coordination and physicality, qualities that will make him a valuable asset in the tight end rotation.
Lohner’s route-running, physical presence, and involvement in both the passing and running game stood out, highlighting his potential to become a key contributor. His performance suggests that he could be a significant part of Utah’s offensive plans this season, especially as he continues to develop his skills on the football field.
Keanu Tanuvasa’s disruptive presence
Defensive lineman Keanu Tanuvasa emerged as a potential difference-maker for the Utes. While he didn’t register tackles behind the line of scrimmage, his ability to penetrate the backfield and disrupt plays was evident. Tanuvasa’s quick first step and knack for beating offensive linemen allowed him to create pressure consistently, forcing Southern Utah to adjust their game plan with quick passes to avoid his rush.
Though Tanuvasa missed a few opportunities to make game-changing plays, his consistent backfield presence was a highlight of Utah’s defensive effort. As the Utes prepare for stiffer competition, Tanuvasa’s disruptiveness could prove crucial. If he can maintain this level of play, he will be a key figure in Utah’s defense, creating headaches for opposing offenses throughout the season.
Utah welcomes Baylor into Rice-Eccles Stadium next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Utah
Here’s who will lead Utah Valley University as its next president
Jon Anderson will be charged with moving the Orem school forward following the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk on campus last year.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Incoming UVU President Jon Anderson poses for a photo with his family after an event announcing his selection at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, July 17, 2026.
Utah
Beaver County residents set up thousands of sandbags ahead of flashfloods
BEAVER COUNTY, Utah — A massive community effort is underway as volunteers and Beaver County crews distribute thousands of sandbags to protect homes from the potential path of floodwaters.
After the Cottonwood Fires, residents have been waiting for weeks for relief to come in the form of rain, though officials now warn it may come all at once with an increased risk of flooding and debris flow.
Emergency Service Director Les Whitney believes that the fire has left plenty of debris to bring trouble for residents.
“We got a lot of water. We’re bringing debris with it, so tree branches, tree limbs, logs, lots of different size firewood, and that’s all in the creeks. We’re worried about that plugging up our bridges and stuff, so we have heavy equipment and excavators located in strategic places so that we can keep those bridges open,” said Whitney.
An estimated 140 homes and condominiums were spared from the flames, but remain in the paths of floodwaters.
Residents can also pick up sandbags at the Beaver County Sheriff’s Office or at the Beaver County Rodeo Fairgrounds.
Utah
Utah man arrested again for allegedly abusing dog twice in three months
EAGLE MOUNTAIN — An Eagle Mountain man currently on pretrial release in 4th District Court who is accused of abusing his dog has been arrested again for allegedly punching the same animal.
Keith Reaves Davis, 43, was booked into the Utah County Jail on Wednesday for investigation of aggravated cruelty to an animal.
Utah County sheriff’s deputies were called Wednesday afternoon to a grocery store on a report that a man was beating his dog after it had gotten off its leash and was stopped by a bystander, according to a police booking affidavit.
“I reviewed security camera footage from the grocery store, and an individual matching the description of the suspect was seen holding the dog in the air by one paw and repeatedly striking the dog on the right hind leg area. I observed the male strike the dog several times before dropping the dog from approximately 1-2 feet. The strikes appeared to be as hard as the male could hit,” the arresting deputy wrote in the affidavit. “The dog did not cry out or whimper as if the dog was accustomed to the abuse.”
When questioned, Davis “admitted to striking the dog because it was not behaving,” the affidavit states.
An animal control officer who responded to the scene to take custody of the dog noted it was the same dog he had taken from Davis exactly three months earlier during another animal abuse investigation.
In that case, Davis was charged in 4th District Court with aggravated cruelty to an animal, a class A misdemeanor; and public intoxication, a class C misdemeanor, after deputies received a tip from a neighbor that a dog was being abused at Davis’ home, according to charging documents. When questioned, Davis “acknowledged hitting his dog as punishment,” the charges state.
Deputies also reviewed videos that the neighbor had filmed. The neighbor told investigators “there was blood from the dog on the ground of the garage and (the neighbor) can hear the dog screaming as if it’s being hurt. Deputies got the videos from the (neighbor) and you can hear very loudly the dog screaming and crying with a lot of loud banging noises. In one of the videos, you can hear the dog sounding like it is being choked by a collar and is grasping for air,” a police booking affidavit states.
Davis’ next court hearing in the April case is scheduled for July 28.
In their latest booking report, sheriff’s deputies note that they “believe further harm will be inflicted on this dog if it is released back to the male a second time,” and have recommended the dog not be returned to Davis.
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
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