Utah
What Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck said about roster moves
The Utah Utes have undergone a significant offensive overhaul this offseason, spearheaded by the arrival of new offensive coordinator Jason Beck. Following a disappointing 2024 campaign that ended with a seven-game losing streak—the longest in Kyle Whittingham’s tenure—the program made drastic changes to revitalize its offense and position itself for success in the Big 12.
Beck, who most recently served as the offensive coordinator at New Mexico, stepped into a demanding situation with the Utes. His hiring marked the first change at the position since 2019, following Andy Ludwig’s midseason resignation. Beck faced immediate challenges, including the departure of all scholarship running backs from the 2024 roster and the need to navigate the transfer portal to rebuild the offense. Among the new additions was quarterback Devon Dampier, who followed Beck from New Mexico, signaling continuity in Beck’s offensive vision.
Beck’s offensive system is designed with adaptability and simplicity in mind, making it easier for players to grasp in a single offseason. At New Mexico, his system leaned heavily on the run-pass option (RPO) and quarterback runs. Dampier thrived in this setup, recording 1,166 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns, alongside 2,768 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 2024. The expectation is that a similar system will be implemented in Salt Lake City, with an emphasis on playing to the strengths of the personnel.
Whittingham praised Beck’s ability to tailor his schemes to the talent on the roster. “Jason is a really good judge of talent, who to use to get the most out of each guy and tweaking things to fit the personnel,” Whittingham said. Beck echoed this sentiment, emphasizing a quarterback-centered approach. “It’s all about identifying the best players and putting them in positions to have success,” Beck explained.
Dampier’s dual-threat abilities bring excitement to the Utes’ offense, but there is room for growth. His 57.9% completion rate at New Mexico ranked among the lowest in Division I football, and he also struggled with turnovers. Both Beck and Whittingham are confident Dampier will mature in these areas.
Kyle Whittingham says NIL was ‘overriding’ factor for two key transfers
“We expect to get his completion percentage bumped up a little bit this year,” Whittingham noted, attributing anticipated improvements to increased familiarity with the system. Beck highlighted Dampier’s leadership as a key asset, saying, “His example will help the other guys and show what it’s supposed to look like at a high level.”
Beck wasted no time building Utah’s roster via the transfer portal. One of the most significant additions was running back Wayshawn Parker from Washington State. Parker, who rushed for 735 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman, is expected to be a cornerstone of the new offense. “He’s a tough, physical running back with great upside,” Whittingham said.
The Utes are also working to retain wide receiver Dorian Singer, who is petitioning the NCAA for an additional year of eligibility. If successful, Singer’s return would provide a substantial boost to the receiving corps.
While Beck’s offense at New Mexico utilized tight ends sparingly, he is prepared to adjust at Utah. “If it’s a strength, tight end play, then we’ll play with two tight ends,” Beck said, emphasizing his commitment to maximizing the team’s talent.
Urban Meyer will be inducted into College Football Hall of Fame in 2025
With spring camp on the horizon, Beck is tasked with implementing his system and finalizing the roster. Despite the challenges, Beck is optimistic about the opportunity. “What a great opportunity to be a part of such a great program,” he said, expressing enthusiasm for the Utes’ storied tradition and potential for success.
As Beck and the Utes embark on this new chapter, there is hope that the offensive overhaul will yield immediate results and set the stage for a resurgence in 2025.
Utah
‘2.5 minutes of terror’: Passengers sue Delta, alleging crew flew into dangerous weather despite warnings, injuring dozens
Twenty passengers allege the airline ignored repeated weather warnings before the flight hit severe turbulence that sent dozens of people to hospitals
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) A Delta airplane travels down the runway at Salt Lake City International Airport in Salt Lake City last March. Passengers on a Delta flight last July are suing the airline over injuries suffered because of violent turbulence.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Environmental Protection Agency awarded Utah and Salt Lake County a total of $3.5 million in grants to assess potentially polluted properties for eventual cleanup and redevelopment.
The agency announced a $2 million grant to Utah’s Department of Environmental Quality and $1.5 million to Salt Lake County to conduct environmental assessments and inventory brownfield sites for cleanup. Brownfields are sites that may be difficult to redevelop or expand because of “the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant,” according to the agency.
“These brownfields grants will help Utah communities clean up contaminated sites and unlock opportunities for redevelopment and investment,” EPA Regional Administrator Cyrus Western said in a news release announcing the grants earlier this week. “By transforming underused properties into community assets, EPA is helping create healthier neighborhoods and stronger local economies.”
The two grants awarded to Utah and Salt Lake County are among more than $248 million awarded to nearly 200 communities nationwide for brownfield assessment and cleanup. Utah’s Department of Environmental Quality plans to focus the resources on several areas in Ogden, Heber City and Fillmore, among others, according to Bill Rees, who leads Utah’s brownfield cleanup program.
“What we do is work to secure the funding and then begin to reach out to our communities across the state, say, ‘Listen, there’s opportunity to do some assessment work in your community if you’re interested,’ and then work with our rural partners, work with our urban partners to see if there are sites that will fit that bill,” he told KSL.
The state has received similar grants in the past, and Rees said the money can help local governments determine what to do with ailing properties such as old schools, hospitals or private property that have gone to waste.
“Is there asbestos in it, or is there hazardous material in it? Or could there be something that’s impacting the soil or the groundwater, and a policymaker needs to make a decision?” asked Rees. “Knowledge allows you to make good decisions.”
The $1.5 million awarded to Salt Lake County is the largest brownfields assessment grant the county has ever received, according to a county press release.
“This grant is a real win for our communities,” said Mayor Jenny Wilson. “This funding will let us do vital environmental work on a larger scale and in more neighborhoods. It reflects exactly the kind of partnership between local and federal government that gets results for residents.”
The county grant funds will be used to help create cleanup plans in three areas, including a vehicle storage yard in Salt Lake City’s Ballpark Neighborhood, a 4.26-acre vacant lot in Millcreek and a small commercial building in Magna that was damaged during an earthquake in March 2020, according to the EPA.
Contributing: Don Brinkherhoff
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.
The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City issued red flag warning Friday morning as emergency workers continued to battle one of the state’s largest wildfires in its history.
The red flag warning, issued when critical fire warnings are occurring or imminent, was to be in place through midnight Saturday.
“This is the FIRST Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning issued in NWS Salt Lake City history. This is an exceptionally rare event,” the federal agency said in its warning.
A map of the area under the warning covered much of central and southwest Utah, with an area of the southwest, central and southern mountains also outlined as “particularly dangerous red flag.”
The particularly dangerous area includes the Cottonwood Fire, near the town of Beaver, which started Monday and had grown to covering almost nearly 71,000 acres by Thursday, 15 News reported. The fire forced evacuations.
The NWS warned that gusty winds and dry conditions would lead to rapid fire growth.
Utah also was dealing with the Iron Fire, which started June 19, and nearly destroyed the town of Eureka. The fire was about 27% contained Friday morning.
The fire danger led Utah Gov. Spencer Cox to issue executive order restricting fireworks statewide during the July 4 holiday, which marks the nation’s 250th birthday this year. The ban is in effect through July 5.
“Nothing about this decision was easy,” Cox said in a statement issued by his office Thursday.
“This is unlike anything we’ve seen in recent memory. We’re seeing fires spread farther and faster under conditions that defy historical expectations” Jamie Barnes, Utah state forester and director of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, added in the statement.
Cox allowed cities and local communities to set aside areas where fireworks could be safely used. The city of Provo announced it would enforce a citywide prohibition on fireworks and would not designate a safe area for fireworks.
“This year is different,” Provo Mayor Marsha Judkins said in a statement. “The wildfire danger facing our community is real, and protecting lives, homes, and our natural spaces must come first.”
-
Texas4 minutes agoA truck crash released 20 million bees. Local beekeepers rushed to save them.
-
Utah7 minutes ago‘2.5 minutes of terror’: Passengers sue Delta, alleging crew flew into dangerous weather despite warnings, injuring dozens
-
Vermont19 minutes agoFour Vermont beaches named among New England’s best. How to go
-
Virginia22 minutes agoVirginia Thomas – Scranton Times-Tribune
-
Washington27 minutes agoWhere to watch Washington Nationals vs Baltimore Orioles: TV channel, start time, streaming for June 27
-
Wisconsin34 minutes agoBaboucarr Ann’s commitment pushes Wisconsin into nation’s top three
-
West Virginia37 minutes agoJustice firm’s delinquent DEP fines rise past $1.6M amid DOJ criminal liability relief
-
Wyoming42 minutes agoWyoming, women, and winning the right to vote: Historian presents suffragette research
