Laramie, WY—Saturday’s 31-6 win at Wyoming highlighted both the flaws Utah must clean up and the strengths it can lean on moving forward.
For one half, Utah looked like a team searching for answers, undone by penalties and missed opportunities. For the other, the Utes looked like the Big 12 contender they aim to be, dominating both sides of the ball and controlling the line of scrimmage.
Utah’s win in Laramie wasn’t always pretty, but it was decisive. After a sloppy, penalty-filled first half, the Utes hit the gas in the second, burying Wyoming with physical defense and a run game that finally found its groove.
Utah’s First Half vs. Second Half
This was a fascinating game that seemed to provide two distinctly different halves of football. However, the only real difference was that Utah simply finished drives better in the second half. Here’s a rundown of how similar the two halves were:
In one half, Utah gained 267 yards, and in the other, they gained 274 yards.
In one half, Utah gained 155 rushing yards, and in the other, 156 rushing yards.
In one half, Utah threw for 112 yards, and in the other, 118 passing yards.
In one half, Utah averaged 6.7 yards per play, and in the other, they averaged 7.1 per play.
In one half, Utah was penalized six times for 63 yards, and in the other, four times for 35.
That’s how similar the two halves of football were from a production standpoint. The issue was the most important stat of any game: points. Utah only finished with 3 first-half points, and in the second half, scored 28.
The first half was sloppy and undisciplined, marred by untimely penalties that stalled drives and left points on the field. In the second half, though penalty issues remained, Utah was determined to convert all scoring opportunities with touchdowns.
The defense was tough throughout most of the game. Wyoming did have a couple of extended drives, but only one ended in points. The secondary looked better, but there are still some things to address.
In general, Utah clearly needs to clean up its play. The penalties simply cannot continue at this same rate. It cost them points in the first half, and against better competition in the future, that will hurt them.
Questions still linger around Utah’s passing game
Through three games, Utah’s passing attack is a mixed bag. Devon Dampier is completing passes at a very high clip, 73% to be exact. However, the yards per attempt still sits right at 7.0 yards, which would be in the bottom half of the country.
The passing game has been a heavy dose of short throws, which has created enough production to preserve Utah’s offensive balance. Until the Utes generate explosive plays downfield, the passing game will remain the biggest question mark heading into Big 12 play.
Still, with emerging weapons like Ryan Davis and Dallen Bentley, there seem to be enough sureties to build with. The passing game is going to have to evolve, and that starts with Beck and Dampier, not the receivers.
Dallen Bentley’s emergence
The tight end position has been a hallmark of Utah’s offense in recent years. After the change in coordinator, many believed the tight end spot would fall by the wayside. However, Dallen Bentley had other plans.
Against Wyoming, Bentley hauled in 4-of-7 targets for 46 yards. That included the game-defining 3rd and 21 conversion, where he hauled in a pass down the sideline and trucked a defender to gain the final yard he needed to get the 1st down.
His involvement in the passing game is a promising sign. The 6-foot-5, 259-pounder is now up to 11 receptions for 112 yards and two touchdowns, and seems to be emerging as a go-to target for Dampier.
Whittingham credited Bentley for the work he put in this offseason. Bentley gives Utah a reliable target in critical moments and reinforces the importance of the position at Utah.
Also, tight end Hunter Andrews quietly put together 106 total yards- 44 receiving, 62 rushing, and one touchdown on 11 total touches.
Run game explosiveness
Utah as a whole ran for 311 yards, which included two ball carriers eclipsing the 80-yard threshold, and two others running for at least 60 yards.
Dampier led the team with 86 yards on 13 carries, while Wayshawn Parker got to 80 yards on 10 carries. Hunter Andrews ran for 62 yards on six carries, and NaQuari Rogers totaled 60 yards on 13 carries.
A complement to the offensive line is the lack of negative run plays. Out of 45 total runs, Utah only had four run plays that gained 0 yards, and just two that went for a loss.
This is remarkable run game production and player involvement. Perhaps the biggest positive was the explosiveness Utah displayed in the run game.
Against a competitive, tough, and well-coached defense, the Utes finished with 12 big run plays (gains of at least 10 yards) that generated 193 rushing yards, both being season highs.
Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.
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