2021 Utah football preview on the HG

Jake Wimberly

What’s to like:

How about averaging 9.2 wins per year over the last six years. I am old enough to remember when Utah moved into the PAC 12 and many people doubted could they make the move from the MWC to the PAC. While the first few years were a struggle, what Kyle Whittingham has done with this program since 2004 has been remarkable.

Like all PAC 12 teams, lets toss out 2020 with the bath water - this team inherits quarterback Charlie Brewer via the transfer portal from Baylor to give them another ace at signal caller, Ty Jordan is still a baby at running back and can get you seven yards per carry and there’s a certain swagger around Utah football.

What’s not to like:

I did say throw out 2020, but you have to wonder how good this Utah defense will be this year. The Utes gave up 26 points per game in five games a year ago and are looking to return to form, of two years ago where they were one of the best in the country.

Devaughn Vele should be the go to wide receiver this year, but the Utes need more playmakers to emerge come fall camp.

The schedule is not overbearing, but Utah does have to travel to USC this year, play Oregon and heads off to Stanford this year.

What does the Hourglass Say?

2021 Utah pick: 10-2;7-2 - Second place finish in the PAC 12 South

Four-year analytic percentage on Utah = 88 percent

2021 Utah Analytics –

Hour Glass National Recruiting Ranking (three-year metric): 31st – Outside our Realistic College Football Playoff bust line. Utah is literally on the line we draw to do you have enough talent to make the playoff or not. This is like splitting hairs here, because the Utes have improved their roster talent and are on the bubble of a playoff roster at this time.

National Coaching Kyle Whittingham on HG Scale: 14th (Kyle Whittingham 2021 coaching value set at (12) – Average coaching value for 2021 set at 7.1. – Whittingham is considered above average on our metric.

ODE Analytics – NOTE: ODE is our offensive and defensive scoring efficiency ranking for each team. We use a two-year evaluation of each program.

Utah ranks 15th in the country in our 2021 ODE evaluation. Offensively they have a ranking of 20th in the country and defensively 10th in the country.

Quarterback Play: Utah has the 11th best quarterback situation in the country going into the season. Their value is set at (14.8). Our national average for average quarterback play is 9.10. Utah quarterback play is set above average on our national scale.

Impact Ball Catcher Metric: Ranking the teams wide receiver play - and do they have quality, impact wide receivers. Utah ranks 61st in the country.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

The Utah Utes should again strike double digit wins and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this team in the PAC 12 Championship. We gave the edge to SC in the south, but this team is well put together, doesn’t back down from anyone and plays with an edge.

If they can find some more pass catchers and get back to form on defense, this team could be in the hunt for a playoff spot come November.