Well, the first scrimmage of spring is in the books, and overall it was a solid outing for the team on both sides of the ball. Utah still has a lot of work to do during the next two weeks, especially when it comes to building depth. Here are some things from the defense that stood out to me:
- Sunia Tauteoli has progressed steadily through the first two weeks and showed well today. He was reading keys, fitting against the run and making some good plays. There's still a drop-off from Tauteoli/Cody Barton and the rest of the linebackers. The first unit linebackers are solid, though fall camp will still be very interesting for this position group.
- I think I've talked enough about Pita Taumoepenu, suffice it to say he has been the most impressive player through the first three weeks. Quietly, the next most impressive player has been Marcus Williams. Expectations were already high, but he has turned into a complete free safety. His range is better, and he's improved in man coverage as well. He's made some terrific plays, perhaps none better than his pass breakup on a nearly perfectly thrown ball. I think Williams has gone a bit under-the-radar because he was already a proven player.
- Filipo Mokofisi might have shed some pounds, but he's gotten stronger. He's taking on double-team blocks and can at times overpower larger offensive linemen. He has also improved his 'feel' for beating a lineman; if he sees a lineman slightly off-balance or trying to reach and recover, Mokofisi is quickly and decisively taking advantage. For example, in short-yardage goal line work today, Salesi Uhatafe was just slightly off-balance. Mokofisi took advantage and just shoved the 320-pound lineman to the ground with one arm and blew up the play. I don't know if he was strong enough last year to make that same play.
- Jason Thompson appears to have taken control of the strong safety battle. He's giving solid, consistent effort and his play is finally matching his athleticism. He could make more splash plays, but he's not giving up much. Creating turnovers is the final step in his progression.
- The first team defense played lights-out today. Depth will be a problem that will need to be solved in the fall at linebacker and cornerback. Corner will be shored up with the return of Dominique Hatfield and Jordan Fogal, so it's not as pressing a need as linebacker.
