The Utes put on the shoulder pads this afternoon and we were able to see some more contact and get a better feel of the team. Here are the five points.
1. The Defensive Line provided a good amount of pressure on the Utah Offense today, forcing some hurried throws and making the quarterbacks feel uncomfortable in the pocket. Leki Fotu expressed to me that this unit is working hard on becoming better pass rushers and forcing the quarterbacks to feel their presence.
2. Corrion Ballard stood out today at the free safety position, cutting off a corner route thrown by Huntley and coming down with the interception. He will be an anchor at free safety this fall.
3. Cornerback Tyrone Smith also had a beautiful pass breakup over the middle and proved to viewers that he can compete with anyone. Johnson and Blackmon are still playing over him but expect Smith to rotate a lot with those two. He has the athleticism to compete in this league.
4. I was able to talk to Junior Defensive Tackle, Leki Fotu this afternoon and he is excited for the Defensive line unit. There is a lot of chemistry within these players and there is also a lot of trust. He said they are looking for 10 guys to contribute this season, 5 on the inside and 5 on the outside. They are a young group but they have some good experience.
5. Coach Kyle Whittingham also told us today that Sophomore Ali'i Niumatalolo has changed positions and will now play Fullback instead of Linebacker this upcoming season.
This defensive group has great talent and experience that will help them cause havoc against their opponents. Feel free to comment or ask any questions and we will do our best to respond!
—Nathan Roderick
1. The Defensive Line provided a good amount of pressure on the Utah Offense today, forcing some hurried throws and making the quarterbacks feel uncomfortable in the pocket. Leki Fotu expressed to me that this unit is working hard on becoming better pass rushers and forcing the quarterbacks to feel their presence.
2. Corrion Ballard stood out today at the free safety position, cutting off a corner route thrown by Huntley and coming down with the interception. He will be an anchor at free safety this fall.
3. Cornerback Tyrone Smith also had a beautiful pass breakup over the middle and proved to viewers that he can compete with anyone. Johnson and Blackmon are still playing over him but expect Smith to rotate a lot with those two. He has the athleticism to compete in this league.
4. I was able to talk to Junior Defensive Tackle, Leki Fotu this afternoon and he is excited for the Defensive line unit. There is a lot of chemistry within these players and there is also a lot of trust. He said they are looking for 10 guys to contribute this season, 5 on the inside and 5 on the outside. They are a young group but they have some good experience.
5. Coach Kyle Whittingham also told us today that Sophomore Ali'i Niumatalolo has changed positions and will now play Fullback instead of Linebacker this upcoming season.
This defensive group has great talent and experience that will help them cause havoc against their opponents. Feel free to comment or ask any questions and we will do our best to respond!
—Nathan Roderick
