OFFENSE

After coming to Utah from UCLA in a hiring designed to aid the Utes’ transition to the Pac-12, offensive coordinator Norm Chow was at a disadvantage in installing his offense during spring drills. Shoulder surgery kept quarterback Jordan Wynn from full-scale throwing. Wynn impressed Chow with his ability to learn the scheme, however. “What you see is he’s sitting in a meeting and he’s almost bored, because we’re not going fast enough,” Chow says. “You say it one time and he gets it.”

Wynn should be healthy when practice resumes in August, and he expects to thrive in Chow’s West Coast offense, a departure from the Utes’ spread attack.

Eddie Wide and Matt Asiata combined for 1,412 rushing yards as seniors sharing the job in a one-back scheme. The bulk of the carries should go to two players who enrolled in January, junior college transfer John White IV and Salt Lake Valley prep star Harvey Langi. DeVonte Christopher, originally a quarterback, emerged as a big-play receiver last season with 39 catches for a 16.9-yard average and six touchdowns.

The Utes should have one of the league’s top offensive tackle tandems. Right tackle Tony Bergstrom did not allow a sack in 12 regular-season games as a junior and is an intelligent, dependable player. Left tackle John Cullen’s absence was noticeable in a bowl-game loss to Boise State, as the Utes were held to three points and 200 total yards when he was sidelined.

The Utes’ offensive consistency will be tested by Pac-12 defenses. The Utes ranked 52nd in total offense with 389.0 yards per game and were inept against quality defenses. In three defeats, Utah averaged 221.3 yards.

DEFENSE

Utah’s defensive line rotation is so deep that standing out is difficult. Nose tackle Star Lotulelei’s name can only help him in that regard. He emerged late last season, starting the final three games and establishing himself as a disruptive force. The Utes again will use 10 or more linemen at the four positions.

Brian Blechen outgrew his safety position after making a big impact as a freshman. He moves to linebacker, where his roaming, hard-hitting style should suit him just as well.

The secondary is a concern, with cornerback Brandon Burton’s departure to the NFL meaning that Utah lost all four starters. Cornerbacks Conroy Black and Ryan Lacy have played a lot, particularly in packages involving extra defensive backs. The corners are vital to Utah’s defense, which relies on man-to-man coverage outside.

SPECIALISTS

Joe Phillips was a dependable field goal kicker and will be missed. Nick Marsh will continue to handle kickoffs, while Coleman Petersen earned the field goal job in the spring. The Utes must replace Shaky Smithson, who led the country in punt returns with a 19.1-yard average

FINAL ANALYSIS

This season will be unlike any in the Utes’ history. Longtime rival BYU is booked for the third game of the season, and Colorado, an opponent the Utes have not faced in nearly 50 years, occupies BYU’s traditional slot on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

In the Pac-12, “The bar has been raised,” Whittingham says. Intermittent games against Pac-12 schools have illustrated that the Utes can compete at this level, but the week-after-week conference schedule will challenge them. If the young running backs develop and the secondary comes together, Utah could contend for the Pac-12 South title.