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Position Grades: Utah at Washington


It was a game that started with plenty of good and then ended with a lot of bad for the University of Utah on Saturday night, as the Utes surrendered a 21-point lead, ultimately losing the game in the closing minute to the Washington Huskies, 24-21. With Utah playing so many new and inexperienced players, the struggles were inevitable, but blowing a 21-point is something that just shouldn’t happen.

Here are the position grades for the game:


Quarterback: C

It was a forgettable second half performance by Bentley, who, after a solid first two quarters, struggled to move the offense in the second half. Bentley ended up with 144 yards on 16 of 23 passing, with one touchdown and two interceptions. He also added 33 yards and another touchdown on the ground. Bentley struggled with turnovers and inconsistency during his time at South Carolina, and that trend has continued through his first two games as a Ute.


Running Backs: B

Utah’s running backs put up some decent numbers, particularly true freshman Ty Jordan, who finished with 97 yards on 10 carries, and added another 31 yards through the air. However, Jordan also fumbled the ball at a key moment in the second half when Utah was driving and looking to take back some of the momentum from Washington. Outside of Jordan, Devin Brumfield, Jordan Wilmore, and Micah Bernard combined for 76 yards and a touchdown. Not a bad performance overall, but that costly fumble drops the grade considerably. At the rate that the passing game is going, this group is showing its capable to carry more of the load, if given the opportunity.


Wide Receivers: C-

Aside from Bryan Thompson, Utah’s receivers were MIA against the Huskies. One of the highlights of the game was Utah’s lone touchdown pass, where Bentley found Thompson on a corner route, connecting for a 13 yard score. He also had a beautiful 33-yard catch on a perfect throw from Bentley. Aside from Thompson, the only other wide receiver that recorded a catch was Solomon Enis, who had two grabs for 6 yards. It was a forgettable performance by this group and they yet to live up to their lofty preseason expectations.


Tight Ends: C-

The offense tried to get Brant Kuithe involved more than last game, but he still only had five touches for a total of 32 yards, and we have yet to see Kuithe’s big play potential be properly utilized this season. Neither Cole Fotheringham nor Dalton Kincaid recorded a catch against the Huskies. It’s a talented group that’s been significantly underutilized.


Offensive Line: B-

The offensive line looked improved compared to their atrocious performance against USC, but they still allowed three sacks on the night, including one that led to a fumble. One plus was that Bentley was given plenty of time in the pocket, but it wasn’t capitalized on enough. The offensive line did a decent job opening lanes for the run, as the Utes averaged 5.1 yards per carry. However, that stat was padded by Ty Jordan, who averaged 9.7 yards per run. The good news is that the offensive line showed some progress since Week 1, whether most want to admit it or not.


Defensive Line: C+

The defensive line struggled to pressure Washington’s quarterback, and Utah’s defense didn’t record a sack against the Huskies—very un-Utah like. The Utes did a decent enough job against the run, only giving up 88 yards—against a team that had averaged over 250 per game—but their inability to pressure the quarterback was a major factor in why the Huskies were able to rip off 24 unanswered points in the second half.


Linebackers: B

Devin Lloyd was his usual spectacular self, leading the team in tackles and making a highlight tackle for loss off the edge. Nephi Sewell had some nice moments and delivered some big hits, recording seven tackles and a pass breakup—although he had the tough task of having to frequently cover Cade Otton who went for eight catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns. Also, true freshman Sione Fotu continues to be one of the nice early season surprises, while recording three tackles and flying all over the field.


Defensive Backs: B-

Utah’s secondary did a nice job throughout the game of forcing turnovers, and this young but talented group is flashing the potential that should make them a force to be reckoned with in the future. Faybian Marks, Vonte Davis, and Zemiah Vaughn all recorded interceptions on the night, while Clark Phillips showed why he was such a highly sought after recruit,

on several occasions—minus the deep ball that set up a Washington score. The group did show their youth in some key moments and were unable to stop Washington when it mattered most. You can’t pin that all on them, however, as the front seven struggled to generate pressure and the offense couldn’t get anything going in the second half.


Special Teams: B

It was a quiet night for the special teams. Jadon Redding did what was asked of him, connecting on all three PAT tries, while Ben Lennon averaged 40.3 yards on three punts. The return game didn’t get anything going, as they didn’t attempt to return any kickoffs, and Britain Covey’s one punt return attempt ended with him getting walloped on the try.


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