As Utah approaches the start of the 2023 season with visions of a three-peat dancing in Ute fans heads, it should be the guts that grab the most attention with the beginning of Camp Kyle, specifically the guts (or lack thereof) belonging to the “Monstars” of the Oblock.
Under the impressive tutelage of Jim Harding, who is entering his 10th season of training in the trenches, with multiple starters returning to fill spots vacated by Braeden Daniels and Paul Maile, Utah should be poised to deliver one of the more dominant units on the offensive line during the Pac-12 era.
While Utah loses some experience with the departures of Daniels & Maile and some depth after Tyler Knaak exited the program via the transfer portal to Nebraska, the arrival of highly rated recruits Spencer Fano, Caleb Lomu and Roger Alderman will provide a deep pool of talent for Harding to find his two deep. Also returning will be Toa Moea’i as the freshman from Punahou School in Hawaii completed his LDS mission in time for spring. Utah enters the 2023 season with a deep, talented pool of athletes which should lead to a few competitive battles throughout camp.
Projected Starting Five
Left Tackle- Falcon Kaumatule
Kaumatule took the reins towards the end of spring following the departure of Daniels and looks to be the projected starter for the 2023 season on the blind side. Kaumatule is a long, strong athlete at 6’8” and 304 pounds, his physically imposing stature has made him a “first off the bus” type player for almost all of his four seasons at Utah, but he has never cracked the starting lineup to this point, despite seeing action in all 14 games last season either in backup duty or on special teams. The physical gifts set Falcon apart, his wingspan is massive and he moves well and has good bend for a player his size. To take control of the left tackle position, he’ll need to maintain the execution he demonstrated in the spring of being assignment sound, and finishing plays with physical dominance. The biggest concern might be his lack of in-game experience, but a home opener in Rice-Eccles should help with any potential nerves.
Left Guard- Keaton Bills
Bills was selected to the Pac-12 preseason All-Conference first team earlier this summer, and was recently added to the Outland Trophy Watch List along with running mate Sataoa Laumea. Additionally, he was selected as a preseason All-America candidate after playing in 33 games at the U. Bills is massive, a human road grater with Thor-like strength and surprising balance and athleticism for an athlete his size. What he may lack in ability to get outside on screens and pulls, he more than makes up for with his discipline in blitz pickup and superb technique in run blocking. Utah attempted 25 rushes behind Bills, tops of any member of the front five, and with a cadre of explosive backs to compliment his ability to open a hole, Bills should see a repeat of this in 2023.
Center- Johnny Maea/Kolinu’u Faaiu
Another position Utah will look to fill after Paul Maile’s departure, both Maea and Faaiu will look to earn the starting spot after limited but successful moments during the 2022 season. Maea is a senior with multiple starts on his resume and when healthy, has provided Utah with great inside push in the run game. His best game was against Stanford, where he posted a grade of 79.9 in pass protection in 25 snaps before exiting with an injury. The fact that Faaiu actually graded higher than Maea after stepping in following the injury is why he should compete, and may even win the starting job this fall. The North Creek HS grad stands at 6’3” and 326 lbs, roughly 20 lbs heavier than the 6’4” Maea, and his sturdy frame allows him to get under the pads of defenders with unusual strength at the position. While Maea may have the edge in experience, Faaiu showed adeptness to process reads at game speeds that is unique for a redshirt freshman, and the likelihood of both seeing action at some point during the season is strong.
Right Guard- Michael Mokofisi
Mokofisi stepped into the lineup in 2021 against Colorado and showed explosive strength immediately off the bat, and that’s what positioned him to be a starter in 2022. His punch is heavy and shows rare twitch, which allowed him to start in 13 games last year. The results were mixed, somewhat expected for a converted defensive lineman who was learning on the fly and he shared time with Jaren Kump throughout the season. Mokofisi will need to be solid in his reads and execution, as there are others waiting in the wings that could allow Sataoa Laumea to slide back to his more natural position at guard. If Mokofisi eliminates the missed assignments and continues to use his physical abilities like he has, Utah should dominate the interior again this year.
Right Tackle- Sataoa Laumea
Laumea has been nothing short of phenomenal in his time at Utah, even while playing slightly out of position at the right tackle position. He’s a three time All-Pac-12 player, and earned a spot on the Outland Trophy Watch List for the nation’s top offensive lineman just this week. The only real question mark around Laumea is where he starts this season. Utah added loads of talent and athleticism at the tackle spot, and as good as Laumea was on the edge last year, he’s even better on the inside where he won’t have to work as much to keep up athletically. He’s leaner than in years past and showed improvement despite facing some elite edge players, so it will be up to Jim Harding to decide if there is a capable replacement that makes it worthwhile to move him back inside.
The Challengers
Zereoue Williams
Williams is another long, athletic convert to the tackle position. Originally a basketball player, Williams has only played three seasons at the position. The adjustment to playing with bend has been tricky, he’s all of 6’8” and while his length is an advantage, he’s had to work hard to adapt it to football. He’s finally packed on the weight necessary to man the position, and his work ethic and leadership have drawn praise since his arrival, it has been technical mastery and consistency that have drawn out his development. A good camp could help catapult him into a rotation at the least, but there are a lot of mouths to feed with this particular group and while Zereoue has been around, it may not be his time just yet.
Jaren Kump
Kump was an immediate fan favorite after Kyle Whittingham pointed out that he was running with the skill positions in conditioning drills, but injuries and position questions have slowed his development. Kump is an extremely hard worker, and though it feels like we’ve waited forever for his development, he’s only a sophomore. With long arms and an agile frame, Kump has played at both tackle positions, right guard and took reps in the spring at Center. He showed signs in 2022 of still mentally processing his injuries, and his work in the spring at the center position was mixed. He’s very capable athletically, and with this season being his third in the program his mental processing should be more natural and instinctive, what remains to be seen is where he can get playing time. Kump could end up a starter at either of the open spots, or he could end up rotating with others but most likely he lands as a tackle given his natural gifts.
Spencer Fano
Fano impressed early at Utah as a spring enrollee, and the rave reviews continued throughout the offseason. He’s strong, quick, brutish with his hands and can play any position across the line. He was definitely lost at times in the spring, but the growth and the confidence through the mistakes are promising. It would be asking a lot for a true freshman to win a starting job, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. Fano will absolutely see time this fall, it will simply depend on where and when that time comes. He’s best suited to play tackle and spent his senior season on the right side, so it doesn’t seem outrageous that he could rotate there depending on the matchups.
Caleb Lomu
Likely the best golfer on the OBlock, if not the entire team, Lomu is lean, aggressive and confident. He’s gained some weight over the summer which will certainly help but it’s the mentality of wanting to bury his opponent on every play that will most likely allow him to see the field at some point this fall. He was always going to be a bit of a developmental player, but he’s grasped the game well mentally and as a highly rated recruit, Utah will want to get him in the mix as much as possible.
The Backups
Toa Moeai
Sola wasn’t the only thing that Moeai lost from this spring as the returned missionary dropped a massive amount of weight to get down to a svelte 338 lbs. Don’t let that number fool you though, Moeai is nimble and twitchy for a man his size, and he should provide Utah with some power on the inside and the versatility to play on the edge. The mission legs are real, he’s still acclimating but with a spring under his belt and the experience he gained from serving an LDS mission should make him a part of the two deep rolling forward.
Keith Olson
Olson was a bit of a surprise in the spring after spending the 2022 season as a candidate for a redshirt. He’s got a large frame at 6’6” and 312 lbs, but it was the evolution and development early in the spring that caught the eye of many. He battled through adversity in spring which slowed his arc, but he could be an outside contender to be part of the two-deep along with Moeai on the inside.
Tanoa Togiai
He’s another convert to the OBlock from the defensive side of the ball, and he’s spent a full season working at multiple positions so he brings experience to the table, along with a good frame and solid wingspan. What Togiai needs, simply, are reps. He’s a developmental prospect and his future will depend on how much he evolves in practice, but if he can establish himself as a backup despite a crowded room in terms of physical talent, it will give him a leg up going into next season as Utah will likely need to replace two starters, assuming Bills and Laumea move on to the NFL.
UteNation Take
Utah is DEEEP in terms of talent and potential in the trenches, and it seems like the talent just continues to improve with every recruiting class. While it is still early, the fact that Lomu and Fano are being discussed as part of the top tier is a major positive, especially considering the experience that returns from last year. The fact that Bills and Laumea are being recognized as some of the best OL in the country is both tantalizing and deserved, and Jim Harding is showing that he’s one of the best developmental coaches in the land. Utah will need to establish starters early, and even if there is push from below in terms of competition, camp should be enough of a test to secure the starters moving forward.
