Many experts predict that Utah's defense will take a step back this season. These naysayers argue that with the return of only four starters on defense (no linebackers), and the loss of several standouts (Joe Dale Phillips, Mike Wright, and Stevenson Sylvester), the Utes defense will take a step back this season.
My fellow Ute fans, have no fear! A talented defensive mind, Coach Whit, realizes that defense wins championships. He will always have talented athletes on the defensive side of the ball. While they might not be prototypical defenders, you can count on a Whittingham coached team to fly to the ball with reckless abandon.
A close examination of the Utah defense suggests that linebacker and safety are the biggest areas of concern. While these weaknesses loom large on paper, the playing field will tell another story. The projected starting line for the Utes averages almost 275 pounds. With a line that size, the Ute linemen should command a lot of double teams which will allow the linebackers and safeties to make plays in the running game. This size should also generate a solid pass rush, which will allow Defensive Coordinator Kalani Sitake to mix his coverages up to better match the strengths of the secondary.
Need more comfort? Look at what happened with Cincinnati last season. The Bearcats had a grand total of one returning starter on last year's defense. But Coach Brian Kelly put talented, speedy players on the field, and the results paid off with a Sugar Bowl bid.
So while I don't know who's going to play linebacker for Utah this fall, I do that whoever it is will be placed in a position to make plays!!
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