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The ball from quarterback Devon Dampier spiraled through the air and landed in the hands of senior wide receiver Ryan Davis, something that was routine last season at New Mexico.
The only difference this spring is that the duo is now connecting in Salt Lake City instead of Albuquerque.
Last year at New Mexico, Dampier and Davis were productive together, with Davis hauling in 54 receptions for 747 yards and three touchdowns. Those numbers would have placed Davis atop the list of Utah's pass-catchers in 2024, and coaches are hoping for that same production, or better, in 2025.
There's little doubt that wide receiver is the position group on offense with the most question marks heading into the season, with every starting spot up for grabs. Since Dorian Singer 's NCAA appeal for another year of eligibility was denied, there's no obvious go-to receiver that has emerged — at least yet.
"That thing's wide open just to let guys play, see who, like I mentioned, day in, day out, who's being consistent, making plays, doing the right things, trustworthy, and that's what I call it, the circle of trust," offensive coordinator Jason Beck said at the start of spring practice.
University of Utah football's new offensive coordinator Jason Beck talks with media in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, as winter workouts begin. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
"Everybody starts on the peripheral and it's all about what you're doing every day. You're making the way right in the center of that thing where we can count on you to do your job, do your assignment."
Sophomores Daidren Zipperer and Zacharyus Williams , who each had good performances late in the season, are the prominent candidates from last year's team, while Davis, Mississippi State transfer Creed Whittemore (chose to redshirt after four games; four receptions for 65 yards) Utah State transfer Otto Tia (44 receptions for 434 yards and seven touchdowns) and Wyoming's Justin Stevenson (17 receptions for 204 yards and three touchdowns) are the transfers battling for playing time.
With so many new faces, it could take some time to see separation in the room.
"We feel confident in a bunch of them," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said on Tuesday. "It's just who's going to step up consistently and make plays. So it's not like we're searching for a guy that can catch a ball or make a play, it's who's going to step up and be the go-to guy — that has to happen."
Due to his familiarity with offensive coordinator Jason Beck's system, his relationship with Dampier and wide receivers coach Micah Simon, who also came to Utah from New Mexico, and his veteran status, Davis is one of the top contenders to be that "go-to" guy.
"I played with Coach Beck and Coach Simon last year with Coach (Bronco) Mendenhall at New Mexico and had the great opportunity to play for them," Davis said. "I got on the field and I made a great relationship with them, with Devon as well."
When Beck, Simon and Dampier all decided to head west to Salt Lake City, Davis followed close behind, noting that his relationship with the three played a big part in his decision to transfer to Utah.
Dampier and Davis are especially close, with the two eating dinner together almost every night.
"We're always just checking in, seeing how each other are doing," Davis said. "We'll hang on the weekends and just, we're close. We got that connection on the field and off the field, so it's been awesome."
Davis called Dampier's "explosive playmaking ability" unique and noted that he has the talent, speed and athleticism to make a play "that you don't think anyone's going to make."
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier runs during spring football practice at Spence and Cleone Eccles Football Center in Salt Lake City, UT on Thursday, March 20, 2025. | Anna Fuder
That, combined with his elusiveness and ability to avoid sacks, means that receivers always have to be on their toes and ready to improvise.
"Say you're running a glance (route) and you don't get it on that first thing and you see him roll, then it's straight to scramble and it's find green grass and Dev will find you," Davis said. "He's going to make some crazy plays. He might roll left and then roll all the way back right and you got to just be ready for that and just find the open space and find the green and he'll get it to you."
In addition, Beck's offense provides a lot of freedom for receivers — one of Davis' favorite parts of the scheme — with multiple options on each route, which goes hand in hand with Dampier's ability to extend plays.
"I love the offense that Coach Beck has. You have to be smart to play it. You have to know certain things, find certain holes and everything because we have a lot of options on different routes and depending on what the defense does, depicts what you do for your route," Davis said. "So you got to be on the same page with the quarterback and the quarterback has to trust you to run that certain route and that certain look.
"So yeah, just the freedom about it, having the ability to pick and choose what to do during a route, it's so fun. And just finding the hole and trusting Dev to get the ball to you and then the ball's thrown to you where a receiver's supposed to catch it."
Out of Blessed Trinity Catholic High in Georgia, Davis played three seasons at UAB before transferring to New Mexico for the 2023 and 2024 campaigns. Playing with Dampier and under Mendenhall helped unlock his potential as a player, and he went from more modest touches at UAB to eventually becoming one of Dampier's most trusted receivers at New Mexico.
The 5-foot-11, 181-pound receiver was reliable when the ball was thrown his way, dropping just three of his 87 targets last year, and had two 100-or-more-yardage games, including one against Auburn.
New Mexico wide receiver Ryan Davis (18) catches a pass during game against Auburn, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Auburn, Ala. Davis transferred to Utah in the offseason. | Butch Dill, Associated Press
"Playing under Coach Mendenhall, having the rigorous workouts and expectations from Coach Simon and Coach Beck on the offensive side of the ball taught me how to play like we do and how to play hard and competitive and with a growth mindset every single day," Davis said.
As one of the veteran players in Utah's receivers room, Davis has taken on a leadership role and has helped the other receivers with learning Beck's offense. Beck had used Davis while teaching the offense to the new receivers, having the senior take the first rep as an example.
"Just him being that leader of the receiver group. He already knows the offense, so obviously he's handling that side of things," Dampier said.
After moving about 600 miles to Salt Lake City, there's one thing that's clear — the relationship and trust between Dampier and Davis is strong, and Ute fans will see the two connecting for gains on the field in the fall.
"Ryan's done a nice job and he obviously has a leg up knowing the offense just like Devon does and just running back (NaQuari) Rogers does, but he's a guy that shows up every day, works hard and really is going to add to what we're doing," Whittingham said.
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