College football has arrived.
The University of Utah opens fall camp this week, kicking off Kyle Whittingham's 21st season at the helm of the program.
While some position groups are set in stone as "Camp Kyle" opens on Wednesday, there's still a few interesting battles to keep your eye on as Utah prepares for its season opener at UCLA on Aug. 30.
Here are five storylines to follow as Utah prepares to open the 2025 season:
Unfortunately for the Utes, the backup quarterback has been thrust into the starting job in back-to-back years — first Bryson Barnes and Nate Johnson in 2023, and then true freshman Isaac Wilson and Brandon Rose in 2024.
Utah's biggest hope this season is that starting quarterback Devon Dampier stays healthy for every game. Despite being a heavy part of the run game in New Mexico, he started every game for the Lobos in 2023, throwing for 2,768 yards and 12 touchdowns (with 12 interceptions) and rushing for 1,166 yards and 19 scores.
But, if Dampier misses time, who will take over? It's a two-man race between Wilson and true freshman Byrd Ficklin as camp begins.
White team quarterback Byrd Ficklin (15) throws a pass during the Utah Utes' 22 Forever spring game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 19, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
In the portal age of college football, it's pretty rare to have an excellent backup situation, like Utah had when Brian Johnson was backing up Alex Smith in 2004.
Players aren't transferring into schools to ride the pine. There's always going to be a dropoff from the starter to the backup — Utah's hope is that the dropoff won't be too much and whoever wins the backup job will be serviceable.
Wilson has more college experience. While his play last season was up-and-down (with a lot of down), playing in nine games teaches you a lot. With another offseason under his belt, has Wilson progressed enough in correcting his shortfalls from last season to be trusted with the No. 2 job again?
The other contender is Ficklin, who has a play style similar to Dampier, and can be easily incorporated in new offensive coordinator Jason Beck's system, which puts an emphasis on the quarterback run.
The drawbacks are the same as when Wilson won the backup job last season. He hasn't played against a college defense that's not Utah's and has no live game experience.
"That is shaping up to be a real battle between Isaac Wilson and Byrd Ficklin and Byrd Ficklin just got better by the day, seemingly, and just continued to make better and better decisions."
But Whittingham and Co. have gone with who they think will give them the best chance to win time after time, and they'll do the same this season.
If Ficklin impresses in camp, he could come away with the backup quarterback job and Wilson could take a redshirt season.
"That is shaping up to be a real battle between Isaac Wilson and Byrd Ficklin and Byrd Ficklin just got better by the day, seemingly, and just continued to make better and better decisions," Whittingham said.
"His athleticism showed up more and more and by the end of spring ball, him and Isaac were in a heated battle for the backup and that will continue through fall camp. What we're looking for is just what I said, a guy that can move the offense and get into in the end zone and not put the defense in bad situations."
Two of the three starting cornerback spots are locked down — Smith Snowden will start another season at nickelback and Scooby Davis, who took over the starting spot after Kenan Johnson suffered a season-ending injury in the first game of the season, will start the year at one outside corner position.
The preeminent battle on the defensive side of the ball is who will line up at the other outside cornerback spot.
When Utah plays only two corners, Snowden will often move from nickel to outside, but when Scalley runs three corners, there will be a newcomer at the other outside corner position.
Utah cornerback Don Saunders during spring practice. | Utah Athletics
After Zemaiah Vaughn graduated and Cam Calhoun transferred to Alabama, the Utes hit the transfer portal hard, picking up Don Saunders (Texas A&M), Blake Cotton (UC Davis), Rock Caldwell (Garden City Community College) and JC Hart (Auburn).
"The corner opposite Scooby Davis, that's still up in the air. We have three or four candidates who are really in the mix for that, but it's not settled yet. We need that to get settled earlier rather than later in camp," Whittingham said.
Cotton, Saunders and Caldwell all got extensive playing time in spring camp, all three making plays at times, while Hart arrived in the spring window after camp closed.
This will be the fiercest battle on the defensive side of the ball, and it will be interesting to see who emerges.
Whittingham put it best.
"As far as the wide receiver position, that's probably the biggest question mark on the football team right now," the Utah coach said. "As far as the hierarchy, who's going to be wide receiver one, two and three, et cetera? We didn't come out of spring with any true pecking order."
There are 16 wide receivers listed on Utah's roster — including quarterback Johnson — as the Utes begin camp.
Which 4-6 will make it into the regular rotation, and which three will start? That's the biggest question facing Whittingham and new receivers coach Micah Simon.
Utah Utes receiver Daidren Zipperer celebrates his catch during a game against Iowa State at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Daidren Zipperer , who received more playing time in the last few games of the season and posted a final line of eight receptions for 122 yards, is the only major returning contributor.
Despite arriving in the post-spring camp transfer portal, Tobias Merriweather could make his case for WR1 this fall. Merriweather had stops at Notre Dame and Cal, hauling in 11 receptions for 125 yards while only playing in five games due to injury.
The 6-foot-5, 195-pounder brings unique size to Utah's receiver room, and adds deep-ball ability.
Ryan Davis , who played with Dampier at New Mexico, will likely earn a starting job. He had a career season in 2024 with 747 yards and three scores on 54 receptions, already has chemistry with Dampier, and already knows Beck's offense.
Beyond that, there's plenty of options.
Larry Simmons (27 receptions for 421 yards and a touchdown at Southern Miss), Justin Stevenson (17 receptions for 204 yards and three touchdowns at Wyoming) and Creed Whittemore (four catches for 65 yards and 41 rushing yards at Mississippi State before choosing to redshirt) will all battle it out in August.
Johnson will also figure into things as well. He had reps at receiver during spring ball and also lined up in the backfield as a running back . His blazing-fast speed is a boon to the Utes' receiving room.
Aside from Merriweather and Zipperer, there's not a receiver with proven Power Four experience. The receiver group will need to step up, big time, to help out Dampier this year.
As far as the starters at defensive tackle, it's crystal clear. Senior Aliki Vimahi and sophomore Dallas Vakalahi will start up front for the Utes, replacing Junior Tafuna and Keanu Tanuvasa.
Vimahi has been in the program since 2020 and has 13 starts under his belt, but had his season shortened due to injury last year, playing in just four games (two starts) with seven tackles, two tackles for loss and two pass breakups.
Houston running back Stacy Sneed (21) makes a gain in front of Utah defensive tackle Dallas Vakalahi (98) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Houston. | Michael Wyke
Vakalahi was a key part of the rotation in his first season back from his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, playing in nine games last season, and finishing the year with 16 tackles and two sacks.
He's expected to take a jump forward this season.
DT3 will be redshirt sophomore Jonah Lea'ea, who put on significant weight (now 6-foot-5 and 271 pounds) and will take a big step forward in responsibility after playing 52 snaps with two tackles.
"We got three defensive tackles who have some experience that are proven commodities, but we've got three young guys and we got to decide which one or two of those guys are the most ready to contribute this year because they're going to have to," Whittingham said.
A foursome of freshmen — Karson Kaufusi, Sione Motuapuaka, LSU transfer Dilan Battle and Semi Taulanga — will battle it out to become part of the rotation this season. Kaufusi has the upper hand here as the Utes start fall camp.
The bulk of the offensive install happened in the spring, but the finishing touches will be added in this fall.
Beck was picked in part because his offense was easier to understand, which is vital in the age of the transfer portal. About half of Utah's 2025 roster is brand new — either transfers or freshmen — and not having a complex offensive style that takes years to learn will be an advantage.
Another advantage?
Dampier, who was Beck's quarterback at New Mexico, has helped his teammates learn the offense.
"He was like a coach on the field for us in spring ball," Whittingham said.
Beck's offense is a spread attack that incorporates a lot of run-pass option and an emphasis on running the ball — especially at the quarterback position — but also uses its personnel in creative ways.
After last season's offensive doldrums, there's a lot of pressure on Beck and the offense to deliver at least an average offense — if not better — in 2025.
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
