If you thought Utah football’s 2024 crash landing was brutal, you weren’t alone. One second they were strutting 4-0 with playoff whispers floating around like confetti, and the next, Cam Rising’s season-ending injury sent the whole show into a nosedive. A 5–7 finish. No bowl game appearance first time in a decade. Ouch. Fast forward to 2025, though, and it feels like Coach Kyle Whittingham has hit the reset button. This time he’s got some wild cards up his sleeve. The biggest headline? Utah’s entering the season healthy. Yup, you read that right.

At Utah’s Fan Fest this past Sunday, Whittingham was smiling like a man who just found his lucky poker chip. “Fortunately, able to stay healthy this fall,” he said. “I don’t think we lost one guy, in fact I know we didn’t, to injury that’s anything extensive during fall camp. Just a few bumps and bruises, twisted ankle here and there. So, we should be all healthy in two weeks when we line up against UCLA.” Translation: No repeat of the 2024 injury circus.

For a team that completely restructured its camp setup last season to mimic NFL recovery programs, this is payback paying dividends. Remember, Utah reported roughly 70% fewer camp injuries in 2024 compared to the year before. And it’s not just dumb luck. Whittingham and his staff tweaked everything: staggered practices, better recovery schedules, and smarter strength plans. That shift is already keeping his roster intact heading into the Big 12 era.

Of course, not everyone’s unscathed. Running back Mike Mitchell’s season is already toast thanks to an undisclosed injury, and LSU transfer Dilan Battle showed up banged up and rehabbing. But when the worst you’re dealing with in mid-August is a couple of bruises and a dinged-up transfer, that’s basically hitting the lottery for a college football coach. Especially one who had to duct tape an offense together last season.

Now here’s where it gets spicy: Kyle couldn’t stop himself from hyping up new OC Jason Beck and his quarterback import, Devon Dampier when asked about fall camp? “I would say I’m excited about the offense. Devon Dampier is a human highlight film.” Whittingham said, practically glowing. “Coach Beck has really done a great job with personnel groups and putting people in the right spots and his creativity. That’s probably the word that defines it best.  Creativity of the offense. It’s very multi-faceted and like I said I see it every day but I can’t wait to watch it in two weeks and see it against an opponent.” If that’s not coach-speak for, “UCLA, you’re not ready for what’s coming,” We don’t know what is.

And honestly, Whittingham might not be wrong. Dampier cooked defenses at New Mexico last season: 2,768 passing yards, 12 passing TDs, 1,166 rushing yards, 19 rushing scores, and 3,934 total yards of offense. That’s six 100-yard rushing games. That’s juking linebackers into retirement. That’s leading the Mountain West in total offense while his teammates were still figuring out which way to line up. If Kyler Murray had a younger cousin, it’d be Dampier.

Now he’s got Utah’s beefed-up roster around him, plus an O-line that might just be the best in the country. Phil Steele, Lindy’s, PFF, pick your poison. They’ve all got Utah’s offensive line ranked top 10 nationally. Oh, and he’s not throwing to Mountain West receivers anymore. He’s slinging it to Tobias Merriweather, Creed Whittemore, Otto Tia, Justin Stevenson, Ryan Davis, and Larry Simmons.

Bad news for UCLA, though. They’re first on the menu on August 30. So here’s the headline: Utah enters the season healthy and Whittingham is coaching like a man who knows last year’s faceplant can’t repeat.

How good is Utah Utes offensive-line actually?

Here’s the thing about Utah’s 2025 offense. Dampier is like Kyler or Lamar in his movements, Beck’s creative, and the receivers are brand-new. But the real engine of this machine? The offensive line. And it’s not just Utah homers saying it. Pro Football Focus ranked the Utes’ O-line second in the country, right behind Alabama. Lindy’s had them fifth. Phil Steele put them seventh and got them as favorite to take the Big 12. That’s elite company, folks.

Spencer Fano, the right tackle, is basically a bouncer at the club who doesn’t let defensive ends through the door. He graded out at a 93.0 overall last year. Highest of any FBS tackle. His run-blocking was a filthy 93.6. That’s NFL-level dominance. And speaking of the draft, scouts already have him mocked as high as No. 3 overall in 2026 (per Athletic’s Dane Brugler). He could become Utah’s first first-rounder since Devin Lloyd in 2022.

On the other side, Caleb Lomu’s the yin to Fano’s yang. The redshirt sophomore gave up just two sacks in 12 starts last season and pancaked enough defenders to make draft boards light up. He’s already appearing in first-round mocks, too. If Fano’s the lock on the door, Lomu’s the padlock and chain.

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The interior is just as nasty. Guards Michael Mokofisi and Tanoa Togiai plus center Jaren Kump are all seniors who’ve seen every blitz package under the sun. This is a group with chemistry, depth, and zero fear. When Whittingham was asked about them this spring, he didn’t even sugarcoat it: “Offensive line is going to be, they better be, very good.” And that’s classic Kyle, because he knows they’re a fortress.

Bottom line? Utah’s offensive line is no joke. It’s the foundation of everything Beck wants to do with Dampier. Fast tempo, QB freedom, creative personnel groups, all of that collapses without protection. But when your tackles are NFL-bound monsters and your guards are bulldozers in pads, you don’t just protect the QB. You set him free. And that’s what makes Utah a serious opponent heading into 2025.