The state of Utah is no stranger to friction on fall Saturdays, but 2025 feels different. Utah Utes, led by longtime coach Kyle Whittingham may never catch LaVell Edwards when it comes to victories, championships or his golf handicap. However, they stand together in the BYU-Utah rivalry, they stand together. Stepping into their first full Big 12 slate armed with two reasons for hope: a dynamic new QB1 in Devon Dampier and a play-caller in Jason Beck, whose offensive résumé reads like an SEC wish list. Rivalry with BYU doesn’t just carry emotional weight now. It could decide the conference crown.

Kyle Whittingham isn’t shy about what’s coming when Utah and BYU clash this fall, especially with Keanu Tanuvasa’s recent remarks breathing new life into the feud. “The rivalry … it adds a different dimension to it and more meaning to it when you’re both in the same league, which we haven’t been for years and years, but now we are,” coach said at Big 12 Media Days in Frisco. “And so that not only is a rivalry game, but a game that could and should be instrumental in who ends up winning the Big 12.” The implications are real. For the first time in decades, it’s not just about bragging rights—it’s about playoff positioning.

And if anyone knows what this game means, it’s Kyle Whittingham. A former BYU grad assistant turned Utah legend, he has patrolled the sideline in 26 matchups in the Holy War, including the last 15 as head coach. His teams have won 9 of the last 10 games against the Cougars, including the streak-snapping 2021 loss. But with a fresh wave of talent and a new-look BYU staff, he knows history books won’t decide this fall’s Oct. 18 showdown. “As far as that goes, you just move on,” he added, referencing roster changes and portal moves. “An old experienced coach once told me: you win with the players you got, you don’t worry about the players you don’t have. So I really have nothing to add to that.”

What Kyle Whittingham does have is an exciting new pairing, leading his offense. Jason Beck, hired in December 2024 after dialing up fireworks at New Mexico, is taking the reins with full freedom. “Jason Beck was a great fit for what we’re doing,” Whittingham said. “We got Jason on board last year. I was eager to stay with Jason and stay in the same offense. Devon transferred in knowing the offense — he didn’t have any learning curve at all. Jason has complete autonomy to do what he wants offensively, and he does a great job of utilizing personnel.” Beck’s 2024 offense collected over 33 points on average and nearly 500 yards per game in Albuquerque. If he brings even half of that to Salt Lake, Utah’s ceiling rises fast.

The engine of that attack is Dampier, the preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. The New Mexico transfer brings dual-threat electricity and poise that has already won over the Utah locker room. Behind a battle-tested offensive line, he’s poised to energize an offense that injuries plagued during Cam Rising’s tenure. With fall camp set to settle the wide receiver depth chart and Beck focused on blending Utah’s historic ground game with a modern passing twist, the Utes could be more balanced than they’ve been in years. It all builds to Oct. 18 in Week 8, a date circled red by both fanbases. BYU still hasn’t named its QB1, and Utah’s defense continues to play with hunger and a turnover mindset.

Kyle Whittingham has no doubts who “owns” Utah’s locker room

If there was any doubt about who’s steering the Utah offense in 2025, Kyle Whittingham just erased it. Devon Dampier isn’t just QB1 on paper. He’s QB1 in the hearts and huddle. Big 12 already named the New Mexico transfer as the preseason Newcomer of the Year, but according to Whittingham, he’s earned something even more valuable than preseason hype: total buy-in.

“He’s got the respect of his peers, having been voted on the leadership council. He’s got that it factor that you look for in quarterbacks,” Whittingham said. “He’s got the field general mentality that you look for. He’s a guy that everybody gravitates towards. There’s no doubt who’s in charge on offense.” That’s not something you can fake. Utah’s always built its program on discipline and chemistry, and Dampier—after less than a year on campus—already has the team orbiting around him. “It’s not like he commands the huddle, but everybody looks to Devon as the leader of the offense, and that’s pretty impressive,” Whittingham added.

Dampier’s raw numbers back it up, too. He registered over 2,500 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards last season, putting him in an elite list of college QBs who’ve hit those marks in a single campaign. Still, Whittingham knows the next step is refinement. “We’ve got to get the completion percentage up a little bit higher,” he said. “He definitely made improvements in those areas through spring.” They have QB/captain.