Iowa State’s Week 4 matchup with No. 15 Utah comes with the kind of defensive challenge that can wreck a game plan fast.
The Cyclones get the Utes at Jack Trice Stadium in their Big 12 opener, and the setting should be loud. It’s a whiteout game, and Iowa State will try to turn that into every bit of home-field edge it can. For head coach Jimmy Rogers, it’s a chance to land his first signature win with the program against a ranked opponent.
But Utah hasn’t given anyone much room to breathe. The Utes are 3-0, have won each game by at least 33 points, and have allowed just 24 points all season. That’s the backdrop for a defense that has been flat-out difficult to move the ball against.
Here are four Utah defenders Iowa State fans need to have on their radar.
Nate Ritchie is the kind of safety who shows up everywhere. Utah leans on him at the back end, and he has filled up the stat sheet: 15 total tackles, second-most on the team, plus a team-best 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one pass defended.
He’s also been the Utes’ most reliable tackler, posting an 88.7 tackling grade that leads the team. Utah hasn’t used him heavily as a pass rusher - he has just 11 pass-rushing snaps - but he’s still made five total pressures count. Iowa State will need to know exactly where he is on every snap.
Jonathan Hall has been all over the field for Utah, and that versatility is a big part of what makes him dangerous. He’s played mostly in the box, but the Utes have also used him along the defensive line, at free safety, in the slot and at corner.
No matter where they line him up, he delivers. Hall owns an 80.6 defensive grade, second-best on the team, and has produced five total pressures on 18 pass-rushing snaps.
He’s been just as strong against the run, where his 90.3 grade stands out, and he’s a steady tackler with an 84.9 mark in that area. He’s also second on the team with eight stops, trailing only Trey Reynolds, who has 10.
Lance Holtzclaw may not have a sack yet, but he’s been one of Utah’s most disruptive players. He leads the team with 12 total pressures, along with one quarterback hit and 11 hurries.
He’s also added a batted pass and five stops, and his 83.6 defensive grade is the best on the roster. Utah has used him as a true edge threat: 67 of his 98 snaps have come as a pass rusher. In other words, he’s on the field to hunt quarterbacks.
Elijah Davis doesn’t jump off the page in the box score, but the coverage numbers tell the story. He has just three tackles and three passes defended, yet he’s been Utah’s best cover corner with a 79.4 coverage grade in 71 snaps.
Opponents have targeted him seven times, and he has allowed only two catches for 13 yards. PFF credits him with two pass breakups. If Jaylen Raynor ends up throwing toward Davis’ side, that could make for a long afternoon.
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