TJ Burch arrived at Utah with a reputation, and in the early going he has wasted no time living up to it.
The Wright State transfer is already giving Alex Jensen the kind of defensive edge the new Utah coach and general manager Wes Wilcox wanted to build into this roster. In Utah’s 79-69 exhibition win over UNLV on Oct. 7, Burch put up 16 points, five rebounds and four steals, a stat line that fit the tone he has brought from the first days of practice.
That edge, Burch said, isn’t something he turns on and off.
“It’s kind of like my DNA,” Burch said. “My family, we all play sports, kind of all got that dawg mentality, so it’s been in me forever.”
Utah brought him in after he earned Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year honors at Wright State, and the numbers backed up the award. Burch had 88 steals last season, third-most nationally, and averaged 2.6 steals per game, which ranked seventh. He helped lead the Raiders to both the Horizon League regular-season and tournament titles.
For Utah, that kind of production is about more than a few flashy takeaways. Burch’s pressure can speed opponents up, make passes tougher and keep the rest of the defense from scrambling to cover for penetration. That matters for a team trying to turn individual toughness into something more reliable on a nightly basis.
“I take big pride in it. I take defense personal,” Burch said. “You’re not supposed to take basketball personal, but I do, I want to get that stop.”
He isn’t spending much time worrying about size questions as he moves into the Big 12, either.
“I’m a dog, bro. I’m a dog. Size don’t matter,” Burch said.
The exhibition against UNLV offered a glimpse of how that attitude can help Utah when the offense goes quiet. The Utes opened up a 17-point first-half lead, then missed their first seven 3-point attempts after halftime as UNLV clawed back to within 62-56 at the under-eight timeout.
Utah answered with defense. The Utes held UNLV to 1-for-5 shooting during a 9-2 run that pushed the lead back to 13 points with 3:29 left.
Burch was right in the middle of it, finishing with four of Utah’s 12 steals and going 8-for-10 at the free-throw line. The Utes also scored 18 points off turnovers, and Burch accounted for half of Utah’s 32 bench points.
One exhibition doesn’t tell the full story, but it did show Utah had a way to get separation even when the shots stopped falling.
His teammates say the effort is obvious every day. Forward Alec Anigbata called him “a machine, he’s a dog, he’s always competing, especially on the defensive end, and really pushing everybody to get along with that,” while guard Obomate Abbey pointed to the way Burch handles mistakes and keeps moving forward without letting one play snowball into the next.
Trey Campbell said the guards have been picking each other up full court in practice, and Babacar Faye estimated that about half of practice is spent on defense. That lines up with Jensen’s priorities and the way Utah wants to play.
Burch has embraced the fit. He said the relationship with the coaching staff went well from the first Zoom call through his official visit, and he felt comfortable because the program would let him be himself. He also saw a chance to grow as a true point guard, pointing to the staff’s NBA experience as part of why he believes they can help him better understand how to run an offense.
For Burch, the move to Utah is about proving he can do more than one thing at a high level.
“I got a chance to show everybody I can do it on both stages, both levels,” Burch said.
Utah has already seen enough to know the defense has a real chance to look different this season. The bigger test will come once the games count for real, and then again when Big 12 play arrives.
In Other News...
Utah Has Even More Reason To Watch Colorado This Week
Colorados week in the spotlight got even more complicated after Deion Sanders addressed the booklet of offensive plays found by Texas Tech fans at the team hotel before Colorados game. Sanders brushed off the incident, saying it was not a big deal and even raising doubts about whether the booklet was an actual script at all, which only added another layer of intrigue around a program that has already spent plenty of time under the microscope.
For Utah, the bigger takeaway is tied to Isaac Wilson, who transferred away from Salt Lake City and is now set to start against the Utes. Wilsons first career start for Colorado came in the loss to Texas Tech, and his return to face his former team gives this matchup a little extra edge, especially with the quarterback situation now settled heading into the game. [Read more 🡒]
Rice-Eccles Changes Are Already Starting To Affect Utah Game Days
The long-planned facelift at Rice-Eccles Stadium is moving from concept to something fans can actually see on game day. The University of Utah Board of Trustees signed off on a major upgrade meant to add more premium inventory to the north end zone, part of a broader effort to modernize the venue as Utah keeps leaning into the atmosphere and business side of its home field.
For now, the changes are already showing up in a more temporary form around the remaining home dates this season, while the permanent buildout is targeted for completion before the 2027 football season. The project is being funded by the University of Utah and Crimson Brand Partners, and it gives the Utes a clearer picture of what Rice-Eccles will look like when the next phase of the stadiums evolution is finished. [Read more 🡒]
Deion Sanders Sends Colorado Fans A Blunt Warning Before Utah
Colorados lead-up to Utah has been defined by caution as much as confidence, with Deion Sanders using his media session to frame the matchup as a serious test for a Buffaloes team that has struggled offensively in recent weeks. Sanders also made clear the quarterback situation remains unchanged, with Isaac Wilson getting the start again as Colorado tries to steady itself against one of the tougher opponents on its schedule.
Utah enters as a heavy favorite, and Sanders did little to soften that reality while talking up Morgan Scalleys program and the challenge waiting on the other side of kickoff. He pointed to Utahs ability to score and its stingy defense as the combination that has the Buffaloes on alert, a reminder that this is the kind of game where Colorado will need more than just a clean plan at quarterback to stay competitive. [Read more 🡒]