Morgan Scalley says Utah is moving into the grind of fall camp, and the biggest thing he’s watching now is whether the edge and energy hold up once the easy part is over.
“Good, we're getting into the dog days of fall camp. You know, it's easy to have energy on day one, easy to be excited on day one.
It's having that same energy throughout,” Scalley said. He described Tuesday’s practice as competitive and pointed to the team’s growing comfort with situational work.
“Really good practice today, competitive. We're becoming better at situational mechanics.
And it's good that camp is competitive right now; you don't have one side dominating the other. Coaches are doing a good job of keeping our guys fresh, but understanding that we've got to be physical.”
One of the biggest questions entering camp has been the offensive line, and Scalley said that picture still isn’t fully settled. “Not yet.
We still have a couple of bumps and bruises that shift things around. But, you know, We'll have our dudes by game one.”
He added that Kelvin Obot has been “looking really good” and that “No spots are solidified.”
The first scrimmage on Saturday gave Scalley a better look at where things stand. Mateaki Helu stood out, Lance Holtzclaw made plays coming off the edge, and receivers also flashed downfield.
Still, Scalley said the red zone work needs to sharpen up. “Red zone work was a mixed bag.
We need to be more efficient. Not enough touchdowns in the red zone, too many field goals.”
Even with that, he was quick to praise the kicking operation. “The kicking game is really good.
The kicking game is really good. Love our 2 kickers.
Obviously, Orion's been established as a punter, and both Dillon Curtis and Tanner Cragun are doing a nice job.”
On the offensive line, Scalley said the group has made clear progress in the physical and technical parts of camp. “I think we've gotten to the point where we're physical enough.
You know, the pre-snap penalties are being cut down. Just continued progress.”
He said he doesn’t see one major weakness there, noting the line has been cleaner in protection and in handling slants. He also pointed to Jordan Gross as a major asset for the unit.
Defensively, the picture is still taking shape at tackle. Scalley said the defense “looks good,” but the D-tackle spot remains open as injuries and absences have shuffled things around. Karson Kaufusi is back in the mix, and more bodies are being worked in, but “that's unsettled right now.”
Asked about bringing back a NaQuari Rogers or any other Class of '22 players, Scalley kept it simple: “We feel good right now.”
He also addressed the tone between the offense and defense after saying last week that the competition had gotten a little hot. This week, he said the balance is in a better place.
“Oh, I think we have it now. And you have to be competitive without being combative.
It's the stuff that's going to get you penalized- the extra shoves and stuff like that, you know. And there's a fine line, but our guys do a really good job of making sure we don't take it to that next level where, all of a sudden, it's their stupid penalties.
I would say it's really not an issue. This is a very close team.
I'm excited.”
Scalley also explained why having alumni around the program matters to him. “Why is it important to have alums around?
Well, man, they, they bled and sweated, and they love this program and, you know, they want to know that there's a legacy there that, you know, I mean, shoot, our current players didn't build this building; our current players are building their own legacy. So there's a lot of guys with a lot of passion for this program, the way it's been run, the family atmosphere.
They need to know that that continues.”
At receiver, corner and other spots, Scalley said the depth chart is in good shape, even if he’s not about to hand out a full blueprint. “Just lovely.
I mean, yeah, we've got good ones. I'm not going to tell you what that depth is, but we got good depth.
You know, do your fantasy draft or whatever, but we've got really good ones. I'm excited for our guys.
Our wide receivers and defensive backs have done a good job pushing each other without fighting.”
In Other News...
Former Utah DB Opens Up On Leaving For A Big 12 Rival
Jason Stokes Jr.s move from Utah to Colorado was one of those transfer decisions that speaks as much to fit as opportunity. The former Utes defensive back arrived in Boulder with plenty of runway left in his college career, and he quickly found a staff willing to make him feel like more than just another addition to the portal. Cornerbacks coach Aaron Fletcher, safety Naeten Mitchell and defensive coordinator Chris Marve were central to that early comfort, giving him the kind of support that can make a new situation feel a lot less like a leap.
For Utah fans, the departure stings a little more because Stokes did not leave quietly or reluctantly, at least from the way he has described the process. The appeal of Colorado came through in the belief the staff showed in him and the sense that he could keep growing there every day, with Marve especially making clear how high they viewed his ceiling. It is the sort of recruiting pitch that can reshape a players path quickly, and in Stokes case it appears to have done exactly that. [Read more 🡒]
Utahs First Scrimmage Exposed One Early Issue Fans Will Notice
The University of Utah wrapped up the second week of fall camp with its first scrimmage, a useful checkpoint for a roster still sorting out its best shape before the season begins. Coach Scalley came away encouraged by the depth he is seeing at wide receiver and cornerback, while also pointing to progress along both the offensive and defensive lines and a kicking game that drew positive remarks. It was the kind of first live look that can sharpen the picture of a team without revealing everything.
Some individual names also helped make the day matter, including sophomore running back Mateaki Helu and defensive end Lance Holtzclaw, both of whom drew praise in a setting where every rep counts a little more. Even so, the scrimmage also offered the kind of early reminder coaches usually want to clean up now rather than later, and it showed there is still work to do before Utah can turn camp momentum into a more finished product. [Read more 🡒]