Utah is heading into Cincinnati with a little more belief in its offense - and a clear understanding that belief alone won’t be enough.
The Utes came out of the Houston game with proof that they can answer adversity. They also came away knowing the operation has to be sharper from the start. That was the message from tight ends coach Luke Wells on Monday, who pointed to the second-half bounce-back without pretending it solved the bigger issue.
“We still got a lot to learn from, efficiency-wise on offense,” Wells said. “It was good to see our kids bounce back in the second half, where we weren’t quite as efficient in the first half.”
For Utah, the encouraging part is obvious: the offense did settle in. The less flattering part is that it needed time to get there. Wells wants the confidence from that finish carried straight into this week’s road trip, but without the mistakes that forced the Utes into catch-up mode in the first place.
A big part of that turnaround came up front, where Zereoue Williams said the difference was communication.
“We were a little disappointed with the way we just didn’t really communicate as well in the first half,” Williams said. “But once we started really getting that clicking together, we were money.”
The numbers matched the feeling. Per Hudl IQ, Utah’s offensive line allowed five pressures in the first half against Houston, then just three in the second half. That kind of shift told the story of a unit that got settled as the game went on.
Williams said the line went into halftime feeling like its work was starting to wear Houston down. There was frustration, but not panic. Devon Dampier helped steady that mood.
“Whenever we see Devon just step up and be a leader, it’s invigorating,” Williams said. “We’re just like, that’s our guy, and we know we can rely on him, and we want him to rely on us.”
He also said defensive players crossed over to lift the offense up, a sign of a team trying to keep the game from turning into something bigger than one rough stretch. Against Cincinnati, Utah will be looking for that same communication to show up earlier, not after the first-half problems have already piled up.
One reason the offense has some confidence is the tight end room, where Noah Bennee has become a reliable option. Against Houston, he caught all five of his targets for 42 yards, setting a season high in receptions and leading Utah in catches. He now has 18 receptions for 248 yards and three touchdowns, which ranks him No. 3 among tight ends in Big 12 receiving yards and tied for No. 4 in touchdowns.
The catches against Houston were all short, none longer than 11 yards, but Bennee still gave Devon Dampier a steady outlet in a game where the offense had to work through uneven execution. Wells said that production starts well before kickoff.
“He prepares like a pro every day,” Wells said. “A lot of times I’m in the building in between meetings, I see him in the meeting room all the time. He’s a football junkie, spends a ton of time watching tape.”
Wells also pointed to how hard Bennee plays.
“He plays as hard as anybody I’ve coached,” Wells said.
That combination has opened the door for more responsibility. Wells said Utah has expanded the tight ends’ package as the season has gone on and the staff has seen they can handle more. Against Houston, that included a new scheme on a third-and-short touchdown near the goal line.
“Those guys jumped in and executed it,” Wells said.
The broader offensive mindset is showing up in other rooms, too. Braden Pegan said the receivers understand that the job isn’t just about production numbers or touchdown grabs. It’s about doing whatever the offense needs.
“If we have a great week of stats, that’s awesome,” Pegan said. “If not, whatever it takes to win, we’re going to do it.”
Wayshawn Parker fit that same theme against Houston. He finished with 93 total yards and one touchdown, a step below his usual output, but his season numbers still speak loudly: No. 3 in the Big 12 in total yards from scrimmage with 891, and tied for No. 2 in total touchdowns with Cincinnati’s Cole Tabb at 12.
Parker said the running back room takes pride in the little things, including lead blocking, where he and Daniel Bray compete with each other. One block in particular stuck with him - a pickup against a blitzing corner that helped protect the play before anyone could think about the ball.
He also knows the energy he brings matters when his own stats don’t jump off the page.
“When I go out there, I know people are looking at me,” Parker said. “So I got to go out there with energy.”
That attitude helped Utah stay locked in while the game against Houston was uneven. Now the challenge is to match that energy with cleaner football from the opening snap against a Cincinnati team that Wells noted just beat Texas Tech.
“If that doesn’t get your attention, I don’t know what does,” Wells said.
Utah has reasons to trust where its offense is headed: a quarterback his teammates believe in, better coordination up front, and a tight end whose work is showing up on Saturdays. The question in Cincinnati is whether all of it can click before the Utes need another second-half rescue.
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