Utah enters Friday night’s matchup in Salt Lake City with a new man in charge and a lot of moving parts around him. Morgan Scalley is taking over for Kyle Whittingham, who is now at Michigan, and he inherits an 11-2 team from 2025 that has had to replace far more than it brought back.
The biggest issue sits up front. Utah lost all five starting offensive linemen, including both tackles who went in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Spencer Fano, the 2025 Outland Trophy winner, went ninth overall to the Browns, Caleb Lomu landed with the Patriots, and the three interior starters also graduated. Zereoue Williams is listed at left tackle, Solatoa Moea’i at left guard, Keith Olson at right guard, and Cedric Jefferson, an FCS transfer from Montana State, at right tackle.
The center job remains unsettled, with veteran Alex Harrison and freshman Isaiah Kema from Ohio State still battling after spring. Jordan Gross, the former Carolina Panthers lineman who has never coached in college before, is overseeing the group.
That line will matter because the rest of the offense has enough firepower to make things interesting. Devon Dampier is back after throwing for 2,490 yards and 24 touchdowns last season while also rushing for 835 yards and 10 scores.
He was dealing with injuries through 2025, but he’s said to be the healthiest he has been in his career entering this season. Byrd Ficklin is more than a traditional backup, and Utah plans to use both quarterbacks together.
Wayshawn Parker returns as the lead back, while new offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven brought Braden Pegan over from Utah State; Pegan finished last season with 926 receiving yards and gives Dampier a dependable outside option. Kyri Shoels, who came from San Jose State, and Larry Simmons, who caught 15 passes for six touchdowns last year, add to the receiver group.
At tight end, Semi Taulanga and Sione Motuapuaka fill the rhino role, Utah’s label for big hybrid fullbacks who can catch and create issues in short-yardage situations.
If the line settles in, Utah could be dangerous on offense. If it doesn’t, West Virginia’s pass rush has a chance to wreck the night.
There are similar questions on the other side of the ball, even though the scheme is staying the same under new coordinator Colton Swan. Utah lost its top four defensive linemen, linebacker Lander Barton is now with the Chargers, and both starting corners followed Whittingham to Michigan.
Lance Holtzclaw is back to anchor one edge, with Kash Dillon on the other. Jireh Moe, a transfer from San Jose State, brings athleticism to the interior, while Pupu Sepulona and Karson Kaufusi are set to play tackle.
Johnathan Hall returns for his senior season to lead the linebacker room alongside Cyrus Polu. In the secondary, Jackson Bennee and Rabbit Evans are the safeties, and Elijah Reed and James Chenault - both listed at over 6 feet - are the new corners, though neither has proven himself at this level yet.
The market sees Utah as a contender, with FanDuel listing the Utes at +850 to win the Big 12 and -132 to go over 8.5 wins.
The matchup also carries a clean historical edge for Utah. The Utes lead the all-time series 3-0, and the teams have met only once since Utah joined the Big 12, last season when the Utes beat West Virginia 48-14 in Morgantown.
Still, the first-look read on this one leans toward the Mountaineers finding a path. The uncertainty around Scalley, the rebuilt offensive line, and the vulnerability of this Utah roster create an opening, and the belief here is that RichRod’s experience gives West Virginia the edge in a game where the Utes look easier to attack than they have in years.
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Stevenson has shown he can score at the G League level, and his best stretch came with the Capital City Go-Go, where he put together the kind of season that keeps a player on the radar. He also came close to an NBA breakthrough with a 10-day deal from the Washington Wizards, only to leave without getting into a game, which makes this next run in Las Vegas feel like another important checkpoint in a career that is still searching for its first real opening. [Read more 🡒]