Utah Football's Scalley Era: SP+ Rankings & Offseason Shakeups
Utah Utes Football Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · The Daily News Now!
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Show Notes
Utah Footballs New Era: Bill Connellys SP+ Rankings & Coaching Changes
Utah football enters the Morgan Scalley era following significant offseason shakeups. ESPN analyst Bill Connellys SP+ rankings for the 2026 season place the Utes at number twenty-five overall, a drop from number eight last year. The offense is projected at number eighteen, while the defense ranks at number thirty-four.
The teams returning production is a concern, with just fifty-five percent from last season, ranking number fifty-four nationally and ninth in the Big Twelve. Key losses include All-American pass rusher John Henry and offensive standout JJ Buchanan.
Utahs recruiting has also cooled off, with high school classes ranked sixtieth, thirty-fourth, and thirty-first over the last three years. Transfers are solid but not elite like some Big Ten or SEC squads.
Coaching changes are the biggest wildcard, as most of the staff from the eleven-and-two team followed Kyle Whittingham to Michigan. Scalley kept defensive coordinator Colton Swan and a couple of others, but predicting a new regime is challenging for analytics.
Despite exceeding low expectations last year with number forty-one returning production, a number twenty-five ranking feels pessimistic for Scalley. Fall camp will reveal the true story for Utah football.
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