Utah At First Glance: Defensive Players USC Fans Need To Know
Utah will play their first game of the season on Saturday against USC. The Trojans lead the all-time series against Utah 12-6 and have a 2-4 record against the Utes in Salt Lake. USC's last win against the Utes on the road was in 2012 a 38-28 victory.
Now, if there is one thing Utah is know for, it's their talented and physical defense. Although they lost several players to the NFL and return with a young inexperienced group there's no doubt that the Utes will give USC a run for their money defensively. Here are three players on Utah's defense that USC fans need to know.
Devin Lloyd - LB
Junior Devin Lloyd returns as Utah’s leading tackler from 2019 and the only returning starter at the linebacker position for the Utes. Last year he was one of three sophomores who ranked in the top 10 for total tackles in the Pac- 12 (2019). As a sophomore, Lloyd was the first player to lead the Utes in tackles since 2016. And last season Lloyd finished the year with 91.0 tackles (11.0 TFL, 6.5 sacks).
[READ: How Has USC Improved On Defense Since Week 1]
Mika Tafua - DL
Mika Tafua (junior) returns as the Utes’ only returning starter on their defensive line. Utah lost several players on their D-LINE after three of Utah's top lineman declared for the draft last year. Returning with some confidence and experience under his belt, Tafua will look to be a difference maker and star this season. In 2019, he started in 13 games and had 47 tackles (8.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks) with four fumbles recovered.
Clark Phillips III - CB
The Utes have a young secondary this year, after loosing five of their starters to the NFL following the 2019 season. In fact, head coach Kyle Whittingham has five freshman listed on the depth chart with two named as starters this year. Clark Phillips III is one freshman you might see out on the field come Saturday. To add, out of high school Phillips was rated the No. 4 cornerback in the country. Although he has yet to play a snap in college, his strong build and physical play style should make him a tough defensive opponent for the Trojans.
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