10 Utes who improved their stock during spring camp: No. 7 RJ Hubert
RJ Hubert
Senior
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Stepping into what will be his fifth season with the program, senior safety RJ Hubert has yet again overcome a tremendous amount of adversity and his efforts are about to pay off. After experiencing yet another injury, one that kept him sidelined for the 2021 season, Hubert is now back, feeling 100%, and had a great spring camp.
“It feels great. I love being out there. I’m a competitor, it's who I am and I love to be on the field so it feels great being back out there,” Hubert said.
Early on in camp, Head Coach Kyle Whittingham praised Hubert, stating that he was 100% and looking great in his position. He also noted that if the season were to begin tomorrow, that Hubert would start alongside Cole Bishop in defense of the secondary.
Barring any change, those two should remain the projected starters for the 2022 season. While Cole Bishop is certainly one of the bright young stars on the Utah roster, Hubert exerts true resilience, veteran leadership, and an ability to make plays, something this talented but very young defense is certainly in need of.
Not only was emerging from camp healthy a huge win for Hubert, but given his time in the program, talent, and performance during spring, he is exactly what this defense is going to need if they are going to repeat as Pac-12 Champions and achieve their goal of making it into the College Football Playoff. Losing a guy like Vonte Davis, with all his playmaking abilities and time in the program is certainly difficult, but there shouldn't be much of a drop off with Hubert as this is the opportunity he's been fighting for over the last few seasons.
“He’s showing it right now. He’s out there running around, making plays. He’s a great leader,” Defensive Coordinator Morgan Scalley said. “He’s what we hoped he would be after the surgery. Very, very athletic. He can play down in the box. He’s physical enough, he’s athletic enough to play in man coverage. He’s what we want.”
If Hubert can remain healthy through fall camp and the entirety of the season, he could play a very critical role in Utah's success. Back in 2019, before his first injury, Hubert was beginning to come into his own and showed a lot of promise. Now, with a full season ahead of him, the opportunity to shine and make an impact is his for the taking.
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