3 Positions Utah Should Focus On in the Transfer Portal

What started as a promising season for the Utes has taken some unexpected turns.

Going into the campaign with arguably the best defense the program has ever fielded and the hope of Cam Rising returning to lead the offense again, fans were excited. Here we are in week 10, Rising can medically redshirt and it is unclear what his plans are next year, Kuithe is also out for the year yet undecided on his future, and Sione Vaki is now a part-time running back.

Marquee transfer Mycah Pittman has played two games and recorded 3 receptions for 20 total yards while fellow transfer Landen King has slowly integrated into the system recording 7 receptions for 65 yards and 3 touchdowns in nine games played. With a mix of poor transfer play and injuries throughout the roster and Kyle Whittingham revealing the Utes will be buyers in the portal, here are 3 positions the Utes should look to strengthen when fishing in the portal for the upcoming year.

Wide Receivers

The Utes took a flyer on Pittman when they landed him in the transfer portal and so far, it hasn't worked out, but that shouldn't stop them from trying again. Seasoned wideout Devaughn Vele leads the team in receiving yards with 337 and is tied for second in receiving touchdowns with 2 but with this being his 5th season, there will be a big hole to fill come next season if he doesn't return. While Money Parks will remain in the receiving corps, a reliable big target wideout needs to be added if the Utes want to minimize the loss of Vele.

Running Back

Ja'quinden Jackson had a ton of hype going into the season and while he's the team rushing yards leader with 598 yards he has only managed to bag 2 rushing touchdowns. His performance this season is partly due to the underwhelming O-line play but another part of it is his injury proneness. It is such an issue that Sione Vaki has transitioned to running back and done a pretty good job at it too. The problem is that Vaki is also one of the team's best defensive players and it's only out of necessity that he has switched. Come next season, Vaki could be back on defense full time and the Utes will have to find a consistent full-time running back in the portal to avoid these desperate decisions, they won't always pan out this well.

Offensive Line

The Utes offensive line had a bunch of hype going into the season, especially with three starters from last year returning and highly-touted freshman Spencer Fano slotting into the left tackle spot. However, through nine games, the O-line has had two standout performances against ASU and USC. As a result, the run game hasn't been as strong as in years past, and the QB situation has been abysmal. Nate Jonhson hasn't been able to play to his strengths as the line can't create gaps for him to run through and Bryson Barnes has been pressured so much that he hasn't had much time to throw resulting in him taking sacks and even sustaining a brutal injury against Oregon State. If the Utes want Cam Rising healthy and a functional running game in 2024, they need to dive deep into the portal to beef up the line.