Utah Top-20 In Returning Talent Entering the 2024 CFB Season

Every offseason, ESPN analyst Bill Connelly measures the returning production percentage of each FBS team. In his latest list, the University of Utah ranked within the top 20 teams in the country regarding returning production. 

Entering 2024, Connelly pinned Utah as the 16th-ranked team (out of 134 teams) for retaining 72% of their overall statistical production from the 2023 season. 

To put that figure into perspective, 2023 CFP contenders like Washington, Texas, and Michigan all had players equal to 73% of their statistical production return following the 2022 college football season. 

Long story short, Utah returning 72% of its overall production from 2023 is a massive advantage entering the new year. 

Utah’s high mark of returning production comes from an average of playmakers returning on each side of the ball. Specifically, the Utes retained 75% of their production on offense and 70% on defense. 

The lower figure on defense is a product of Utah losing key defensive contributors such as Jonah Elliss, Sione Vaki, Cole Bishop, and Miles Battle. 

Despite these departures, the Utes are fortunate to have many of their 2023 breakouts like Landen King, Zemaiah Vaughn, and Karene Reid return for the upcoming 2024 season.

Additionally, Connelly’s returning production figure includes that of players who missed the entirety of the 2023 season. That means Cam Rising’s statistics from 2022 were accounted to make up for production lost by the transfers of Bryson Barnes and Nate Johnson. 

In a college football landscape with so much offseason roster turnover, it’s a comforting sight to have many familiar faces return to play another season in Salt Lake. 

The Utes will be in good hands entering their inaugural season in the Big 12. In addition to their returning production, Utah made waves in the transfer portal bolstering their already loaded roster. 

On offense, Utah found more than enough production to fill the void left by Devaughn Vele and Mikey Matthew’s departure. The Utes added new weapons like UCLA’s Carsen Ryan, USC transfer Dorian Singer, and Washington receiver Taeshaun Lyons to Rising’s arsenal. 

On the defensive side, Stanford transfer Alaka’i Gilman and Georgia Tech’s Kenan Johnson were added to lessen the blow of Utah’s secondary exodus. 

Utah’s high percentage of returning production, reinforced by strong transfer additions, could be the perfect recipe for a berth in the inaugural 12-team CFP. What remains is to wait and see how the Utes will fare in their new home within the Big 12