What Are The Changes To Utah Football Roster For Numbers, Positions And Weight
Utah is just three weeks away from beginning the 2020 college football season when it hosts Arizona at Rice Eccles Stadium on Nov. 7.
With that being said, there are numerous changes that have taken place within the program since the last day of fall practice back in mid-March. From number and position changes to massive gains or losses in weight, the Utes will be ready for the next upcoming season.
NUMBER CHANGES
The biggest change this season is that the NCAA ruled that players can now wear the number "0"." While it may seem insignificant to most people, it's labeled as a "cool" thing to have a single digit number, and even cooler if it's "0."
Offense
*Bryan Thompson, WR — 19 to 1
*Micah Bernard, RB — 34 to 2
*Tyrone Young-Smith, WR — 9 to 3
*Devaughn Vele, WR — 86 to 17
*Maxwell Cotton, WR — 35 to 26
*Robbie Colenzo, WR — 81 to 28
*Bamidele Olaseni, OL — 73 to 77
*Soa Rosales, TE — 44 to 85
Defense
*Devin Lloyd, LB — 20 to 0
*Drew Rawls, DB — 12 to 3
*JaTravis Broughton — 31 to 4
*Vonte Davis, DB — 22 to 9
POSITION CHANGES
*Mufi Hill-Hunt — Hill-Hunt has undergone a position change, moving from the defensive side of the ball (defensive line) to the offensive side (tight end). It's an interesting change considering he started his career at Michigan State before transferring to the Utes to play defensive line. Listed at 6-foot-6, 255 pounds, Hill-Hunt could be a blocking presence for the Utes.
*Falcon Kaumatule — Looking to further bolster their depth on the offensive line, Kaumatule is moving from the defensive line to the offensive line.
*Fua Pututau — It's somewhat of a position change as Pututau is moving inside the defensive line to tackle after playing at end during the spring. But with the incoming freshman and the addition of BYU transfer Devin Kaufusi, Pututau is moving back to where he's most comfortable.
*Nephi Sewell — Not as Sewell bulked up in the offseason, it's done him some serious good on the field as he's moving from his safety position to where he's now a projected starter at the linebacker spot.
WEIGHT CHANGES
Whether it's losing weight to become more athletic or bulking up to become stronger, the Utes have been hard at work in the weight room.
Here are the most notable weight changes for the Utes.
Offense
*Nick Ford, OL — 324 to 315
*Cameron Gardner, WR — 173 to 183
*Mufi Hill-Hunt, TE — 282 to 255
*Falcon Kaumatule, OL — 256 to 294
*Soa Rosales, TE — 230 to 245
*Marist Talavou, OL — 320 to 337
*Orlando Umana, OL – 340 to 311
*Braeden Daniels, OL – 300 to 310
*Charlie Vincent, RB – 170 to 195
*Jordan Wilmore, RB – 206 to 200
Defense
*Moroni Anae, LB — 243 to 225
*Stone Azarcon, DB — 207 to 195
*Samuelu Elisaia, LB — 246 to 225
*Semisi Lauaki, DL — 283 to 300
*Eli Morrow, DT — 262 to 250
*Fua Pututau, DT — 274 to 290
*Nephi Sewell, LB — 210 to 225
*Pita Tonga, DT — 323 to 310
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