What Devon Dampier's return to Utah means for the Utes

Dual-threat quarterback will be back under center for Utah in 2026

Devon Dampier will be back with the Utah Utes for the 2026 season. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Given the kind of week it had been for Utah football fans, Devon Dampier's announcement Tuesday couldn't have come at a better time.

The Utes had lost several key players via the transfer portal, including a few notable names to Kyle Whittingham and Michigan, when Dampier made his return to Salt Lake City for his senior season official on Tuesday.

With the Utes bringing in a new offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, offensive line and skill positions to surround Dampier, here's what the dual-threat quarterback's decision means for Utah in 2026.

Continuity at the most important position

It's no secret quarterback inconsistencies plagued the Utes between their consecutive Rose Bowl appearances and their bounce-back campaign in 2025. Utah went a combined 13-12 in 2023 and 2024 as it struggled to find a healthy and capable signal-caller to lead the offense, with Bryson Barnes, Nate Johnson, Isaac Wilson, Cam Rising, Luke Bottari and Brandon Rose all seeing playing time under center during that stretch.

Acquiring Dampier through the transfer portal not only revitalized the Utes — it gave the team someone to look up to as a leader. In addition to being the engine of Utah's top-10 scoring offense, Dampier was a symbol of toughness as played through a nagging leg injury. His ailment forced him to miss one game, though it was clear throughout the season that it hampered his effectiveness in the quarterback run game.

Injuries didn't stop Dampier from putting together a historic season, though. He became the first Utah quarterback to throw for over 2,000 yards (2,490) and rush for over 600 (835) in a single season since Alex Smith accomplished the feat in 2004.

Dampier's pedigree, as well as the maturation and leadership he exhibited in his first season with the team, would make him a viable candidate to be a captain in 2026. He's certainly in line to be the starting quarterback again. If he's able to stay healthy, he'd be the first Utes quarterback to start in 12 or more games in back-to-back seasons since Rising did so while guiding Utah to two Rose Bowls in 2023 and 2024.

Adjusting to a new offensive coordinator

For the first time since his freshman year, Dampier will run plays called by an offensive coordinator not named Jason Beck.

The former New Mexico and Utah offensive coordinator opted to follow Whittingham to Michigan instead of hang around Salt Lake City for another season, prompting Morgan Scalley to flip through his Rolodex in search of a new play-caller. Scalley wound up landing on Kevin McGiven, formerly at Utah State in the same position.

Based on the fact Dampier's been comfortable running Beck's offense for the past few seasons, it'll be interesting to monitor how he picks up and adjusts to a new scheme. McGiven's offense comes equipped with run-pass option plays, vertical routes and other pass concepts that create space for his playmakers, sharing some resemblance to Beck's schemes with some variations.

Perhaps the key difference between the Utes and Aggies offense last season was the frequency with which the field was stretched in the passing game. Utah relied on its stout run game more than anything else and didn't spend a whole lot of time looking to take the top off the defense with deep shots down the sidelines. But Utah State did draw up those kinds of plays for the aforementioned Barnes, who averaged a Mountain West-best 13.3 yards per completion in 2025 (Dampier, by comparison, gained 11.7 yards per completion for the Utes).

McGiven also brought a key piece of Utah State's offense with him to the Utes: Braden Pegan, a 6-foot-3 wide receiver who finished 2025 with 926 yards and five touchdowns on 60 receptions. With Utah losing its top three pass-catchers to the portal or graduation and Pegan's familiarity with McGiven, the former UCLA commit could emerge as Dampier's top target by the end of fall camp.

Admittedly, factors like personnel and competition level probably had some impact on the effectiveness of McGiven's offense. But the leap from the Mountain West to the Big 12 didn't seem to faze Beck, and it certainly didn't prevent Dampier from putting up big numbers after transferring in from New Mexico.

Playing behind a new offensive line

The offensive line the Utes leaned on heavily in 2025 won't be around to pave the way up front in 2026, as all five starters will have either graduated or gone to the NFL by the time August rolls around.

Dampier was perhaps the one who benefitted the most from playing behind one of the best offensive lines in college football last season. His tackles, Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, didn't allow a single sack in the regular season. The two projected first round draft picks also helped clear the way for Dampier to rush for 835 yards and 10 touchdowns on 146 carries, keeping Utah's offense on schedule and limiting the amount of third-and-long situations.

Exactly who will be up front protecting Dampier next season remains to be seen, though it'd be a safe bet to assume the next starting five won't replicate the 2025 unit's production and efficiency. Either way, Dampier will have to get acquainted with each of his lineman over the offseason if he's to stay upright and healthy during his senior season.