This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Hollywood, Calif. • Where does a vaunted defense and an offense with more question marks than quarterbacks get you? Right smack dab in the middle of the Pac.
Coming off a 10-3 season in which they finished ranked among the top 20 teams in the nation, Kyle Whittingham's Utes have been picked to finish third in their own division, according to a Pac-12 preseason media poll released Thursday morning.
Stanford, for the first time in more than 50 years, was picked as the preseason favorite to win the conference. The Cardinal received 24 first-place votes in the poll. The UCLA Bruins, meanwhile, were picked to win the South division, tabbing 19-first place votes. USC (12), Washington (8), Utah (2) and Oregon (1) also received first-place votes.
The voters have correctly picked the conference champion in 29 of the 55 previous polls, according to conference officials, but have only done it once in the last nine years.
The Utes were picked second in the Pac-12 South in 2012, but had been picked to finish fifth in each of the last three seasons.
Utah will once again rely on the strength of its defense as it looks to exceed expectations and challenge for a spot in the conference title game. (The Utes actually picked up one vote to win the conference title game.)
Gone are tackling machines Gionni Paul, Jared Norris and Jason Fanaika. But the Utes' defense remains loaded with talent, especially on the defensive line, where Kylie Fitts, Hunter Dimick, Pita Taumoepenu and Outland Trophy watch-lister Lowell Lotulelei should be able to match up with any team in the conference.
But Utah's offense will be a different story altogether.
A season ago, the Utes finished 11th in the conference in offense — ahead of only lowly Oregon State — amassing 363 yards per game.
That was with four-year starter Travis Wilson at quarterback, all-conference running back Devontae Booker bruising defenses and wideout Britain Covey emerging as the team's top receiving threat. With Wilson graduated, Booker in camp with the Denver Broncos and Covey knocking on doors as a Mormon missionary, will the Utes really be able to put more points up on the scoreboard?
The Utes appear set to enter fall camp with JuCo transfer Troy Williams a tenuous favorite to be the starting quarterback. But freshman Tyler Huntley will likely be lurking just behind him on the depth chart.
The Utes will get the benefit of facing USC, Washington and Oregon all at Rice-Eccles Stadium this season. And Utah won't have to take on upstart Washington State or Heisman-favorite Christian McCaffrey and the Stanford Cardinal — unless they're fortunate enough to make the title game.
Twitter: @aaronfalk