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Hunter Dimick was sold back in August, when he saw Troy Williams toss a 68-yard strike to Tyrone Smith down the middle of the field.

Before that moment, there had been some uncertainty in fall camp. Was the junior transfer really the guy? But the throw, facing fourth and 20, was the first major sign that Williams would be able to handle the quarterback job.

"The flashes he's shown," said Dimick, who plays against Williams every day in practice, "he's got incredible playmaking ability."

It took longer for others to be sold. Some, perhaps on the heels of an 8-4 season, still aren't.

But at the head of a Utah offense that has shown some brilliance and, at other times, reverted to familiar struggles, Williams said he's ready for more chances to keep proving his side of the ball can get it done.

"I just try to be the best person and the best quarterback I can be, and block out the critics," he said. "I'm just going to go out there and play. I feel like I've done pretty good."

On a scale of Utah quarterbacks, Williams has done well: His 2,579 passing yards this season are more than any Ute passer since Brian Johnson in 2008. After a dramatic three-interception game against BYU in the second game of the year, he had only four more in his last 10 games while throwing for 15 touchdowns and rushing for five more. His long passes dazzled the most: He had 11 completions of 40 yards or more, which was second-most in the Pac-12.

And yet, Utah's offense is still average by most measures: No. 9 in the Pac-12 in passing offense, No. 10 in passing efficiency. Williams was No. 8 in yards per pass attempt (7.03), owing to his 53.4 completion percentage that was 10th in the league.

The red zone failures — a 76 percent scoring rate — stand out more than anything, and as the face of Utah's offense, Williams has taken that on the proverbial chin.

"We've been focusing on that heavy," he said. "Going out there and executing in the red zone."

It raises the question: What has Troy Williams gotten better at this year?

The query is a burning one for a quarterback Kyle Whittingham anticipates should grow in his second year at the helm.

"He got better and better as the season went on," Whittingham said. "There's a month before the bowl game, so there's always new wrinkles you show. But the basic fundamentals of offense don't change, so we just expect him to keep doing what he's been doing, just better and better."

Of course, Williams' last performance against Colorado — 13 for 40, 160 yards, one touchdown and two picks — wasn't his best work. He admits as much, and called it the game he wishes he could take back the most.

But senior guard Isaac Asiata said the way he saw Williams grow the most throughout the season was in his leadership: Even though he had been voted captain in the summer, no one had seen him play. Even when Williams had a bad game, he owned it — which counted for a lot in the locker room.

The week after the BYU game, Asiata offered as an example, no one was working harder.

"Even when we were still in the locker room, Troy took responsibility for it," he said. "He didn't throw a pity party. That's all you can ask a guy to do: After a game like that, guys either shut down or get better. With Troy, he worked through it. He wanted to get better for the team."

Ahead of the Foster Farms Bowl on Wednesday night, Williams has circled a few areas: He wants to be on a better page with his receivers, with whom he struggled in Boulder. He wants to run more, particularly now that he says he's no longer bothered by a meniscus injury in his knee.

If bowls serve as both a finish to the season and a preview of what's to come, Williams hopes to show the fans something special — how he's going to take the next step. His teammates already believe i-t's happening.

"He's not just playing the part," Dimick said. "He's really more confident in himself."

Twitter: @kylegoon