This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Utah's newest co-offensive coordinators insisted they were keeping the old stuff, only doing it better. BYU's most important player just kept practicing. Utah State mysteriously lost the quarterback with the best record in school history, but kept Chuckie Keeton.

Yeah, it was a strange spring for the state's FBS schools. The practice sessions that ended last weekend with the Utes' rather inoffensive Red-White game drove home a few key points that were commonly known as of December. Utah's Devontae Booker is a phenomenal running back, although he was held out of spring scrimmages. BYU's Christian Stewart is a much-improved quarterback, but he's out of eligibility. Keeton is back, and he's ticketed to complete the weirdest, winningest career of any USU quarterback.

On to my post-spring, 2015 forecasts:

Utah

In their fifth season of Pac-12 membership, the Utes have adequate personnel to compete in this conference. They will have another strong defense, and their offensive line is good enough to help Booker produce another 1,500-yard rushing season, at the very least.

Quarterbacking remains Utah's biggest variable. The coaches endorsed Travis Wilson's work in the spring, although his scrimmage numbers were unimpressive.

The Utes will be picked anywhere from first to fifth in the Pac-12 South. The issue is whether they can keep winning tough games — or if they've improved enough to have a couple of easy ones. Last season, their five conference victories came by two, six (overtime), three, three (overtime) and four points. They lost by one and three (overtime) points, and were blown out twice.

Utah must perform better at Rice-Eccles Stadium, having gone 7-11 at home in four years of Pac-12 play. The Utes will go 8-4 and play Minnesota in the Foster Farms Bowl.

Wins • Michigan, Utah State, at Fresno State, California, Arizona State, Oregon State, at Washington, Colorado.

Losses • at Oregon, at USC, at Arizona, UCLA.

BYU

If the Cougars have a successful September, the return of quarterback Taysom Hill will be celebrated and Stewart will deserve huge credit, after having graduated. Stewart's willingness to stick around and solving a staffing crisis by quarterbacking the No. 1 offense in spring practice enabled BYU to improve on both sides of the ball, even without advancing the QB position.

The Cougars' season revolves around the first four weeks, with games vs. Nebraska, Boise State, UCLA and Michigan. Two victories would serve them well; four defeats would ruin the year. Hill may have done just enough to win another game or two last season, after he was injured, but Stewart's play was not the problem. BYU's defense, particularly the secondary, must perform much better if the Cougars hope to top last year's 8-5 record. They'll be 7-5, going into a bowl game to be announced.

Wins • Boise State, Connecticut, East Carolina, Cincinnati, Wagner, San Jose State, Fresno State.

Losses • at Nebraska, at UCLA, at Michigan, Missouri (Kansas City), at Utah State.

Utah State

Keeton needs four victories to become USU's all-time leader in wins by a starting quarterback, topping Tony Adams. He's 19-11 in parts of four seasons — although when he's been injured, four other QBs have gone 18-6.

That includes Darell Garretson's 8-3 mark, the school's best winning percentage of any QB with 10 starts. Garretson left the program in late March, intending to transfer. His absence could affect USU in the future, but this is Keeton's season.

USU's running game was not dependable last year, and must improve to complement Keeton. If that happens, and he resembles the Chuckie Keeton of September 2013, the Aggies could win a Mountain West title. More likely, they'll go 8-4 and play Michigan in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Wins • Southern Utah, Colorado State, at Fresno State, Wyoming, at New Mexico, at Air Force, Nevada, BYU.

Losses • at Utah, at Washington, Boise State, at San Diego State.

Twitter: @tribkurt