Kragthorpe: Is the Ute offense really better? Whittingham says so, but more proof is needed vs. West Virginia.

Last December, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham’s degree of disgust with his offense was so high that not even a drive to a game-winning field goal in the Foster Farms Bowl could satisfy him.

The offense’s shortcomings in losses to Oregon and Colorado to end the 2016 regular season were enough to drive staffing changes soon after the 26-24 bowl victory over Indiana. Andy Phillips’ four field goals in that game illustrated the problem, as opposed to a winning solution.

A year later, going into Tuesday’s Heart of Dallas Bowl vs. West Virginia, Whittingham’s level of satisfaction with the offense is much higher. That’s apparently due to two factors: The Utes are on an upswing, with strong showings in a loss to Washington and a defeat of Colorado. And Whittingham is simply choosing to be happier about offensive coordinator Troy Taylor’s work, with the bulk of Utah’s offensive personnel returning in 2018 and incoming players, such as quarterback Jack Tuttle, who like the new scheme.

“We’re making strides,” Whittingham said, citing Utah’s No. 7 ranking in the Pac-12 in total offense. “We’re somewhere near the middle. … We haven’t been there for several years.”

Actually, the Utes were right there last year. Under former coordinator Aaron Roderick, Utah was seventh in the conference, averaging 430.7 yards. This season, Taylor’s offense has produced 417.7 yards.

Whittingham clearly wants to believe the product is improving, and that’s understandable. In defense of his case, it is true that the offense performed much better than in previous Novembers. Disregarding the Utes’ seven turnovers in a loss to Washington State, the offense moved the ball consistently against UCLA, Washington and Colorado.

“We’re heading the right direction,” Whittingham said. “I think the players were really starting to feel comfortable with the offense the last three or four games.”

So the Utes have some offensive momentum going into this bowl game, even if they lost 33-30 at Washington in their second-to-last game of the regular season, before beating Colorado 34-13 on Senior Day.

Only once in the Whittingham era have the Utes scored 30-plus points in each of their last three games. You can probably guess the season: 2008. That’s when the Utes completed their 13-0 record with a 31-17 defeat of Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, the last game for offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig before he moved from the Mountain West to the Power Five level.

Since then, Utah’s rotating cast of play-callers has produced some decent bowl showings, but never a fully satisfying finish. That becomes Taylor’s challenge Tuesday against a West Virginia defense that allows 452.5 yards and 31.5 points per game. Seven opponents — Virginia Tech, Kansas, TCU, Texas Tech, Baylor, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma — have topped 30 points against the Mountaineers, who still won two of those games in the offense-oriented Big 12.

The Utes should be able to exploit WVU’s defense, concluding a year that sophomore quarterback Tyler Huntley summarized as “all of us growing up in the offense and coming together.”

Utah will miss receiver Darren Carrington II, who has starred as a graduate transfer from Oregon. Aside from himself, and with only slight exaggeration, Carrington said, “The whole team’s coming back next year. … The upside for this team is bright.”

With Carrington limited by injuries in November, receivers Raelon Singleton and Demari Simpkins emerged. The Utes also will have Samson Nacua, Siaosi Wilson and returned missionary Britain Covey to catch passes, with four offensive line starters and running backs Zack Moss and Armand Shyne (injured this season) coming back.

Regardless of how this season ends Tuesday, the offense’s signature game probably will have come in a memorable loss. The Utes produced 30 points and 410 yards against Washington, a New Year’s Six bowl contestant that features the Pac-12′s best defense. In defeat, the Utes matched the season-high point total for a Washington opponent.

Utah’s performance in Seattle is a snapshot of a 6-6 season that has created some hope for the offense, amid wishes for more victories as evidence of progress. That’s why the Heart of Dallas Bowl matters.