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If you're imagining a squirrelly, anxious freshman starter, Jacob Rebar is not that. The Utah freshman started the season with the opposite problem.

The long-haired 6-foot-3 hurler's pace wasn't quite fast enough: Coaches worried his deliberate progression would allow base runners to steal on him. They pushed for a little more quickness, while he tried to do what felt most comfortable.

"They've kind of come to a nice medium," he said.

As for putting pitches over the plate, that been less of an adjustment. In his first-ever college win, Rebar struck out nine batters, surrendering only one hit and one walk. In his second appearance, he helped blank Ohio State in a 12-0 victory.

While he had more trouble this past week, pitching five innings and giving up five runs in a loss to Utah Valley on Wednesday, Rebar and some of his fellow newcomers in Utah baseball (10-11, 1-5) will be key to any defense the Utes hope to make of their surprise conference title last year. And more than a few of them, including Rebar, appear up to the challenge.

"They're going through their freshman ups and downs," coach Bill Kinneberg said. "The hope is by mid-April we're not seeing ups and downs. But they're progressing nicely."

That also includes Oliver Dunn, a freshman from Cottonwood High who has filled in the everyday second-base role formerly occupied by Kody Davis, one of the standout veterans of last year's team. Dunn has committed only two errors this season while batting .265.

His breakout also came against Ohio State, when he knocked in four runs in that same 12-0 victory that Rebar clinched from the mound. He's starting to adjust to Pac-12 play, getting two hits in this weekend's opener at Stanford.

"The pitching is definitely an adjustment in the beginning, but our coaches do an awesome job preparing us," Dunn said. "It's just a lot of fun. It helps settle you down, get your feet wet."

After a strong start to the year, Utah baseball has definitely cooled down, and Kinneberg said the team misses many of its leaders. Davis and Cody Scaggari anchored the middle infield for years, while A.J. Young brought power and presence behind the plate. Kellen Marruffo also affected games with his bat as the primary designated hitter last year.

The biggest things the Utes miss are the intangibles: clutch hitting, gutsy base running and overall toughness. Hitting a six-game losing streak on Wednesday, Kinneberg said he had some "stern words" after the loss to the Wolverines.

"Offensively, we just haven't been as sharp as we were in the first four weeks," he said. "We just have to bounce back somehow and make sure we respond the right way."

Those young pieces may just be the key. In addition to Rebar as a midweek starter and Dunn as a stalwart second baseman, Utah is also leaning on others who have stepped up their roles.

Sophomore Chandler Anderson is manning an outfield spot after mostly serving as a pinch runner last year. Zach Moeller has been Utah's main catcher. Veteran Kyle Hoffman has shown his defensive prowess at shortstop, and sophomore Riley Otteson has become as big of a pitching weapon as Friday night starter Jayson Rose.

For players still getting their time under their belts like Rebar, the experience is the most important thing. They're hoping as conference season goes on, they'll gradually get the feel for bending games a little bit more to their will. Right now, there's a lot riding on their potential.

But in time, Rebar feels, things will start to swing Utah's way again.

"All I want to do is get some innings — being able to start some games is huge for me," he said. "I've been playing baseball my whole life. It's the same process. It's just baseball."

kgoon@sltrib.com Twitter: @kylegoon —

BYU at Utah

P at Smith's Ballpark, Tuesday, 6 p.m.