A lot has changed since the Utah Utes last took the field.

First-year head coach Morgan Scalley has taken over for Kyle Whittingham. The Utes named new offensive and defensive coordinators, Kevin McGiven and Colton Swan (formerly the linebackers coach).

Quarterbacks Devon Dampier and Byrd Ficklin will be familiar faces. But Scalley also added a bevy of new playmakers from the transfer portal, highlighted by USU wide receiver Braden Pegan, North Texas transfer defensive end Ethan Day, and San Jose State transfers Jireh Moe (defensive tackle) and Kyri Shoels (wide receiver).

Coming off an 11-2 season, are the Utes and Scalley primed to make a run at the Big 12 championship game this season?

Time will tell, but here are the top questions facing the program as the football season inches closer.

Will Devon Dampier take the next step in year 2 with the Utes?

Dampier had a career year last season in Salt Lake City. He finished with 2,490 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and five interceptions. He had the ninth-best total quarterback rating (82.0) in the entire nation.

Dampier also played through multiple injuries, including a sports hernia, an ankle injury, and a toe injury that plagued him for most of 2025.

With a new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Utah’s quarterback is focused on honing the skills needed to become an NFL quarterback.

He said in spring camp that keying in on pre-snap adjustments, improving his accuracy and making quick reads in the pocket will all be priorities for him this year.

If Dampier can take that next step, Utah’s offense could be primed for even more success.

Can the Utes fix their tackling issues from a year ago?

As a coordinator, Scalley’s defenses usually finished in the top half of the nation in total defense.

But the Utes’ rush defense allowed 181.2 rush yards per game in 2025, which ranked 14th in the conference, only ahead of Baylor and Colorado. Utah also gave up 4.8 yards per carry and 18 touchdowns on the ground.

The Utes’ tackling struggles showed up particularly during the latter half of the season against Kansas State, Kansas and Baylor. If it weren’t for the Utes’ explosive offense, their 11-2 season could’ve gone awry multiple times.

For Scalley to make a run at the Big 12 championship in his first season as head coach, the Utes’ tackling issues will have to be fixed.

Defensive and offensive line depth?

Utah lost several key playmakers in the trenches on both sides of the ball.

Star offensive tackles Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu were selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Outside of talented five-star recruit Kelvin Obot, Utah’s offensive line depth is still a major question heading into the season. The Utes will likely rely on a mix of returners and transfers to fill the gaps this year.

On defense, the Utes lost several key playmakers to the transfer portal, including All-American defensive end John Henry Daley, defensive tackle Dallas Vakalahi and defensive tackle Jonah Lea’ea.

Day, the transfer from North Texas, and returner Lance Holtzclaw will likely man Utah’s defensive front on the edge.

Defensive tackles Karson Kaufusi and Pupu Sepulona have also been with the program and could be ready to take a step forward. Otherwise, Scalley will hope to get production at defensive tackle from Moe, Wyoming transfer Lucas Samsula and Tennessee transfer Jamal Wallace.

How good will Utah’s offense be under Kevin McGiven?

McGiven led an efficient group at Utah State before signing with the Utes this offseason.

Can he build on the success Utah enjoyed last year under Jason Beck?

The Utes could easily stick with the formula they had under their former OC: a run-heavy offense, with a diverse attack led by Dampier, Ficklin, junior running back Wayshawn Parker and others.

Utah could also be more pass-happy this next season, too. Scalley and McGiven made significant investments in the wide receiver position, obtaining Pegan and Shoels.

“I want us to be efficient,” Scalley said. “I want us to be innovative, and I want us to stress the defense and whatever that looks like. We’ve got some really good wide receivers, and so we’re going to utilize them. We’ve also got some very, very physical football players. We have to do what’s best for Utah football.”

How much will Byrd Ficklin play in his second season?

Sophomore quarterback Byrd Ficklin was a revelation for the Utes in his first season.

He entered the season as Utah’s third-string quarterback, but he quickly emerged as a dynamic playmaker behind Dampier and is viewed as the potential starter for the program in 2027.

Utah’s head coach and McGiven made it clear that the Muskogee, Oklahoma, native will have a major role this upcoming season. But what exactly will that look like?

Dampier is expected to get most of the reps as the starting quarterback. So will Ficklin be primed for a similar role that he saw in 2025, which saw him run 61 times for 513 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns?