Utah head coach Morgan Scalley paused for several seconds before answering a reporter’s question after Monday morning’s practice.

While the Utes have made progress during fall camp — at wide receiver, quarterback and on defense — one group remains a major question mark with the season just weeks away.

Utah fans likely already know the group. After all, replacing five offensive-line starters is always a tough ask. That’s without taking into account that two were first-round NFL draft picks and another two signed with NFL teams as undrafted free agents.

So what’s the status of Utah’s new offensive line?

“I think we’ve gotten to the point where we’re physical enough,” Scalley said. “The pre-snap penalties are being cut down. It’s just about continued progress. There’s not one glaring thing where I’m sitting there saying we’re deficient here; it’s just maybe about being a little bit cleaner in the things that we’re doing from protection to taking on [a slanted defensive line].”

The Utah offensive line was the strong point, if not the guiding force, of the program in 2025, led by first-round NFL draft picks Caleb Lomu and Spencer Fano.

Utah also replaced former offensive line coach Jim Harding with former Utah and NFL offensive lineman Jordan Gross this offseason.

That’s a lot of change in the trenches. So what’s the plan for 2026?

Utah is hoping to replace last season’s much-celebrated line with a mix of veteran returners and young players.

Senior Zereoue Williams (known as “Big Z”) is looking like the starter at left tackle for Utah. Alex Harrison, meanwhile, is taking charge at center, according to senior quarterback Devon Dampier.

Dampier mentioned the “chemistry” with the offensive line is moving in the right direction after a slow start in spring camp.

“Chemistry and toughness are what I’ve seen from them,” Dampier said. “We had a full starting group last year, so for all of them to get in here — they were a little nervous. I feel like they weren’t fully themselves starting off spring ball. The chemistry they were able to build during the summer and that toughness ... you can just tell that they’re embracing it.”

So what about the rest of the group? Does Utah have a settled group of starters yet?

Heading into fall camp, Gross said he was confident in 10 players. Two weeks ahead of Utah’s first game against Idaho on Sept. 3, though, there are position battles to be won.

At least Scalley wasn’t ready to publicly commit to a group of starters.

“We’re still dealing with a couple bumps and bruises that shifted things around,” Scalley said. “But we’ll have our dudes by game one.”

As for five-star freshman offensive tackle Kelvin Obot, the Utes’ highest-rated commit in program history, Scalley said, “He’s looking really good.”

But there’s still a learning curve for the freshman.

“He understands the stuff he needs to work on, and no spots are solidified,” Scalley said.

The group isn’t settled yet. But Scalley is confident in the players — and maybe more so in the coach — tasked with putting it together.

“They’ve got one of the best teachers I know in Jordan Gross,” Scalley said. “I’m excited for that group and what they’re going to show that first game.”