Utah offensive lineman Keaton Payments fires off throughout sport towards Arizona State, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Tempe, Ariz. Payments will assist anchor what Utah coaches see as a deep offensive line this coming season. Rick Scuteri, Related Press
Utah offensive linemen Jaren Kump (68), Paul Maile (54), Keaton Payments (51) and Braeden Daniels (71) put together to dam in entrance of quarterback Bryson Barnes (16) throughout sport towards Washington State, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022, in Pullman, Wash. Kump and Payments are among the many offensive linemen again for the 2023 season. Younger Kwak, Related Press
Utah’s offensive line is down two starters with left sort out Braeden Daniels making ready for the NFL draft and heart Paul Maile transferring to BYU.
However the Utes have quite a lot of expertise and depth returning on the offensive line.
This program will not be for everyone. However they’re going to get higher they usually’re going to outlive they usually’re going to become offensive linemen which are high-level gamers.” — Utah offensive line coach Jim Harding
“Actually good depth on the O line. We’ve acquired 15-16 scholarship guys that we expect are actually good,” mentioned coach Kyle Whittingham. “We should always come away with a stable 10 guys, which is good — 10 guys you be ok with going into the season. That’s our purpose.”
Three starters return — left guard Keaton Payments, proper guard Michael Mokofisi and proper sort out Sataoa Laumea.
“We now have actually good depth this yr. We now have three guys — Keaton, Mokofisi, Sataoa — that acquired a giant physique of labor in video games. However there’s one other handful of fellows which have performed minimally in video games however have the chance to assist us this yr,” mentioned offensive line coach Jim Harding. “What’s going to be massive for these guys is, all the pieces you placed on tape is a resume.
“Each rep they take, it’s about being coachable, doing the appropriate issues, are you able to be trusted to be basically and mentally sound in order that within the environments we play in on Saturdays, are they going to have the ability to do what we ask them to do?
“Offensive line play boils right down to physicality and may you do what we’re asking you to do and nonetheless be bodily? Or is there a psychological hurdle there? Are they not bodily sufficient?” Harding added. “All these issues mixed will give us a physique of labor that once we depart on the finish of April, we’ll have extra data on guys like Zereoue Williams, Falcon Kaumatule, Tanoa Togiai and Kolimu’u Faaiu.
“Guys which have been in this system that we really feel that may do it however now, their time has come. Which of these guys are going to step up and separate themselves from the remainder of the group?”
Others within the O-line room embrace Jaren Kump, Spencer Fano, Soatoa Moeai, Hunter Deuel, Johnny Maea and Keith Olson.
Harding was requested about how significantly better the depth is now in comparison with when he arrived at Utah in 2014.
“It’s a credit score to the youngsters that went earlier than them. There's a draw to come back play on the offensive line at Utah. That has been developed from my first yr. Jeremiah Poutasi was a third-round draft decide. Then Isaac Asiata and J.J. Dielman,” he mentioned. “The inspiration that they laid and the analysis course of that we undergo is thorough. That’s not simply offensive coaches. Various these youngsters have been initially recognized by defensive coaches and in the end signed off on by coach Whitt.
“It’s a program-wide praise when it comes to how we go about recruiting. We’re not about chasing stars. We wish to discover guys that match our program that we really feel goes to be powerful. This program will not be for everyone. However they’re going to get higher they usually’re going to outlive they usually’re going to become offensive linemen which are high-level gamers. It’s not essentially me. It’s a group.”
Utah offensive linemen Jaren Kump (68), Paul Maile (54), Keaton Payments (51) and Braeden Daniels (71) put together to dam in entrance of quarterback Bryson Barnes (16) throughout sport towards Washington State, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022, in Pullman, Wash. Kump and Payments are among the many offensive linemen again for the 2023 season.
Younger Kwak, Related Press