Utah tight finish Brant Kuithe (80), a three-time all-Pac-12 honoree, was named to the preseason all-Pac-12 group in 2023. He’s one in all six Utah gamers named to the primary group. Rick Bowmer, Related Press
There was loads to rejoice for the Utah soccer group when the Pac-12 preseason all-conference group was launched Tuesday — the Utes had a league-high six gamers on the primary group.
There was a notable all-conference omission for Utah, although.
The Utes had three offensive gamers and three defenders make the primary group:
- Senior tight finish Brant Kuithe.
- Junior offensive lineman Sataoa Laumea.
- Junior offensive lineman Keaton Payments.
- Junior defensive sort out Junior Tafuna.
- Junior linebacker Karene Reid.
- Junior security Cole Bishop.
Utah additionally landed a pair of defensive gamers on the all-conference second group:
- Junior defensive finish Van Fillinger.
- Sophomore linebacker Lander Barton.
4 others made the honorable point out listing:
- Sophomore offensive lineman Michael Mokofisi.
- Junior defensive finish Jonah Elliss.
- Senior cornerback JaTravis Broughton.
- Junior cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn.
That’s 12 preseason All-Pac-12 alternatives for the Utes in complete, headlined by Kuithe, a three-time All-Pac-12 choice, and Tafuna, a postseason second-team honoree in 2022 after being named the league’s freshman defensive participant of the 12 months in 2021.
Solely two of Utah’s honorees are seniors, together with eight juniors and two sophomores.
Utah’s six first-team alternatives was another than USC and Oregon State, who tied for the second-most.
Notably absent from the preseason listing, although, was Utah senior quarterback Cam Rising, who has led the Utes to back-to-back Pac-12 championships.
Reigning Heisman Trophy winner and USC quarterback Caleb Williams landed on the preseason All-Pac-12 first group on the place, whereas Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. made the second group at quarterback.
Rising earned All-Pac-12 honorable point out honors within the 2022 postseason awards, behind first-teamer Williams and second-teamer Penix.
Oregon’s Bo Nix additionally returns this season, giving the Pac-12 what's broadly thought-about the deepest group of quarterbacks by a convention nationwide.
A giant distinction between the preseason and postseason all-conference awards, although, is who does the voting. The media votes for the preseason, and Pac-12 coaches vote for the postseason awards.
Solely gamers who obtained 4 or extra votes from members of the media — and weren’t among the many prime two vote-getters at that place — had been listed as honorable point out honorees at any given place within the preseason awards.
Nix was the lone preseason all-conference honorable point out honoree at quarterback.
By comparability, there have been 5 quarterbacks who earned postseason all-conference honorable point out honors final season.
Rising is coming off knee surgical procedure this offseason after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee throughout the Utes’ loss to Penn State in final 12 months’s Rose Bowl.
Rising will probably be readily available Friday taking questions when the Pac-12 holds its annual soccer media days in Las Vegas.
Final week, although, he advised ESPN 700’s Invoice Riley that issues are progressing properly in his restoration and the quarterback expects to be again for the Utes’ season opener Aug. 31 in opposition to Florida.
“Yeah, in order that’s nonetheless what I’m planning on doing and all the things in rehab goes accordingly,” Rising advised Riley. “Simply bought to maintain it going. All the pieces ought to be going properly there.”