Two For Two: Utah Football’s Lance Holtzclaw, Donovan Saunders
Mar 20, 2025, 6:36 PM | Updated: 6:37 pm
Utah football's Lance Holtzclaw and Donovan Saunders talked at first day of spring ball. PHOTO by Steve Bartle, KSL Sports
SALT LAKE CITY – On Thursday, Kyle Whittingham and Utah football welcomed the media to spring ball for the first time in 2025.
This spring, the roster includes many new players, so there is much to learn about this year’s squad.
These next five weeks of spring camp will allow Kyle Whittingham’s staff to integrate all the newcomers into Utah football’s culture.
On the first media availability, Lance Holtzclaw and Donovan Saunders shared a few moments to talk about themselves.
What led to Lance Holtzclaw’s decision to transfer to Utah?
The Utes added Holtzclaw during the winter portal window to address a need with their pass rush. Holtzclaw drew significant interest from multiple programs but obviously felt best about Utah. What made the difference for the Utes in Holtzclaw’s decision?
“I kind of knew the philosophy, Utah and their culture, what they stand for,” Holtzclaw shared. “Defensively, it’s well known; people know how they play, they send heat, get after it, and that’s what I want to do. I want to as many opportunities as I can get to get after the quarterback.”
Holtzclaw checks in at 6-foot-3, 227 pounds, so he is on the lighter side but he adds significant juice to the pass rush. It’ll be about technical development and buying into the culture along the defensive line but Holtzclaw has serious potential in this defense.
Donovan Saunders was nearly a Ute the year before
Saunders was another mid-year transfer into the program. He came to Utah via Texas A&M, however, he nearly transferred to Utah one year earlier.
During the 2023 winter portal window, Saunders visited Utah, among other programs, before ultimately landing in College Station.
“They recruited me the first time I went in the portal, and I really loved them, and God gave me another chance to come home,” Saunders shared. “Really that second time around was a refresher and just getting to a lot of the same faces, and really it was just home.”
At 6-foot-4, 187 pounds, Saunders has tremendous size for the outside. He was a top priority for Utah in back to back portal windows and there is a lot of optimism around his potential.
Holtzclaw feeling great about his acclimation at Utah
Holtzclaw did not take long to establish himself as a personality on the team. He was featured in the program’s Big 12 schedule release video.
This past Friday night, he also watched the Red Rocks outperform the UCLA Bruins.
“I’m loving it, I’m having in the process, and just getting myself introduced to the community so more people know who I am and I become a familiar face,” Holtzclaw said. “I’m having fun and getting involved in other sports, so I’ve been grateful they’ve put me in those positions to showcase myself like that.”
What’s the biggest priority for Saunders this offseason?
As one of Utah’s top targets in the portal, Saunders comes to Utah with simple goals.
“Just getting better, improvement; as far as right now, I don’t have any goals written down; it’s just focusing on getting better day by day,” he said.
Saunders will take a head-down, workman-like mentality to this offseason. He’s in the mix for a starting job and that’s where his focus is.
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