Utah Football Brings In Big 12 Honors – Fano, Dampier & Co. Get Recognition
Dec 4, 2025, 12:26 PM | Updated: Dec 5, 2025, 8:18 am
SALT LAKE CITY — After securing a 10–2 regular-season record and racking up 493 points en route to a top-15 national ranking, Utah football was rewarded handsomely by the conference on Thursday.
The Utes had a large representation on All-Conference teams and individual awards. This is the culmination of a lot of work this group put in going back to last year.
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Here’s a rundown of how Utah football was recognized today and what it means for the program going forward.
Top Awards & First-Team Honors
Offensive tackle Spencer Fano — already a finalist for the Outland Trophy — was named Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year and earned First Team All-Conference honors.
.@Big12Conference 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫🏅
📰 https://t.co/L753G1EMrv#GoUtes | @FanoSpencer pic.twitter.com/PtHwocB4vd
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) December 4, 2025
Signal-caller Devon Dampier took home Offensive Newcomer of the Year and landed on the All-Conference Third Team after throwing for 2,180 yards, 22 touchdowns and adding 687 rushing yards with seven scores on the ground. He not only proved himself to be dynamic at the power conference level, he proved to be everything Utah could’ve asked for as a leader.
.@Big12Conference 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫🏅
📰 https://t.co/L753G1EMrv#GoUtes | @Devonddampier pic.twitter.com/lBVcu1pNgE
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) December 4, 2025
The Utes placed two other players on the First Team: offensive tackle Caleb Lomu and defensive end John Henry Daley. Lomu’s pass-protection was elite: just eight pressures and six hurries allowed all season over 294 pass-blocking snaps — with zero sacks. Daley, before a season-ending injury in late November, led the FBS in tackles-for-loss (17.5) and ranked second nationally in sacks (11.5).
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𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐀𝐥𝐥-𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞
🏅@FanoSpencer
🏅@JohnHenryDaley1
🏅@CalebLomu51 #GoUtes | @Big12Conference pic.twitter.com/koCgIrMMv4— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) December 4, 2025
Depth & Balance — More Utes Recognized
Utah’s depth showed up strongly in the awards roundup:
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On defense, defensive end Logan Fano and defensive back Smith Snowden earned Second Team All-Conference honors.
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Offensively, running back Wayshawn Parker and tight end Dallen Bentley landed Third Team status. Parker finished with 931 rushing yards and six touchdowns, while Bentley was second on the team in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.
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Honorable mentions rolled across the roster — from wide receiver Ryan Davis to the rest of Utah’s offensive line (center and guards), to linebackers Lander Barton & Johnathan Hall, defensive back Jackson Bennee, and special-teams contributors like returner Mana Carvalho and specialist Logan Castor.
What It Means — Big Picture for Utah’s Momentum
Offensive Line dominance Is a Foundation — not a fluke
Having two tackles (Fano & Lomu) on the First Team — and the depth guys honored — signals that Utah’s offensive line delivered on the hype around them coming into the season. This is the culmination of years of work from Jim Harding and the offensive line room.
Utah has prioritized the trenches and it’s foundational to offensive success. It’s now been parlayed into recruiting success this cycle, as Utah just landed the highest rated prospect in program history, offensive tackle Kelvin Obot.
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Fano and Lomu were incredibly important to Utah’s success this season. While Fano rightfully is taking home the individual hardware, Lomu was nearly just as impactful as his counterpart.
Devon Dampier proved he’s a top signal caller in the league
Dampier’s Offensive Newcomer award — after 22 passing touchdowns and 7 more on the ground, with over 2,900 total yards — makes clear that Utah landed the right guy. His kind of dual-threat ability, confidence and swagger reinvigorated the offense and turned it into one of the best units in the country.
Balance All Around — not just a one-man show
When you have 9 honorable mentions in addition to 7 all-conference selections, you’ve got roster-wide quality. From special teams to line play, from tight end to linebacker, Utah’s 2025 honors reflect a culture of collaboration and no “weak links.” That kind of balance matters late in games and over long seasons.
This kind of award haul — linemen, skill positions, defense, special teams — sends a message: Utah is not just along for the ride in the Big 12 expansion era. They belong. They can recruit. They can develop. They can win. And they can challenge for championships when it matters.
2025 will go down as a turning point for Utah football. With foundational pieces on both sides of the ball — anchored by the offensive line’s dominance up front and Devon Dampier’s breakout season — the Utes completely turned things around after an abysmal previous season.
This is a remarkable job by Utah, who will now move into the offseason with momentum on their side. And with a locker-room full of recognized contributors, the program looks primed for a fast-rise trajectory in the Big 12.
