Jason Beck Leading The Utah Football Offense Through Transition
Mar 24, 2025, 3:41 PM | Updated: 3:54 pm
Jason Beck photo courtesy of Utah Athletics.
SALT LAKE CITY—Kyle Whittingham and the Utah football program are preparing for what will need to be a transformative football season, spearheaded by their newly appointed offensive coordinator, Jason Beck.
After struggling offensively for most of the last two seasons, Whittingham made changes, and the program is now working to improve its offensive output next season.
This spring, he will teach his offensive scheme while also learning about a nearly entire new unit of personnel.
Week 1 in the books☑️#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/kyFyR8AC6t
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) March 23, 2025
Jason Beck is excited to run it back with quarterback Devon Dampier
Among the most compelling narratives surrounding Beck’s transition to Utah is his continued partnership with quarterback Devon Dampier.
Having flourished under Beck’s guidance at New Mexico, Dampier amassed an impressive 2,768 passing yards and 12 touchdowns through the air while demonstrating his playmaking on the ground with 1,166 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns.
“It is very positive, just in terms of he knows the offense -we’ll tweak some things and adapt some things- but he’s already up and running in the offense,” Beck described. “He’s been in it for a year, and his example will help other guys; he’ll show what it’s supposed to look like at a high level for the other guys.”
Back like we never left 🙌#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/2cjLat9kEI
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) March 22, 2025
Now, he’ll help Beck install the offense, which should benefit everybody.
“With Dev, it’s been an easier start with him returning as the starting quarterback, even though it’s with a new team,” Beck shared. “We got a lot more in than you would typically have because Devon can do it, if Devon wasn’t here, it’d be a much smaller thing.”
Dampier isn’t the only former Lobo to transfer to Utah. The program also brought in running back NaQari Rogers and receiver Ryan Davis. That helped the installation process and provided the running back and receiver groups with good examples to follow.
“It’s been nice because you can throw them in there, they can take the first rep, and it gives a real positive image for everyone to watch,” he shared.
With four new quarterbacks behind Dampier, Beck has much to learn about his group.
The offensive line is leading the way for Utah football
“The O-line is in a great spot to be building from,” Beck shared. “There are good, quality players, players who have a lot of game experience. By that, you just see the leadership from that group, so their presence, their effect on the offense, is really positive.”
Utah welcomes back all five starters and nearly every player behind them from last year’s roster, as only two seniors left the group. That’s significant for the team’s outlook next season and will lead to healthy competition over the next few weeks.
RELATED: Utah Basketball Linked To Four-Star Recruit, Exciting Transfer Portal Targets
“Now, there’s a lot of work going on, a lot of competition going on, obviously, as they learn and execute everything,” Beck shared. “But also, who are the next guys up, who are the guys six through ten, and how close are they to being game-ready? So there’s a lot of work going on.”
A key difference between Beck’s tenure at New Mexico and his new role at Utah lies in the quality and depth of the offensive line. Utah has two All-American tackles and an experienced interior offensive linemen.
Identifying and developing playmakers
During the initial stages of the camp, it’s all about getting a feel for who can do what. Although Dampier, Rogers, and Davis are familiar, Beck has so much to learn with this unit.
“It’s wide open with the skill guys to see who’s going to emerge from that group,” Beck said. “Looking to identify who’s emerging, what sort of personnel groupings work well, and what kind of skill sets we have and then adjusting and adapting from there.”
One of Beck’s most pressing challenges will be identifying and developing reliable targets in the passing game. The departure of key receivers and tight ends from last season necessitates a recalibration of Utah’s passing attack.
“It reminds me of when we went to Syracuse and didn’t have that returning guy who did a lot, it was really wide open,” Beck shared. “Most of the experience is from guys transferring in, so that is really wide open, and it’s all about who’s being consistent, day in, day out, and doing the right things consistently.”
Spring practices will be a proving ground for emerging talent, and Beck expressed confidence that players will emerge. He also said Utah will likely look to add to its receiver room in the spring portal window.
Whether receiver or tight end, the staff will work to cultivate a group of pass-catchers capable of providing an impact. His ability to adapt his system to fit personnel strengths will be crucial in ensuring the Utes’ passing game remains a viable threat.
