Alaka’i Gilman Seeing Progress In Utah’s Defensive Culture
Aug 22, 2024, 2:52 PM
SALT LAKE CITY – Fall camp has concluded for Utah Football and the program has entered in-season mode. It seems to have been a pretty competitive and productive 15 practices for Kyle Whittingham’s squad. That may not be any truer than at Utah’s safety position.
Defensive coordinator and safeties coach, Morgan Scalley, was tasked with identifying two new starters for his group. It seems the competition level increased as things progressed through camp and Alaka’i Gilman was a big reason for that.
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However, it seems Utah has the answers they need at each spot, one is pretty clearly identified, while the other is still going through the process of finding that starter.
Alaka’i Gilman sees strides toward relentless effort with Utah defense
Gilman has been with the program since the spring. It’s been a good situation for him so far and he’s seen good progress, not only in himself but the unit overall.
“We’re all coming together, everyone’s gelling well,” Gilman said of the defense. “The coaches are really doing their part to get us there. Every day I think we’re seeing strides towards relentless defensive effort.”
Within the safety room specifically, guys are pushing one another. The competitiveness in the room has been strong. Gilman has put himself in a position to earn a starting role. However, he’s only concerned on doing his job and knows that the guys around him will do the same.
“The competition is always healthy, coach always says ‘We’re competitive but not combative,'” Gilman said of the safety competition. “We’re all out here competing, trying to make plays, trying to earn roles. Wherever the cards may fall at the end of the day, that’s where they do. I think we each do a good job of focusing on what we can control.”
“We’ve got dudes in this room with all different types of skill sets. Everyone brings something different to the table and we’re just getting ready for game one.” – Alaka’i Gilman on Utah’s safety room.
Where has Alaka’i Gilman improved the most in the Utah defense?
Coming into a new program can be a bit of a process of learning and adapting to a new environment. With a few months and a significant number of practices with the team under his belt, Gilman seems to have settled in.
“In spring, when I first got here, I at least knew the defense on paper, I knew where to line up on paper but it’s real different when players start flying fast,” he explained. “I was still trying to figure out where to line up here and there.”
With each practice, Gilman got more comfortable. It became less about thinking and more about playing instinctually and confidently. That’s something that Gilman feels has flourished in the last couple of weeks.
“I came into fall camp feeling really confident,” he said. “I know my position, I know what to do, and now I can focus on how to go make plays or even look for opportunities to help other guys instead of just worrying about myself.”
Utah defense’s culture sets the standard
Gilman comes to Utah as a grad transfer from Stanford. The Utes have had quite a bit of success with veteran transfers in recent years. Key to that is the defensive culture that has been established under Whittingham and Scalley.
“This is a defense where the culture is so apparent,” he shared. “Coach Scalley sets the bar really high and he’s not going to let that slide. When I first came in, I knew what the standard was, I knew what to expect, because that’s just part of the culture.”
It’s a big reason why Gilman was so interested in coming to Utah. It’s also the reason why he’s so optimistic about the defense’s potential this season.
“I’ve never been part of a defense that has been so whole, so full at all levels- coaches, players, scheme, culture,” he explained. “I knew I needed to get in my game to a certain standard in order to be one of the guys. I’m just really excited to be a part of it here.”
Utah Football Schedule
Utah will kick off the season against Southern Utah on August 29. You can find Utah football’s conference schedule here.
