Spring Ball Preview: Utah Football’s Defensive Tackle Room

Mar 14, 2025, 6:09 PM | Updated: 6:17 pm

Utah Insider

SALT LAKE CITY—With the start of Utah football’s spring ball beginning next Thursday, we continue our position group preview with Luther Elliss’ defensive tackle group.

These five weeks of spring camp will allow Kyle Whittingham’s staff to integrate all the newcomers into Utah football’s culture.

Utah’s defensive tackle position will be one to watch this spring as the Utes look to solidify their interior defensive front. With only a couple of contributors returning, Utah is hoping for young talent to emerge. This group plays a crucial role in the defensive unit’s success.

Utah’s Defensive Tackle Room

Who Left: Junior Tafuna, Simote Pepa, Keanu Tanuvasa

Who’s Back: Aliki Vimahi, Dallas Vakalahi, Jonah Leaea

Who’s New: Karson Kaufusi, Sione Motuapuka

Utah’s defensive tackle rotation will feature a veteran presence, developing players eager to take on larger roles, and new young talents hoping to establish themselves.

The unquestioned leader, Aliki Vimahi

Vimahi’s presence as a senior leader will be invaluable for Utah’s defensive line. His experience, technique, and ability to mentor younger players will be vital, as he embodies the culture of the defensive tackle position to a T.

Vimahi will obviously be tasked with anchoring the middle. He’s a big body who has played in many football games for the program. He needs to continue to provide that sort of presence along the interior of the line for the defensive unit.

More importantly though, is his leadership and reliability. This spring, Vimahi must continue setting the tone for the group, and help promote development of the guys around him.

𝐏𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐭 ✅ pic.twitter.com/vP95F2jmss

— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) March 7, 2025

Dallas Vakalahi, Jonah Leaea taking steps forward

Both Vakalahi and Leaea are in position to play greater roles in 2025. Spring ball will be key to the progression both need to make in order to secure larger roles this fall.

Vakalahi played surprisingly well as a freshman this past season. He played in nine games and totalled 16 tackles, 2.5 for loss, and two sacks. The 6-foot-2, 313-pounder possesses the play strength and motor that give him a great upside. This spring is about continued refinement of his technique and understanding of the game.

After joining the program as a 215-pound edge, Leaea has made the move inside to tackle. Though he’s put on nearly 60 pounds already, this offseason is still all about his physical development. Listed at 271 pounds, Leaea probably 10-15 more pounds to optimize his potential at tackle this season. Regardless, he possesses tremendous athleticism that could make him a disruptive force inside.

Great evening with the family! pic.twitter.com/qLrYl3itKf

— Lewis Powell (@CoachPowell99) February 28, 2025

Can ‘the other guys’ emerge?

With Utah needing depth at defensive tackle, there are four others in the room that could potentially emerge. Utah welcomed two new freshmen to the program in January with Karson Kaufusi and Sione Motuapuaka, there are also two multi-year walk-ons in Jori Benson and Mike Tauteoli in the room.

Kaufusi and Motuapuka have an opportunity to provide valuable contributions. Both true freshmen possess intriguing size and skillsets, and their development this spring could be a major boost for the defensive line. Kaufusi is bigger at 6-foot-6 and 286 pounds, while Motuapuka is smaller at 5-foot-11 and 270 pounds but plays toughness and leverage. Utah would love to see at least one of these players emerge this spring.

Benson will enter his third season with the program, while Tauteoli enters his second. Both seem to possess the requisite size for the job with Benson at 6-foot-4, 290 pounds and Tauteoli at 6-foor-4, 297 pounds. There’s more to it than size but if these two can play at a level that leaves coaches with comfortable with them as depth options, that would be significant for the depth.

Keys for the defensive tackle room

The defensive tackle position will be pivotal in defining Utah’s defensive strength in 2025. If Vimahi can lead effectively, Vakalahi and Leaea can take steps forward as players, and others emerge as options, that will be a big boost for this room.

Luther Elliss needs to draw out a lot of development from this group. So much so that there may not be a more important coaching task that the one he has ahead of him this spring.

When does Utah football’s spring ball begin?

The Utes will open spring camp on Thursday, March 20, and the 22 Forever Game will cap spring practices on Saturday, April 19.

Utah has already gotten back to work in its offseason regimen. Whittingham and his staff will lead players through 15 practices over five weeks. Utah will split its time between the Spence and Cleone Eccles Football Center and Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Utah’s annual spring game on April 19 in Rice-Eccles Stadium will once again benefit the 22 Forever Memorial Scholarship, which honors the memories of Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe.

Each season, the scholarship is represented by a student-athlete in the football program who exemplifies the inspiring qualities that Ty and Aaron demonstrated. Tickets are available for purchase, and all proceeds go to the 22 Forever Memorial Scholarship.