Spring Ball Preview: Utah Football’s Defensive End Room

Mar 13, 2025, 2:17 PM | Updated: 2:18 pm

Utah Insider

SALT LAKE CITY—With the start of Utah football’s spring ball just around the corner, we continue our position group preview with Lewis Powell’s defensive ends 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 end position will be one to watch this spring as the Utes look to solidify their pass rush. With key players looking to return to form and new faces seeking to establish themselves, this group will play a crucial role in the defensive unit’s success.

Utah’s Defensive End Room

Who Left: Connor O’Toole, Van Fillinger

Who’s Back: Logan Fano, Paul Fitzgerald, Kash Dillon, John Henry Daley

Who’s New: Jaxson Jones, Lance Holtzclaw

Utah’s defensive end rotation will have a mix of experienced players and fresh talent looking to contribute. With Elliss and Fillinger moving on, it’s critical that returning players step up and that young talent emerges.

Keys For Returning Standout Logan Fano

Fano suffered a season-ending knee injury midway through the 2023 season. Surprisingly, Fano was ready to go for the start of the 2024 season, just 10 months after his injury.

In his return, Fano played sound football but lacked the sheer disruptiveness he played with prior to his injury. Instead, Fano played technically sound football and still proved to be an effective edge defender.

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

— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) March 7, 2025

Now, as he and the team move into 2025, spring ball will provide the first opportunity to progress towards that disruptive form. Fano has tremendous potential as an edge defender, and these next five weeks are about elevating his confidence and taking his game to the next level. Keep in mind, Fano was equally as disruptive as Jonah Elliss in those first five weeks of 2023. If Fano can return to that form, that will bode quite well for Utah’s pass rush.

RELATED: Initial Projection Of Utah Football’s 2025 Starting Units

Establishing effective edge play opposite of Fano

With both Connor O’Toole and Van Fillinger moving on from the program, Utah needs players to emerge in their defensive end rotation.

Both Paul Fitzgerald and Lance Holtzclaw are positioned to play significant roles in 2025. Fitzgerald enters year two in the program, while Holtzclaw transferred to Utah after a couple of seasons with the Washington Huskies.

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

— Lewis Powell (@CoachPowell99) February 28, 2025

In Fitzgerald, Lewis Powell has another 6-foot-4, 250-pound edge like Fano. He transferred to the program last year after totaling 8.5 sacks at Utah State. Fitzgerald has a promising combination of athleticism and size. He played minimally this past season, but optimism is high regarding his progress. With the addition of the 6-foot-3, 230-pound Holtzclaw, the Utes added an athletic pass rusher. Holtzclaw possesses a little more explosiveness and quick-twitch, which should lead to immediate involvement in the pass rush.

Figuring out the depth with Kash Dillon, John Henry Daley, Jaxson Jones

With Utah needing depth at defensive end, Dillon, Daley, and Jones must step. All three possess intriguing upside, but spring ball will determine where they’re at their games and an idea of what their contributions could be this fall.

Henry Daley played at times this past season and flashed some disruptiveness. Dillon redshirted this past season but made a strong first impression in fall camp, and optimism has remained strong around him. Jones transferred from Oregon after redshirting last season, but brings dynamic athleticism to the room.

There is optimism about these three players and their potential. They each possess qualities and potential that could lead to them making a good leap forward this offseason. Utah will have a much better idea of what each can bring to the table in 2025.

Keys for Utah’s defensive ends in Spring Ball

The biggest priority this spring will be finding and developing a top rotation. With Fano leading the way, Utah needs to find a starter opposite of him and solidify who will be the top rotational piece beyond that, which could be any of the five other defensive ends.

Overall, Utah needs greater production from the pass rush next season, which should be a big camp focus. Coach Powell has done a great job of recruiting the position and developing good edge defenders, and this group is one of the more interesting collection of players he’s had.

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.