Notes from Utah Football spring practice
Apr 9, 2026, 9:13 PM | Updated: Apr 10, 2026, 11:07 am
Coach Ryan Gunderson and Devon Dampier at Utah football spring ball. Photo courtesy by Utah Athletics.
SALT LAKE CITY — Two days after one of the sharpest practices of the spring, Utah football came back to earth in a special Thursday viewing session.
Today’s practice had a different feel from the start — uneven, and at times sluggish — particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
The flashes of brilliance were still there throughout the day but the play-to-play consistency like Tuesday’s practice wasn’t.
Quarterbacks show flashes, struggle with rhythm
Quarterbacks Devon Dampier and Byrd Ficklin, delivered a mix of impressive highs but more lows throughout practice.
There were moments where everything clicked — tight-window throws, deep balls that turned heads, and sequences that looked like exactly what this offense can become.
But those moments were often followed by missed opportunities.
A strong throw would be followed by two or three incompletions. A routine completion would be disrupted by a pass breakup. A throwaway would follow a highlight-reel play.
It added up to an up-and-down performance where the ceiling remained obvious — but the floor showed up more than the staff would like. Simply put, the two had an off day and those are going to happen every so often over the course of 15 practices.
But one sequence stood out today, during a 7-on-7 session, Dampier missed an opportunity to make a throw over the middle. Quarterbacks coach Ryan Gunderson voiced his displeasure at the misidentification and spent about a minute talking through it. Then, in the next 11-on-11 team session, Dampier completed an impressive throw to Ricky Johnson that was very similar to the one he missed.
Offensive urgency questioned early
The inconsistency wasn’t limited to the quarterbacks.
The offense as a whole started slow, struggling to find rhythm during early periods. Pre-snap issues crept in, including a misalignment that resulted in a penalty, prompting a fiery response from running backs coach Mark Atuaia.
The message was clear: the standard wasn’t being met.
That urgency and attention to detail — or lack thereof — became a theme for much of the early portion of practice before the unit gradually settled in.
Wide receivers made the most of the day
While the offense struggled to sustain drives, it wasn’t necessarily due to the receivers. Though the consistency wasn’t there from the quarterbacks, these guys capitalized on the quality opportunities.
Braden Pegan was a consistent target, hauling in an estimated eight to nine receptions during 11-on-11 work. His impact came primarily in the intermediate game, where he found space and moved the chains.
Ricky Johnson also stood out. He connected on multiple deep balls in one-on-one periods and added several catches over the middle during team sessions. Daidren Zipperer also made a few impressive contested catches in traffic.
Nate Johnson continued his strong spring with a pair of highlight grabs, including a diving catch near the sideline that showcased both body control and confidence. His transformation has been one of the more notable developments in camp, as has been highlighted this week.
It wasn’t the most productive day of spring, but this group made the most of it.
Backs heavily involved in passing game
One of the more noticeable offensive shifts from last year is the involvement of running backs in the passing game.
Wayshawn Parker and Daniel Bray were frequent targets throughout practice — a continued indication that Utah’s offense under new coordinator Kevin McGiven may place a greater emphasis on utilizing backs as pass-catchers compared to previous iterations.
Given the skill sets of Parker and Bray, and their ability to make guys miss, this new emphasis could become a significant factor this fall.
Pass-heavy script highlights two-minute focus
Last week, Scalley highlighted situational football, specifically the two-minute offense, as an area that needed addressing.
Thursday’s practice leaned heavily toward situational work, with an emphasis on two-minute offense.
The majority of the session centered around the passing game, limiting opportunities to fully evaluate the run game while placing added pressure on quarterbacks, pass protection, pass rush, and coverage.
Offensive linemen showing progress
On the offensive line, two that stood out today were Keith Olson and Ike Garcia.
Olson was tested against Utah’s defensive tackles, including several competitive reps against Karson Kaufusi and Jireh Moe. He is one of the vets in the room, and his emergence is vital to the O-line’s outlook.
As for Garcia, he put together one of his better performances of the spring. It wasn’t perfect, but there were a number of good reps. And after a couple of injury-riddled years to start his time at Utah, Garcia seems to be in the process of regaining his confidence and form.
Garcia’s emergence would be a really positive development for the offensive line.
Defensive front generates pressure
Despite a lot of quick passing game, Utah’s defensive line still managed to make its presence felt.
Lance Holtzclaw generated pressure off the edge. He’s looked more fluid and flexible, showing better bend and change of direction than before — a sign of offseason development. Kash Dillon and Ethan Day each play with a great level of physicality.
Inside, Jireh Moe continued to flash, and while he’s not considered a power rusher, his ability to use his leverage advantage and transfer power from his lower half is impressive.
Karson Kaufusi delivered one of the defensive highlights of the day, finishing a team period with a pressure — what would have been a sack — that ended a drive.
The interior rotation remained active, with multiple bodies cycling through at defensive tackle, though the quick passing script limited extended evaluation opportunities. Among those rotating in were Kaufusi, Moe, Pupu Sepulona, Jamal Wallace, Lucas Samsula, Mike Tauteoli, and Dilan Battle.
🔒🔒🔒🔒#GoUtes | #RSNB pic.twitter.com/vrblzJnepK
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) April 10, 2026
A name to watch: Cyrus Polu
One player who continues to impress is linebacker Cyrus Polu.
His playmaking has shown up each practice session. He’s a dynamic athlete for a linebacker and his versatility shines through in multiple roles.
His ability to impact the game in different ways has made him one of the more intriguing pieces in this reloading defense.
The two-edged sword of cornerback physicality
After a strong showing earlier in the week, Utah’s cornerback group also looked a little less effective. Multiple pass interference penalties highlighted a day where technique and discipline wavered.
The group is so long and it really impacts throwing windows. And while the physicality this group plays with is impressive, it can also lead to days like today, where the flags are thrown.
Still, the size Utah has in the secondary impacts the game in a positive way for the defense more often than not.
A little chipping action after practice on the first day of the Masters.
Morgan Scalley was the closest. pic.twitter.com/Xw0ZCg8787
— Josh Furlong (@JFurKSL) April 9, 2026
The Bottom Line
Thursday wasn’t pretty — but it was probably necessary. The flashes from Dampier and Ficklin are exciting, and the weapons around them are proving they can elevate the offensive unit as a whole.
Today showed exactly where the gap still exists: not in talent, not in explosive capability, but in consistency and execution snap-to-snap. The encouraging part? The issues were correctable. Alignment, timing, decision-making — those are spring fixes, not fall concerns.
If Tuesday showed the ceiling, Thursday was a reminder of the process still ahead.
And for a team trying to evolve offensively under Morgan Scalley and Kevin McGiven, stacking consistency — not just highlights — is what will ultimately define how far this group goes.
