Utah’s Two-Way Stars Shined In 43-10 Win, What Does It Mean Moving Forward?
Sep 1, 2025, 2:41 PM | Updated: Sep 2, 2025, 10:46 am
SALT LAKE CITY — Kyle Whittingham warned everyone it was coming, and he wasn’t bluffing. Utah utilized their defensive stars on the offensive side of the ball and enjoyed pretty good success with it.
Smith Snowden, Lander Barton, and defensive back Jackson Bennee all lined up on offense in Utah’s 43–10 rout of UCLA; the only surprise might have been that people were still surprised.
“Why was it surprising? I told you guys it was coming, did you think I was lying?” Whittingham said with a smirk.
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— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) September 1, 2025
Utah’s two-way stars did exactly as Whittingham had hoped
We knew that those defenders were going to see time on offense. However, the amount of snaps they played— namely Snowden, was a genuine surprise.
“I thought it was really good production from those guys,” Whittingham said. “Smith had five or six catches … Lander caught the touchdown and actually blocked really well too. Then Bennee did exactly what we hoped.”
Frankly, Snowden looked like a natural. He finished with 9 total touches that generated 55 yards and a touchdown off a jet sweep. His athleticism provided a unique dynamic to the offense and gave Jason Beck a fun toy to utilize.
Barton, long known for his physicality as a linebacker, looked equally at home as a tight end. He caught a 14-yard touchdown pass and even laid down some critical blocks, which drew the type of praise Whittingham loves to dish out.
“Lander, I’m convinced, could be one of the best tight ends in the country if that was his full-time position,” Whittingham said.
And then there was Bennee, whose job wasn’t about touches so much as space. The sophomore didn’t record flashy stats, but he played his role to perfection — forcing UCLA’s defense to respect his vertical speed and opening lanes underneath.
“Bennee did exactly what we hoped; he didn’t have a lot of production, but he did a great job of taking the top off the coverage,” Whittingham said.
That is a very important note of clarity. Despite making it clear that they will play both ways every week, their usage will be determined by the opponent and potential matchups.
Against UCLA, Morgan Scalley was able to highlight the versatility he raved about at the conclusion of fall camp. Utah has multiple defensive backs who can play a number of positions, including Bennee and Tao Johnson. That sort of flexibility is valuable when taking a player like Snowden off the field for a percentage of snaps.
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What it means for Utah moving forward
In a college football landscape where depth is often tested by injuries, transfers, and 12-game grinds, having proven defensive starters who can swing over to offense gives Utah something few teams can replicate.
“Smith only played 47 total snaps, so that wasn’t even a typical week of just playing defense,” he said. “That was a very low number.”
Whittingham also shared that they will be very careful with those snap counts and preserving their top players. That’s led to conversations between Utah and Colorado, who helped Travis Hunter play a full-time role on both sides of the ball last season.
“Our sports scientists and that, they collaborated, so more sports science than coaches,” he revealed. “Just how you handle it, particularly during the week, and what sort of adjustments or modifications to make for those or projected to play.”
For Utah, this two-way experiment isn’t just about gadget plays — it’s about identity. The Utes are embracing a roster full of versatile, high-IQ athletes and asking them to do more. At the end of the day, this is simply utilizing your best athletes and maximizing your potential.
For Utah, it also speaks to the importance of trust. Trust in Snowden, Barton, and Bennee to handle the physical load of playing both ways. Trust in the depth behind them to pick up slack on defense. And trust in an offensive staff willing to innovate while staying true to Utah’s physical DNA.
However, Snowden still needs to be primarily utilized on the defensive side of the ball. He is one of the top cornerbacks in the Big 12 and the country. There will be matchups in the near future that will require his elite-level play at cornerback.
Utah’s done its homework and has a good plan in place. Whittingham made it clear that they will be careful with how much they’re used in a game. Snowden and Barton are key pieces to the Utah defense, which needs to continue to be the case for Utah to reach its full potential.
