Spring Ball Review: A Look At Utah Football’s Cornerbacks
Jul 23, 2024, 9:00 AM
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utes wrapped up a very productive spring ball that has fans antsy for the start of the 2024 football season.
All of the promise is there, and opportunities feel plentiful for an overall very experienced group heading into a new conference in the Big 12.
Fortunately, summer is winding down with the Utes preparing to check into fall camp next week.
However, before we start diving into camp breakdowns, there are still two position groups we need to take a look at that had the most turnover on the team. We’ll start with the cornerbacks first.
If you missed our last position breakdown, you can check it out here with linebackers coach Colton Swan. Otherwise, buckle in for what Sharrieff Shah had to say about the Utah cornerbacks.
Who Are The Utah Cornerbacks?
- No. 16 CJ Blocker, New Caney High- Redshirt Freshman
- No. 4 Cameron Calhoun, transfer- Michigan- Freshman
- No. 9 Elijah Davis, Auburndale High- Sophomore
- No. 25 Nick Howe, Woods Cross High- Sophomore
- No. 6 Sammie Hunter, Chandler High- Freshman
- No. 1 Kenan Johnson, transfer- Georgia Tech- Senior
- No. 18 Quimari Shemwell, Long Beach Poly High- Freshman
- No. 2 Smith Snowden, Skyridge High- Sophomore
- No. 17 Nasir Stephens, Los Alamitos- Freshman
- No. 3 Money Thompson, Mount Pleasant High – Freshman
- No. 34 Xane Uipi, transfer- Santa Ana College- Redshirt Freshman
- No. 5 Zemaiah Vaughn, Beaumont United High- Senior
What Utah Cornerbacks Coach Sharrieff Shah Had To Say About The Group After Spring Ball
We’ve talked a lot so far about how Utah is bringing back a lot of key, familiar talent at every position, but the defensive backfield is maybe where the Utes have the most questions.
A good chunk of those questions got answered in spring camp. More of those questions will be answered in fall camp, and of course when the lights are bright at Rice-Eccles Stadium, but we still have to wait a little longer for that.
“Smith Snowden appears to have picked up where he left off in the Northwestern game,” Shah said. “He played a really nice game. He’s starting to understand a really nice mastery of the nickel position which is- by far, if you are playing corner, the hardest. I’ve been really pleased with Smith. Zemaiah has really shown me a lot. I’m really most proud of him for the leadership role. He’s not a vocal kid at all. Scooby [Elijah Davis] had several nice practices and then took a little bit of an injury which put him out for the rest of spring. He had shown me some things I hadn’t seen from Scooby- a level of competitive fire. An absorption of the defense and then an ability to execute.”
Utah Finds Two CBs Out Of The NCAA Transfer Portal
In order to fill some of the holes left by NFL and transfer departures in the defensive backfield, the Utah staff looked to the transfer portal for some instant cornerbacks help. Kenan Johnson, the transfer out of Georgia Tech appears to be just what Shah’s cornerback room needed after an impressive spring.
“His most impressive quality is his speed and quickness,” Shah said. “Oh my God, I’ve had some corners in this program, but this kid can put his foot down and close at an elite level. He can close on- not just intermediate routes and short routes, but long routes. Three phases of closing- he has shown that from day one. What he has to continue to do is get better at understanding the nuances of the defense. How to disguise, when to play off, when to play at a level with a friend if I give a combo call. He is what we thought he would be.”
Cameron Calhoun out of Michigan is another kid that has quickly impressed Shah and could prove to be a big factor for Utah in the future.
“Man, Calhoun is really a cerebral kid,” Shah said. “He needs to be able to process it completely before he can apply it. There is a coverage that has just been a bugaboo for him- he just keeps messing it up. The other day he got it right and the first thing he did was look at me- ‘yes?’, ‘yes.’ Bless his heart, he got it right and we’re going to build on that. That’s where we are going to start the ladder climbing. I love some of the things he shows. He can be so disruptive.”
