need a lockdown corner the caliber of CPIII or JJ
5 Likes
Damuniās name kept coming up over & over, like he was one of the few guys on that D who wanted to make playsā¦ almost like it was a tryout for him, or something.
The additional bonus with Damuni is heās a legacy BYU guy, so to the extent weāre recruiting against them as theyāre moving to the B12, this is double win.
The impact of last Fridayās game canāt be overstated.
Donāt listen to me, though, the video of Diabate screaming out to USCās sideline āThis is why I came to Utah! This is why I came to Utah!ā - that says a 1000 words, shortens up the sales pitch quite a bit.
9 Likes
I count 3, CPIII, Diabate and Hubert. Regardless, that is a solid nucleus.
1 Like
I didnāt see a final count for first day entries into the portal, but I know it was over 1000. The previous one day record was 270.
1 Like
I seem to recall that the NCAA created 2x/yr for athletes to get into the portal. One was about now, the other is near end of the academic year. I may have misread what I saw, or remember incorrectly what I saw.
If what I saw was correct then what weāre seeing now with the portal was to be expected.
Nate Johnson 
3 Likes
Yes. There are two 30 day windows. The first being now, the second immediately after the close of spring practice. You do not need to pick a new school in the window, but in order to be recruited you must enter the portal during one of these two windows
2 Likes
Good info.
Our best experience with one of our own players entering the portal is Jaylen Dixon, of course, he who had another key TD against USC.
Dixon is one of the feel-good stories in the mosaic of Ute football, IMO. What a great kid, and how heās stepped up with Vele dinged has been really impressive (with an assist from Bills).
3 Likes
Thanks for the clarification.
He has the speed and Iām not saying it will happen but I wouldnāt be completely shocked if it did.
Did you mean Nate Ritchey? Will he be back from his mission in time for next season?
I want Johnson to get a full shot at QB.
1 Like
We only saw one pass from Nate this year, to devastating effect. (He and Logan Kendall will probably be best friends for life.)
Donāt know what our coaches are seeing in Penn Stateās D, but between Nate and JaāQuinden, we have two guys that can throw the ball well. Put them in at the same time and space out the defense.
Might as well let everything loose in this next game.
3 Likes
You arenāt accusing our coaches of tampering are you? Our coaches would never improperly talk to a player who had not yet entered the transfer portal.
How can it be tampering if telepathy is involved? 
(Damn witch trials opened the door for all kinds of non-verbal communications.)
5 Likes
Iāll be tipping over tables in the coachās office if he tries to move JJ back to QB.
No, noā¦ I mean JJ can throw the ballā¦ from wherever he lines up.
What game was it - maybe at Boulder? - where JJ lined up at RB, then he & Rising switched positions on a simple horizontal shift (pre snap), then JJ handed the ball off to Rising, who did a 2 foot shovel pass to Dixon (?) on a reverse. That play was designed to make upcoming DCs waste time trying to prep for the play and whatever could come off it.
There are numerous wrinkles off that play that defenses will have to think about. JJ keeping on a zone read, have the RPO off that keep, throw the ball to Rising, throw the ball to somebody else, take off on scamper himself, etc.
Add Nate to the mix, and there are really things that will make a DC lose sleep.
Depends on what kind of protection weāre getting up front, and other things, but you add those distractions in the backfield or lined up in the slot, then let Dixon or Vele or Kendall or Yassmin leak out and go long. Either weāre going to pick up some intermediate yardage or do serious downfield damage.
Really depends on whatās going on up front, but crazy number of options that arenāt really in our base offense.
If Nate Johnson gets a clean opening, very few players in the country could catch him (without having an angle).
7 Likes
The older Fano brother. What a great week for Utah recruiting. Cleaning up 
7 Likes
Itās the last game of the year. Canāt hold anything back now.
2 Likes
This is an interesting take on the Transfer Portal and playing a Bowl game. Itās a chance to show what your team needs and go get those players in the portal.
1 Like
Greatest portal announcement?
5 Likes