Fomer NFL All-Pro Jordan Gross revamping Utah's offensive line

The Utah Utes opened up a 20-minute window of practice to the media at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday. There were various drills happening, but it was a glimpse at the team's progress under Morgan Scalley. One of the biggest points of emphasis this season for Utah will be the offensive line. The group, led by former NFL All-Pro Jordan Gross, is working on techniques. The Utes will have a brand-new set of starters in the trenches this season. There will be big shoes to fill after Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu were both taken in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. If there was any position coach ready for the challenge, Gross would be the guy. Utah has traditionally been one of the best programs in the trenches. They will have to prove that again this year in the midst of a transition. Gross has his players working with strengthened conditioning coach Steve Saunders to improve overall function. “We want everybody as big as humanly possible to still be able to move and play your position,” Gross said via Deseret News. “So what was nice about witnessing the summer program was that those big guys were moving constantly, dynamically and doing cardio stuff, pushing things.” Outside of the offensive line, Utah QB Byrd Ficklin took a majority of snaps during the media window. The backup to Devon Dampier is a wild card in the Utes' offense. After 13 total touchdowns last season, he will be looking to help in any way possible. Also, running back Wayshawn Parker got a few touches and looks to complete his first 1,000-yard season after coming up short by a few yards last year. Scalley should be pleased with where his team is at right now. There are still some slight adjustments that need to be made before the start of the season. However, the Utes have improved on both sides of the ball. Most offensive linemen have bulked up, and they're all working toward the same goal of getting better with every snap. One of the areas for Utah that rarely gets discussed is the kicking game. Former Five-Star. Dillon Curtis has a tremendous leg, and we're showing it off during practice. At this point, I'm convinced he could easily nail field goals from 50 yards and beyond. He'll be an asset for the Utes this season. Utah prepares for the season opener against Idaho on Thursday, Sept. 3. The game will be a warm-up for Arkansas, who makes the rare trip to Salt Lake City the following week. Utah then closes out the stretch with Utah State. More Utah Utes News: Where Utah ranked in Phil Steele’s College Football preseason poll Utah football is all over social media after film session catches attention of NFL veteran Joe D'Orazio sends strong message to recruits: 'Utah puts people in the NFL