The University of Utah completed its second of four weeks of fall camp on Saturday, wrapping up the week with its first scrimmage.
The Utes have hit what Scalley calls the “dog days” of fall camp. The excitement of being back has worn off, and the challenge to his players has been to keep that energy up throughout the remainder of camp.
Saturday’s scrimmage was the first chance for players to really make an impact in a game-like situation. Scrimmages can go far in determining the depth chart, though Scalley is keeping that chart very close to the vest.
“Just lovely. Yeah, we got good ones,” Scalley said when asked about the pecking order at wide receiver and cornerback. “I’m not going to tell you what that depth is, but we got good depth. Do your fantasy draft or whatever. We got really good ones. I’m excited for that group.”
What Scalley did divulge from Saturday’s closed-to-the-media scrimmage was that sophomore running back Mateaki Helu “showed up in a big way.”
The Stansbury High star played in all 13 games on special teams his freshman season, totaling four tackles, but is trying to fight for touches in a crowded running back room that includes RB1 Wayshawn Parker, San Jose State transfer Steve Chavez-Soto, and freshman LaMarcus Bell.
Scalley also gave a shoutout to defensive end Lance Holtzclaw, who totaled 26 tackles, 1.5 sacks and three pass breakups on the season last year and is primed for a starting role with John Henry Daley and Logan Fano gone.
“Lance Holtzclaw off the edge, making a bunch of plays,” Scalley said.
Utah’s coach also mentioned the receiver group as performing well without naming specific players.
“There’s a lot of good stuff. I thought the situational mechanics, like I said, that’s one thing that (at the) beginning of camp, not clean enough, not fast enough, but much better,” Scalley said.
One area for improvement for the team moving forward is in the red zone.
“I’d say red-zone work, kind of a mixed bag. We need to be more efficient, not enough touchdowns in the red zone, too many field goals,” Scalley said.
That said, Scalley was impressed by Utah’s kickers, Dillon Curtis and UTEP transfer Tanner Cragun. In the 20-minute media observation period before the scrimmage, Curtis was perfect on field goals, including from 50-yards-plus, and that carried into the scrimmage.
“The kicking game’s really good. Kicking game’s really good. Love our two kickers. Obviously Orion (Phillips) has been established as a punter, but both Dillon and Tanner are doing a nice job,” Scalley said.
The highlight of the scrimmage was a hurdle by receiver Braden Pegan over cornerback Elijah Davis.
Cleared for takeoff‼️🛫@Devonddampier ➡️ @bradenpegan#GoUtes | #RSNBpic.twitter.com/b3xq57bofT
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) August 15, 2026
Saturday’s scrimmage was another checkpoint for the biggest question marks on the 2026 team — the offensive and defensive lines.
Keith Olson, Kelvin Obot, Solatoa Moea’i, Isaiah Garcia, Cedric Jefferson, Zereoue Williams and Alex Harrison are among those in the mix for starting jobs on the new-look offensive line.
“I would say I think we’ve gotten to the point where we’re physical enough. The pre-snap penalties are being cut down. Just continued progress. There’s not one glaring thing where I’m sitting there saying, ‘We’re deficient here.’ It’s just maybe a little bit cleaner in the things that we’re doing from protection to taking on slanters,” Scalley said.
“They’ve got one of the best teachers I know in Jordan Gross. So I’m excited for that group and what they’re going to show.”
Asked about five-star freshman Obot, Scalley said, “He’s looking really good, but he understands the stuff he needs to work on and no spots are solidified right now.”
On the defensive line, there’s still a little bit to go until solidifying the starters and rotation.
“Defense looks good. We’re solidifying that D-tackle spot. Same thing on offense, you get these bumps and bruises, guys having to be out of practice or two,” Scalley said. “So still, that’s up for grabs as well. Getting Karson Kaufusi back and mixing in some guys. So that’s unsettled right now.”
One thing that may be settled is Utah’s roster.
NaQuari Rogers, who rushed for 387 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, was out of eligibility, but a preliminary injunction by Colorado judge Charlotte Sweeney required the NCAA to grant one year of eligibility to players, like Rogers, that graduated in the high school class of 2022 and have exhausted their eligibility.
The NCAA introduced new eligibility rules — five years to play five seasons — that will go into effect in the fall of 2027, but Sweeney ruled that players that “began to play in collegiate sports in the 2022–2023 season, competed in NCAA Division I sports, and completed four years of eligibility as defined by the NCAA’s prior rules by the conclusion of the 2025–2026 season” are now eligible to play one more year in the 2026–27 season.
Rogers expressed interest in returning to Utah, but with a full running back room that already had spring ball, summer conditioning and some of fall camp under their belt, it sounds like Utah’s roster may be set ahead of the Sept. 3 opener against Idaho.
“We feel pretty good right now,” Scalley said when asked if Utah was exploring bringing back Rogers or if the roster is set.
