Three takeaways from the Utah Utes Rose Bowl loss to Penn State

Three notable takeaways from the Utes loss to Penn State in the Rose Bowl.

For the second year in a row, the University of Utah Football Program took a trip to Pasadena to compete in the Tournament of Roses after defending their title in the Pac-12 Championship against USC.

Facing yet another Big Ten opponent in Penn State as opposed to Ohio State the previous year, Utah was yet again bested in the Rose Bowl and walked away empty handed.

However, despite the disappointing loss, there were still several things that stood out about this team as the 2022 season officially came to an end.

Despite the outcome, there were still several standout performances

Utah Utes wide receiver Devaughn Vele (17) runs against Penn State Nittany Lions safety Zakee Wheatley (6) in the first half of the 109th Rose Bowl game at the Rose Bowl / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It obviously doesn’t make the loss any easier, especially for the second year in a row, but there were still some very impressive performances put on in Pasadena.

First of all, I said this early on in the season, but freshman Sione Vaki is the future of this Utah secondary and his performance in the Rose Bowl is the perfect illustration of that.

Not only did he lead the Utah defense with eight total tackles (all of which were solo), but he was all over the field. Whether it was special teams, tackles in the secondary or helping in rushing situations, Vaki plays well above his age and possesses that X-factor that allows him to be involved on every down.

In addition to Vaki’s contributions, Ja’Quinden Jackson was simply magnificent and his future in the running back room is incredibly bright.

On top of his jaw-dropping touchdown play where he straight up pulled a spin move from Madden and powered through several tackles into the end zone, he also led the team with 13 carries for 81 yards (6.2 average).

Relentless spin move 😵‍💫🔥 https://t.co/3PNnTEnRB9

— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 5, 2023

What Jackson did this season was perhaps the best story in college football. To switch from quarterback to running back and then lead the team down the stretch is simply incredible and the 2023 campaign should be a huge step forward for him.

Utah needs more playmakers at wide receiver

Utah Utes wide receiver Money Parks (10) celebrates after scoring on a 57-yard touchdown reception against the Southern California Trojans in the second half of the Pac-12 Championship at Allegiant St / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Before I fully jump into this one, I do just want to point out that Devaughn Vele had a phenomenal game, leading the team with 100 yards on just five receptions.

I also fully believe that Vele was underutilized this season and I hope to see him back next year, as he has the potential to be a guy that can go for 750+ yards and 8-10 touchdowns.

Now, outside of Vele, and Jaylen Dixon somewhat, the receiving in the Rose Bowl just wasn’t very good. Aside from those two, the group only combined for 43 yards on 7 receptions. That’s just not enough.

Now, there are a few things going into this but I’ll address those as well.

For starters, Cam Rising did go down with injury in the third quarter, but he wasn’t moving the ball very well either before leaving the contest. Additionally, while Dalton Kincaid and Brant Kuithe did not play, I am talking about the wide receivers specifically here, not the tight ends.

Looking ahead to next season, Utah has to demand more from its wide receivers and be willing to include them. With Dalton Kincaid headed to the NFL for sure, if Vele and Kuithe stick around they’ll get a majority of the reps. But you need more than just two primary targets, especially if one or both of those guys are ever sidelined.

If the Utes want to see similar success next season, they need guys like Money Parks, Makai Cope, and some of the other underclassmen to be given opportunities. Those players then need to perform if given the chance. Simple as that.

The future is bright and there is still plenty to be excited about

CJ Jacobsen, Utah / CJ Jacobsen, Utah — Courtesy of CJ Jacobsen

I get it, losing another Rose Bowl was incredibly frustrating and there should be some questioning as to why the program hasn’t won a Bowl game since 2017. But, there’s also arguably never been a better time to be a Utah fan.

In addition to their back-to-back Pac-12 Championships and the likelihood that Utah will produce a first round NFL Draft pick for the second year in a row, the future has never been brighter.

Yet again, Utah signed its highest ranked recruiting class ever, the likes of which includes six four-star guys. Add that to guys like Jaylon Glover, Lander Barton, Nate Johnson, Justin Medlock and Tao Johnson, and the Utes very well could be serious contenders for a National Title in a few years.

As I mentioned before, I totally understand the frustrations about losing a second Rose Bowl, but Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was this Program. It took several years before the Utes made the Pac-12 Championship and three appearances before they were ever crowned.

Trust in this coaching staff to continue building upon their previous success and learning from their mistakes. If these new recruits are as good as they appear to be, Utah’s culture will transform them into elite contributors quickly that could take them to new heights. 

Until then, relish the fact that Utah has won back to back Pac-12 Titles and provided fans the opportunity to experience the Grandaddy of Them All not once, but twice in a row. Not many programs can say that, and Utah will get to a point where they are winning those games rather than walking home empty handed.

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