Potential Next Man Up Candidates in the Wake of Levani Damuni's Injury

Defensive anchor Levani Damuni is out for the year after suffering a lower leg injury during spring practice, and now is the time to figure out who will be the next man up heading into the season.

Nov 4, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils running back Kyson Brown (14) is / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

The loss of Levani Damuni for the season is devastating for the entire team on the field and in the locker room. Damuni led the team in tackles during the 2023 season, racking up 87 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and .5 sacks. Once he took over the starting role, the former Stanford Cardinal averaged 10 tackles a game, solidifying himself as a centerpiece of the stout Utah unit.

Whoever slots into Damuni's role will have big shoes to fill, especially in such a crucial season for the program, but there are two linebackers who could be the next man up for Morgan Scalley heading into the 2024 season.

Sione Fotu

Sione Fotu played in 11 games during the 2023 season, racking up 18 total tackles and 1 pass defended in his first season since 2020 due to him serving his mission. The West Jordan native is a 6'0" 226-pound sophomore, and an opportunity to slot into a starting role from the outset could spell for a breakout year. Coming out of high school, Fotu was the #7 recruit in Utah and earned first-team all-state honors as a three-star senior. Fotu seems like a prime next man up candidate to play alongside Lander Barton and Karene Reid, which would still form a formidable second line of defense.

Josh Calvert

Up to this point in his career, Josh Calvert hasn't had much success, despite being the #15 ranked inside linebacker in the nation coming out of high school. Starting his career at Washington, the 6'2" 217-pound LB suffered an injury which led him to redshirt in 2019 and not see the field in 2020 before transferring to Utah. Despite seeing action in every game during the 2023 season for the first time in his Utes career, Calvert managed to only tally 3 total tackles. While his numbers and career trajectory are far from eye-catching, the talent is clearly there and with an opportunity to start up for grabs and time to prove himself in spring practice, there is no reason why he shouldn't be able to tune into his abilities and put his name in the mix.