SALT LAKE CITY — The Utes have two new co-offensive coordinators in Jim Harding and Aaron Roderick, but don’t expect the Utes offense to stray too far from what they did last year. They plan on giving the ball to running back Devontae Booker as much as possible.
“As many as it takes to get a win,” said Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham. “Some weeks last year that was mid-to-upper 30s. Some weeks it was in the low 20s. I don’t want to put a number on it, but the focal point of the offense is Devontae Booker.”
Booker put up huge numbers last year as a junior. He rushed for 1,512 yards while averaging 130 yards per game against teams in the Pac-12 Conference. His goal is to get 2,000 yards this season, and a big game against Michigan on national television could make him a serious Heisman Trophy contender.
“I don’t pay attention to all the hype,” said Devontae Booker. “I may have a lot of hype around be but I don’t pay any attention to it all. I just continue to go about myself and my daily life and just continue to be the best person I can be and the best running back I can be.”
It hasn’t been an easy road for Booker. The junior college transfer has always taken pride in proving people wrong when they doubt him, and he says he’ll take that attitude with him against the high-profile Michigan Wolverines.
“We’re pretty much the underdog in every game we play,” said Booker. “We just continue to go out there and add fuel to the fire for us and just go out there and kick some butt.”
