UCLA football (5-0, 2-0 Pac-12) will be welcoming the reigning Pac-12 champions No. 11 Utah (4-1, 2-0) to Pasadena on Saturday for the Utes’ first game at the Rose Bowl since their Rose Bowl loss in January. The Bruins have not hosted the Utes since 2018 but have the opportunity to start the season 6-0 for the first time in over 15 years. Here is this week’s scouting report from senior staff writer Jon Christon – who, in his first and only football scouting report of the year, is looking to redeem himself after his downright embarrassing attempt a year ago.

Utah’s offense
Offensive scheme: Singleback

Run-pass percentage: 57.4% pass, 42.6% run
Strength: Rushing volume
Weakness: Big-play ability (or the lack thereof)
X-factor: RB Tavion Thomas

This scouting report a year ago had this line buried within:

“In this matchup against the Bruins, (Utah running back Tavion) Thomas represents nothing more than a 6-foot-2, 221-pound Trojan horse.”

What happened next?

Thomas punched UCLA in the mouth from the opening kickoff, rushing for three rushing touchdowns in the first half alone – his four for the entire game tied a program record – and finished the game with 160 yards on the ground. The Bruins boasted the top rushing defense in the conference at the time, and, like the fine folks here at the Daily Bruin, were caught with egg on their face when the Utes decided to attack it.

Though the location is different, history could definitely repeat itself Saturday at the Rose Bowl. Utah still has an affinity to keep the ball on the ground – it leads the conference in rushing attempts so far in 2022 – but it remains to be seen if Thomas is still capable of replicating that production.

Thomas has looked a step behind his All-Pac-12 First Team season a year ago. He still paces the Utes in rushing but has only 180 rushing yards in his last four games and ranks last among the conference’s starting running backs in yards per carry at 4.4.

In Utah’s most recent contest – a blowout win over Oregon State – Thomas totaled only six carries, his lowest mark since the beginning of last season.

Instead, Utes’ coach Kyle Whittingham has increasingly used the services of backup running backs Jaylon Glover and Micah Bernard. Though neither has impressed statistically, both should see the rock often Saturday.

However, the Utah running backs are not the only Utes the Bruins need to watch out for on the ground.

Quarterback Cameron Rising is among the best dual threats in the conference. He’s not a high-volume runner, but he is physical and is not afraid to pull down the rock when he sees the right read in front of him.

Rising hasn’t looked quite as polished and accurate as a passer as he did when he took the conference by storm a year ago, but he does enough in an offense that really doesn’t ask too much of its quarterbacks.

The Utes will rarely try to beat you over the top, instead mainly keeping it simple with Rising’s rollouts and intermediate routes like slants, drags and posts. Just seven of Rising’s 95 completions have gone for more than 25 yards, with only two coming since Pac-12 play began a few weeks ago.

There is no single Utah receiver that can beat UCLA, but watch for tight end Dalton Kincaid in the flats and on the sidelines as he fills in for the injured All-Conference tight end Brant Kuithe.

But again, the Utes will likely try to follow a similar game plan as last year. Whittingham and Utah offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig are persistent and will likely try to wear down UCLA’s defense with run after run.

While he wasn’t part of last season’s contest, it’s now up to new defensive coordinator Bill McGovern to stop the tireless Utah rushing attack.

Utah’s defense
Defensive scheme: 4-2-5

Strength: Secondary
Weakness: Stopping the run
X-factor: CB Clark Phillips III

If you’re interested in high-scoring games that feature high passing totals, these Utes are not for you.

Not only does Utah keep the ball on the ground when it has possession, but it also institutes a no-fly zone on defense.

To start the season, Whittingham and company have produced the single best defense in the conference, a unit that specializes in stopping the pass. Utah has allowed just 155.4 passing yards per contest – an especially impressive statistic considering opponents have primarily played from behind – which tops the Pac-12 and ranks ninth in the entire country.

This air dominance starts schematically. With five defensive backs on the field in its 4-2-5 nickel defense, Utah is able to mix and match coverages to confuse the opposing quarterback.

Most importantly, though, it allows for more aggression from Utah cornerbacks, who often play right at the line of scrimmage.

Of course, this only works with talent in the secondary. Luckily for the Utes, they have that in spades.

Cornerback Clark Phillips III is a capital-P Playmaker on the edge. The reigning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week, Clark is tied for the NCAA lead in interceptions after his three-pick performance against Oregon State last week.

The secondary also boasts two other preseason All-Pac-12 honorees in safety Cole Bishop and cornerback JaTravis Broughton, who help highlight arguably the most formidable pass defense UCLA will face all year.

What stops Utah’s defense from truly being among the country’s elite is everything else. Although typically stout in the trenches, the Utes have had a thoroughly underwhelming year from their defensive line and linebacking corps after losing loads of defensive talent from a year ago – including eventual first-round pick Devin Lloyd.

So, like its opponent, expect UCLA to run early and often. Utah has been vulnerable on the ground so far this season given its weaker interior, with the 283 rushing yards allowed in a season-opening loss to Florida being the most it has given up in five years.

The Utes had particular trouble containing dual-threat Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson, a sign of hope for redshirt senior quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and the Bruins.

In what will be only his second career game versus Utah, Thompson-Robinson will have his work cut out for him if he tries to force anything in the air. Instead, it would behoove the fifth-year signal-caller to keep it simple and find his rhythm on the ground before trying to attack Utah’s secondary.