Kansas State running back Joe Jackson went WILD on Utah last season, racking up an insane 293 rushing yards and three touchdowns against a Utes defense that normally locks it down. It was one of the most stunning performances ever against Utah. Other K-State players tacked on another 179 yards, bringing the rushing total to a mind-blowing 472 yards. Somehow, the Utes still pulled off a wild comeback victory that game, but those numbers sting.
That Was Not the Utes We Know
Seeing Utah’s defense give up that many yards on the ground? It’s just not right. The next week, Kansas ran for another 290 yards, though the Utes still won. For a program known for being stingy against the run, 2025 was brutal, with Utah ranking No. 108 nationally, allowing an average of 181.2 rushing yards per game. Those last two regular-season games skewed the numbers, but that’s still way more rushing success than Utah is used to seeing. The big problem? Poor play from the defensive tackles and some rough tackling from the safeties. You know the coaches were burning that film.
Fixing the Fundamentals Is the Only Way Out
Defensive coordinator Colton Swan and defensive tackles coach Luther Elliss have been hammering this issue all offseason. Making sure those mistakes don’t happen again has been the biggest point of emphasis. Sophomore defensive tackle Pupu Sepulona said it himself: “We’ve been watching a lot of old film from last year, like K-State. They really ran a lot of yards on us. We had to really fix up on how to not make those same mistakes again for this season.” He noted how glaringly obvious it was on film, especially when guards would pull, and the D-tackles would “just shoot the gap” leaving another gap wide open. Coach Swan and Coach Elliss are now pounding home the message for the D-tackles to “play with hands, play with technique and not shoot the gap.” It’s back to basics, and critical for this unit.
Who’s Stepping Up to the Challenge?
The defensive tackle room is the youngest group on the Utes, and it’s the biggest question mark heading into the season. Losing Aliki Vimahi to graduation, and Jonah Lea’ea and Dallas Vakalahi to transfers? That’s a huge chunk of experience walking out the door. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Freshmen Karson Kaufusi and Pupu Sepulona got some seriously valuable experience last season. Kaufusi saw 177 snaps, bagging 13 tackles and 0.5 sacks. Sepulona got 137 snaps, racking up 13 tackles and a tackle for loss. Sepulona didn’t think he’d play much as a freshman, but injuries and a bunch of Utah blowouts gave him tons of reps. Earning a spot on the travel squad was a huge confidence builder. He really felt things click against Cal Poly with his first college tackle for loss. This season, those guys are gonna be key.
This young D-line has been put through the wringer, watching all those yards pile up. With a renewed focus on technique and a season of experience, Kaufusi and Sepulona, along with the D-tackle squad, are geared up to prove last year was an anomaly. You can bet they’re ready to show the league what a real Utah run defense looks like.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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