Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — Unless it has something to do with Southern Utah football — Utah's first game of the season — defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley isn't entertaining any other conversations.
Yes, he was named the head coach in waiting as part of his latest contract, but it's far from his mind right now. In fact, it's not on his mind at all.
"I think about Southern Utah," Scalley deadpanned on the first day of fall camp for the Utes football team.
"Obviously, grateful that they have faith in me to continue coaching here, but bottom line is I'm a defensive coordinator right now," he added.
Scalley is focused on coaching football on the defensive side of the ball. Nothing more. Nothing less. It's not worth entertaining something — or taking up the mental space — thinking about what could happen in the future.
For now, he's working to make sure his defense is ready for a new conference as the team looks for its first-ever playoff bid in the newly-expanded 12-team playoff. But when pressed, Scalley remained grateful for where he's at and the potential it could mean to continue with Utah football.
"The biggest thing is them understanding culture and how important it's been to this program, and what Kyle has been able to do beyond, obviously, what Urban (Meyer) and Mac (Ron McBride)," Scalley said. "And just understanding this is a special place, and having people that understand that and understand the culture —what it takes to win here. I'm grateful that they put that trust in me.
"But beyond that, we're going to end that. On to this year."
On to this year, indeed.
As fall camp opened up Monday, Scalley said his first order of business as defensive coordinator was identifying depth at all position groups to help the team chase its lofty but realistic goals.
And those conversations related to depth will vary depending on the position group.
On the defensive line, Utah remains loaded with talent — as has been the calling card for Utah under Kyle Whittingham's tenure as head coach.
There's Connor O'Toole, Van Fillinger and Logan Fano as the veteran defensive ends, with Utah State transfer Paul Fitzgerald waiting in the wings after a freshman season in which he recorded eight sacks, two QB hurries, a forced fumble and 45 total tackles.
"As a freshman, he had an awesome year, and I felt like he'd be a great addition to our Utah football family and our defensive line room," defensive end coach Lewis Powell said of Fitzgerald.
And then there's Ka'eo "Kip" Akana, Jonah Lea'ea, BYU transfer John Henry Daley, JUCO addition Vili Taufatofua, and a promising freshman in Kash Dillon, who Powell said tested in summer workouts "as if he was like a senior — strong, pretty explosive and good length."
"He's a guy that I won't be surprised that shows up," Powell added of Dillon.
On then inside, Keanu Tanuvasa, Junior Tafuna and Simote Pepa provide more veteran experience, with Tevita Fotu, Aliki Vimahi, and three underclassmen with high upside pushing the veterans.
Behind that front four is another story.
It's not a question of worry, but more about how the depth will perform if called upon in a game. Scalley said he's not concerned with the front-line guys — the starters — but wants to see who can become valuable depth pieces at linebacker and at safety, specifically.
Cornerback coach Sharrieff Shah would add his position group to that mix, too, citing his confidence level only really being set on 2.5 players — Zemaiah Vaughn, Kenan Johnson and Smith Snowden "because he's done some of it" — in the room.
"That's not to say that I don't believe the boys that are in the room can't do it, I just haven't seen them do it," Shah said. "Not enough under pressure. Everybody looks awesome in 7-on-7. ... But man, that does little for me until you do it in a game repeatedly against some of the best talent in the country week in and week out. We have two and a half players, and I need about another four.
"I don't know which of those boys are going to be able to do that," he added. "The blessing is, I think all of them are capable. They've always showed very high football intelligence — really good."
At linebacker, Utah is set with proven players in Lander Barton and Karene Reid — "I think there's probably not a player on the defense as more experienced than Karene Reid," linebacker coach Colton Swan said — but Scalley calls the position group "one of the priorities" in fall camp.
For Scalley, it's finding guys that are "buying into the process" and establishing themselves as capable backups to the starters.
Sione Fotu, who got extended playing time last season due to injuries, and Trey Reynolds, who played a bit before he served a church mission, are two that have an advantage given their time on the field, but Scalley said more needs to be done to find a "pecking order."
"We feel like we've got the right bodies in there," Scalley said.
There's work to do before Southern Utah, and that has all of Scalley's attention.
