Who will step up for Utes in wake of Levani Damuni’s injury?

Utah was dealt a blow this week, as coach Kyle Whittingham said that senior linebacker Levani Damuni suffered a lower leg injury that will impact his fall.

Damuni is expected to be on the sidelines for the vast majority, if not all, of the 2024 season — a loss Utah will certainly feel.

“Losing Levani is a horrible thing for us. Levani is a great leader and a great linebacker,” senior linebacker Josh Calvert said.

In his first season at Utah last year, the Sanford transfer played a huge role, especially after Lander Barton was lost for the season in October. Damuni was Utah’s leading tackler last year, totaling 87, and added 2.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks. He was especially effective against the run and played a big part in Utah’s fourth-ranked rushing defense, which allowed just 82.8 yards per game.

Even with the loss of Damuni, with starters Barton and Karene Reid back, Utah is still well-positioned at linebacker.

“They’re two great players, great leaders, great guys,” Calvert said.

Both were among Utah’s highest-rated defensive players, per Pro Football Focus, with Barton especially standing out in the seven games he played. The sophomore was all over the field making plays — punching the ball loose, delivering big hits, breaking up passes and even extending Utah’s pick-six streak to 20 consecutive seasons. He contributed 34 tackles, two interceptions (including a pick-six), two pass breakups and a forced fumble in just seven games.

In Reid, the Utes have a steady veteran who had 67 tackles, an interception and four pass breakups (third-most on the team).

Those two returning starters form what will likely be Utah’s best position group on defense, and with Damuni formerly in the mix, the Utes looked set at the position.

When Utah plays two linebackers in its 4-2-5 defense, which it does for a good chunk of the game, it’ll be Barton and Reid out there, but what about when the Utes have three linebackers on the field, or Reid or Barton are rotated out?

Utah could certainly look to the spring transfer portal, which opens on April 16 and closes on April 30, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them bring in a linebacker to shore up the position.

This offseason, Utah lost four linebackers, with two — Justin Medlock and Owen Chambliss — transferring out and two graduating — Hayden Furey and Jason Siaosi. Of that group, Medlock’s departure probably hurt the most. The 6-foot, 220-pound redshirt freshman played 42 snaps at linebacker in 2023, totaling seven tackles (one for loss) and seemed to have a good future ahead of him at Utah, but ultimately decided to transfer to SMU.

The lead candidate for the LB3 spot is Sione Fotu, who is entering his sophomore season.

Fotu started three games at linebacker for the Utes in 2020, playing in all five, before leaving for a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mission.

He returned to the program last season and played the most snaps of any linebacker not named Barton, Reid or Damuni in 2023, on the field for nearly 100 snaps at the position.

Fotu was especially key in the season-opening win against Florida after Reid exited early in the game with an injury. In his first action since returning from his mission, he contributed a career-high seven tackles.

“He made some really nice plays tonight as well,” Whittingham said of Fotu after the Florida game. “He’s a kid that started for us three years back and then went on a church mission and he’s back and a really good player.”

Fotu also filled in for Reid during the Baylor game, playing 17 snaps. In all, he had 18 total tackles and a pass breakup in 2023.

This March, linebackers coach Colton Swan touted Fotu’s returning experience when taking about his position group.

“Bringing back probably one of the position groups with the most experience between Lander Barton, Karene Reid, Sione Fotu, Levani Damuni, and then adding a couple returned missionaries that have had some playing experience in Moroni Anae and Trey Reynolds,” Swan said. “So it really helps the defense out, especially being the center of the defense. So it’s nice to have that experience.”

Other linebackers who could see the field for the Utes include senior Calvert (28 snaps, three tackles, one tackle for loss), junior Anae (returned from his mission; played five games in 2020 with four tackles), sophomore Reynolds (returned missionary, played seven snaps at linebacker in 2021), and true freshmen Hunter Andrews and Kana’i Lopes.

“I think everyone in the group’s just going to have to step up and make more plays and be ready for whenever their number gets called,” Calvert said.