The Utes have fully arrived as a member of the PAC 12. They compete in every game and match the conference for facilities, infrastructure, and fan support. So why has recruiting seemed to lag behind? The Utes continue to lose out on big names every year, and often don’t even seem to be in the running. The massive Rivals recruiting database sheds some light on the topic.
Utah has a significant in-state recruiting problem. Of 10 Rivals100 recruits from the state since 2002, the Utes have successfully signed only Jackson Barton. Of the 22 Rivals250, the Utes have landed only three: Barton, Harvey Langi (who has since departed for BYU), and Latu Heimuli.