Nearly a week after his season-ending injury, Kenan Johnson visited Utah’s practice.
Utah was plagued by injuries in 2023, and losing Johnson could have revived ghosts from a season ago.
But the Utes are keeping those fears buried.
Even with crutches in hand and a brace on his knee, Johnson’s presence was motivating and calming, especially as the Utes looked for his replacement. Head coach Kyle Whittingham is still confident in Utah’s secondary depth as the team heads into Saturday’s matchup against Baylor.
“I think we’re still fine,” Utah’s head coach said. “Losing Kenan was obviously a big blow, but you have to move forward with the next man up and they have got to pick up the slack. We still feel like we’ve got a good group of corners. Hopefully they don’t take too many more hits, but we feel like we’re in good shape right now. We should still be able to be very competitive.”
The senior cornerback’s left knee injury is still a major loss for the Utes’ young secondary, which was already lacking depth. Johnson transferred from Georgia Tech this offseason, hoping to make his mark and leave for the NFL. Now, it’s likely he’ll use a redshirt year and start for Utah in 2025 once he rehabs from his injury, according to Utah’s coaches.
But, the No. 11 Utes still have a season to play. Baylor (1-0) travels to town for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff on Saturday.
So Whittingham spent this week looking for answers in his secondary. Sophomore cornerback Smith Snowden is the likely option on the outside. Both Elijah Davis, a sophomore, and John Randle Jr., a redshirt freshman, have made progress.
The Utes also welcomed freshman cornerback Cameron Calhoun back to the lineup after being hampered by an injury all fall camp. He too has a chance to earn playing time.
So who’s the answer?
“Smith Snowden is one of our top two corners right now, so he will be on the field pretty much every snap,” Whittingham said. “(Elijah) Scooby Davis has done a nice job and will figure it out. John Randle Jr. has made a lot of progress in the last three weeks, so he’ll be in the mix as well.”
With Snowden set to start opposite senior cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn, Tao Johnson will become Utah’s nickelback. He started 12 games at the spot a season ago, finishing with 33 tackles and five pass breakups.
He’s ready to take on the challenge even if the original plan was to start him at free safety.
“That’s kind of what I prepare for to be able to be plugged in anywhere, anytime, at those positions,” Tao Johnson said on Tuesday.
“It’s crazy how everything goes full circle. You prepare to get moved anywhere, so I don’t mind it at all. It gives me a kind of an opportunity to also become a better nickel than I was last year. I’ve grown as a nickel. I’m excited to even get the opportunity to go put better stuff on tape.”
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Utes cornerback Kenan Johnson (1) collides with Southern Utah Thunderbirds running back Targhee Lambson (4) as the Utah Utes host the Southern Utah Thunderbirds, NCAA football in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024.
If Snowden is indeed Kenan Johnson’s long-term replacement, he too will have to make adjustments. It will be his first time playing the majority of his snaps on the outside. Most of his experience in 2023 came on special teams, with a few appearances on defense.
Snowden was a lockdown corner in high school. He logged 16 career interceptions and 28 pass deflections en route to the 2022 MaxPreps Utah Football Player of the Year award.
“Yeah, if that’s the case, I feel prepared and confident that I can get the job done,” Snowden said. “But, obviously it’s up to the coaches, and we have great people in our room that can also get the job done.
“Game reps are everything, and I feel like I’ve continued to get good, quality game reps. I kind of have a feel of how fast everyone can change directions and all of that. So I feel very confident.”
Snowden has certainly gained the respect and confidence of his teammates. Calhoun described him as Utah’s “Superman” on Tuesday due to his versatility and knowledge of the game.
“He plays all positions,” Calhoun said while talking to a herd of reporters. “I like to say Smith wears that ‘S’ on his chest because he is our person that can do it all on the defense. He knows everything. He finds himself comfortable wherever he’s at on the field. I believe in him on the inside and outside.”
As the Utes shift their focus to the Bears, the true impact of Kenan Johnson’s loss will be put to the test. Whether it’s Snowden, Davis, Calhoun or Randle Jr., the secondary knows it has big shoes to fill.
“Kenan is a hard player to replace,” Calhoun said. “But we’re trying our best to stay uplifted about what happened to him. We know that whatever happened to him is God’s plan. Now it’s pushing us to go harder. It’s making us better each and every day.”