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The University of Utah Athletics
2014 Utah Football Review: Defensive Highlights
2/12/2015 12:00 AM | Football
Feb. 12, 2015
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Coming off a successful National Signing Day, utahutes.com takes a look back at the Utah football team's 2014 campaign. Today's third installment is a look at the defensive highlights of the past season. Be sure to keep checking utahutes.com for offensive, defensive and special teams highlights from this season.
2014 Utah Football Review:
Part 1: Game-by-Game Capsules
Part 2: Offensive Highlights
Part 3: Defensive Highlights
Part 4: Special Teams Highlights
Sack Lake City: The Utes led the nation with 4.23 sacks per game. Utah finished the season sixth in the NCAA, tops in the Pac-12 Conference, with 7.9 tackles for loss per contest.
".@FootballScoop Crowns the Statistical Champions of the 2014 Season." #SackLakeCity #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/OJ57zGW9Wu
-- Utah Football (@Utah_Football) January 28, 2015
#SackLakeCity pic.twitter.com/BmGUKbQ88B
- We Are DahlelamaTM (@dahlelama) October 17, 2014
The Mayor of Sack Lake City: Nate Orchard led the nation in sacks per game and won the Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award, the CFPA Defensive Lineman Trophy and was named the North Team's Most Outstanding Player at the Senior Bowl.
Orchard was also named to 10 different All-America Teams: Football Writers Association of American (First Team), Walter Camp (First Team), ESPN.com (First Team), Phil Steele (First Team), Scout.com (First Team), SB Nation (First Team), Associated Press (Second Team), Sporting News (Second Team), USA Today (Second Team) and FOXSports.com (Second Team).
Orchard was also named first-team All-Pac-12 and set the school record with 18.5 sacks. Orchard was fourth in the nation in tackles for loss per game (1.62) and tied for fifth in total tackles for loss (21.0 for 123 yards). He was second on the team in tackles with 84, tied for third in the Pac-12 with three forced fumbles and had a fumble recovery.
Congratulations to Nate Orchard, winner of the 2014 Ted Hendricks Award for defensive end of the year! #goutes pic.twitter.com/MspSDxW942
-- Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) December 10, 2014
.@OrchardNate received his Morris Trophy for @pac12's outstanding D-lineman today! #goutes @utahathletics http://t.co/lzFfGQuYvQ
-- Utah Football (@Utah_Football) January 15, 2015
Dimick Delivers: Defensive end Hunter Dimick was right behind Orchard, compiling 10.0 sacks (0.91 per game) to finish ninth in the NCAA and fourth in the Pac-12. Despite missing the last two games, he also had 14.5 tackles for loss (1.3 per game), which was also fourth in the league, and 21st in the nation.
Utah football: Hunter Dimick is a rising defensive star for the #Utes http://t.co/eBC7nvdsYz pic.twitter.com/nrdD3I5DVb
-- sltribsports (@sltribsports) November 12, 2014
Norris Leads the Way: Linebacker Jared Norris led the team with 118 tackles, 13.0 for loss, and four sacks. He was named the Defensive 'Out-Performer' in the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl after making eight tackles against Colorado State.
DYK: @babychuck41 (Jared Norris) led the Utes in total tackles (116) for the 2014 season? #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/5nrMAnFxcP
-- Utah Football (@Utah_Football) January 6, 2015
Breaking Blechen: Brian Blechen earned Honorable Mention accolades from the Pac-12 and after tying for third on the team with 61 tackles. He also had six pass breakups, an interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. His season-high was 10 tackles (1 TFL) against Washington State. He was named to the Pac-12 All-Academic second team.
Congratulations to Captain Brian Blechen, the recipient of the Roy Woofter Community Leader Award! #lvbowl #goutes pic.twitter.com/6UVxQb0WGo
-- Utah Football (@Utah_Football) December 19, 2014
Raving About Rowe: Eric Rowe tied for second in the conference with 13 pass breakups, the third most in school history. He received Honorable Mention from the Pac-12 as well as Honorable Mention Academic All-Pac-12. Proud of DB's @EricRowe18 and Brian Blechen for receiving @pac12 All-Conference Honorable Mentions! #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/NxRFdLKEV0
-- Utah Football (@Utah_Football) December 4, 2014
Domo on D: Sophomore Dominique Hatfield made a successful switch from wide receiver to cornerback, making 38 tackles with nine defended passes and a 20-yard interception return to seal the victory at Colorado.
The #picksix that clinched a @utah_football win is the #UTAHvsCU @ishares by @blackrock Play of the Game. http://t.co/s7dMXOOlBv
-- Pac-12 Networks (@Pac12Networks) November 29, 2014
Line Up with Lowell: Defensive lineman Lowell Lotulelei was named to the USA Today and Scout.com Freshman All-America Teams and earned Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention honors as a freshman after being credited with 33 total tackles, 4.5 for loss and 4.0 sacks.
Utah's Lowell Lotulelei on USA Today's freshman All-America team: http://t.co/VlvPcVamKy #Utes #pac12
-- Kyle Goon (@kylegoon) December 16, 2014
Paul Makes an Impact: Despite playing in only eight games, linebacker Gionni Paul led the Utes with four interceptions and tied for third on the squad with 61 tackles, three going for a loss. He also had six pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
His 2nd interception for #utahfootball! @GionniPaul #WSUvsUTAH pic.twitter.com/ay0mZGrDsE
-- Utah Football (@Utah_Football) September 28, 2014
INTERCEPTION GIONNI PAUL! Let's go O! #UTAHvsASU pic.twitter.com/gL9dlzwd4O
-- Utah Football (@Utah_Football) November 2, 2014
Talented Tevin: In four games before a season-ending injury, free safety Tevin Carter picked off two passes, including a 27-yard interception return at UCLA for touchdown. He also came up for 3.5 tackles for loss and 16 total tackles in four games.
Utes up 7-0 after the 1st quarter thanks to Tevin Carter & the defense. #UTAHvsUCLA pic.twitter.com/088RukPe8O
-- Real Sports Live (@RSL4Utah) October 5, 2014
Players Mentioned
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