Devon Dampier's electric playmaking on the ground and in the air vaults Utah to No. 2 ranking

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A desire to finish what he started drove Devon Dampier to return to Utah.

Dampier put together a solid season during his first year with the No. 2 Utes (9-0, 6-0 Big 12, No. 2 CFP) after transferring from New Mexico. But he also battled a sports hernia injury and an ankle injury through much of his first season in Salt Lake City. He eventually had surgery in January to repair the hernia.

The injuries kept Dampier from reaching his full potential as a junior and left him hungry to prove he could do better.

“That’s why I play quarterback,” Dampier said. “I feel like I’m in a position where I can level up my team and allow them to feel the way I play.”

Few players have leveled up in the same way Dampier has this season. His dual-threat playmaking has Utah atop the Big 12 and eyeing a CFP bid heading into Saturday's game against No. 22 Arizona.

Through nine games, Dampier has thrown for 2,053 yards and 20 touchdowns while adding 482 yards and seven TDs on the ground. He ranks sixth among active Big 12 quarterbacks with 7,836 career passing yards and is second among active FBS quarterbacks with 2,809 career rushing yards, trailing only Auburn’s Byrum Brown.

Against Cincinnati on October 31, Dampier set Utah’s program record for most career rushing yards by a quarterback while leading the Utes to a 49-25 win over the Bearcats.

“That’s kryptonite in all of football,” Arizona coach Brent Brennan said. “Like, who are the best quarterbacks in the NFL? All the guys that can move, so guys that they’re able to utilize plus-one run game or escape these incredibly athletic, twitchy defensive linemen. I think that’s a challenge for all of college football, and obviously Dampier is exceptional at it.”

Dampier became just the second FBS player in the last 30 seasons to have multiple pass touchdowns, multiple rush touchdowns, and 25+ receiving yards in a single game when he led Utah to a 28-20 victory over BYU. The senior threw for two touchdowns, ran for two scores, and caught a 29-yard pass against the Cougars.

Utah has beaten two AP Top 25 opponents this season. Both times, Dampier rallied the Utes from second-half deficits to get the victory.

“One thing I took personal last year is I just felt like I didn’t show up in some of our ranked games,” Dampier said. “When it matters, I want to be there for my teammates. I want them to be able to lean on me.”

With Dampier at the controls, Utah has had no trouble moving the chains and putting up points from one game to the next. The Utes are second in the Big 12 in scoring offense (37.7 points per game) and fourth in total offense (468.1 yards per game).

His ability to take over a game with his arms and his legs makes it incredibly difficult for opponents to create an effective game plan against Dampier and the Utah offense. Confidence in his leadership has blossomed with teammates on both sides of the ball.

“Dev is just really good at making people feel like they can be themselves,” Utes safety Nate Ritchie said. “That’s what I love about him as well. He’s a great leader and just goes out there and shows that every day. It’s a good representation of our culture as well — just being relentless and not giving up.”

Dampier has found his voice as a leader in his second season at Utah. He’s the first to rally teammates in the locker room and take charge on the field when a critical play needs to be made.

“He’s a competitor, he’s a warrior, he wins us football games,” Utah coach Morgan Scalley said. “Last year, he just didn’t quite understand how his body language and how he handled adversity affected the rest of the team. And, man, is he leading now.”

The Utes are in a strong position to claim a Big 12 title and first-round bye in the College Football Playoff thanks to Dampier’s evolution. It’s the exact scenario he hoped would unfold when he came back to Utah.

“Scalley’s built me into such a great leader,” Dampier said. “I love that I’m able to give back to my team.”

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