When you look at the Utes' offensive performance this season, one glaring problem stands out.

It's an issue that has plagued Utah all season – inefficiency in the red zone. Utah ranks in the bottom third nationally in red zone success rate (80.8%) and only scores touchdowns inside the 20-yard line at a 46.2% clip, which ranks 122nd nationally.

Head coach Kyle Whittingham and offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig know the red zone is their biggest weakness this season and have increased their focus on it in practice in the two weeks leading up to the Arizona State game, tripling the time they normally spend on it.

“Well, we know exactly what needs to happen. We need to get better schematically and put our kids in a better position to succeed,” Whittingham said during the bye week. “We need to optimize some things in practice, in the way we operate. We keep an eye on everything.”

Despite focusing on the red zone during the bye week, the results weren't much better. Inside ASU's 20-yard line, Utah was 3 of 4 (one interception, two field goals and one touchdown). If you extend that to the 30-yard line, it's even worse – Utah scored just one touchdown on seven drives. (A supposed red zone touchdown by Mycah Pittman that would have given Utah the lead with 5:48 left was called back due to pass interference by Money Parks.)

Whether it was running back Micah Bernard running for 129 yards or Limited Rising running for 209 yards with 43% accuracy, Utah performed well enough to at least get into scoring position.

They just couldn't convert.

“We had a punt in the game, and when you have a punt you're supposed to score some points, but we got into the end zone once and that doesn't equate. “It shows that we are moving the football and finding ways to stall,” Whittingham said, adding that the Utes may not win another game if the red zone issues continue.

In the previous game against Arizona, there were some puzzling red zone play calls, such as two straight runs up the middle on third and fourth downs with a not-too-healthy Mike Mitchell. Everyone in the stadium knew that Mitchell coming off the bench usually meant a run to the gut, and Arizona knew that too, breaking up both plays.

Another play call that Utah probably would have liked was on the Arizona 2-yard line on fourth-and-goal. Tight end Caleb Lohner was the only option for Isaac Wilson, and while blocking the extra receivers helped protect the freshman quarterback, it's difficult to only have one pass-catching option when that option is tightly covered, as it was with this one move was the case. The Wildcats broke up the pass and committed a turnover on downs.

There were a few confusing play calls on Friday, too, like a direct snap to tight end Brant Kuithe on second-and-12 that went nowhere and too many passes from Rising, who clearly had difficulty throwing the ball.

There is no doubt that some of the blame in the red zone lies with Ludwig and his playmaking talent. There were certainly times when he didn't put his players in the best position to succeed and he was sometimes too predictable.

The need to execute

But part of that still comes down to implementation – or lack thereof – by players. When players are performing at a high level, the offensive coordinator looks like a genius, but when they struggle, even a well-planned play can result in failure of the offense.

There were times when Wilson's inexperience showed in the red zone, and on Saturday, a less-than-healthy Rising threw a pick inside the 20-yard line and couldn't make open throws at other times.

“In the passing game,” Ludwig said Monday night when asked where the interception occurred in the red zone. “Completing passes and executing the job details in the red zone, and that’s especially true in the passing game.”

Utah continues to place a strong emphasis on improving its red zone offense, from looking at play calls to practicing red zone situations. Will that finally pay off against TCU?

“That’s been a focus for us since the Arizona game and the bye week,” Ludwig said. “Obviously it didn’t happen last night but we’ll keep working on it. And I know that improvement is coming.”

While the offense was certainly better outside the red zone, there were a few other strange things. The vaunted tight end room that Ludwig talked about in fall camp was pretty much all Kuithe. Lohner had a few well thought out plays and had three touchdowns to his name, but otherwise it was cricket from the rest of the group.

Dallen Bentley has only been targeted four times this season, Carsen Ryan three times and Landen King once. The same goes for the wide receivers – Dorian Singer and Money Parks had plenty of receptions, but what about the rest of the room? Can Utah add more players to the offense in the future?

There are undoubtedly some kinks to fix on offense, but there is a glimmer of hope for the rest of the year.

Clarity at QB

It starts with the quarterback finally getting clarity. Unfortunately for the Utes, Rising – who lights up Ludwig's offense when healthy – is out for the season with a leg injury.

Following the news, the team held a players-only meeting, and one player who stepped up and took the lead was Wilson.

Wilson's team is on top the rest of the way, and the players are ready to get behind him.

“Those guys in the team meeting we had, we stood behind Isaac and he came here, he said a few words and he motivated us, so we better go out there this week and just put it on tape,” Bernard said.

The weekly drama over Rising's status at every game not only affected Utah's fanbase, but also seemed to have an impact on the team, and there seems to be some sense of relief that the position is secure. At times this season, the Utes developed two different game plans, one for Rising and one for Wilson.

“I think it will be very helpful just because we have different plays for different players depending on who comes in. But now we don't have to worry about that anymore. We know the game plan exactly and what we will implement in this situation,” said Bernard. “I think it will help us a lot to just build around the guy we have at quarterback instead of coming up with two different game plans.”

For Wilson in particular, it will be important to know that he has everything in his hands for the rest of the season – he no longer has to split practice reps or wonder whether Rising will start this weekend.

“Honestly, I think it's the best thing for him because in the weeks where we didn't know who was going to start, Isaac had to do a lot of the reps and didn't know if he was going to start,” Kuithe said.

“I think for him it will be very helpful to know that he goes into game mode every week, to know that he is going to start and to prepare properly it will be great.”

Game planning

Ludwig's game plan can now be fully tailored to Wilson's strengths and weaknesses, and one visible way to accomplish that is to run more plays under center instead of from the shotgun, which Utah used more often due to Rising's injured hand.

“Some of the plays we normally play in the middle, we weren't in the middle, so we're going back to that and a little more of the real Utah football, what we wanted to do, what Cam wanted to do, but he was. “Physically unable,” said Ludwig.

One could certainly see an improvement over Wilson's last three games on Saturday simply due to the fact that he will have a complete game plan that suits him and the entire team can only decide on one game plan instead of two. Having all the practice reps and having full confidence that he will be in the starting lineup against TCU could also make a big difference.

However, as Whittingham said on Monday, “There is no… magical fairy who will wave her magic wand and everything will be fine.”

All of the things we mentioned above will help Wilson, but he's still a true freshman. He will still make mistakes. Priority No. 1 for him is reducing those mistakes – especially interceptions.

Wilson's 1.4 picks per game (seven total) are the eighth-most in FBS, and that's something the true freshman will need to correct to reach the next level of his college career. His 55.7% completion rate is also near the bottom of college football and needs to improve as well. If you do these things and get better execution in the red zone, things will go uphill.

Another key for Ludwig will be to help Wilson when he's under pressure. Opposing teams have been attacking him at a rate of 43.5%, and until he pays off the defense, every team will continue to apply pressure.

What can Ludwig do as offensive coordinator to make life a little easier for his quarterback in such situations?

“You have to be committed to running the football first and foremost, and then a little bit of extra protection for him, whether it's as an extra tight end staying on defense,” Ludwig said. “Play-Action Pass is a great balance for that and we will rely on all of these components here in the future. Screenplay has to be an important part of it too.”

A season that began with high expectations ended with a bang in Tempe last Friday. Unless there is a miraculous 6-0 record and more results, the Utes will not achieve their goal of winning the Big 12 Championship this year.

Instead, Utah is turning the page toward the future with Wilson.

The experience Utah's potential 2025 starter gains over these next six games will be extremely valuable to his development and pay dividends heading into next season.