This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Devontae Booker finally made it to Fresno State.
It wasn't quite what the Bulldogs had in mind when they recruited him, though.
While Utah fans might've preferred to see the Utes liven things up with some downfield completions against a suspect secondary, the formula for the Utes was the same as it's been, this year and last.
Give the ball to Devontae.
Booker, who once had his bags packed and was ready to drive to Fresno until he discovered he hadn't qualified academically, carried 31 times for 156 yards and two scores and caught four passes for 56 yards in Saturday night's 45-24 victory.
"I've always been the focal point of the offense," Booker said, but even he was surprised when he received 10 carries on Utah's first drive.
"Actually, I felt pretty hot at the beginning of the game," he said. "Like, heat-wise. I didn't know they were going to give me the ball, like 10 straight times at the beginning of the game. But it is what it is and I just had to suck it up and go out there and play."
Booker spun out of a pair of tackles. He leaped over a defender near the sideline. He caught a screen pass and turned it into the longest reception by a Utah receiver this season, at 43 yards.
But more, maybe, than any of that, Booker crushed the Bulldogs' spirit when they needed a stop.
Utah went for it on fourth-and-short three times, and each time, Booker had enough.
"It seems like I heat up when it's third-and-one, fourth-and-two, whatever it is," he said.
Heat up, this time, in a good way.
Kyle Whittingham was pleased that Booker got into the open field a couple of times Saturday after getting his yards the hard way against Utah State and Michigan.
But even though "we had a few more creases tonight," he said, it was "still not enough. Still too many guys hitting him right at the line of scrimmage, but it was improved."
Booker did the bulk of his damage the old-fashioned way, between the tackles, and Whittingham also said he'd like to see more of a perimeter run threat.
This night, though, Booker's 212 combined yards would do.
Booker, who has 345 yards and four touchdowns through three games, had family who made the drive from Sacramento.
Between family and past history, he was asked, did he fulfill his expectations Saturday?
"Oh, I think I met the requirements."
Twitter: @matthew_piper