Utah’s defensive end, Van Fillinger, has been seen more than once circumventing the offensive team’s lineman, navigating his way past them to reach his target— the quarterback. This year was no exception, demonstrating this skill throughout the season. He’s always been in the spotlight since the start of his career, topping the nation at 5.5 sacks. His notoriety arose from his recent performance against Oklahoma State.
In a previous match against Oklahoma State, a significant win for Utah with a 22-19 result, the Cowboys’ offensive line hadn’t allowed a sack through their initial three games. Utah’s defensive line was aware they were facing a significant challenge. Having the game rely on their quarterbacks was not an easy task, as Ollie Gordon II was unable to initiate the Oklahoma State running attack.
Both quarterbacks, Alan Bowman and Garret Rangel, especially Bowman, released the ball promptly; combined with a seasoned Oklahoma State offensive line, Utah’s pass rushers didn’t perform as per their usual standards. However, the Utah defenders still had a noticeable contribution to the game, with seven pressures on their count, with Fillinger at the forefront. He managed to deliver the first sack that the Cowboys’ offensive line allowed this year.
For Fillinger, the journey to this point was not an easy one. After having a galvanizing season in 2021, he broke his foot just eight matches into the 2022 season, just when he had become the team’s leading player. Returning in time for the 2023 season, he succeeded in making 31 tackles and three sacks, but his typical form wasn’t present due to the after-effects of the foot injury still casting its shadow on his play. He had an added obstacle to overcome last year, when he contracted an illness in the fall that led to him missing significant practice time.
Following these setbacks, Fillinger revamped aspects of his lifestyle. He adopted healthier eating habits, escalated his workout routines, spent more time studying tape and the playbook, and honed his technique outside of regular practice time. The most significant shift from last year, though, is his regained health, allowing him to refine every part of his game.
This shift has paid dividends, with Fillinger making a commanding impact as one of the top-performing defensive ends in the country, amassing 20 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three pass breakups, and 5.5 sacks. He has maintained a record of at least one sack in every game of this season.
Not limited to defense alone, Fillinger made valuable contributions in other aspects of the game as well. In a match against Baylor, he and Logan Fano coordinated their timing perfectly during Baylor’s field goal attempt, managing to launch over the line and block the kick. Fillinger made a significant touch on the ball, which Tao Johnson scooped up to run 77 yards the other way for a touchdown— a play commonly known as a “kick-six”.
Despite enjoying early-season triumph, Fillinger feels there’s another level to his game. For him, it’s a journey with a lot more milestones to achieve, and he’s prepared to work hard and remain dedicated in his pursuit of excellence. It feels good, he says, but he’s far from done and has a lot of work to do. He believes that the more he can do, the further he will get, and the primary motive remains to avoid complacency and keep striving for more.
