The Utah football program has long been known for their stingy defense, where a lot of the credit is directed towards the defensive line. However, Utah has become quite good in the defensive secondary thanks in large part to the development of their players by Morgan Scalley and Sharrieff Shah. At Utah, good technique and discipline are mandatory, and the standard expected of those that step onto the field under the bright lights.

Utah's secondary is loaded with talent this season, led in large part by potential 1st round draft pick, cornerback Jaylon Johnson. Add to that, a nickelback that has proved to be one of the most effective nickelback's in the Pac-12 in Javelin Guidry. As well as a free safety, Julian Blackmon, who is making the transition from cornerback where he earned All-Pac 12 honors in consecutive years.... That's a solid foundation to work with in the secondary.

Let's focus on the man transitioning to a new position, Julian Blackmon. This is a move that has been anticipated for some time, and much like the move of Chase Hansen to linebacker, it just makes a lot of sense. It's a move that has already improved his draft stock, and has caught the attention of prominent NFL draft evaluators, like Gil Brandt:

Cornerback is often described as one of the most difficult and valuable positions in the game. That is undeniable, with Jaylon Johnson locking down an entire side of the field, that provides Scalley the ability to do a lot of different things with the 10 other players on the field. However, the transition from cornerback to safety isn't easier, in fact, there's a lot more on the plate of the safety.

Often referred to as the "quarterback of the defense" here are some basic pre-snap tasks asked of the position:

Know the personnel, offensive and defensive — who’s on the field and what does that person do best? What's the down and distance — what is the likelihood of a run or pass ? Understanding the basic assignments on the play call from the defensive coordinator, as well as the checks within that play call. Diagnosing the offensive formation, what plays are likely to be called, and if need be, checking into the proper adjustments. Communication between teammates, particularly the cornerbacks, ensuring everyone is on the same page.

These guys have to learn how to process a large amount of information internally and communicate it to others in a very short amount of time. Then once that ball is snapped, it's all read and react, and instincts from there.

As the last line of defense, it's probably more important than just about any other single position to quickly diagnose whether the offense is passing or running the ball. That can be difficult in and of itself, let alone the fact that modern offenses are constantly in search of new ways to disguise plays and deceive defenses, particularly since the introduction and evolution of the run-pass-option. The mental preparation and processing at the safety position is so key because one misread and — wooooh boy, good luck!

All of this comes before what is potentially required of them in the action of a given play, where the free safety battles the ultimate extremes on the offensive side of the ball. On one play, he has to maintain over-the-top leverage from the center of the field on an outside receiver that possesses 4.3 speed. On another, he is responsible for filling the alley and bringing down a 230-pound bowling ball of a running back.

Those are basic assignments for a free safety, but versus modern offenses, the ability to play man coverage is everything now. It's not easy either, on one play there may be a man-to-man matchup versus a slot receiver known for his wiggle and elusiveness, and the very next play the same coverage responsibility versus a much and yet still athletic pass catching tight end.

And it's exactly that type of versatility in coverage that makes Blackmon such an intriguing option at free safety for Utah, and already prominent on the radar of NFL draft pundits despite there not being a single snap of him at the position. There are few doubts that Blackmon will successfully make the transition in coverage responsibilities from cornerback to safety, where his athleticism, ball skills (5 interceptions and 21 pass breakups in his career) and comfort in zone coverage is better suited.

As a "quarterback of the defense," there is a great deal of confidence in Blackmon and his willingness to break down tape and mentally prepare himself for Saturday. It's also hard to get a feel for this kind of stuff watching on a television, but Blackmon is also one of the louder and more verbal players on the defensive side of the ball. Those qualities will be crucial for him and the rest of the secondary.

Where Blackmon will need to prove his worth is as run stopper. Will he be highlight-reel tackler like Marquise Blair? No, nobody will be. Can he be one of the most reliable tacklers versus the run like Marcus Williams was? Yes, absolutely. He's been more than reliable against the run as a cornerback, so there is confidence he will be just fine and he's added weight to his frame, now checking in at 195 pounds to better handle the physical demand of the position.

However, the reason for the move all comes back to his fit as a centerfielder and the potential ball hawking he'll bring to the defense that has made "Turnovers Forced," and interceptions in particular, a point of emphasis in recent years.

Obviously, having the amount of talent in the defensive secondary that Utah does makes everyone's job a little easier. It projects to be one of the top units in the entire country. With Utah's tremendous run of quality play from it's safeties in recent years, that run looks to continue into 2019.