Ethan Utley on Miami Visit: ‘Everything That You Would Think Miami Would Stand for, It’s Like That but Better’

Class of 2025 four-star defensive lineman Ethan Utley has had a busy June so far, visiting Texas, Oklahoma, Miami and Florida in the last two weeks.

This visit to Miami was a priority for Utley, who had intentions of visiting the school when Hurricanes tight end coach Cody Woodiel offered him on May 10.

“I told him right then and there, I was like, ‘Me and my mom, we’re gonna visit for sure, like early in the summer.’ It’s just one of those places you got to see,” Utley told LifeWallet Sports.

Utley enjoyed his unofficial visit to UM on June 9, which he says, “lived up to it, the standards for sure.”

“What stood out was like the entire environment and vibes that Miami has … Everything they did was just like, it was raw, like they didn’t have to put on no act, like they acted how they would act if I was a normal student there,” Utley said. “Just like everything that you would think Miami would stand for, it’s like that but better. So, I really enjoyed myself. I enjoyed the time I got to spend with [defensive line coaches Jason Taylor and Joe Salave’a], [head coach Mario] Cristobal and all those guys who really made the experience something that I’ll remember.”

This relationship-building with coaches is important for Utley, who noted that it’s one of the most crucial factors for him in his recruiting process.

“Just how comfortable and trustworthy I am with a coach because I’ll be putting my life in the head coach’s hands, my life in the position coach’s hands and just like basically pouring three-to-four years of everything into a program. I don’t plan on transferring, like wherever I commit. I’m going to stay there no matter what happens, unless something unthinkable happens, just like that relationship aspect of it,” Utley said about what he looks for in a college. “And for sure just like how a program is, like the history of a program, the production of the coach that’s there, just like everything that a normal recruit would want to see in a program. Like, I’m not saying I’m gunning for the top-named program, but I’m also not saying like I wanna go somewhere where it’s like, I’m gonna be top dog just because the program isn’t where it should be. I just wanna go somewhere where there’s like a balance across the board, the people to the environment to [the community].”

Utley had a solid sophomore campaign for Ensworth (Tenn.) High School, totaling 25 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in nine games. He played at four, five and six-tech for his school’s 3-4 base defense. His goals for next season include bringing back the Tigers to their state-championship-winning ways, along with doubling, ‘if not tripling,’ his stats from a season ago.

To reach these goals, Utley has worked on improving his mentality and leadership abilities this offseason.

“I’d say my main focus is just getting over that mental hump, thinking I’m tired during the game when I’m really not,” Utley said. “Being a leader on my team, as going into my junior year, you know, that first year of being an upperclassman is something that people tend to remember. They say junior year is one of your most important years, like school-wise and athletically. Just like being more versatile, being able to help my team in any way possible just to win because I’m all about winning. Like, at the end of the day if you don’t win, your personal success doesn’t matter.”

Utley has one more unofficial visit lined up in June to Auburn before he begins his high school’s preseason camp and first scrimmage in July.

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