BURBANK, Calif. -- Utah played its share of electric games during last season's resurgence, and the 2015 slate offers a load of potential barnburners, too: Arizona State, USC, Arizona, and UCLA all loom on the schedule, waiting for intriguing rematches.

It's likely that none of the Utes' Pac-12 South action, though -- as challenging as it might be -- will compare in physical terms to Utah's fall camp, which kicks off next week in Salt Lake City.

The Utes' front seven, considered by many to be the deepest and most physical in the conference, will line up on one side of the line. Running back Devontae Booker, the league's runaway leader in yards after contact last year, will be on the other.

Expect a rugged, painful war of the wills to ensue. Soreness will follow.

"Some guys are fun to tackle," Utah linebacker Jared Norris said, turning to Booker at lunch during Pac-12 media days. "But he's not fun to tackle. And I can't really explain why."

Though Booker packs plus size -- he's bulked up to 212 pounds this offseason -- he isn't considered gigantic for his position. Norris, meanwhile, brings a tank-like 240-pound frame to the table. Yet he admits that collisions with Booker are no fun, and he maintains that no other back in the conference delivers bruising pops in the same category as his teammate.

So camp won't be able to end quickly enough for Utah. When it's done, the Utes' swarming front seven will enjoy shifting its attention to less formidable backs, and they'll certainly prefer watching Booker's exploits against other defenses from a sideline seat.

Last year, those included 815 rushing yards after contact, the most in the Pac-12 by about 200 yards -- a staggering margin. This year, they could include even grander accomplishments -- "I'm planning on rushing for 2,000 yards and winning the Heisman," Booker said in March -- and such success would almost certainly be synonymous with more team prosperity in Salt Lake City.

"I'll just continue to stay humble," Booker said. "I look at the Heisman as a team award. You're not going to be able to win the Heisman on a losing team."

To that end, he's worked diligently on his pass protection skills this summer -- the added muscle should help Booker in that regard -- so that Utah can field a more balanced offense in 2015.

That may just be the key for Kyle Whittingham's program to unlock its next level of success. The Utes won nine games in 2014 on the fuel of Booker and a robust defense. Both of those components look to be back this year, so any form of added stability to the passing game may spark the needed improvement.

"We want to win the Pac-12 South and go to the Rose Bowl," Booker said. "Those are our team goals."

And as goes the team, so goes Booker -- and vice versa. That's why he's bullish on all of the big dreams, including his Heisman candidacy.

"I absolutely think it can happen," he said. "With the teammates I have, they have a lot of support for me. They have my back 100 percent."