​After being one of the nation’s most effective rushers during the course of his debut in Salt Lake City, Utah Utes running back Wayshawn Parker wasn’t satisfied. Even though the Washington State transfer racked up 6.5 yards per carry, he was still short of a 1,000-yard season.Not being able to hit that milestone has fueled a fire for Parker during the offseason. There’s a noticeable difference in how he carries himself ahead of the 2026 season. His unbreakable determination for him to prove he belongs in the conversation as one of the best backs in the Big 12.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“What really set that fire was I didn’t touch that 1,000 yards last year like I promised some of my fans,” Parker said at Big 12 Media Days via Deseret News. “It really hurt me deep down inside that I let myself down.”How short was Parker from hitting his goal? All of 19 yards. What made his production noteworthy was the fact he split carries with NaQuari Rogers and had no games with 20 carries. It’s all a selling point to get him more involved in the Utes’ offense this year.”This year, I want to go all gas, no brakes,” Parker added. “So anybody that I can take with me, I’m going to take with me on that journey. That’s going to be the whole Utah football team. We’re going to do it as a team.”Parker will play a similar role as a complimentary piece to Devon Dampier. The playmaking Duo will be a force for teams to deal with. Each of them are chasing the same milestones again this season, but also wanting to make a statement for NFL teams. This opportunity has a well-defined window to strike while the iron is hot.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMorgan Scalley sees a significant difference with Parker and how he carries himself.“I would say his work ethic has been what has improved the most,” Scalley said.“(Parker) understands that now he’s in a position where if you want to have the influence on others, you got to be living the culture. You got to own your 20 square feet and that’s what he’s doing.”As Utah’s starting RB1, Parker is ready to break out for a career year. If history is any indication, he’s in a great position to make that happen.Where Utah ranked in Phil Steele’s College Football preseason pollJoe D’Orazio sends strong message to recruits: ‘Utah puts people in the NFLSteve Smith Sr. receives North Carolina’s highest civilian honor