OK, here's my plea to anybody who votes for the all Mountain West Conference honors. I'm pretty sure that no local members of the media will be reading this, nor will any MWC coaches. But in case you are, please spend some time to hear me out.
If you're going to vote for anybody for first-team all conference safety, your first pick has got to be Steve Tate, and here's why:
1. Utah's passing D was unbelievable, and he was the anchor on that passing D. Just how tough was that passing D? Well, they were first in the MWC in passing yards, passing TDs, pass efficiency, pass completion ratio, and interceptions. Want more evidence of how good they were? They were also 12th in the NCAA in passing yards, fourth in the NCAA in completion ratio, 2nd in the NCAA in pass efficiency D, and first in the NCAA in passing TDs given up. Keep in mind that Utah lost the MWC defensive player of the year and 2nd round NFL pick Eric Weddle, and actually IMPROVEd in the secondary. You've GOT to recognize the best player on the best unit with first-team honors.
2. Utah's overall D was tops in the MWC, and Steve was the leader. He led the team with tackles (98 total, 8.3 per game), with Tackles for Loss (10.0), was fourth on the team in sacks (2.5), tied for second on the team in interceptions (3), and fourth on the team in pass break-ups (4). Again, you've GOT to recognize the best player on the best D in the MWC with first-team honors.
3. Look at his stats. He is the 2nd leading tackler amongst all safeties in the MWC. He is 1st in the MWC amongst safeties in Tackles for Loss (10.0), 1st in the MWC for safeties for INTs (3), and in the top three in sacks (2.5). He had five games during the year with double-digit tackles, and he also won MWC player of the week during the year.
4. His career. After the bowl game, he will be the first Utah DB in history to reach 100+ in consecutive years. He'll have more than 250 career tackles and five interceptions.
It's unfortunate that Utah and the entire MWC lacked the exposure that they've had in years past. I think that this has made it more difficult for Tate to stand out. But based on the above criteria, it isn't far-fetched to consider Tate the MWC defensive player of the year. But there is no doubt that his performance merits the recognition as the top player at his position in the MWC. He deserves first-team this year, and it would be a travesty if he doesn't get it.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
No break-down
You'll see a trend in my posts. I typically just post all of my weekly write-ups, which I send to a number of fans each week. In those write-ups, I analyze the previous game and break-down the upcoming game - pointing out match-ups to watch for, players expected to step up, and predicted scores.
Well, the BYU/Utah game on Saturday is just too hard for me to break down. It hurt. Last year, a Y friend of mine was throwing smack my way, and I was fine with. I replied simply that the best Y team of all-time had to come behind to beat a Utah team, which had underachieved all year. He said that the close games rip at the heart, and because of his hatred for the U, he'd rather win a close one than a blow-out any day. I said I'd much rather have a blow-out.
But Saturday, I knew what he was talking about. Utah should have won. 4th and 18, and we could have humbled BYU, and put to rest the "Harline is Open" talk for good. But Utah lost the game. They lost it. It wasn't just the blown Cover 2 which kept the miracle drive going which lost it. It was the pathetic play by the offense. It was the mental break-down by the OC (and QB). Utah lost that game. And it still hurts . . .
But, I'd still rather lose as a Utah fan than win as a Y fan. :)
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Utah vs. New Mexico Recap (BYU Preview)
Date & Time: 12:00 PM MT, November 24, 2007
TV: CSTV, Versus, MTN
Radio: Kall 700, KSL 1160
Location: Rice Eccles South Stadium (AKA Lavell Edwards Stadium), Provo, UT
All-time series: Utah leads series 53-32-4
Last meeting: I don't remember how it ended.
Tailgate: The Crimson Club is sponsoring a "Party in Provo" at Provo High School, beginning at 8 am. They will have plenty of food, and the cost is $15 per person. So far, 650 Ute fans have pre-registered, so we're hoping to pop the bubble.
Week in Review: If you would have told me that we'd beat New Mexico by 18 points, I'd take that in a heart beat. However, as funny as it sounds, it was a scary game, and the Utes didn't look nearly as crisp (on offense) as they had in their previous three games. But credit New Mexico for the 'scrappy' game. They always seem to bring their best game against the Utes, and always give Utah fits. Even in 2004 the Fiesta Bowl year, the New Mexico game was the one game where the offense struggled the most. Such was the case this past Saturday, and even though his stats look alright (16-27), he missed quite a few passes, and the ball didn't look sharp. But before you look into that too much, I would credit the aggressive play of New Mexico for BJ's struggles.
Meanwhile, Utah's D was as good as it has been during the winning streak. Utah's D completely suffocated the Lobos - forcing four turnovers, four sacks, and allowing just 85 rushing yards, and just one touchdown on a ten-yard field.
Who stood out? Tate had 10 tackles, Robert Johnson played fantastic - forcing another fumble, while Paul Krueger had a 1.5 sacks, one of which gave Koa Misi the chance to return it for a touchdown.
What to expect this week: This game has all of the make-up of being another classic in the history of this heated rivalry - the league's top defense against the league's top offense. Utah is on a roll - outscoring their last three opponents 105-13. They're playing like they could beat anybody in the country right now. Their scoring D is fifth in the NCAA (15.5 ppg), but that still doesn't tell the whole story, as they are averaging just 8 points per game in their last five. Utah's pass D is as good as it gets - their pass efficiency D is ranked 3rd in the NCAA (ahead of USC, and behind just LSU and Ohio State). Meanwhile, BYU is the antithesis, as they are eighth in the nation in passing yards per game, and they are first in the conference in pass efficiency.
And on the other side of the ball, Utah is third in the MWC in scoring offense and second in the MWC in rushing offense (only behind Air Force) while BYU's rushing D is 10th in the NCAA (first in MWC).
Again, something is going to have to give.
For the sake of not giving away any game preparation secrets, I'm going to break this game down in a much more simplified way: comparing it to last year. BYU's offense was much better last year than this year (36.8 ppg vs. 30.8 ppg), and their D was better (15.3 ppg vs 18.6 ppg).
Meanwhile, the 2007 Utah team is much better than last year's team. Their offense has been better, with a rushing attack that didn't exist last year. And their defense is much better (20.2 ppg vs. 15.5 ppg) and their passing D is much better (220 ypg surrendered vs. 180 ypg and 59.3% vs. 51%). And last year, Utah had a great game plan - to play physical, jam the line and blitz aggressively. Unfortunately, last year, they didn't begin implementing this game plan until they were down 14-0 in the second quarter. When they began playing aggressively on D, they dominated the second and third quarters, ultimately taking the lead until they decided to go prevent on the last play. But, the point is, last year, BYU was much better than they are this year, and they had to come from behind to beat the Utes.
This Utah team will not let BYU throw for more than 250 yards, and they will not let BYU beat them on the ground. If Utah comes out playing the same level of intensity on D as they have the last few games, and if they scheme well for Unga, then I really do not see BYU scoring more than two touchdowns.
Here are the keys:
1. Utah's defense. Utah's scoring D is ranked 5th in the NCAA, and they are improving each week. They have now given up just one TD in the past 14 quarters - and in the past four games, they have not given up a touchdown drive more than 50 yards. The key is on the front line. This front line will be largely outmanned against BYU's line, who can pass as the first season of the "Biggest Loser". But these defensive linemen are faster than any BYU will have faced. Between Krueger, Burnett, Misi, and Long, these guys can and should get past BYU's big, but slow, O-line. I expect at least three sacks on Hall, with at least one of those creating a turnover. Hall has been very prone to turn the ball over (-6, 8th in the MWC), and Utah has been very opportunistic with TOs this year (+10, 1st in MWC).
The key in this game will be with the safeties and linebackers, as it will be up to them to prevent a rushing attack. Last year, Tate held Curtis Brown to 45 rushing yards and 30 receiving yards - well below his average. Look for the same type of shut-down performance with Unga this year. The safeties, however, will have to account for 6'5" Dennis Pitta, as well as Unga, and the LBs will have to stay on their assignments. Look for Nai Fotu to have a big impact on this game.
2. Utah's offense. Brian Johnson is going to come out and test this BYU passing D. Not only is the BYU secondary vulnerable healthy (as seen vs. Tulsa), but they are currently NOT healthy, and they need to be exploited. BJ didn't have a great game against UNM, but look for him to go long to pick on the converted cornerback, Ben Criddle, trying to anchor the BYU D. Wyoming, as pathetic as Sween looked vs. Utah, threw for 277 yards on BYU last week. The BYU secondary was called for PI a few times in that game, where they held when it was apparent they were getting beat. I'm looking for Braden Godfrey, Derek Richards, and Marquis Wilson to be long ball targets and creating some very big plays on Saturday.
Mack will have a very hard time hitting 100 yards on Saturday, but I do see the OL and Mack having a chip on their shoulders, and giving it all they have. I expect Mack to have about 75 yards rushing on Saturday.
Look for Brian's break-out game on Saturday. It may not be a huge game statistically for him, but he will manage the game well, keeping sustained drives and not allowing any TOs.
Stat of the week: Here's a stat for you: since 2000, when BYU fails to score 20 points, they are 1-22. In fact, if they score less than 30 points, they are just .300. If Utah can play the same type of D that they did last year in the 2nd and 3rd quarter (and like they have for most of this season), and not allow any Y defensive or special teams TDs, then Utah will win. It's that simple
Here's another quick fact: BYU still sucks.
My pick: Utah 27, Team Down South 17
Next game: Utah in San Diego vs. Navy (NCAA's top rushing offense) on December 20th at the Poinsettia Bowl.
Utah vs. Wyoming Recap (New Mexico Preview)
UTAH UTES
VS
NEW MEXICO LOBOS
VS
NEW MEXICO LOBOS
Date & Time: 3:30 PM MT, November 17, 2007
TV: The Mystery Channel (Mtn)
Radio: Kall 700
Location: Rice Eccles Stadium, SLC, UT
All-time series: Utah leads series 29-17-2
Last meeting: 2006, New Mexico 34-31
Tailgate: We'll be meeting at 1 pm for the Ute Walk. Then we’ll be having some catered grub, so I will need you to RSVP. I guarantee some good grub – but I’ll only order enough for those who RSVP. Just like last week, everybody must go to the game on Saturday. We need a sold-out crowd. This is the final home game for the seniors (unless you count the game at Rice Eccles South next week), and it’s only right that we honor them the right way after such a dramatic turn-around.
Week in Review: Can the Utes be more dominant than they’ve been in the past two games? After a serious waxing of CSU by 24 points, they decided more of a statement needed to be made? The results? A 50-0 clobbering that had local media and zoobies nationwide crying about sportsmanship and running up the score? What a great thing to be accused of!
Some still doubted after the TCU and CSU game. And while it may be true that those teams haven’t proven to be great teams, can you really doubt that this team is playing at a top 25 level now? The Utes held Wyoming to 37 rushing yards. That’s right. 37. And while some whiners felt that Utah was running up the score, anybody who watched the entire game could tell you that it could have been much, much worse. Sure, Kyle decided to attempt an untimely and unwise onside kick in the third quarter, the truth of the matter is that all of the starters were taken out in the fourth quarter. Utah’s play calling in the fourth quarter was extremely conservative. I’m not sure why the local media decided to give BYU a pass when they left their starters in the entire game against Eastern Washington, but so be it.
What did I take from it? I’m giddy. Coach Whittingham showed that he does have a killer instinct. Enough of a killer instinct that the rest of the conference is getting very, very, nervous. And it’s not just Kyle. This is a team which very much still wants to make a statement. They’ve won six straight in impressive fashion, and this team has now gone 10 straight quarters without giving up a touchdown. This is a pissed off team.
Who stood out? As predicted, Tate had another big game with an INT and two tackles for loss. Gabe Long was a monster on the D-line with three sacks, five tackles, and a forced fumble. Derek Richards was also money, with 86 receiving yards and over 100 return yards.
Here’s the picture of the game:
What to expect this week: New Mexico has had one of their best years in their recent history, as they squeaked out a win against CSU last week (27-24). And despite the poor showing in their past two, keep in mind that this is a very talented team. Offensively, they have the most impressive talent in the conference with Marcus Smith at WR (11th in the NCAA in rec. per game) and Rodney Ferguson leading the way (averaging over 100 ypg). On D, they continue to be aggressive like Rocky Long-coached teams always are.
The Lobos are sitting in the same place as the Utes – with two conference losses, hoping for a strong finish and some help from BYU’s opponents. They will come out with confidence, as they have ‘owned’ the Utes as of late (winning the last two, and with a record of 5-2 vs. Utah since 2000) and will likely be the most aggressive team Utah has played so far this year. In this game, with the Lobos great WRs, expect Utah to alternate blitzing and spying on Ferguson, and daring Porterie to throw to their top WRs in man coverage.
Fortunately, though their records look similar, Utah and New Mexico are going in two opposite directions. Utah is on a roll, and New Mexico is trying to find themselves. Look for the Utes to take advantage of their new identity as they continue on their Tour d’ Revenge.
Here's why:
1. Utah's defense. Utah's scoring D is now ranked 5th in the NCAA, and they are improving each week. As mentioned previously, they have not given up a TD in 10 straight quarters, and really haven’t given up a TD with a full-length drive since the Louisville game. And while the passing D is the obvious strength (8th in the NCAA, with passing efficiency D ranked at fourth), the rushing D has become a serious force to be reckoned with, as they are giving up just over 60 rushing ypg in the past four games. An interesting stat is that New Mexico scores under 20 points, they’re winning just 10% of those games, and when scoring under 30 points, they’re winning just 42% (most teams with winning records are over 50%. Utah is 55%). As long as Utah can hold them below their average (26 ppg), they’ll very likely to win.
Look for the D-ends (Kruger, Burnett, Puccinelli) to wreak havoc on Porterie in this game - which should cause some key turn-overs. They didn't respond well to TCU's end-pressure, and they'll have just as many problems with Utah's.
2. New Mexico's Defense. Even though New Mexico’s D is always aggressive. However, this is a team that needs a powerful offense in order to win, because they’re not particularly strong at keeping opponents from scoring (they give up just under 22 ppg – 5th in the MWC). They have the most difficulty defending the pass – where they rank next-to-last in the MWC (212 ypg). Brian starting throwing the long ball last week, and while the touch wasn’t quite there yet, the arm strength was. Expect him to take advantage of the Lobos’ safeties playing in the box to stop Mack, and connect on a few long passes to his receivers. If they plan to stop Mack between the tackles, look for the Lobos to be soft around the ends, and look for Utah to go to this often. Based on what we’ve seen from the Lobos this season, I expect Utah to, at the very least, score their season average on the Lobos (26.8 ppg). And as I’ve said before, look for how they start. Utah is 6-2 this year when they score first. And when Utah scores at least 20 points (UNM gives up nearly 22 ppg), they win 82% of their games. Expect a huge game from BJ. He's had this game circled on his calendar since they tore his ACL two years ago.
3. The revenge factor. The New Mexico game last year was a low point for the Utes. They had a 24-3 lead, only to give up 24 unanswered points. The Utes want to redeem themselves, and they’ve had success this season in their revenge games (UCLA, Wyoming) this season.
A Conference Championship? It seems highly unlikely, but look for the Cowboys to give the Cougars at the very least a good scare this weekend, as weather should give the Pokes some advantage. I personally didn’t see anything about the Cowboy to make me think that they’re capable of winning against BYU, but stranger things have happened. Let's just honor Cowboy Joe with our own one-finger salute to our least favorite Y colleague. Hopefully Cowboy Joe gets his players fired up for their embarrassment last week, and for last year’s melt down in Provo. The more likely scenario is that, after Utah knocks off the Y, the Cougs have a melt-down in sunny San Diego (think Hawaii 2001)!
My pick: Utah 31, New Mexico 16
Tailgate: We'll be meeting at 1 pm for the Ute Walk. Then we’ll be having some catered grub, so I will need you to RSVP. I guarantee some good grub – but I’ll only order enough for those who RSVP. Just like last week, everybody must go to the game on Saturday. We need a sold-out crowd. This is the final home game for the seniors (unless you count the game at Rice Eccles South next week), and it’s only right that we honor them the right way after such a dramatic turn-around.
Week in Review: Can the Utes be more dominant than they’ve been in the past two games? After a serious waxing of CSU by 24 points, they decided more of a statement needed to be made? The results? A 50-0 clobbering that had local media and zoobies nationwide crying about sportsmanship and running up the score? What a great thing to be accused of!
Some still doubted after the TCU and CSU game. And while it may be true that those teams haven’t proven to be great teams, can you really doubt that this team is playing at a top 25 level now? The Utes held Wyoming to 37 rushing yards. That’s right. 37. And while some whiners felt that Utah was running up the score, anybody who watched the entire game could tell you that it could have been much, much worse. Sure, Kyle decided to attempt an untimely and unwise onside kick in the third quarter, the truth of the matter is that all of the starters were taken out in the fourth quarter. Utah’s play calling in the fourth quarter was extremely conservative. I’m not sure why the local media decided to give BYU a pass when they left their starters in the entire game against Eastern Washington, but so be it.
What did I take from it? I’m giddy. Coach Whittingham showed that he does have a killer instinct. Enough of a killer instinct that the rest of the conference is getting very, very, nervous. And it’s not just Kyle. This is a team which very much still wants to make a statement. They’ve won six straight in impressive fashion, and this team has now gone 10 straight quarters without giving up a touchdown. This is a pissed off team.
Who stood out? As predicted, Tate had another big game with an INT and two tackles for loss. Gabe Long was a monster on the D-line with three sacks, five tackles, and a forced fumble. Derek Richards was also money, with 86 receiving yards and over 100 return yards.
Here’s the picture of the game:
What to expect this week: New Mexico has had one of their best years in their recent history, as they squeaked out a win against CSU last week (27-24). And despite the poor showing in their past two, keep in mind that this is a very talented team. Offensively, they have the most impressive talent in the conference with Marcus Smith at WR (11th in the NCAA in rec. per game) and Rodney Ferguson leading the way (averaging over 100 ypg). On D, they continue to be aggressive like Rocky Long-coached teams always are.
The Lobos are sitting in the same place as the Utes – with two conference losses, hoping for a strong finish and some help from BYU’s opponents. They will come out with confidence, as they have ‘owned’ the Utes as of late (winning the last two, and with a record of 5-2 vs. Utah since 2000) and will likely be the most aggressive team Utah has played so far this year. In this game, with the Lobos great WRs, expect Utah to alternate blitzing and spying on Ferguson, and daring Porterie to throw to their top WRs in man coverage.
Fortunately, though their records look similar, Utah and New Mexico are going in two opposite directions. Utah is on a roll, and New Mexico is trying to find themselves. Look for the Utes to take advantage of their new identity as they continue on their Tour d’ Revenge.
Here's why:
1. Utah's defense. Utah's scoring D is now ranked 5th in the NCAA, and they are improving each week. As mentioned previously, they have not given up a TD in 10 straight quarters, and really haven’t given up a TD with a full-length drive since the Louisville game. And while the passing D is the obvious strength (8th in the NCAA, with passing efficiency D ranked at fourth), the rushing D has become a serious force to be reckoned with, as they are giving up just over 60 rushing ypg in the past four games. An interesting stat is that New Mexico scores under 20 points, they’re winning just 10% of those games, and when scoring under 30 points, they’re winning just 42% (most teams with winning records are over 50%. Utah is 55%). As long as Utah can hold them below their average (26 ppg), they’ll very likely to win.
Look for the D-ends (Kruger, Burnett, Puccinelli) to wreak havoc on Porterie in this game - which should cause some key turn-overs. They didn't respond well to TCU's end-pressure, and they'll have just as many problems with Utah's.
2. New Mexico's Defense. Even though New Mexico’s D is always aggressive. However, this is a team that needs a powerful offense in order to win, because they’re not particularly strong at keeping opponents from scoring (they give up just under 22 ppg – 5th in the MWC). They have the most difficulty defending the pass – where they rank next-to-last in the MWC (212 ypg). Brian starting throwing the long ball last week, and while the touch wasn’t quite there yet, the arm strength was. Expect him to take advantage of the Lobos’ safeties playing in the box to stop Mack, and connect on a few long passes to his receivers. If they plan to stop Mack between the tackles, look for the Lobos to be soft around the ends, and look for Utah to go to this often. Based on what we’ve seen from the Lobos this season, I expect Utah to, at the very least, score their season average on the Lobos (26.8 ppg). And as I’ve said before, look for how they start. Utah is 6-2 this year when they score first. And when Utah scores at least 20 points (UNM gives up nearly 22 ppg), they win 82% of their games. Expect a huge game from BJ. He's had this game circled on his calendar since they tore his ACL two years ago.
3. The revenge factor. The New Mexico game last year was a low point for the Utes. They had a 24-3 lead, only to give up 24 unanswered points. The Utes want to redeem themselves, and they’ve had success this season in their revenge games (UCLA, Wyoming) this season.
A Conference Championship? It seems highly unlikely, but look for the Cowboys to give the Cougars at the very least a good scare this weekend, as weather should give the Pokes some advantage. I personally didn’t see anything about the Cowboy to make me think that they’re capable of winning against BYU, but stranger things have happened. Let's just honor Cowboy Joe with our own one-finger salute to our least favorite Y colleague. Hopefully Cowboy Joe gets his players fired up for their embarrassment last week, and for last year’s melt down in Provo. The more likely scenario is that, after Utah knocks off the Y, the Cougs have a melt-down in sunny San Diego (think Hawaii 2001)!
My pick: Utah 31, New Mexico 16
Next week: Utah at Rice Eccles South (where BYU has beaten Utah just once in the past 16 years) @ 12:00 pm.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Utah vs. CSU Summary (Wyoming Preview)
UTAH UTES
VS
WYOMING COWBOYS
Date & Time: 1:30 PM MT, November 10, 2007
TV: CSTV
Radio: Kall 700
Location: Rice Eccles Stadium, SLC, UT
All-time series: Utah leads series 47-31-1
Last meeting: 2006, Wyoming 31-15
Tailgate: We'll be having some rootin', tootin' home- made Cowboy Chili. We'll have bread bowls, for those who want just chili, and we'll have hot dogs for those who want chili dogs. We'll be meeting at 11 am so that we can go to the Ute Walk, and then we'll get cooking. Please RSVP if you plan to come. We have people bringing chili, cheese, and sour cream. But we still need people to bring drinks, bread bowls, and some sort of desert. If you can't make it to the tailgate - that's fine. But everybody must go to the game on Saturday. We need a sold-out crowd that game. The Utes can win out, and you don't want to miss seeing a strong finish to a very memorable season.
Week in Review: Well, CSU was probably the best 1-6 team in the NCAA. That was probably a true statement by Coach Whittingham. But you can put a lipstick on a pig, and it's still a pig, and the truth is that CSU is now 1-8, and teams that are 1-8 are not good teams.
That being said, nobody should dismiss Utah's win in Fort Collins because it was a big win. Not only is it always a big deal to come out of Fort Collins with a "W" (Utah had only done it twice in fourteen years), but Utah won in a very convincing fashion - 27-3. And it wasn't just the score that was lopsided. Utah held CSU to zero touchdowns (they were averaging 24 ppg going into that game), they held them to 1-12 on third down conversions, and they held them to 135 rushing yards. Meanwhile, Utah put up 470 yards of offense and 330 yards of rushing yards. Yes, even though this Ram team is not the typical Sonny Lubick-type of Ram team, the way in which Utah won was very impressive, and should have made any Utah fan very optimistic about the remainder of Utah's season.
My top three highlights from the CSU game:
3. The first touchdown of the game. This was huge, because it was on the first drive of the game. Utah has scored on their first drive in three straight games (going back to Louisville). But not only that, it was a screen pass to a seldom-used Ray Stowers, who fought hard to get into the endzone. It was a foreshadowing of bigger things to come from Stowers - who ended up finishing the game with 123 rushing yards and 2 TDs.
2. A few of the defensive highlights: Steve's pick in the first half was a huge pick, because that was about the point where Sonny lost confidence in Hanie (they replaced him in the second half). But I also loved Fotu's sack - where he didn't tackle the QB. He brought him down by plowing over the O-lineman into Hanie. Impressive.
1. And my favorite highlight of the game didn't take place on the field. It took place in the stands at Hughes Stadium. In the fourth quarter, a drunk, obnoxious CSU fan, wearing a replica jersey, a joker hat, and giant green and yellow mardi gras beads starting yelling at Randy Lewis (the guy who does the U-T-A-H cheers at all of the games), and charged towards him to knock him off the wall. Suddenly, the guy gets leveled - wrapped up and tackled to the ground. By who? By Wynn Tate. After the game, the word had spread down to Chris Hill and Coach Whit. Even Coach Anderson got in on the action by telling Mr. Tate that he'd see if he could find an open scholarship next year to sign him - based on what he heard about the tackle. Classic moment that we'll be hearing about for years.
What to expect this week: Wyoming is now just playing to become bowl eligible. They've lost three conference games (and three games in a row), and they have no realistic shot at even a shared MWC title. But don't dismiss the desire to give the lovely town of Laramie a bowl eligible football team. Cowboy Joe's Wyoming squad will be prepared for this game, and they will be playing with everything they have, so don't expect them to keel over and die. The Cowboys may not look like a good team, if you base it off their past three games. But this is a team that beat a top 20 Virginia team at Virginia by three touchdowns - holding the Cavaliers to just a field goal in a 23-3 victory. Wyoming has the potential to play like the best team in the MWC. Their strengths are their defense. They actually have the #1 defense in the MWC this season (in terms of total yardage given up). In fact, they're sixth in the nation, giving up just 287 yards per game. That's very good. Fortunately, this season, Utah is just a better team than Wyoming. They are more athletic and, believe it or not, are much more consistent. At least since Brian Johnson has been back as the starter and they've found a reliable running game.
Here's why Utah will win this week:
1. Utah's defense. Utah's scoring D is ranked 13th in the NCAA, giving up just over 17 ppg. Utah has been playing much more aggressively on D. We're seeing aggressive and unpredictable play-calling - with blitz packages from every angle on the D and stunting at the line. This has caused confusion from every opposing team, and has led to the most sacks in the MWC in the past four games and the most turn-overs recovered in the MWC in the past four games. In addition, the Utes are giving up just over 74 rushing ypg in the past four games - as opposed to nearly 160 ypg in the first three games.
Just like the game plan vs. CSU, Utah should again stack the box and not let Wyoming's good tandem running backs beat them, and let Sween beat them through the air with as much pressure as possible constantly coming at him.
2. Wyoming's Offense. While Utah's D is good, it's should make for an even more productive day for the defense considering that they are not facing an offensive juggernaut. Wyoming is averaging just 349 ypg - which is last in the MWC. The Cowboys are also averaging only 21 points per game - which is second to last in the MWC. They do have two very talented backs, and that is why they're the third best rushing team in the MWC, but Utah's D should be able to contain them well enough. The key will be getting pressure on Sween to force him into making stupid mistakes - which he has been very prone to do. He has been replaced game-time in two different games, so even the coaches are lacking confidence in him. And with 12 INTs thrown so far this year, Utah should have some luck in getting one or tow this game.
3. Whit's proven ability to prepare. Whittingham is 2-0 when coming off byes. However, if you include bowl games - which are pretty much four consecutive bye weeks - he's 4-0 as a head coach. And the numbers don't tell the whole story. Even as a Defensive Coordinator, Kyle Whittingham was always known for putting together a very thorough game plan when he had time to prepare. This bye week will help the Utes - not only to help give time to some dinged-up players (like Brian Johnson's shoulder, Freddy Brown's concussion, Braden Godfrey's back, Mack's ankle), but also to give Kyle an extra week to put together a solid plan. Last year was an embarassment to Kyle and his coaching staff, and he will want to make a statement from the beginning. Look for a very strong start for the Utes.
A Conference Championship? It seemed like an impossible thought just a few weeks ago. But the Utes have a very good shot at sharing a MWC title this year. To help the Utes, we need TCU to pound the little kitties down south on Thursday night. And even though I hope for a BYU defeat every week, I actually think that TCU is the team to give us what we all want. This TCU team is now playing like the team everybody thought they'd be pre-season. Tommy Blake is back, and he has brought some energy back to the defense. Not only did they beat the league's top-scoring offense on Saturday, but they shut them out 37-0. And not only did they shut them out, but they held them to 28 rushing yards and 78 passing yards for the entire game. They killed them. TCU has the athletes to give BYU fits, as long as they don't commit stupid turn-overs. Look for the Horned Frogs to get to Hall often and force a few fumbles. If we're lucky, maybe we can see this QB cry after the game. Go Horned Frogs!
My pick: Utah 27, Wyoming 13
Next week: New Mexico at Utah @ 3:30 pm.
VS
WYOMING COWBOYS
Date & Time: 1:30 PM MT, November 10, 2007
TV: CSTV
Radio: Kall 700
Location: Rice Eccles Stadium, SLC, UT
All-time series: Utah leads series 47-31-1
Last meeting: 2006, Wyoming 31-15
Tailgate: We'll be having some rootin', tootin' home- made Cowboy Chili. We'll have bread bowls, for those who want just chili, and we'll have hot dogs for those who want chili dogs. We'll be meeting at 11 am so that we can go to the Ute Walk, and then we'll get cooking. Please RSVP if you plan to come. We have people bringing chili, cheese, and sour cream. But we still need people to bring drinks, bread bowls, and some sort of desert. If you can't make it to the tailgate - that's fine. But everybody must go to the game on Saturday. We need a sold-out crowd that game. The Utes can win out, and you don't want to miss seeing a strong finish to a very memorable season.
Week in Review: Well, CSU was probably the best 1-6 team in the NCAA. That was probably a true statement by Coach Whittingham. But you can put a lipstick on a pig, and it's still a pig, and the truth is that CSU is now 1-8, and teams that are 1-8 are not good teams.
That being said, nobody should dismiss Utah's win in Fort Collins because it was a big win. Not only is it always a big deal to come out of Fort Collins with a "W" (Utah had only done it twice in fourteen years), but Utah won in a very convincing fashion - 27-3. And it wasn't just the score that was lopsided. Utah held CSU to zero touchdowns (they were averaging 24 ppg going into that game), they held them to 1-12 on third down conversions, and they held them to 135 rushing yards. Meanwhile, Utah put up 470 yards of offense and 330 yards of rushing yards. Yes, even though this Ram team is not the typical Sonny Lubick-type of Ram team, the way in which Utah won was very impressive, and should have made any Utah fan very optimistic about the remainder of Utah's season.
My top three highlights from the CSU game:
3. The first touchdown of the game. This was huge, because it was on the first drive of the game. Utah has scored on their first drive in three straight games (going back to Louisville). But not only that, it was a screen pass to a seldom-used Ray Stowers, who fought hard to get into the endzone. It was a foreshadowing of bigger things to come from Stowers - who ended up finishing the game with 123 rushing yards and 2 TDs.
2. A few of the defensive highlights: Steve's pick in the first half was a huge pick, because that was about the point where Sonny lost confidence in Hanie (they replaced him in the second half). But I also loved Fotu's sack - where he didn't tackle the QB. He brought him down by plowing over the O-lineman into Hanie. Impressive.
1. And my favorite highlight of the game didn't take place on the field. It took place in the stands at Hughes Stadium. In the fourth quarter, a drunk, obnoxious CSU fan, wearing a replica jersey, a joker hat, and giant green and yellow mardi gras beads starting yelling at Randy Lewis (the guy who does the U-T-A-H cheers at all of the games), and charged towards him to knock him off the wall. Suddenly, the guy gets leveled - wrapped up and tackled to the ground. By who? By Wynn Tate. After the game, the word had spread down to Chris Hill and Coach Whit. Even Coach Anderson got in on the action by telling Mr. Tate that he'd see if he could find an open scholarship next year to sign him - based on what he heard about the tackle. Classic moment that we'll be hearing about for years.
What to expect this week: Wyoming is now just playing to become bowl eligible. They've lost three conference games (and three games in a row), and they have no realistic shot at even a shared MWC title. But don't dismiss the desire to give the lovely town of Laramie a bowl eligible football team. Cowboy Joe's Wyoming squad will be prepared for this game, and they will be playing with everything they have, so don't expect them to keel over and die. The Cowboys may not look like a good team, if you base it off their past three games. But this is a team that beat a top 20 Virginia team at Virginia by three touchdowns - holding the Cavaliers to just a field goal in a 23-3 victory. Wyoming has the potential to play like the best team in the MWC. Their strengths are their defense. They actually have the #1 defense in the MWC this season (in terms of total yardage given up). In fact, they're sixth in the nation, giving up just 287 yards per game. That's very good. Fortunately, this season, Utah is just a better team than Wyoming. They are more athletic and, believe it or not, are much more consistent. At least since Brian Johnson has been back as the starter and they've found a reliable running game.
Here's why Utah will win this week:
1. Utah's defense. Utah's scoring D is ranked 13th in the NCAA, giving up just over 17 ppg. Utah has been playing much more aggressively on D. We're seeing aggressive and unpredictable play-calling - with blitz packages from every angle on the D and stunting at the line. This has caused confusion from every opposing team, and has led to the most sacks in the MWC in the past four games and the most turn-overs recovered in the MWC in the past four games. In addition, the Utes are giving up just over 74 rushing ypg in the past four games - as opposed to nearly 160 ypg in the first three games.
Just like the game plan vs. CSU, Utah should again stack the box and not let Wyoming's good tandem running backs beat them, and let Sween beat them through the air with as much pressure as possible constantly coming at him.
2. Wyoming's Offense. While Utah's D is good, it's should make for an even more productive day for the defense considering that they are not facing an offensive juggernaut. Wyoming is averaging just 349 ypg - which is last in the MWC. The Cowboys are also averaging only 21 points per game - which is second to last in the MWC. They do have two very talented backs, and that is why they're the third best rushing team in the MWC, but Utah's D should be able to contain them well enough. The key will be getting pressure on Sween to force him into making stupid mistakes - which he has been very prone to do. He has been replaced game-time in two different games, so even the coaches are lacking confidence in him. And with 12 INTs thrown so far this year, Utah should have some luck in getting one or tow this game.
3. Whit's proven ability to prepare. Whittingham is 2-0 when coming off byes. However, if you include bowl games - which are pretty much four consecutive bye weeks - he's 4-0 as a head coach. And the numbers don't tell the whole story. Even as a Defensive Coordinator, Kyle Whittingham was always known for putting together a very thorough game plan when he had time to prepare. This bye week will help the Utes - not only to help give time to some dinged-up players (like Brian Johnson's shoulder, Freddy Brown's concussion, Braden Godfrey's back, Mack's ankle), but also to give Kyle an extra week to put together a solid plan. Last year was an embarassment to Kyle and his coaching staff, and he will want to make a statement from the beginning. Look for a very strong start for the Utes.
A Conference Championship? It seemed like an impossible thought just a few weeks ago. But the Utes have a very good shot at sharing a MWC title this year. To help the Utes, we need TCU to pound the little kitties down south on Thursday night. And even though I hope for a BYU defeat every week, I actually think that TCU is the team to give us what we all want. This TCU team is now playing like the team everybody thought they'd be pre-season. Tommy Blake is back, and he has brought some energy back to the defense. Not only did they beat the league's top-scoring offense on Saturday, but they shut them out 37-0. And not only did they shut them out, but they held them to 28 rushing yards and 78 passing yards for the entire game. They killed them. TCU has the athletes to give BYU fits, as long as they don't commit stupid turn-overs. Look for the Horned Frogs to get to Hall often and force a few fumbles. If we're lucky, maybe we can see this QB cry after the game. Go Horned Frogs!
My pick: Utah 27, Wyoming 13
Next week: New Mexico at Utah @ 3:30 pm.
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