Confidence vs. being c**ky

[ProudUte]

I think there is a fine line between the two.  Utah’s offense lacked confidence early in the season and it showed.  We started to gain some confidence against WSU and really gained it against Stanford.  The confidence has really shown the last two weeks.  These guys feel like they can do anything and just about have done so.

They are playing a 2-5 UCLA team.  I have seen this story before when a team feels like they should roll and they come in unprepared for a “hit in the face.”  CU in 2011 and Oregon in 2016 come to mind.

We are looking at our Utes through the glasses of the last three games and feel good about what they can do this Friday.  We also need to look at UCLA’s last three games and not the entire season.  They have a one TD loss to UW, a blowout win over Cal and a close win against UA.  Throw out the stats and record of the previous four games.  Are they a great team? No.  But, they have shown significacnt improvement and with a few turnovers – anything can happen; i.e. 37-7 win over Cal on the road.

I hope our guys are preparing like they were going up against an undefeated UCLA team.  We can take nothing for granted.  We cannot afford to give them three TDs like we did USC.  We need confidence but we shouldn’t be co c**ky to believe that we cruise to a victory.  Alabama always comes in hitting hard and they typically blow teams away early.  I don’t like Saban.  But, he does not tolerate mistakes even against weaker competition.

We need to come out Friday night and hit these guys so hard and often that they know they are playing a better team.  The last thing we want is for the Bruins to gain any kind of confidence early.

Go Utes!!!

[Chidojuan]

I think it is important to look deeply at the last 3 as well, especially for UCLA. 

The one TD loss to UW can be deceptive.  UW was ahead for the entire game, and likely started to get a bit lax and played not to lose.  It looks that way with TOP as well, 38 minutes vs 21 for UCLA.  They also pounded BYU a week earlier and could have been looking past UCLA in preparation for  Oregon.

Cal had 5 turnovers, one was a scoop and score.

UA was a good measuring stick because they are similar teams right now.  UCLA won the turnover battle again, and they probably had a lot of fire from just winning their first game.  Arizona also just got pounded by us, so they were likely beat up for that game.

I agree that we should not be c**ky, but I don’t get that feel from this team.  Last year when Huntley said we were going to “handle our biznass” against BYU, that felt c**ky, even though we won.  Haven’t seen anything like that except for snarkiness against USC.

I hope we start with another 8 minute drive to suck all of the air out of the defense, then let them have it with everything we have.  That bunch formation is a nightmare for young defenses, which UCLA has.

[Grimmetal]

I feel like this team has more mature leadership and they know not to take this for granted. Like mentioned, a lot of these guys have been there before. I’d even argue the USC shots help in being disrespected. I’d worry once we start getting respect around the conference. Not sure we’ve gotten that yet.

[Utahute72]

I think they understand there is no room for error and every game will be a dogfight.

[noneyadb]

#justaregularteam.

Honestly I almost feel bad for UCLA this week. They should be p**sed and ready to roll.

[PlainsUte]

In the postgame the players were saying things like, “We have to execute every week.  We must go 1-0 every week.”  So that is a good way to make sure an opponent that has looked soft recently (AKA UCLA) will not be overlooked by the players.  Us fans are free to look at stats and make inferences about which games will be more or less difficult for this Ute team.

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