Hope this game was a spark to get our program back on track

[Holladay Ute]

I’m proud of our team. We were all worried about a blowout, right? We showed some real fight in this game. I think we learned that A) Utah is better than its record and B) BYU isn’t as good as its record. There’s always going to be critiques. Were we too conservative in the second half? Should we have used our timeouts at the end of the game? Etc. But at the end of the day, the team we saw last night is a team I can get behind and root for. Just wish we would’ve had this team all year long.

Being at this game, it felt a lot more like the Utah football that we’ve watched for the past twenty years (as opposed to whatever we’ve been watching for the four games before BYU). You could probably say that’s the best defense we’ve played all year and our offense looked much improved, even if they stalled out in the second half (if only they could’ve gotten another first down or two in the second half). I was happy w/ Brandon Rose. He showed some attitude and I liked it. The defense played lights out for 90% of the game (they still should’ve stopped BYU on that last drive). RES was a lot more red than I expected it to be. All the other home games this year (except SUU I guess), our crowd felt a little off to me…but our fans brought it last night and that made me happy. I loved seeing the emotion from Whitt after the game. I don’t know, I hope we can keep that energy and passion throughout the rest of this season. We’re not as bad as our record says. If the team that played last night shows up for the last three games, I think we’re capable of winning two of the last three games (even if it’s unlikely). I can still hope we make it to a bowl game. We’ll probably finish w/ a losing record, but if we can keep that fire, I think we’ll be okay next year and beyond.

[Utesbyfive]

You’re being way too charitable.

[Tednab]

I like your optimism, however I don’t share it. This team flat out sucks and shouldn’t be rewarded with a participation award. They’ve lost 5 in a row, I can’t remember in my life time when that’s happen , especially from this talented of a team .. you’re right , they are better than their record, but I won’t give them a pass, just cause they lost a close game.

[UteThunder]

Spark? An emotional loss to your rival, to extend a 4 game losing streak to now 5 straight losses . . . That’s not something that provides a spark to get your season back on track. That’s the kind of thing that kills any remaining shred of fight left in your team. The players are much more likely to mail it in for the remaining 3 games. At this point, I’m sure they just want to get this nightmare of a season over with.

[EagleMountainUte]

Whoever thought Utah was going to get blown out is crazy. Utah’s defense is very good. It isn’t the best defense we have seen but they make plays when it matters.

[cobraute]

Offensive forecast for next year looks dismal. No RB, no QB, our best TE is gone and the OBlock hasn’t showed that can can get 2 yards in the red zone. I’d say Utahs offensive potential for next years screams 3 wins.
You can’t buy culture in the portal. You lease skills. Along with those skills comes a culture you can’t control.

[GameForAnyFuss]

Culture concerns are overblown. The data suggests that pretty much every team is getting the majority of their offensive production from the portal. Utah will be no different next year. Waaaaaaay too premature to write off next year’s offense.

[2008 National Champ]

How good next year’s offense will depend entirely on the Head Coach’s vision. If it’s Whitt in charge, I have no confidence that he will do anything different than he has for the last 20 years. Heck, it wouldn’t be out of his nature to throw a boatload of money at ARod since apparently recycling OC’s is his new jam.

[GameForAnyFuss]

Since we don’t know if Whit will be in charge next year, then my original point stands. Way too early to write off next year’s offense.

[2008 National Champ]

I wasn’t disagreeing

[Tednab]

Lol data .. data says you shouldn’t run it up the middle if your Utah.

[RoboUte]

What week in 2024 do the weekly “this’ll be the spark” threads stop? Guys this season is done and dusted.

[2008 National Champ]

I’d say the week of December 7 but they will just change to “this is the spark that’s going to drive next season”. Followed closely by:

1. the time honored tradition of signing day where every recruit will be a “great get” that chose Utah over __insert name of blue blood here__ which proves the national brand.
2. portal season where everyone who enters “just didn’t want to stick it out” or “good riddance, they didn’t fit our culture” but everyone who commits will be a “great get”
3. way too early top-25’s in January which will have Utah around #20 and be another recognition of the national brand
4. the January to August discussion of how everything is going to go right in 2025. Every position group will improve to All-American status, no team better dare to enter RES and think they can win, especially at night, and whether it’s possible for the team to go better than 12-0 in the regular season.

[Tony (admin)]

You’ve been here before. Though this time around I’m not sure #3 is going to happen, and probably good that it doesn’t.

[2008 National Champ]

urinalists aren’t any smarter than the rest of us, especially the sports versions.

Assuming Whitt comes back, all anyone will see is:

1. the usual great D played in 2024 with most of the starters returning. It still boggles my mind that with as bad as the O has been this year, if Utah had scored exactly 25 points in every game they’d be 8-1 and control their own destiny.
2. two QB’s who have gotten needed experience this year
3. an Oline led by Fano & Lomu
4. worse than average injury luck the last 2 years

they’ll just assume that Whitt will get it back to 9-3 which is all you need to be top 15 so I was lowballing.

[RoboUte]

1. the usual great D played in 2024 with most of the starters returning. It still boggles my mind that with as bad as the O has been this year, if Utah had scored exactly 25 points in every game they’d be 8-1 and control their own destiny.

shoot me

[2008 National Champ]

bang?

[RoboUte]

Especially our offensive line. God our offensive line has the best Augusts. Absolute legends. But there’s always that unlucky setback known as football season that just keeps getting in their way of putting it all together.

[The Miami Ute]

LOL…so, are you saying that they’re all pre-season All-Americans?

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