My perspective on the Utes

[AlohaUte]

I am absolutely thrilled with the Utes being at #10. I am enjoying every minute of it and have been impressed with the team so far.  Our defense has looked great, offense is solid, and, well, I’m leery of the kicking game. So I am feeling good.

That being said, I’m not yet sold on the team.  Our performances haven’t been as dominating as many of the other teams ahead and around us in most cases. Of course, much of that is Whittingham’s style not being willing to run up the score or playing 3rd stringers for most of the 2nd half against Idaho State. 

So honestly, I’m still not yet sure what to make of this team. I could see the Utes finishing undefeated and would not be surprised at all, similarly I could see the Utes losing 3 and also not being surprised at all. 

Heading into this game against USC, I feel a lot like I did going into the BYU game this season. Generally confident, but a nervous feeling in my gut. I mean it’s USC and the game is in L.A. where we haven’t won in forever. I expec the Utes to win and hopefully win comfortably, but like I said above, I would not be surprised if we lost. 

[ProudUte]

That’s about exactly how I feel. 

[UtahFanSir]

The Utes fundamentally are quite sound. D double check. O check. Now with a proven long FG – special teams – check. In my opinion the play book has yet to open. Great tactical move by KW & AL. Play the games one at a time. Utah is entering that part of the season where in prior seasons they have been the strongest and most compelling. Enjoy the ride. Gonna be good.

[RiseasUtes]

I agree with most of this, but 35 yds is not a long field goal by any means.  Our special teams(kicking wise) has a ways to go.  Lennon is good when placing a ball, but he has not had very many good long punts to change the field position.  So I would say special teams are still a concern.

[Matthew Thomas Castleton]

Well, actually, Andrew Strauch is a solid option to kick long field goals. He hit a 40+ yard field goal @ BYU. He just struggles with accuracy when he’s closer, which is why Redding won that job. Andrew has a very strong leg, as evidenced by his plethora of kicks out of the end zone on kick offs. They’ll be just fine.

[RiseasUtes]

Yes, he has a strong leg which is good for kick offs.  Unfortunately if he has accuracy issues(which was evident in the BYU game) then you can’t count on him for field goals, so my concerns still remain.

[PhiladelphiaUte]

As I recall it, Redding only kicked one 35 yarder.  That’s a “mid-range” kick.  Not a “long” one.  So as I see it, we still don’t have a proven “long range” FG kicker — yet!

[Tony (admin)]

Tough to go from one of the longest and most accurate college kickers ever to what we have now.

[Utah]

I see a different team than you. Huntley is top 11 in QBR. Moss is about to become the all time rusher. Covey has gone from our #1 receiver to an option after Dixon, Kuithe, Thompson and maybe Enis. Vickers is a stud. 

The defense gives up less than 10 points per game. The BYU team that beat Tenn and USC? We took behind the woodshed and whipped like they were Northern Illinois. 

 

[PhiladelphiaUte]

Huntley certainly has done an outstanding job at QB.  But that said — in 2019 — he’d only been outstanding vs. weak SOS.  Hence his elite QBR score.  Now I know that he’d exhibited some “elite” style quarterbacking last year vs. Stan, Ariz, USC, and UCLA LAST year, but really, only Stanford was any good that year.  Plus, last year was LAST year.  This year is THIS year.  So I don’t believe we’ll really know how “elite” he is until sometime after the USC or Wash St game.  I hope we see more of that good stuff from last year in weeks ahead, but wouldn’t be surprised if by the time we’re facing UWa, he won’t still be a “Top-11” QB.

That said, I’m really loving the development we’ve been seeing at the QB spot.

GO UTES!!!

[ProudUte]

Well said!!!

[Matthew Thomas Castleton]

They’re not going to lose. I feel more confident going into this week’s USC game than last year’s game. And we smashed them last year. Utah is simply the much better of the two teams. Remember, USC is still playing with a freshman quarterback and a suspect defense. I think Utah wins going away. Similarly to how they won @ BYU (who just beat USC). Remember, Utah only lost to USC two years ago in the Coliseum by one point after that failed two-point conversion attempt. And they did that withOUT Tyler Huntley (he was injured at the time). Troy Williams was Utah’s quarterback in that game. If USC struggled to move the ball consistently against BYU’s defense, they’re going to have serious problems moving the ball against Utah’s defense. They also struggled at times to stop BYU’s offense, and Utah’s offense is much better than BYU’s offense. 

[Utah5410]

Utah looked board against Northern I’ll and Idaho st. I was at the NI game. Other than that first drive. Which again the D wasn’t awake for and which Anae admitted to being kissed too they were solid. That long TD was right after Blackmon was taken off and Davis (a 2) talented but with no game experience made a bad read. Not concerned unless Blackmon is out for an extended period of time. We DOMINATED BYU. Utah will be up for this game. This is the perfect game to start conference play with. All the guys at usc we’re recruited over our guys. All of them have a chip. And for some being from LA it’s personal. They have a true Frosh QB. I love our chances.

[GameForAnyFuss]

I love our chances too. But what’s going to give me the runs on Friday is that freshman QB. Like many other talented freshman QBs, I’m afraid he’s going to struggle on the road but be a world-beater at home. So many talented freshmen roll that way.

In short, I’d be much more comfortable with containing the QB if we were playing SC at home.

So I’m nervous that USC will put up a healthy chunk of points and Utah will have to match that. Do we have the offense to do it? I think the jury’s still out on that.

[ironman1315]

Also #jusaregularteam

[utefansince79]

I’m a bit uneasy about our inability to convert a large portion of our third and short situations.  Saw this in the NIU game then failed on 4th-and-one Saturday (albeit that was a bad snap rather than poor blocking).

 

 

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