Some thoughts, including DL:

[Utah]

In some ways, the DL has disappointed this year. BUT, there is a simple explanation:

injuries. Fitts and Anae have both been banged up all year.

Look at the depth we have behind them:

Tuapi, who is a freshman.

Repo, who is about 20 lbs too light.

Hart, who is a pass rusher only.

Heninger, who is a freshman.

We played Fotu at DE and while he has had some good moments, he also gave up the game winning run/TD to Love on what should have been an easy tackle.

Our DL is what it is: young. There is talent there. The coaches think Hamilton and Tupai and Repp have NFL potential. Heninger has played solid for a freshman. So has Tupai.

This year is what we thought it would be: a rebuilding year.

Look:

Huntley, Moss, DHC, Thompson, our OL minus Uhatafe are all playing in roles they’ve never played before. So is Anae, the DL names above, Blair, Ballard, Johnson, Guidry, Blackmon, Hughes, Afia, etc.

Good news is, we bring all these guys back next year.

Enjoy this year. Don’t let the downs get you down, look for improvement and imagine what these kids will look like in a year.

[concerned]

Fotu didn’t give up the game winning TD to Love, Guidry did.  His assignment was to fill that gap, and he didnt get   there.  At a minimum, he was more culpable that Fotu.  

[Utah]

Fotu gave up a long run on Love that ended in a TD. 

[Utahute72]

And that was a case where he was just a half a step slow and Love made the play.

[Utah]

Nah. He made the wrong read, hit the QB and Live scampered down the field. Fotu messed up at DE. 

[Utah]

Go to 0:35 to see the play. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=onebox&v=yhRnbp4eoW4

[Utahute72]

Different play than the one I was thinking of. I was thinking of the long TD play. On the play at :35 on that video it was a missed assignment/read by NO 10, Tautiloi

[Utahute72]

Both of those runs, BTW were outside the “box”, which means the contain man. The DE may have that responsibility, but in those two runs the DE was crashing from the git go. You can see Tautioli in the first and Guidry in the second scrambling to get back in position.

[Tony (admin)]

That’s been the story for many years, injuries.

[Utah]

I think that’s just reality. You have to have depth. That’s why only 5-10 teams have a legit shot at a national title. They are the only ones with the depth to get through injuries. 

This year was a 7 to 8 win season, with the new faves and the brutal schedule…before injuries. 

If we go bowling, that’s a solid year, all things considered. 

[Author]

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