The 2019 defense was our best defense ever

[ProudUte]

And I don’t think it is even close. I heard the other day that 12 players on our 2-deep played in the NFL. That’s amazing. We had three all-conference defensive linemen. Think about that. There are four defensive linemen, and there are 12 teams. That is just crazy.

The defense that season gave up an average of 269 yards per game and only 15 points per game. The best other year I could find is our amazing 2008 season where the D allowed 289 yards per game against a MWC schedule.

We were one game away from going to the CFP in 2019. Had Blackmon not been injured in that game – there may have been a different outcome.

[Rick]

The 2008 team went undefeated and beat a top 5 Alabama team and two top ten teams in Oregon State and TCU. The 2019 team had as super weak non-conference schedule, lost to a mediocre USC team, lost to a decent Oregon team and then completely bombed in their bowl game vs. Texas. It will never be a top team in my book. You can say the 2008 team played a MWC schedule but the 2019 team played such juggernauts as Idaho State, Northern Illinois, and a dreadful BYU team. Also, that year in the PAC 12, Colorado, Arizona, Oregon State, and Cal were all at or near MWC quality.

[Central Coast Ute]

Utahs depth in 2019 was head and shoulders above 2008. And yes the MWC schedule matters. One of the first lessons we learned in the move to the P12 was the P5 grind is no joke. That 2008 team would have had injuries in the P12 that they didn’t have in the MWC and it would have been over.

[ProudUte]

You need to throw out the Texas game because we had key players not playing that game on defense and the offense was terrible that night. I am not sure that we had our heads in that game because of the implosion against the Ducks.

The USC game is interesting. They decided to throw deep all night long and Blackmon was not healthy in that game. I think that an injured Blackmon played a key part in the USC and Oregon losses.

You are right that the 2008 team played a tough schedule in TCU and Alabama and both of those games the D stepped up. I am not saying that the 2008 D was not great, but IMO the 2019 still remains the best. But, I realize that it is all subjective.

[Central Coast Ute]

I was at the USC game. It was so annoying. Moss was out, but so was their QB. Brimfield fumbled on the one yard line and it seems all Fink had to do was throw the ball in the air. I don’t blame that on the players as much as I do the scheme. The Utes should have put JJ on their best receiver and sent the safeties to help more.

[D T]

What??

[Author]

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