UW – Arizona

[2008 National Champ]

That first UW drive was a thing of beauty. I don’t see any reason why Utah can’t pair something similar with their dominant defense. They have open receivers every play because they force you to defend all three levels instead of trying to play in a phone booth.

[Charlie Foxtrot]

I just made a post about the same thing. Watching teams run RPO in several games today and that sure seems like a system that would fit Nate much better than what we have been doing.

[SalUteopia]

This UW O is reaching 2019 LSU O levels.

[The Miami Ute]

Possibly because Penix is incredibly accurate and we’ve already seen numerous times that Nate and Barnes are not.

[2008 National Champ]

No, you aren’t going to duplicate Penix. But look at the stats from Fresno 2021 with Jake Heaner. Two 700 yard backs, 4100 yards passing. Took down UCLA and almost took down the same Oregon team that Utah beat in the CCG.

You can run or pass out of those sets depending on who you are playing and your own skillsets. There’s a reason Alabama tried to hire Ryan Grubb in the offseason.

Edit: oh, and I didn’t mean that Ludwig should install it over the break. Just fond memories of 2004 when it was allowable to have both a dominant offense AND defense.

[SalUteopia]

I’m so envious of you guys who got to experience the 2004 and 2008 seasons.

[2008 National Champ]

The only thing those two seasons had in common was the name on the front of the jersey and the number of losses.

2004 was flat out domination. You had Whitt’s attacking defense (his, not the version that Scalley is running these days) that just made the other offense look like they were playing in quicksand. I think it was 8 sacks they had against Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl (maybe 9) and that was a team that had future NFL hall of famer Larry Fitzgerald.

The Meyer/Mullen offense was absolutely nuckin’ futz. I know Sanford was the OC but he’s pretty much disappeared from coaching while the other two went on to big things. They hit you from so many angles the defense had no idea what was coming next. My favorite play they ran was the receiver lining up in the slot and then shifting to halfback. They would then run speed option to either side and no one could handle it. Smith could pitch to the back, keep or shovel pass to the receiver. I have no idea why that play isn’t run in college anymore unless something about it became illegal. No base defensive scheme has ever been designed to flow 3 defenders with the ability to stop 3 highly skilled offensive guys with each having man responsibilities.

2008 was the most frustratingly wonderful thing I’ve ever witnessed. If the D and special teams were flipping the field, Utah would put up points. Otherwise, Ludwig’s offense would plod along appearing to play down to the level of their opponent and the 4th quarters would be needed to come from behind. The Oregon State game was the last time I turned off a Utah game before the final gun. Oregon State scored with 2:18 left to go up 28-20 and I turned it off because I was so disgusted. Went outside to yell at the stars and then called my former Utah roommate to bitch about how that crappy team blew a game that they should have won. I didn’t even get hello out of my mouth before he was screaming about the amazing comeback where they scored a TD, two point conversion and field goal to win. You have to ask someone else how it happened because to this day I have no idea.

The TCU game that year was about 2023 level lethargic offense. Utah couldn’t make any headway and Andy Dalton was doing just enough to keep moving the chains but not being able to put up points. They went up 10-0 early and King Louie kicked a couple of field goals to make it 10-6 at half. The 2nd half absolutely nothing happened except Utah punts but the D did manage to pick Dalton off a couple of times to stop scoring drives. Finally Utah got the ball back with a few minutes left and all of a sudden Brian Johnson was running this dynamic offense that marched down the field and scored with 48 seconds left for the win.

And then the Sugar Bowl happened. A month of every news outlet and every talking head saying that Utah had no chance against MIGHTY ALABAMA. Over the month of prep Utah came up with two things. One, they decided to start the game with the ball since not deferring was unheard of in those days. Either they win the toss and keep the ball or Alabama defers. Two, they pretended to run hurry up by getting to the line which didn’t allow Bama to substitute. Then they did the everyone look to the sidelines for the play which I won’t claim they invented but I don’t remember seeing utilized before. Utah also came out attacking Bama’s defense with the quick passing game which Bama wasn’t prepared for. 21-zip after 1 quarter. Gave up a Punt Return TD and field goal to make it 21-10 at half. Cut to Barry Switzer for the halftime show who had spent the whole pregame chat talking about how Bama was going to hang half a hundred on Utah. Obviously stunned, he was asked whether his opinion had changed. Switzer damn near screamed NO and my screenname was born. 31-17 in a game that was nowhere near as close as the final score.

Sorry for the book

[SalUteopia]

Book? Tomes could be written, and I would still read. Can’t remember how many times I’ve watched the Sugar Bowl highlights, and I’ve heard/read so many things about the revolutionary 2004 O. Goosebumps! How I wish I could experience both those seasons!

[2008 National Champ]

There’s someone on here who keeps torrents of games and has a pretty good library of past seasons. I’m not coming up with his username right now. I was able to go back and watch the 1988 Utah-parochial school game which was the last game I saw in Salt Lake.

I had the site bookmarked but I’ve changed computers since then.

[Charlie]

Actually there was more in common with the two seasons. I was lucky enough to attend most games each year including the bowl games. Both teams had uncommon QBs that fans come to trust completely regardless of score. Both teams could bit you with anyone across the depth chart. Both teams could shapeshift a game plan. But yes the 2004 offense was clearly the best of the two and was better at keeping the opponent at a distance. Oddly, I was there for the OSU and TCU games and enjoyed them both immensely but both games required you to deal with stress in a way that was mostly missing in 2004. Both seasons delivered satisfaction. At the Fiesta Bowl, most Pittsburgh were arrogant but I read them as nervous pregame. At the Sugar Bowl, Alabama fans were extremely friendly and confident pregame. Because of the similar number of losses, over time, the two seasons come to have more in common than any other two seasons for some fans.

[SalUteopia]

I love to hear the firsthand experiences of different fans who got to witness these seasons. Is there such a thing as living vicariously through someone, but applied to the past?!

[SalUteopia]

UW O is a thing of beauty. Wouldn’t be surprised if they win it all.

[ReconUte]

I’ve seen enough of Washington now to know they will absolutely demolish us! Facts!!

[2008 National Champ]

The Utah defense is capable of holding them under 30. Won’t matter if they don’t get help from the offense.

[2008 National Champ]

All credit to Arizona for keeping in the game. 1st and goal from going down 38-17 to a quick score making it 31-24. They’ve also stuck with their “nothing gets past us” defense to burn clock and keep the score down.

I think Utah will do better at pressuring the QB but Arizona’s O Line is playing well tonight.

Penix just made enough plays to overcome a rough night for the Washington D.

[SalUteopia]

I watched the whole game. The UA QB, Fifita, played great for a redshirt freshman’s 1st start. How come our QBs aren’t performing at least ~70% of that level?! Granted Fifita has amazing WRs to “throw” to, and a good OL, but still..

[2008 National Champ]

I wasn’t impressed with either teams pass rush as both QB’s were sitting in rocking chairs most of the game waiting for someone to come open. Fifita played well but i don’t think he would have fared any better than Moore did against Utah or Johnson did against OSU if you traded him out.

That being said, both offenses schemes were designed to keep defenders from stacking the box and they both called design runs and quick passes to the perimeter. The whole point of modern offenses is to scheme so that you are at minimum no worse than even numbers at the point of attack.

The 2021 version of Washington ran a similar offense to what Utah is this year. Runs to the A and B gaps no matter the D alignment, passes in the box, screens in the box. Washington went 4-8 with largely the same personnel as their 11 win team last year and however they end up this year. Penix deserves a lot of credit, especially for his willingness to throw 50/50 balls and let his receivers make plays, but the new scheme is also worth a ton. You don’t go from 21.5 ppg to 39.7 in a year just because of a QB. Just like you shouldn’t got from 38.6 to 19.2 like Utah has this year.

[Author]

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