We strayed from the K-Whitt formula in 2017 and went 7-6

[Ute Dub]

The last time Utah wasn’t top 3 in rushing in conference was 2017 when Utah was 6th and went 7-6 under Troy Taylor. This year Utah is 10th in the conference in rushing

Since 2017 Utah has been top 1-2 in rushing each year except last season at 3rd, and I’m excluding the shortened Covid year.

So I know we’re p**sed about the QB play, but the formula that helps the defense, and shortens the game, via the running game is what is missing. 10th hurts. That’s not the Utah football that I’m used to watching. Perhaps it was folly by the coaches to think we could have Cam’s arm carry us….OR PERHAPS THEY KNEW THE RUNNING GAME JUST WASNT THERE from the get go. Anyway, lots of blame to go around, but we just don’t have the horses in the backfield…the OL has graded decent in the run game. Not so much in the pass game.

[2008 National Champ]

2017 was also a completely new OLine after the 2016 crew all went to the league.

[Ute Dub]

Why aren’t we running the ball this year?

[2008 National Champ]

It’s not for lack of effort. 32.3 passes/ 35.4 runs per game. About 3 plays closer to 50/50 than norm but not completely out of line. To me, the question would be why isn’t Utah running the ball better this year?

Defenses not respecting Utah’s throw game, only one effective back, Utah’s interior O line not being adept at run blocking, TE’s not helping in the run game, formations/personnel tipping pitches.

It is some combination of those 5 things. Weigh according to your own perception and you probably won’t be wrong.

[Ute Dub]

Wrong. We don’t have a stud RB. Jaquinden and his 10 TD’s in the first 6 games will go to the league, as did Vaki, as did Moss, as did Booker.

Bernard isn’t hurting linebackers and wearing them down, his frame is too light. I love the kid, but he’s just not that NFL back. We passed 50 times against Houston and ran the ball 26 times. The coaches know we don’t have the running backs.

10th IN THE CONFERENCE in rushing, down from top 2. We don’t have the running backs. Cam took 70% of the NIL so we couldn’t pay Jaquinden.

We don’t have that guy.

[2008 National Champ]

so everything else I named is just fine and the only problem is that Bernard isn’t 230 pounds?

[Ute Dub]

Thomas 230. Jackson 235. Moss 220, Booker 220. Bernard 205. But it’s not his weight. He’s not a stout back. His frame isn’t built to punish a linebacker. His frame is to play a change of pace back or play a DB.

[Trailgoat]

Agree UD. Huge Bernard fan. He’s been put in a crappy situation and keeps grinding. Bernard’s role at Utah has mostly been the 2 or 3 back in the rotation adding more of a pass threat with solid run capability. Solid blitz pick up blocker in pass pro. Every down bell cow RB carrying the ball 20+ times a game is not his jam. Problem compounded by the lack of support at RB. Mitchell and Woods would have been a huge help carrying some of load, but of course like every position group at Utah injuries have kept them out. I have no idea what happen to Stanley and is Wood still on the team?

Interested to see what spills out from players after the season. Wondering if handling of the Rising NIL thing is impacting team morale in the locker room more than advertised. Clearly there’s something going on with player morale completely out of the coaches control. Been through plenty of losing seasons back to the 90s, this has to be the weirdest and unfortunately Utah has three ranked teams coming up and a trip to UCF. This season cannot end fast enough. Not flinching in my support for Utah. Its just one of those seasons better off missing the bowl game to put this one in the rear view mirror.

[jshame17]

Glover looked good and is fresh after riding the line for the first half the season.

He looked good in his limited carries and then didn’t touch the ball after middle of the 3rd quarter.

Coaches, again, not using tools at their disposal. I bet they were going all in on the passing game, and Glover is probably considered a liability in pass protection.

Also since our interior lineman are not good, I do not understand why we are trying to run up the middle constantly. Test edges and run off tackle, but the TEs being pedestrian is probably the issue

[CityCreekUte]

It’s not MB fault that we don’t have other backs on the roster that can compliment him / carry some of the load. You can’t blame an airplane for not being a truck it just doesn’t work that way. He has done exceptionally well this year given that defenses are stacked against him, and he’s being asked to run a lot of times in a style that isn’t aligned with his talents.

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