What I hope the team/coaches are working on for Az St.

[BleedsRedUte]

1. The Pass rush of the Ute’s front 4 hasn’t been adequate. Pressure, and Sacks are needed. I don’t know about O’Toole coming back for the next game, but even with him, I think Scalley is going to have to start using well disguised Blitz packages. It may allow a big play, but they have been gouged by letting the opposing QB have time to pass.
Bring the Blitz!

2. Provide a better game plan of plays for Wilson. Opposing teams have Blitzed with a corner, linebacker, or more. He is a Freshman QB so I understand the opposing DC doing this, and it is what Arizona St. will do (see Kansas game). So Ludwig has to have some screens, quick passes, even some RPO plays for Wilson. Also, they have this bye week to prepare the QB. Decide early, not game time, and give Wilson or Rising the majority of the plays in practice.

Also, it has been hurting the Utes that there is no Big 230 lb. plus back for converting third downs, and hopefully breaking off some long runs. They supposedly converted a linebacker to running back, but I haven’t seen him.
They used Kuithe to run the ball only once that I remember. But it was good for a short yardage touchdown.
Put Kuithe in as the running back more often, especially third down and short!

3. The linebackers have been less than Stellar. I hope Reid can play, but we just need some improvement in the current backers, especially Barton. Barton in the experience guy, but has lost a step and hasn’t always got into the right position. I would play him in the middle now to mainly stop the run and passes over the middle.

I would say the cornerbacks and safeties are playing pretty solid. Its hard for any back to cover without better pressure and sacks of the opposing QB.

The Tackles on Defense are good, both the starters and two deep guys. Tafuna and Tanuvasa have been solid, and the two deep of Vimahi, Fotu, and Pepa have allowed a good rotation that helps keep them fresh. Keep up the good work!

I am glad to have Utehub to be able to express my opinions. Go Utes!!

[Ghost of the HEB]

Not utilizing the Kuithe wildcat in RZ short-yardage situations against Arizona was a failure. He was a good HS RB and just loves to run through peoples’ faces.

[Tony (admin)]

He was banged up in the game though. Maybe they didn’t want to make it worse.

[Rick Walker]

I was thinking the same thing, I 100% expected the kuithe wildcat on that second fourth and two, especially considering Wilson got banged up a bit the play before.

What I’ve been wondering is what’s stopping us from doing it with one of our bigger tight ends? Why not put Carsen Ryan in as a fullback type thing and run him up the gut, he seems like he could be a powerful runner if need be.

[Jim Vanderhoof]

Good points bleedsred. Our front four is not applying QB pressure. Hall got a couple pressures blitzing. Last year Barton was a beast blitzing. I don’t remember seeing him pressure the QB at all. Lack of big running back has been missed in the short yardage situations.

ASU has a young mobile QB that can hurt you with his legs and arm. Put pressure on him to make quick decisions. He made some mistakes against Kansas.

[ProudUte]

Bleeds, I agree with everything you posted except about our defensive backs. Our safeties are doing a poor job of tackling and general run-game support.

Otherwise, it was a great post!!!

[BleedsRedUte]

I appreciate all the replies and thoughts. I don’t pretend to be an expert, but just form opinions based on what I have seen in games so far. Hope Whit and company can identify the problem areas and build toward correcting them. Go Utes!!

[Miles E.]

#2 is what cost us the AZ game. We saw a lack of set plays for Wilson and a lack of running plays. We expected Wilson to pick apart their secondary using his reads, but he was being blitzed all game long. He clearly wasn’t ready and the receivers weren’t getting open.

If Wilson is the starter, he should be getting all the reps this week and running set plays that will get the ball out quick. Ludwig needs to be more creative after knowing Wilson’s limitations. If we do this, I think we win big at AZ State. Barnard will need to have a big game as well.

[Miles E.]

If this team doesn’t come out focused and angry on Friday, then we have serious motivational issues. Arizona played angry and with a purpose last week coming off their embarrassment at Kansas State. We need to see this from our guys this weekend. Go Utes!!

[Yergensen]

Even after a bye week we have a top 15 RB in CFB averaging over 6 ypc. When MB is in the backfield defenses don’t know run/pass.

The problem with short yardage situations is Lud brings in Mitchell and runs him between tackles every time. Defenses know what we are going to do given the personnel on the field and they load the line.

Even if we had a better “big” back to bring in for short yardage, we would still be tipping the play.

Using MB in short yardage is the simple solution here. Use the guy who is just as likely to go out for a pass, pass block or if he does run is averaging 6 ypc. Stop tipping your plays with situational short yardage personnel and running into walls.

[Jim Vanderhoof]

I agree yerg with Mitchell coming in on short yardage.The other team knows what’s coming. Seems faking it to Mitchell and using him as decoy might be an option equal to or better than using MB as a decoy.

I still prefer a bigger back in our case maybe a tight end in shotgun. Rising was effective faking the handoff and getting 1 or 2 yrds with his size and strength. Wilson is too small to run that option. The Wilson fake and run option was a disaster against Arizona.

[Yergensen]

When we had to close out the OK St game and they knew what was coming, MB got the tough yards. Getting short yards might be helped with size, but it’s better to find a crease in the wall and hit it quick than slam into the wall.

Put your best back on the field, who also doesn’t have to tip your play.

As long as Lud can go back to using MB in the pass game instead of his fixed player designations, we will be less predictable. Likewise with Stanley, Lohner. Have to use them in more than specific situations to reduce predictability. I don’t see any juice to Mitchell to make him more usable, he’s a liability right now.

Instead, Lud has designated MB as primary back, Stanley as pass catching back and Mitchell as short yardage back. If we know this, so does the competition.

[Jim Vanderhoof]

I can’t argue with MB being our toughest back. I would rather roll the dice with him more than the others. Lohner and Stanley are dead ringers for certain plays. I don’t know the answers but after 5 games something needs to change. Maybe fake the run and let Wilson roll out with a pass run option or shotgun with Kuithe? Maybe Pepas version of refrigerator Perry?

[UteRapidJazz]

Completely agree on point #1.

We have become too reliant on a 4 man rush getting pressure on the QB. We have not done this well enough and it’s time to dial up some blitz this Friday! Hope Connor is back but we can’t allow these QBs to just sit back there and get comfortable.

[Author]

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