Charlie

I think the stadiums on road games will not be a big factor. It is so helpful that both the offense and defense set callers have already experienced getting everyone lined up and in assignment before in hostel and loud stadiums. The only exception is QB2 which is common and Loma. I expect Loma is getting much attention and is working with the LG.…[Read more]

George Patton reminds us the other side has a plan also. I don’t simply expect us to roll thru the season without issues but I think we start the season with an above average number of things going for us. We need to do as well as everyone else, finish in the top two and win the CCG to go to the playoffs for the first time. That makes the playoffs…[Read more]

Last I heard he was an expected mid season return, maybe late season. I have no idea if he could take a year off and come back later. If it is indeed a long season with multiple post season games, he will be a great help for keeping the LBs fresh.

I wonder how much Lohner will help. I expect he will be playing football into January, may not practice with the BB team much any sooner. With the time he put into summer getting ready for fall practice with FB he is setting up for a long busy year. It helps that he is older and has played a lot of college BB.

It does not work to simply give all As. However, I think there may not be any let up when QB2 comes in. We may have the best QB2 that we have had in years. The OL may not be an A but I don’t expect them to hold us back. We will be happier with the RBs mid season than we are currently. The LBer group will be A+ when Damuni returns at some point.…[Read more]

Bernard is a very capable back. His last year, 2022, he had a pitch count but was effective when in. I think he is somewhere between the 2022 workload and a bit more. He is as good as any at picking up a blitz. So I expect to see others involved a bunch. Glover has not excited us to date, I need to see if the reports of improvement translate to…[Read more]

Question on Lohner. Does he have 2 years of football. I’m thinking 2020 is a mulligan because of Covid and also thinking changing sports provides a fifth year.

I agree. The list has been around for several years. If you revisit this preseason list in November you will see that maybe a couple of Y players would pernitrate the Utah starters plus 8 or 10. But I also note that Hans and Scotty don’t ever try to do the list at the end of the season. Keeping the perception of parity up somewhat.

Having grown up in Provo I had the experience of attending the Y for my freshman year in addition to graduating from the U. With the Institute at the U, it is possible to attend the U and experience every good aspect of the Y down to every devotional or religion class. That is all but one thing, Free Agency, which allows one to choose between good…[Read more]

Whoever takes on QB for the scout team also has a plan to allow them to compete for QB1 the following year. With the scout team assignment there continues to be an opportunity to learn more of the Utah offence along the way. There is nothing wrong about scout team QB the first year. The scout team QB will have enough Utah playbook down to get spot…[Read more]

I also agree with No Worries here. Wilson and Huard both know and accept this is Rising’s year, I believe. Next year’s QB is expected to take this season, the spring, and possibly ’25 fall camp to resolve. I don’t believe this year’s late game QB will impact that much. Only the need for a starter for some games this season will strain the…[Read more]

I agree California needs the US as much as the US needs California. California and the West Coast very much will need to make corrections, especially in education, to gain back their awesome previous advantages.

It may be hard to find the single or key reason for failure because their were several. However, I do agree that California mishandled…[Read more]

The Big 12 and B1G now have more inventory, however, the Pac 12 inventory disappeared. I think it will be a wash.

I agree. The Pac 12 always had about 3 teams with a better defense than the best in the Big 12. Usually included OSU, Oregon, and Wash. The Big 12 has had better offenses top to bottom than the Pac 12 however the best Pac 12 offenses kept pace with the best Big 12 even running against better defenses for the most part.

Utah and Whitt has always…[Read more]

I was trying to remember, was it last year or the year before that Bernard was on a pitch count. Either way, he is clearly our most versatile back but it would be a new development if he is healthy to be an every down back. One reason he may come close is he is awesome at blocking and picking up a blitz in protection.

I also have a good relationship with every Y fan I know.

I began my career, ’79, working downtown SLC for an engineering firm. At that time, even in SLC, there were at least a dozen Y fans for every Ute fan at work. I have no idea why other than dominance in FB over the 70s. Y fans did not hate us, they simply did not care. That same firm matched…[Read more]

I also think the split can slip to 60/40 as the offense opens up. I think Whitt may play a bit more loose with the change of conference. So many more coaches he does not have history with and so few years to worry about later payback. But as Whitt begins to sunset his goals have changed from bowl games and conference championships to deep runs in…[Read more]

Yassmin had the advantage of multiple years to learn football which, in his case, was needed. Lohner, as has been confirmed, has incredible athleticism. I expect that he will be able to learn several sets at a time and can be used at the goal line. I expect his key will be how fast he adjusts to and accepts football level contact. I am encouraged,…[Read more]

Kyle and Fred before him, were early adopters of deeper rotations on the D Line. I trust the coaches to take full advantage of deeper talent and rotate the DL and be fresher and stronger than opponents late in the games and late in the year. It also increases preparation for opponent OL personnel. Each of their guys get several of our guys.

Skills are one puzzle piece, coaching is another. Sometimes they fit together and things happen. Sometimes one piece does not fit with the other and not much happens. If we are lucky the fit is there. I do trust the DB coaches to make the best fit with the players they have.