[Holladay Ute]

What Joel Klatt said about it is how I feel about it. I think that call could go either way and is ultimately a subjective flag in a gray area. Obviously, as a Utah fan, I’m biased to think that this is a super ticky-tacky call. I feel like plays like this happen all the time in football. A BYU fan will say it’s a “textbook” hold. Clearly, it’s not obvious in either direction…

And so the biggest problem (and ultimately why Utah is so upset) is that it wasn’t consistent w/ how the game was called all night long (or all season). Plenty of plays where BYU defenders created contact earlier in the game. Plenty of plays where Utah defenders created contact earlier in the game (which Sitake even admitted). How can you let them play that way all night, but not allow it on the last drive (play) of the game?

All that said, credit to BYU for putting together a clutch drive to get the last second FG. Utah still had the opportunity to stop them (although that call was a huge momentum shift in favor of BYU). And if Utah’s offense could’ve mustered one first down when the defense gave them great field position multiple times late in the game, they could’ve put it away.

[Holladay Ute]

The terrible performance from the O-line probably decimated Ludwig’s entire game plan. I would imagine he was counting on being able to run the ball at least somewhat efficiently (say around 5 yards per carry). Instead, they gave him less than 3 yards per carry and allowed 4 sacks. To a bad defense. That’s just impossible for anybody to overcome w/ a true freshman QB.

That said, this game was some of the worst play calling I think we’ve ever seen (and that’s saying a lot). The first half was particularly heinous. I feel like everybody and their grandma knew what we were going to do and where we were going to do it. And then when the game is on the line on 4th & 5, we naturally send all our receivers deep b/c that’s just what we do w/ our true freshman QB.

At the end of the day, you can’t put up 7 points and punt 11 times against one of the worst defenses in our conference and then keep your job. He needs to be fired. We are much better than this from a talent standpoint.

[Holladay Ute]

This is definitely our worst team since the Mountain West days.

[Holladay Ute]

I wouldn’t be surprised if they were a little frustrated and second guessing some things, but this seems overblown to me. The Wilson family wasn’t even expecting Isaac to play this year. You’re telling me they’re mad that he had to play against Oklahoma State and Arizona? No way. Isaac himself has said, “I prepare to play every week as if I am going to be the starter.” I can definitely understand them being frustrated about Isaac not playing against ASU, but now he’s getting the full reigns. If they’re confused and frustrated about how a really weird and unique situation was handled, I think that’s something Whittingham and Co. can overcome w/ them.

Also, would I trust some random BYU commit or what Whitt said (and Isaac himself confirmed): that he found out 20 minutes before the game during a team meeting after warm-ups? https://www.deseret.com/sports/2024/09/21/isaac-wilson-told-20-minutes-before-the-game-he-was-starting-helps-utes-to-22-19-win-at-oklahoma-state/

[Holladay Ute]

Also, I’ll clarify that I’m obviously not arguing that the coaching staff hasn’t made some of the biggest head-scratching mistakes you’ve ever seen in the last couple of weeks.

But you’re telling me that Isaac’s parents are communicating to and confiding in an 18-year-old how they’re feeling about the team that their son is currently playing for and now starting for (and what they want to do in the future even though they haven’t even seen this season play out)? I doubt it. I’m sure they were frustrated during the game. Probably visibly upset. I would’ve been too. In the heat of the moment Friday night, I was ready to sell my season tickets for the rest of this year. It’ll settle in. We’ll finish out this year, hopefully w/ some good momentum. He’s our future QB. I bet all of this will be water under the bridge after this season. Whitt can look Wilson’s parents in the eye and say, “I screwed up what was a really tough and unique situation for me to handle. I’m sorry to put Isaac is some unfair situations. And I’m sorry I didn’t play him against ASU, I wish I had. This was a situation that I very likely won’t ever have to face again. But I learned some things that’ve made me better. Isaac is our QB and we’re going to build the team around him now (and we already have for half a season).” End of story.

[Holladay Ute]

I’m not sure what to think. They’re obviously doing the right thing and so I’m happy we’re finally moving forward decisively. I just worry it’s too little, too late. They should’ve made this decision at halftime against ASU. Everybody knew that (each of us, Dorian Singer, Brant Kuithe, everyone at ASU, etc.). If they had, we might still control our own destiny.

We can still salvage this season such that we don’t lose the momentum our program has been building for the past decade plus, but it depends on A) if Whitt hasn’t lost the locker room, B) if our defense can get healthy, and C) most importantly if we can find enough improvement in the red zone.

It might sound ludicrous but I still think the talent on our roster (ex-Cam) is capable of beating any of the teams left on our schedule. Our odds of making the B12 title game at this point are so low that it’s not even worth hoping for. Take it one game at a time from here. Fortunately, we have a couple relatively easier games and then another bye before the biggest game of the year. My hope (which I understand is a hope) is that we can win 8 games and beat BYU at home. With my reset expectations, I would consider that type of season a huge win.

[Holladay Ute]

I don’t buy this. You’re telling me some random former NFL referee re-watched the entire game and graded every route just b/c? And he didn’t find a single route where similar contact was made, i.e. the refs were perfect in what is the most difficult part of the game to referee? Has there ever been a game anywhere where referees perfectly officiated WR/DB coverage? Bull crap. From the rest of his tweets, it’s pretty clear that he was up in arms about the referee criticism from Harlan and Whitt in their postgame comments. If he actually did re-watch the entire game (I doubt it), he did it w/ a biased set of eyes and found what he was looking for (like we all are). His opinion is subjective and biased like all of us. I just barely watched a few minutes of replay highlights on YouTube and I already found multiple plays that look similar to me (handsy contact from both teams). Everyone is gonna have an opinion. If the roles were reversed here, BYU fans would be outraged as well.

[Holladay Ute]

Lucky win. OSU should’ve blitzed more to make him get the ball out faster. I can’t believe they let that slip away.

Man, I freaking hate BYU. The stars have aligned for them so far this year. Favorable schedule. Minimal injuries. Seem to catch a lot of breaks (OSU injuries, converting on 4th & 8, etc.). Give them credit, but they’re definitely not as good as their record indicates. Utah had/has to beat them either way, but we really have to hope UCF or ASU can beat them.

[Holladay Ute]

Every school has a level of prestige. Didn’t you play any of the NCAA video games haha??? I didn’t say Utah is a “prestigious” school. I just said that they’re more prestigious than BYU…which I think is true at this point in time.

I am surprised that everyone on here is saying BYU has a better program than Utah. A program is built over years and decades. 6 games (or one year or two years) doesn’t do it. If BYU is better than us for the next three years, then I will start to concede that they have a better program.

[Holladay Ute]

These are fair points. But…
1) Kalani Sitake isn’t exactly a great HC. He’s been mediocre at best during his entire BYU tenure. And I’d be surprised if the age factor was that important.
2) I agree, they wouldn’t give him the $2M right away, but I bet it’d be more than the $1M he’s making at BYU. And if they really wanted him, I think they’d make it happen. I am pretty confident Utah will be willing to spend up to find a promising DC. They can’t afford to lose momentum if Whitt steps down. And aren’t they in a great place from a financial standpoint?
3) Yes, but I don’t think one year (or 6 games haha) is enough. Like I said, they had a great year in 2020. Were they the better program that all recruits, coaching staff, etc. wanted to flip to suddenly? Heck, Utah’s conference didn’t even let them play more than a few games that year. I think it takes much more than a year. You (and other people your age) might remember BYU’s glory days, but recruits these days don’t. And Utah has a lot more it can say about it’s 5 year trajectory than BYU can. I think anybody who’s been following college football closely for the last five years would hands down agree that Utah is a stronger program.

[Author]

Posts