stbone

The bowl games aren’t meaningless, but the 23 FSU players opting out of an NY6 bowl tells you that the games don’t mean nearly what they used to.

Other than the playoffs, bowl games are now just exhibition games. Of course you want to look good and you use it to develop your upcoming players, but with the opt-outs, the result of many bowls don’t…[Read more]

Here is the link to his 4.74 40 run:
https://www.nfl.com/videos/tavion-thomas-runs-40-yard-dash-at-2023-combine

His race is likely a huge factor in his lack of recruitment. In fairness, if he is truly a 4.5 40, that isn’t a middling time for a college (or NFL) running back. (At the combine, Zach Moss was 4.65 and TT was 4.75)

His hudl highlights aren’t lights-out in any athletic category. He has good speed (enough to attack the edge of defenses), but not awesome speed (He isn’t getting run down, but he isn’t blowing DB’s away either). He doesn’t show great highlight-reel shiftiness, but is almost never met square by any tackler. He doesn’t demonstrate great power, but…[Read more]

I 100% agree with most of what you said. I am still mourning the PAC12 because of the trajectory that Utah was on. Given another 5-10 years in the PAC, and I think we would have solidified ourselves as the next Oregon (a non-blue blood school working into the top tier of teams).

IF the super league drastically cuts back on the portal and such,…[Read more]

I can understand that perspective, but why don’t you just watch the NFL?

By choosing to watch college, you are accepting that you will be watching lower-quality football than you could be watching. But, some of the reasons for making that choice are the traditions, the excitement of watching players develop, and the excitement that, frankly,…[Read more]

Honestly, I don’t know if I want Utah to be part of that super league. College football was more fun 10 years ago, and there is a chance that teams that get left out will revert back to something closer to what we had.

I think NIL will make it nearly impossible to keep a 2nd QB who is nearly ready. I think you will have situations like we will have next year with a high-ceiling freshman and a multiple-redshirt backup who may grow into the real deal. But, I can’t imagine a scenario (without a season ending injury) where any high-ceiling QB decides to sit and wait…[Read more]

For what we are, I think we do a shockingly good job recruiting HS QBs. (Travis Wilson is listed as a 96-four star QB)

I think the problem is that we can’t recruit enough high-ranking volume to consistently develop QBs. Putting it a bit differently, so many top recruits don’t pan out at QB, and so to consistently get top notch QB play, you…[Read more]

Since we are in the truck stop conference, can we get naked lady mud flaps with the drum and feather? Or maybe drum and feather truck nuts?

With their money situation, they are lucky to get him.

It is funny seeing all of the UA fans dogging on Jedd Fisch going to Washington. The real bad-men in this story are the administrators, just like in the PAC12 story. I don’t know how you accidentally lose 250 million dollars, but when you do, it has consequences. Losing your head coach is…[Read more]

You don’t think Vele being the top target boosts his numbers? 70 receptions on the year is around 1.3 more receptions a game more than he had in 2022 as the number 2 target.

That is a really good point. Watching him play in college was both extremely satisfying and infuriating.

I don’t doubt that this was the best group of 10 OL we have had. I think our problem lay in the fact that none of our starters was lights-out dominant. I am hoping Fano/Lomu will develop into that.

Not bias, but adjusted for circumstance, and I should have added that to my comment.

To clarify, Vele had 43 receptions with no quarterback. So, our offense is so receiver unfriendly that Vele got to about 75% of a top receiver’s production without a quarterback. My point is further bolstered by the fact that, as the #2 target, Vele had 55…[Read more]

Maybe he should go to a top passing offense like USC in 2023 or 2022, where their top receivers had 59 receptions for the year. With only 59 receptions on the year, I am sure Jordan Addison had no chance to get drafted. Lol.

This trope that Utah is receiver unfriendly is ridiculous and not true. We are not, and won’t be Washington State, but Vele…[Read more]

I really like what I see from Tao. He has better speed and physicality than Blackmon did. Tao has the physical tools to be a star at FS.

Broughton ranks in my mind next to RJ Hubert for having massive potential destroyed by injury. In 2020, starting next to Phillips, it seemed that Broughton was the better CB. He never seemed the same after the injury in 2021.

I agree 100% that Johnson has a much higher FS ceiling than either Ritchie or Hall. The thing that keeps me thinking that he might end up at outside CB is that outside CB is more valuable than FS. I think it becomes a tricky decision as to where Johnson plays, depending on what the next best player is showing. I hope we find a good enough outside…[Read more]

We could probably get him for cheap.