SB Nation - Brian Johnson

All Signs Point to Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen Entering NFL Draft

Jeremy Mauss — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:19:24 -0000

This is what you get on Thanksgiving since I am at the hospital with my wife who just had our second kid: more posts to pass the time. I Need something to pass the time between her sleeping and updates from the doctors.

This is about Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen and on the suffer may seem to not apply here, but it affects Utah since the Utes play the Domers next year in a one and done in front of touchdown Jesus.

First, is the inevitable that Charlie Weis is nearly all but fired which is now creating a domino effect within the program. Now it appears that QB Jimmy Clausen is jetting to the NFL as well, and the first clue was when the Clausen family put up and then sold their house this past week.

The next domino is WR Golden Tate who is a draft eligible stud receiver who is the second rated wide receier and 32nd overall prospect according to SB Nation's Mocking The Draft. The Irish offense was their glue and besides that Clausen and Tate are more then gone the Irish also lose two senior offensive line man who look to be drafted in the NFL: Center Eric Olsen and tackle Sam Young.

To make matters worse the quarterback situation for the Irish might be up in the air next year because current backup and only rostered scholarship quarterback Dayne Crist tore his ACL. The injury happened back on Halloween against Washington State in a 40-14 blowout by the Irish. Notre Dame realistically could be looking at starting a true freshman for next season if Crist's knee is not completely healed and the front runner is four star verbal commit Andrew Hendrix. I am not sure on the rules of enrolling early at Notre Dame, but if Hendrix is able to be on campus in January to compete in spring drills then the quarterback situation might be a little more stable.

Switching back to Utah, former QB Brian Johnson tore his ACL in mid November and while he could have played the following year he would not have been the same player. The Utes were lucky enough to have a decent backup in Brett Ratliff to take over for Brian Johnson so his knee could fully recover. Ratliff was an upperclassmen with experience unlike the potential freshman replacement by Notre Dame, and is in the NFL as a backup for the Cleveland Browns.

Utah makes the trip to South Bend 54 weeks after Dayne Crist's injury for the matchup of the second week of November. It is feasible that Crist will play, but how will the knee hold up. This Notre Dame will be completely different from the top to bottom with the NFL defections, the impending coaching changes, and do not forget the possibility of transfers that go along with a new coach.

Favorite Holy War

JazzyUte — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:50:35 -0000

I'm sure many Ute fans hold a special place in their hearts for 2004 and 2008 because of how much was on the line. I can't deny those were exceptional and enjoyable games because of how thoroughly dominant Utah was. I am the type of fan who enjoys Utah thumping the hell out of BYU over winning in the closing seconds. Mostly because I can relax a bit and soak in the entire experience. That's something you might not be able to do when the game is on the line. Which has happened often in this rivalry recently.

In fact, outside of 2004 and 2008, there hasn't been one blowout this decade. Each game generally comes down to the final seconds and one or two plays ultimately decides the outcome. That was the case when Utah last tripped to Provo and I expect a similar scenario this time around (though with a Utah win, of course).

Those blowouts have been enjoyable because they're so rare and it's always nice to have blowout bragging rights to go along with victory bragging rights. BYU hasn't had that feeling since 1996 - a game they easily won over a depleted Utah team in Salt Lake City.

With that said, even though easy victories are better mentally for me, my favorite Holy War is probably one of the closest in the history of the series. It was also one of the hardest to sit through because of how the entire game played out.

My favorite Holy War happened when Utah shocked BYU in overtime back in 2005.

Brett Ratliff came up huge against BYU in 2005. Will Jordan Wynn do the same?

It's at the top because the Utes were given no chance to win. If you remember, Brian Johnson and John Madsen went down against the Lobos the week before. Utah had lost statistically its best receiver and its quarterback prior to the biggest game of the season.

But it wasn't just the injuries or the fact they were such big underdogs that makes this game so memorable. It's memorable in my mind because Utah needed that win. They were 5-5 entering that game and a loss would have assured them of their first losing season since 2002. All that good created in the two years Urban Meyer had been coach was about to go up in smoke.

Of course, it didn't. The Utes raced to a big halftime lead and held off a huge BYU rally to win in overtime. The ending, which was nearly the exact opposite of the finish we saw a year later at Rice-Eccles Stadium, is still one of the best in rivalry history.

I was there. I remember the moments leading up to that final play like it was yesterday. When John Beck's pass fell incomplete - there was total bedlam. The whole Utah section erupted in cheers and hugs and it was hard to imagine a few hours prior not many thought a moment like that was possible.

But it was. The Utes left Provo with a huge win in the rivalry and nearly pulled off a similar stunner a year later. That didn't end the way any of us wanted, but the fact Utah was even in that game on the final play was just as remarkable as their win a year earlier.

This go around is different. BYU and Utah, like in 2007, are very similar teams. The Cougars are 9-2 with one blowout loss to TCU. The Utes are 9-2 with one blowout loss to TCU. This is probably the first time in a long time both teams have been so equal among each other. There aren't any significant injuries (unless you count Harvey Unga) like the last time they met in Provo (Brian Johnson wasn't 100%) and though a conference championship isn't on the line this time around, I'm expecting another game we're talking about years from now.

Hopefully we're doing it with a smile.

What's your favorite Holy War memory?

No. 4 TCU and No. 16 Utah Meet With BCS and Conference Championship On The Line

Michael Rueckert — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:55:12 -0000

More photos » by Lenny Ignelzi - AP

Browse more photos »

Next Game

Utah Utes
@ TCU Horned Frogs

Saturday, Nov 14, 2009, 4:30 PM PST
Amon G. Carter Stadium

TV: CBS College Sports

Twenty Point Line for TCU is Ludicrous

posted by Jeremy Mauss about 11 hours ago

9 comments | 0 recs

ESPN's GameDay Making Third Appearance to the Mountain West With Visit to TCU

posted by Jeremy Mauss 3 days ago

15 comments | 1 rec

Complete Coverage >

Last year the Salt Lake Tribune headline read "Biggest Game Ever," when TCU and Utah met This season may be even bigger as BCS rated No. 16 Utah and No. 4 TCU are set to square off in what could be the biggest game in Mountain West Conference football history. TCU is looking to overcome its last major hurdle in its route to the BCS and possibly a national championship. Utah meanwhile, is trying to keep their BCS hopes alive. ESPN College GameDay will be on hand, with the entire nation tuning into this Mountain West showdown between Top 15 schools.

Did I mention this game is huge? TCU has sold out their stadium for the first time since 2006. TCU is finally getting the support that it deserves from Fort Worth, who's getting excited for this game. The mayor of Fort Worth is declaring Friday "Go Purple Day" for TCU, where everyone in the city is supposed to wear purple to show their support for their Frogs.

The Horned Frogs will also be sporting new uniforms on Saturday courtesy of Nike. Expect a BCS-type atmosphere at Amon G Carter Stadium on Saturday for a game that should decide who will win the Mountain West in 2009.

No. 4 TCU is playing extremely good football right now. Ever since a 20-17 victory over Air Force, the undefeated Horned Frogs have outscored their opponents 178 to 25, including a 31 point beat down over BYU. Their team has no weaknesses that are visible. Third year starting quarterback Andy Dalton has developed into an outstanding leader for TCU who ranks fourth in the country in quarterback efficiency.

Dalton in his career has struggled against the Utes. In 2007 and 2008 Dalton threw for a combined six interceptions and zero touchdowns, completing just 32% of his passes. Andy Dalton this season is much improved, but the Utah defense could give him fits once again.

The Utah defense once again is very strong this season. They have held every team that they have played under 17 points scoring, except for Oregon. The Utes are going to need an outstanding performance from their defense if to help take pressure off their young offense.

Offensively, TCU is all about the run. They feature three backs using Joseph Turner, Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker. Each back has over 400 yards on the season, led by senior Joseph Turner with 560 yards on 5.1 yards per carry. Kyle Whittingham in his weekly press conferences talked about the TCU rushing attack:

The run game at TCU is the best in the conference. You look at yards per carry --which I have said is the real barometer-- and they lead the conference in yards per carry. They are very committed to the run. When you can run the ball like they do, it sets up the throw game, particularity the play action throw game.

The Utah offense has been up and down all season long. After close win after close win over mediocre teams, Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham made a major change. True freshman Jordan Wynn replaced Terrance Cain as the team's starting quarterback.

Since the change, the Ute offense has rolled. With only two games of experience under his belt, Wynn is coming into the TCU game confident in what he calls "the biggest game of my life." Wynn however, hasn't faced a defense even close to the level of the TCU's stifling D. He must remain patient and poised if he wants to have any luck against this team.

Everyone knows that TCU has a great defense. With All-American Jerry Hughes at defensive end, the Horned Frogs feature one of the nation's toughest and fastest defenses. Utah will have a very tough time running the ball against their outstanding defensive line. TCU is going to do everything they can do give the young Jordan Wynn trouble throwing the ball.

In 2008, the Utes had a come from behind victory to defeat TCU 13-10. TCU had the game in control, but after two easy missed field goals by Ross Evans, Brian Johnson led the Utes on an epic final drive to steal the victory for the Utes. TCU's BCS hopes were crushed, and they were stuck watching the Utes live the dream as they crushed Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. All-American defensive end Jerry Hughes had a few things to say about last year's game:

That loss last year was heartbreaking. To have the game so close and just to lose it in the last couple seconds of the game was heartbreaking. I'm pretty sure a lot of the guys are focusing on that, but at the same time being a senior leader you have to tell them it's just one game that you have to take. It's one more opponent who's in our way. Don't try to take things too personal.

Don't count the defending Mountain West champions out of this game, although TCU is currently a 20 point favorite. There are few coaches who can get their team ready to play in a big game like Kyle Whittingham. Utah all-time is 7-0 against ranked teams, when also being ranked. The Utes were major underdogs to Alabama and came out with a huge chip on their shoulder and shocked the Crimson Tide and the nation with their win. Don't expect TCU to overlook Utah by any means, but Utah will come ready to play.

Utah has a 5-1 record against TCU, with TCU's lone win coming in an overtime match in 2005. They are the only team in the conference with a winning record against TCU since they joined the Mountain West. Each game has been close though. These are two very similar programs, who recruit the same type of athletes. Garry Patterson in his press conference talked about the two programs.

Both programs are playing at a very high level; there is a very small margin between the programs

Utah with a win over TCU would just need a Boise State loss to get into the BCS assuming that they jump over Houston. TCU with a win over Utah can make a big statement that they deserve to play for the national championship. This game has so much on the line for both teams; you don't want to miss this one.

Poll

Who will win?

Utah

20 votes

TCU

39 votes

59 votes | Poll has closed

Utah May Decide to Burn Freshman Jordan Wynn's Redshirt

Jeremy Mauss — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:56:33 -0000

Way back in August there was a three player battle for the Utes quarterback position and JUCO transfer Terrance Cain won the battle, which lead to Corbin Louks transferring to Nevada.

That left the Utes with no player on the roster who has taken a division one snap at the quarterback position with Cain the number one, and then true freshman Jordan Wynn as the back up.

My opinion was that if Wynn was not the starter then he should use 2009 as a redshirt year and then allow him the chance to start for three seasons. That plan some what went out the window with Louks gone, but as the season went on a redshirt seemed more likely.

Terrance Cain has been doing a solid job as the starter by leading the Utes to a 6-1 record, he is fourth in the Mountain West in passing yards, 13th in rushing and only behind the Air Force quarterbacks, but is so far unable to throw down field with great accuracy. Another down fall is his ability to run the zone read option to the success it could have. Cain is sometimes hesitant to fake the hand off and run the ball himself, even when the entire defense is following the running back thus leaving a huge hole for him to run.

Then the main concern is the fumbles and miscues on offense. The Utes are lucky enough to not lose many of those fumbles, and were very fortunate in the Air Force game where Eddie Wide recovered two fumbles with one being ran 44 yards for a touchdown.

Now, if Wynn was a redshirt freshman or upper classman he definitely would have entered the game, because Coach Whittingham hates turnovers and mistakes. Cain is still suffering from a lingering ankle injury which is why in the last two games his rushing totals were 22 yards against UNLV and minus 16 yards against Air Force.

Coach Whittingham this week addressed the issue if freshman Jordan Wynn would see time this year:

"We're hoping at some point (this season) he's going to get an opportunity — maybe this week," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said during the Mountain West teleconference on Tuesday. "We'll see."

The coach followed up on his comments about Wynn's situation later in the day after practice.

"We've been hoping to have gotten him in by now, but maybe this is the week."

Now, this could just be coach speak, because prior to the season Whittingham said that he wanted to play both quarterbacks. A big reason why a switch may not have been made this season is because back in 2006 -- Whittingham's second year as coach-- had a similar quarterback issue with Brian Johnson redshirting while recovering from an ACL tear, and the position between Tommy Grady and Brett Ratliff. In the opening game against UCLA on the road Whittihgam said both would play, and they did.

However, the move was disastrous as Brett Ratliff started the game, and then Whitt put in Tommy Grady who threw a pick six with his second pass attempt. That play and the indecision to stick to a quarterback hurt the Utes that season on their way to an 8-5 record. That is most likely why Cain has not been pulled for Wynn this year.

To bring in Wynn now with five games left could do a few things: the positives are that Wynn who is more of a passer then a pure runner like Cain and will spark the passing offense, it could hurt Cain's confidence and if their is a rotation between the two or if Wynn struggles and Cain is back that could cause mental problems with each player playing uptight as to not get pulled. The reason Wynn has not been put in any games now is that the Utes are winning and Cain has been doing well; up until the last two games. With the conference title and an outside BCS shot Whittingham wants to keep winning and not throw away any games.

Again, everyone must be reminded that Wynn did enroll early in January to be able to compete for the job and put on the necessary weight to be able to take the hits at the FBS level, but he is still a true freshman. Currently there are only three true freshman who are starting at the FBS level: Matt Barkley at USC, Austyn Carta-Samuels at Wyoming, and Tate Forcier at Michigan.

Out of the three Barkley is obviously the best and even he is putting up decent numbers. He is doing good in passing yards at 256 per game, but on the year has seven touchdowns to five picks. Michigan's Tate Forcier is well below Barkley in passing yards at 145, but is on the same level in his touchdown to interception ratio at 9:5. While Forcier has lead Michigan to a few come from behind victories he also has been benched. Finally, there is Wyoming's Carta-Samules and he was involved in a quarterback shuffle for a few weeks before winning the job, and is similar to Forcier with his passing stats to go along with two picks and six scores in five games as a starter and two in spot time.

These three true frosh are all fairly similar in that they are putting up decent passing numbers -- Barkley being the exception in that category-- and that they are not putting up huge touchdown numbers and have a slight problem in interceptions.

The move to Jordan Wynn at this point in the season should not be used to just get him playing time, spark the offense for a limited basis, or see if a change motivates Terrance Cain to rasie his game. A change at game seven should be permanent unless of injury or total ineffectiveness by Wynn thus putting the ball back into Cain's hand for the rest of the season.

Coach Whittingham is a smart guy and would not burn a players redshirt just for a few snaps in garbage time (something former Utah coach Ron McBride did to former Ute QB Alex Smith in 2002) The recent talk from Whitt about maybe putting in Wynn is just talk when asked, because he does not want anything to be definite to come back to him by saying either 'yes' or 'no.'

Poll

Should Utah Burn Jordan Wynn's Redshirt?

Yes

14 votes

No

43 votes

57 votes | Poll has closed

#24 Utah Utes at UNLV Rebels Preview

Michael Rueckert — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:39:24 -0000

Utah Utes
@ UNLV Rebels

Saturday, Oct 17, 2009, 7:00 PM PDT
Sam Boyd Stadium

TV: The Mtn

Complete Coverage >

The last time the Utah Utes traveled to Las Vegas to take on the Rebels they were handed one of their most embarrassing losses in their programs history. A 27-0 beat down that came right after their major 44-6 upset over 11th ranked UCLA in the 2007 season. Following that loss Kyle Whittingham had gone on the hot seat and it was looking like all the progress that Utah had built under Urban Meyer had been lost.

Whittingham and the Utes rebounded about as good as they could. They went 8-1 the remainder of the 2007 season with their only loss to BYU. The following season, the Utes were perfect going 13-0 in 2008. That UNLV game was a major turning point for the Utes says Whittingham:

Since that game, we have gone 25-2. That was a defining moment for us. It was really a wake up call for a lot of the guys on the team - their mindset has to be right each and every week. It was obvious when the game started that we were flat, and it was an eye-opener for a lot of guys. A lot of our current team was at or in that game and hopefully we'll continue to take the approach we have and be ready to play each week.

The (4-1) Utes are coming off a comeback win over the Colorado State Rams in which they won 24-17. Terrance Cain reminded many Ute fans of their former quarterback Brian Johnson in his nearly perfect second half comeback. Robert Johnson earned Mountain West Player of The Week honors with his 3 interceptions. With the win the Utes moved back into the top 25 with a #24 ranking in the AP Poll.

UNLV is trying to turn around their disappointing 2-4 start. The Rebels are coming off of a 59-21 beat down from BYU. The UNLV defense could not stop BYU allowing 611 yards of total offense. In the last two games the UNLV defense has allowed 1384 yards of total offense. They will no chance of beating Utah if their defense continues with this trend.

UNLV likes to throw the ball down field to their big receivers. Ryan Wolfe leads the Rebels with 489 receiving yards on the season. Phillip Payne is another big receiver who has 405 yards on the season for 3 touchdowns. Quarterback Omar Clayton will likely test Utah's secondary that has had a few problems this season. Robert Johnson could have another huge game for the Utes if they throw the ball his way.

Don't expect the Utes to overlook the Rebels. Many of the players currently on the team were on the 2007 team and remember that embarrassing loss. Despite UNLV's poor record, they are a talented team and nearly beat Oregon State. Lya Wodraska in her blog this morning said that the Utes practice today was extremely intense. The team is using the 2007 game as motivation. The Utes are 17 point favorites in this game.

Sausan Shakerin is expected to play in this game after his injury in the San Jose State game. Shaky Smithson is also expected to play. There may be more Ute fans than Rebel fans at the game. Zack Lassiter on his Twitter page that the University of Utah has already sold over 2,000 tickets with many Ute fans buying from UNLV as well. The University of Utah is out for fall break this week and many students are making the trip down to Las Vegas for the game.

You can catch the game at 8:00 pm MT on the MTN.

The Morning Blitz: Daily Utah links

JazzyUte — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:50:25 -0000

Instead of talking about the UNLV game Saturday, I thought I'd just post this because I think it really sums up what's on the line in this game.

It's really amazing how far the program has come since 9/22/07. Or as I'd like to call it: The Day of Infamy.

Frank Summers rushed for 190 yards and scored three touchdowns to lead UNLV to a 27-0 upset victory over Utah as the Rebels stopped an 11-game losing streak to the Utes.
Summers, who had 29 carries and 108 yards in the first half, caught his only pass of the game for a 29-yard touchdown with 14:51 left in the first half, giving UNLV (2-2, 1-0 Mountain West) a 10-0 lead.

Utah (1-3, 0-2) was coming off an impressive 44-6 win over then-No. 11 UCLA a week earlier.

The 11-game streak dated back to Oct. 20, 1979 when the Rebels beat Utah in Las Vegas in the teams' first-ever meeting.

It was the first time Utah was shut out since a 38-0 loss to Arizona State in 1993. It was UNLVs first shutout since 2000 against North Texas. That score was also 38-0.

Summers' second touchdown, a 4-yard run with 12:52 left in the game, gave the Rebels a 20-0 lead. His last touchdown came from 36 yards down the right sideline with 1:52 remaining. Summers' previous career high in rushing was just 43 yards in a Sept. 15 loss to Hawaii.

Utah quarterback Brian Johnson, who separated his shoulder in the first game of the season in a 24-7 loss at Oregon State, did not play in the first half, but started the second. Johnson went 12-of-19 for 78 yards.

Utes starting quarterback Tommy Grady finished 11-of-21 for 117 yards with an interception. Darrell Mack added 89 yards rushing on 21 carries.

UNLV quarterback Travis Dixon was 12-of-27 for 144 yards with two interceptions.

Utah was 1-of-5 on fourth-down attempts, including an attempt from the 1-yard line with 7:43 left in the third quarter. The Utes also fumbled three times.

The Rebels built a 13-0 lead at halftime. Sergio Aguayo hit two of three field-goal attempts, one from 28-yards, and the other from 20 yards.

In the first half, UNLV running back David Peeples was carted off after an injury with 1:27 left in the first quarter when he was hit by Stevenson Sylvester.

Peeples lost consciousness, but regained it while being taken off the field. He was taken to a nearby hospital and was undergoing tests and X-rays during the game.

Truly a nightmare. The program has grown so much since that game (they've gone 25-2) and I think it just proves the saying that you need to hit rock bottom before finding yourself.

Certainly what Utah did in that game constitutes as rock bottom. Wouldn't you agree?

Deseret News | Utah Utes football: Wide carrying the load

Utes want to avoid another Vegas letdown - ABC 4.com - Salt Lake City, Utah News

Deseret News | Cain looks an awful lot like the guy he replaced as Utes make run in MWC

Seattle Post-Intelligencer: College Football

TCU coach defends 'weak' MWC - Salt Lake Tribune

MWC Showdown: Utah Looking to Settle Score with UNLV | Bleacher Report

BCS still all about TV - Salt Lake Tribune

Utes ready for UNLV air attack - Salt Lake Tribune

Utah football: Wynn isn't playing, but he's not complaining - Salt Lake Tribune

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Local product sparks Utes - Sports - ReviewJournal.com

Louisville/Utah Q & A with Block U

Mike Rutherford — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:26:12 -0000

Sean of the fantastic SBN Utah blog Block U was nice enough to stop by, return season 1 of True Blood, offer up some generous praise for what we've done with our right sidebar and answer a few questions pertaining to tomorrow night's game. Enjoy.

Card Chronicle: You all just saw the nation's longest winning streak come to an end a week ago...How's everybody doing?

Block U: Surprisingly well. I think most Ute fans had already conceded they were going to lose a game this season. It's tough, obviously, but it didn't nearly feel like when they lost their last nation-leading winning streak in 2005. That was a kick to the crotch. This was more a slug to the arm.

CC: This year's squad features a lot of the same players who guided the team to an undefeated season a season ago, but the Utes have been fairly unimpressive through three weeks. What's the biggest difference between Utah in '09 and Utah in '08.

BU: Most certainly the offense. You can't really downplay the importance of a senior quarterback and Brian Johnson lived up to every aspect of what you'd expect from one. Replacing him was not going to be easy and that's pretty much what we're seeing right now. Utah's current quarterback, Terrance Cain, doesn't appear to be bad, but he still has a lot of growth left before he reaches Johnson's status.

CC: Running back Matt Asiata was out when Louisville hosted the Utes two years ago. How good is he?

BU: He's good. Matt Asiata was a big reason the Utes were successful in 2008, even though he split time with Darrell Mack, who graduated. Unfortunately, he was injured against San Jose State and though he played against the Ducks last week, he certainly wasn't at the level we need him to be if Utah is going to have a successful season.

CC: Do you own a piece of "Utah Utes: 2008 National Champions" clothing, and if you do, how often do you bust it out?

BU: No. I don't think I ever will. Even though Utah's argument for a championship is legitimate, the fact is, they're not champions (Ed. Note: If the shoe were on the other foot, I would never, ever be able to give an answer this mature). Now Sugar Bowl clothing on the other hand...

CC: Louisville's strength is its ground attack. How well does Utah defend against the run?

Well prior to Oregon, I think most Ute fans expected the run defense to be their biggest strength. But the Ducks really had their way with Utah's defense on the ground and so I really don't know what to expect. If they defend like they did Saturday, the Cardinals shouldn't have any problem moving the ball on the ground.

CC: The BCS in one word. Go:

Shit (Ed. Note: There we go)

CC: Talk a little bit about the atmosphere at Rice-Eccles Stadium. How much of a home field advantage is it?

Well the Utes have won 12-straight there, which I believe is the 2nd longest home winning streak in school history. Obviously this isn't The Swamp we're talking about, but the stadium can get loud and it's a pretty good atmosphere when filled.

CC: 11-1 season with a loss to BYU or 1-11 season with a win over BYU?

This really isn't up for question, I'd much rather go 11-1 and lose to BYU than go 1-11 and beat the Cougars. With that said, I take comfort in every BYU loss. Their epic fail against the Seminoles Saturday just may have been what got me through the ending of Utah's win streak.

CC: Saturday night prediction?

I predicted 42-28 on Block U. I still think Utah wins, but maybe I was being a bit too generous with the Utes. So we'll go 31-21, Utah.

The Morning Blitz: Daily Utah links

JazzyUte — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:20:07 -0000

More photos » by Greg Wahl-Stephens - AP

2 months ago: Utah's Matt Asiata (4) tries to stretch to the line against Oregon during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Eugene, Ore., Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens)

Browse more photos »

The wait between a loss and the next game can be unbearable at times. We haven't had to do this since 2007 and it's something I hope we're not experience much the remainder of the season.

But the week between games offers a chance for the team to collect themselves, work on what went wrong and fix what needs to be fixed. For both Utah and Louisville, this is exactly what they will be doing over the next few days, since both teams are coming off losses.

Because of this, neither can afford another loss. But I have a feeling more is on the line for Utah. It generally is when you're the favorite and playing at home. While the Cardinals are BCS, they haven't played much like a BCS team as of late and for that alone, no one will look past a loss here like maybe they did with Oregon last week. Add on the fact the Utes would be 2-2 entering conference play and things could get ugly extremely fast.

Fortunately, I don't expect that to happen. Whittingham has rarely had back-to-back bad games here. You have to go all the way back to the start of the '07 season to find the last time his Utes suffered an actual losing streak. That, of course, was when they were trying to replace Brian Johnson and Matt Asiata - who were both lost in a loss against the Oregon St. Beavers - and then fell to Air Force.

That isn't to say it won't happen and it has, but I feel confident adjustments will be made and Utah will come out an entirely different team than they were at Oregon. If that's the case, a breakout win here could establish good things for the rest of the year. Because once the offense does get going, I think it'll snowball, more or less.

But we'll see.

No time for Utah to lament about loss - College Football Nation - ESPN

ksl.com - UL coach: Trip to SLC is 'great challenge' for emerging team

Utah football: Offensive line knows it needs improvement - Salt Lake Tribune

Cards aim to bounce back after UK | Cincinnati.com | The Cincinnati Enquirer

Laramie Boomerang - Laramie, Wyoming > Sports

Deseret News | Utah Utes football: Takeaways bounce odd way for Utes

Recap: BYU disintegrates in 54-28 loss to Florida State

sroufe — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 05:48:38 -0000

As a law student I'm continually expanding my vocabulary. One of the legal terms I learned this week was: "Surplusage, a superfluous and useless statement of matter wholly foreign and impertinent to the cause."

For an example, the following quote is from our preview of today's contest between BYU and Florida State:

"...BYU has the advantage of being at home, an experienced QB that plays even better at home, they should have a healthier Harvey Unga, and both their O-lineman and D-lineman have some size advantages..."

So much for those projections. Something I'm trying to keep in perspective, after such a devastating defeat, is that just two weeks ago BYU was ranked below the Seminoles. Bobby Bowden's team is excellent this season. I couldn't put it any better than Tomahawk Nation has already done tonight: "Florida State is a dropped 4-yard pass against an excellent Miami team away from being a top ten team. It's really perplexing how the pollsters drop a team so much for losing a game that was evenly played. Pollsters need to look at the play and not just the score."

The Cougars were beaten thoroughly - no matter if you look at the play or the score. The Seminoles racked up 512 yards (313 on the ground!), did not turn the ball over once and controlled the ball for approximately twice the amount of time as BYU. And while BYU certainly had the offensive tools to compete with FSU, three interceptions and two costly fumbles generally nullified everything.

This was a beatdown if almost every sense. It's hard to take a lot of positives out of tonight's game. The worst part however came when several BYU players acted inappropriately late in the game and instigated some highly unnecessary altercations, including a personal foul call on the Seminoles. Mendenhall acknowledged FSU's emotional fortitude as well as their preparation after the game as it vastly overshadowed that of his team's.

In all, an exceptionally disappointing loss - not just for the program's 2009 hopes, but for the MWC as well. Combine it with the Ute's loss today in Eugene and the conference took a major step backward after accomplishing so much this past year. The non-BCS now can only rely on TCU and Boise State this season.

More after the jump...

Where do we as fans lay the blame for this result? The defense was obviously as atrocious in this game as they were phenomenal against the Sooners. What gives? Linebackers Matt Bauman, Shawn Doman and Grant Nelson combined for just three tackles. Jan Jorgensen and Brett Denney each had just one. Incredibly, the starting corners led the team: Brandon Bradley with nine and Brian Logan with 8. That's incredible because the Seminoles rushed the ball 49 times. Part of it might be the loss of starting nose tackle Russell Tialavea who suffered an ACL injury early and never returned. But realistically that's only a small reason why the Seminoles - specifically Ty Jones, Christian Ponder and Lonnie Pryor - ran at will. BYU, despite their experienced D-line and LB core, simply couldn't keep up athletically and FSU's Offensive Coordinator Jimbo Fisher (apparently called "Jumbo" on Versus) exploited all their flaws.

On a side note, speaking of the Cougars' defensive flaws, or even more specifically their ineffectiveness at stopping mobile QB's like Ponder - look at today's upset in Seattle. USC has a stellar defense and they amazingly held Jake Locker to -15 yards rushing. However, one of Locker's eight carries was a six yard TD. Also, Locker's athleticism enabled the Huskies to score three second-half FG's in their upset over the Trojans. It was just that kind of day.

Whether it's Locker, Ponder or Brian Johnson - when opposing offenses are able to overpower the Cougars athletically from the QB position it opens up all kinds of weaknesses. Oklahoma did not spread BYU out defensively and tried to run the ball up their throat with DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown. Consequently BYU was not held accountable for being a less athletic program. FSU did the opposite. The Seminoles mixed it up with plays that worked to their strengths against BYU: bubble screens, QB draws, short yardage quick corner, drag and hitch routes. FSU's strengths became the Cougar's weaknesses as players like Grant Nelson and Matt Bauman are simply not good in coverage. Another obvious manipulation of a major mismatch was pick your BYU corner - against 6'3'' Jarmon Fortson. What are your thoughts on BYU's mediocre defensive performance?

Moving to the offense, there are fewer cons. Say what? That's right, obviously the turnovers were severe - but if BYU is able to touch the ball more in the first half then the results would be different. Of course it's complicated because O'Neill Chambers' opening drive fumble forced an already exhausted defense back on the field after just a quick breather. Credit has to go to the Seminoles for executing their game plan and keeping Max Hall and co. on the sideline.

The major area of concern from the offense has to be on the O-line. Without Braden Hansen, Jason Speredon and Dallas Reynolds that unit is depleted and by the 4th quarter it really showed. Of course FSU understood that the Cougars had to throw the ball in the second half so they started to bring everyone at Hall and confide in their secondary. The Seminoles were able to regularly rotate players on the D-line and BYU's line was forced to deal with that along with an increase in blitzes and fatigue. As Hall's pocket began to collapse more and more he tried to prevent sacks as well as make big plays to get his team back in the game. And it cost him. Hall's gambles came with terrible costs and it only exacerbated the Cougars' predicament.

This isn't an excuse for Hall. He made some serious misjudgments in the second half. But if you look at his first half he was playing very efficiently. I merely saw it as him trying to do too much while his protection was starting to fade. I have to comment on Greg Reid's interception however. That was just horrific. When I saw turn and try to chase Reid I actually laughed out loud and was thinking something along the lines of, "You fool! Do you know who that even is? You might as well try to race Usain Bolt while you're at it." Sickening. Just sickening...

I'm not going to get much into Unga's seemingly second reaggrevation of this hamstring injury. Why did he play against Tulane again? He's glaringly not 100% and if I were in charge he wouldn't play again until the UNLV game on October 10th. Wouldn't it be nice to have him carry the ball more than ten times? Especially with the type of production he demonstrated tonight. The Cougars are going to need him if they're going to beat TCU and make a run for the MWC championship - I don't care how good Kariya and DiLuigi have been.

The best part of this game was that it was on Versus and presumably less people (hopefully pollsters) saw the game apart from ESPN highlights (which I've ignored by the way). Still, in terms of BYU's BCS aspirations and the program's continued ability to fall just short, this one hurts.

In the words of Elvis Presley, "so close and yet so far from paradise..."

The Morning Blitz: Daily Utah links

JazzyUte — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:44:59 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

2 months ago: Utah wide receiver Jereme Brooks tosses the ball after scoring a touchdown against San Jose State during the second half of an NCAA college football game in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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Saturday is going to tell us a lot about this year's Utes team. I'm excited for that. I can't get too pumped for games against Utah State or San Jose State, so it's nice to actually have a big opponent on the schedule. It certainly boosts interest in my blog and the Utes, so that isn't entirely bad, right?

Of course, this is a big game. It's going to potentially define the season for Utah and that does make me nervous. But beyond that, I think it'll be tough to face the prospects of the Utes' winning streak finally coming to an end. I'll be honest, I didn't take it well when TCU ended their 18-game winning streak in 2005.

Now the Utes stand at sixteen straight. A victory over Oregon would push that streak to seventeen and unless things go south fast, they should tie the school's longest winning streak against Louisville. The possibility is there to break that streak and push it forward if Utah can just get by the Ducks.

Right now, it might be a big if, but it's doable and for a huge road game, can you really ask for anything more? Not really. This isn't a contest where we're conceding defeat and that makes the buildup at least enjoyable.

In fact, if Utah can get past Oregon, when is the next realistic loss? TCU? That'd put Utah's winning streak at 23 and maybe give them the confidence to go into Fort Worth and knock off what most likely will be a highly ranked Horned Frogs team.

But that's putting the cart before the horse and I shouldn't do that. Really. I'm setting myself up for disappointment because Utah does not look like a team capable of winning seven straight to put themselves in that position.

Yet a victory Saturday changes the landscape of the entire season for the Utes. Even if it isn't perfect because the Ducks should at least be as good, if not better than, Louisville, Colorado State (who looked horrific against Weber State), UNLV, Air Force, Wyoming and New Mexico.

Which means a victory Saturday would surely alter the dynamics of the season. It might not prove the Utes are capable of going undefeated again or beating the likes of TCU and BYU, but it will set them up for the possibility. And that isn't a bad spot to be in if you think about it.

First thing first, though, beat Oregon. Keep the streak alive. Give Utah fans hope this season will be another great one.

It can be done.

Next Week's Team Utah: The Offense - Oregon Ducks

Oregon opponent: Utah Utes - Behind The Ducks Beat

ksl.com - (16) Utah has work to do before facing Oregon

Oregon still finding itself with Utah coming to town - Pac-10 - ESPN

Utah hungry for a big game - Salt Lake Tribune

ksl.com - GAME WEEK: (16) Utah at Oregon

Deseret News | Brian Johnson's Utes football blog

Deseret News | Utah football: Asiata questionable vs. Ducks

Sports: Home | "Ducks put their focus on tackling" | The Register-Guard | Eugene, Oregon