The Morning Blitz: Daily Utah links
by JazzyUte on Oct 8, 2009 3:15 AM MDT
in Football
9 comments
25-24
That's the average score of a Utah-Colorado State game from 1995 to 2005. During that span, the Utes were only 2-6 against the Rams (with those two wins coming under Urban Meyer in 2003 & 2004). The average score, though, is actually in Utah's favor by .5-points due to their complete and utter domination of CSU in 2004 (63-31). But even if you take that game out, one thing is clear - for much of the 90s and the early 00s, neither team rarely blew the other out. In fact, the Rams' largest margin of victory over Utah during that span was eight from their 2002 game.
Much has changed since 2005 - a Utah loss that happened after a CSU goal line stand. For starters, Colorado State isn't coached by Sonny Lubick anymore. He retired after the 2007 season. Instead, they're now coached by Steve Fairchild, who guided the Rams to a New Mexico Bowl win in his first season.
The other major change in this series has been the dynamics of each of the last three contests. The Utes are 3-0 since 2006, more wins than they recorded during the eight meetings prior. But beyond that, the way Utah has won is different than anything we've seen in this rivalry for a long time. Because they've not only won, they've pretty much dominated.
37-14
That's the average score over the last three games. A stark contrast to what we saw over the decade prior. A lot of that has to do with the downfall of CSU football in the waning years of the Lubick era. In fact, much of it does. They just weren't very good in 2006 and 2007. Yet their best team in a while, the '08 Rams, were run off the field against Utah. It was a lopsided loss and arguably Utah's best performance of the season overall outside of the Sugar Bowl.
What this means for Saturday I really don't know. But it's interesting how fast this series shifted in Utah's favor. Especially when you realize they're 5-1 since the McBride-era ended. Which is fitting, because McBride could never get over the hump against the Rams. Something I always found interesting because one of his defining victories came in 1994 against a ranked Colorado State team on the road. That was one of the greatest games in WAC history (hell, the greatest) and after that, his Utes wouldn't beat them again. Sure, they challenged and often lost in the closing minutes, but 0-5 is 0-5 regardless of how close the games actually were.
So the tables have certainly turned in this series. It went from one where the Rams were barely edging Utah to a series dominated by the Utes. My hope is that this carries over to Saturday and we see a performance similar to 2006, 2007 and 2008 - all easy Utah victories.
If that happens, you've got to wonder if those close and heated games of yesteryear will ever return.
The CEU Eagle Online :: To hell with the BCS
ksl.com - CSU coach expects same Ute offense despite loss of Asiata
Deseret News | Utah Utes football: Special teams play key role in success
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interesting history lesson
i didn’t realize the rams were that good in the 90’s, i guess i was just too young at the time. but looking back Lubick was clearly was a better coach than McBride. besides the h2h the 6 WAC/MWC titles vs. 2. for mcbride says it all.
by utahmanami on Oct 8, 2009 3:57 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs
Actually, the Rams were probably the best team consistently in the WAC/MWC from 1994-2002
Not quite a ten year stretch, but damn near close.
BYU had slipped since its 70s-80s success and while the Utes were better, McBride had consistently underperformed in so many key games.
Some highs CSU saw under Lubick from ’94 to ’02:
1994: 10-2 season, WAC Champions
1997: 11-2 season, WAC Champions
2000: 10-2 season, MWC Champions
2002: 10-4 season, MWC Champions
That 2002 was the last really good one of the Lubick era. I don’t know what quite happened. Maybe it was the emergence of Utah a year later, but the wheels really came off after that. In fact, they had lost to UNLV in the final game of the season and then their bowl game (Liberty to TCU) and maybe that got the ball rolling. In 2003, they were only 7-6 and in ‘04 4-7 (Lubick’s first losing season since his first there).
They really haven’t been able to rebound to that level again. I don’t know if Fairchild can get them there or if they’re going to be a historically meh 6-7 win team year in and year out.
by JazzyUte on Oct 8, 2009 12:43 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs
Until this past January...
I had not seen a Utah game live without McBride as a coach.
The man build the infrastructure of our program but could not coach on gameday. Without the booster support he built, facilities he helped to get on the drawing board and recruiting paths he paved Utah would not be where we are today.
That said, the difference on the field is AWESOME!
by utesfan100 on Oct 9, 2009 11:18 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs
I am ever grateful for what McBride did.
He’s a great motivator and solid rebuilder, but an average coach.
Luckily, it was his ability to recruit and motivate that got Utah at the level where we expected more than just 7-5 seasons.
It’s kind of ironic. McBride gave us unparalleled success and it ultimately caused his downfall here because we got the point where we expected more success.
Whitt & Meyer have the ability to do what McBride did best, but also have proven to be really good gameday coaches.
by JazzyUte on Oct 9, 2009 1:07 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't know that Meyer has what it would take to build a recruiting network from scratch.
He never had to anywhere he has been.
Meyer’s main contribution to Utah was raising the bar when it comes to discipline and expectations.
Utah has been very fortunate this past 20 years in the HC department.
Perhaps we should really appreciate Chris Hill more for finding the right man for the times through the entire process.
by utesfan100 on Oct 9, 2009 2:11 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs
You're right about Meyer.
He walked into a program with a recruiting foundation already set.
If anything, I think Whittingham has proven to be a better recruiter than both McBride & Meyer. He opened Texas up to us, realized the benefit of speed over size and because of that, the Utes have a clear advantage over every team in the conference not named TCU.
Yet Whitt is still 3-1 against the Frogs!
by JazzyUte on Oct 9, 2009 6:31 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs
i just looked up the weather reports for the tcu and utah games
fort collins and colorado springs are going to be very cold and snow flurries in fc and snow falling in cs at game time. i think utah will just squeeze this one out. i think these conditions favor csu a little b/c utah has more team speed. same problem with tcu and their game starts at 4:35 pm. it will be mighty cold for a texas team. both teams will probably squeek out wins but i don’t think tcu will cover 10 1/2 points.
by wolfmanshowlforever on Oct 8, 2009 6:49 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs
See, I think the opposite.
Because CSU’s offense is built around their passing game.
We have a solid run attack and short passes that work well in that type of weather. But we’ll see.
by JazzyUte on Oct 8, 2009 10:34 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs
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