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Utes' comeback falls short

Let me just say, BYU played a helluva an overtime. Utah had all the momentum and their players manned up, forced Utah to kick a field goal and then got the touchdown needed to win. It was another memorable big play that Ute fans will have to hear about for the next thirty years. It sucks, but what are you going to do? 

That's just how it seems this rivalry goes now-a-days. 

What a disappointing end to what has now become a fairly unsatisfying season.

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Good game for all

Both teams played well and played poorly. The Utes shot themselves in the foot with penalties. Our defense was fantastic though, just not enough in the end.

I posted my write up of the game at Holy War Football.com

Very good and typical Holy War. Hard to find a better rivalry in the country!

by Swint on Nov 28, 2009 7:53 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

Utes just don't seem to know how to win close games in this rivalry.

Whittingham is now 1-3 in Holy Wars decided by 7-points or less.

It seems under McBride, we thrived when the game was on the line. There were only a few instances I remember the Utes losing in the final minutes (2001, 2000 and 1998). But for almost a decade, Utah was clutch in close Holy Wars (1993 with the kick, 1994 with the fumble, 1995 was a blowout, 1997 was a six-point win, 1999 was sealed with an interception at the end and of course, 2002).

Blah.

by JazzyUte on Nov 28, 2009 8:08 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah

I’d say that play calling was a key—we shoul have put it away in regulation.

I’d also say he needs ot learn to focus that emotion and giving them a game with so many crappy calls like tht is inexcusable and falls right on Whitt’s shoulders.

So, we’ll see does Utah’s OC and QB improve next year, if they don’t than we ned to shake things up, but benefit of the doubt and chalk up this year to rebuilding and retooling, and still all in all not a bad year for Utah.

by MeanBobMean on Nov 29, 2009 12:38 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Sigh...

I’m so fucking disappointed right now. Words can’t describe how much I hate those lucky pukes from down south.

A couple of things. The play calling was horrible, again. The direct snap to Shaky wasn’t working. They needed to stop it and just hand the ball off to Wide. Very frustrating. The pass game underneath was open all game, like it was in the first two drives when the Utes were doing it. I was okay with all the deep balls (the guys were open, Wynn just couldn’t make the throws) but the stupid WR screens and the Shaky formation drove me nuts.

Penalties. Penalties. Penalties. I swear this team is a bunch of undisciplined hot heads sometimes.

Another tough loss to swallow, I’m trying to keep things in perspective, but damn this game was winnable. Even with a freshman QB, on the road, not playing a very good game. It was still winnable, and that really sucks right now.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Nov 28, 2009 7:58 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

Can't say that I disagree with anything you said.

Especially when it comes to the play calling. It was at its worst when, down three, BYU had an offsides giving Utah a 1st and 5.

They didn’t convert.

The play calling on that drive was horrible.

On the next drive, we passed way too much instead of methodically driving the ball down field and positioning ourselves for a huge TD. I mean, we got the field goal and pushed it to OT, but we had a chance to win the game there.

And in OT, the play calling was horrible again.

I would not be opposed to some offensive changes in the offseason.

by JazzyUte on Nov 28, 2009 8:02 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Yep...

that drive drove me and my dad crazy. First and fucking 5 and we couldn’t get a 1st down?

I know I’ve bitched about the play calling a lot this year, but I don’t know what else to do. It has just been bad at times. It frustrates me, then saddens me, then pisses me off even more.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Nov 28, 2009 8:22 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

How many deep balls

With wide open receivers did Wynn miss by three to five yards?

by MeanBobMean on Nov 29, 2009 12:38 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

No Worries

Last play notwithstanding, great defense. Offense? Young? Inexperienced? New coaches? Candidly, I thought they (coaches) were rather incompetent. Smithson wild cat was (overall) an abysmal failure. Can’t convert on a 1st and 5? Reduced how many field goals in the red zone? Let us not forget, this is the nationally recognized BYU defense. At least we know one thing – no worries about our offensive coaches going elsewhere!!!

by mtseats on Nov 28, 2009 7:59 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

Yup.

Offensive coaches need to feel the heat. Tonight’s game was abysmal and embarrassing. Outside of the first two drives (well except for that horrid reverse with Cain), the play calling was junk.

Especially when we had a chance to win it at the end. We didn’t know what the hell we were doing on that final drive and thankfully we got five yards there on 3rd down or we probably would have lost in regulation.

by JazzyUte on Nov 28, 2009 8:04 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

gae

good come back from the utes what an effort! but it fell short! the only way I will forget about this loss is if we win the bowl game a 9-4 season is not acceptable whittingham! DAMNIT WHAT A WAY TO LOSE! WE HAVE TO WIN OUR BOWL GAME! IT IS A MUST!

by westvirginiautefan on Nov 28, 2009 8:06 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

9-4 would be hard to swallow.

Because it would mean zero victories over any respectable teams (I guess you could give Utah the AFA game).

I don’t like bagging on a 9-win season with the chance to win ten, but there hasn’t been on satisfying win this year. I can’t remember the last time that happened. Even in 2002, when the Utes went 5-6, they managed to beat BYU and provided fans at least the satisfaction of that.

by JazzyUte on Nov 28, 2009 8:10 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Agreed here too

We’re all over the plce. Need to show up for a game, play a complete game.

by MeanBobMean on Nov 29, 2009 12:39 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Max Hall is a bastard

In his post game interview and said “Utah, their players, and their fans classless, and said that he hated them!”

by Jeremy Mauss on Nov 28, 2009 8:18 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

I can't believe he did that.

What a chicken shit. He waits for his final rivalry game to end to take a shot at Utah like that?

What a pussy. He didn’t even have the balls to do it before the game. Or last year. Or the year before. HE WAITS UNTIL HIS CAREER IS OVER TO DO IT. P-A-T-H-E-T-C.

by JazzyUte on Nov 28, 2009 8:26 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

No shit...

Fuck Max Hall. He played nearly as shitty this year as he did last year. They won in spite of him, not because of him.

I think it’s funny that he calls us “classless” and then says he hates us. Oxymoron anyone?

He can add this to the reason why he thinks we’re “claseless”. You’re a very overrated player who always choked and played like shit when you played a good team Max. You’re a joke and piece of shit.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Nov 28, 2009 8:27 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

He lucked out BYU's defense actually played well tonight.

Had they not – Utah wins this game in a romp.

Even then, when the Utes made the comeback, you could see him tense up. He was shaking in his fucking boots the entire fourth quarter.

by JazzyUte on Nov 28, 2009 8:32 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Our offense stunk tonight.

Unless you call our QB running the option outside when a lane existed that would have been yardage or WR’s dropping many that should have been caught.

And the Smithson formation just does not have the same ring as the Asiata formation.

We let them carry all the momentum through penalties and missed opportunities for the first three quarters and they could only beat us in overtime on a rare missed assignment on defense?

Utah deserved to lose tonight because our players did not come out to win.

BCS Evolution -- Punctuating the Equilibrium - twitter

by utesfan100 on Nov 29, 2009 12:30 AM MST up reply actions   0 recs

These are the worst.

As much as I REALLY want to, I can’t pin this loss on the refs. I can’t pin it on the defense either (even after that huge last play). This loss is squarely on the offense and the play calling I’m not gonna pull any punches here folks, Jordan Wynn was a bloody coward. He kept missing easy passes that I could have made (that’s saying a lot if you knew me personally), he kept holding on to the ball when he should have tucked it and ran, he ran backwards when he and lost yards when he was pressured. and he kept throwing balls deep that could not be caught. (there were a few exceptions but still).
   In all fairness though the loss wasn’t all him, the offense and special teams didn’t do us any favors with all the stupid penalties they made. (I don’t understand why K-Whitt wasn’t yelling at his ST unit to leave the return man the bloody hell alone,three roughing the catcher calls us unacceptable).
   Bottom line: we lost this game for two reasons: We couldn’t convert 3rd downs and we had 0 takeaways.

by GambitUte on Nov 28, 2009 8:27 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

I'll give Wynn credit, though.

He didn’t meltdown and really helped us get back into the game.

The play calling, outside of penalties, is what robbed the Utes of victory tonight. I hope Whittingham sits down with the entire offensive coaching staff and tells them changes need to be made.

by JazzyUte on Nov 28, 2009 8:31 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

He did not melt down

But he has to hit open receivers.

I chalk it up to not having enough game time ot develop that touch, but this time next year if he misses that many?

by MeanBobMean on Nov 29, 2009 12:41 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Then we have to blow things up.

As you said above.

This year we can pass off as rebuilding. If the offense is still inconsistent next year, Whittingham will have to address things.

by JazzyUte on Nov 29, 2009 2:25 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

True.

I’ll give him credit there, In the end, he didn’t throw the game away for us… I ’m still just pissed about the horrible red zone play, It was our constant Achilles heel this year.

by GambitUte on Nov 28, 2009 8:33 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

It really was.

Utah should’ve been up 14-0 after their first two drives and no worse than 10-0.

Had they scored a touchdown on either of those drives, I think the game plays out differently. But, as it was when BYU held Utah to just three in OT, it provided them some momentum.

Was really disappointed with the play calling in the OT.

by JazzyUte on Nov 28, 2009 8:35 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

BTW,

 that play when Jorgenson was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct was hilarious. He’s mouthing off to the ref and he gets flagged.

by GambitUte on Nov 28, 2009 8:46 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

Screw you Max Hall!!!!
“They didn’t deserve it. It was our turn, and our turn to win. We deserved it. We played as hard as we could tonight. And it felt really good, again, to send them home, to get them out of here, and so it is a game I will always remember.”
“I think the whole university, their fans and their organization is classless. They threw beer on my family and stuff last year, and they did a whole bunch of nasty things, and I don’t respect them, and they deserved to lose.”

well played Max, You threw the game winner, I’ll give you that, but c’mon. Waiting until your last game is over to mouth off your rivals? something inside told me on my drive home from Lumpy’s that you couldn’t resist to open your mouth.

by GambitUte on Nov 28, 2009 8:53 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

We didn't deserve it?

You guys totally blew a huge lead AT HOME! You, of all people, MAX, didn’t deserve it! You played like shit. You only won because your defense stepped up.

What a loser.

by JazzyUte on Nov 28, 2009 8:55 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

What a dumbass...

and I love how BYU players like to bitch about beer being thrown on them or people they know.

First off, I’m not naive enough to think that beer isn’t in RES. I know some get it in, but let’s think about this for a minute. You think people sneak in cups of beer, hold onto it all game, and then save it for the end of the game and pour it on zoobs and BYU players? Now pouring any kind of liquid on anyone is wrong, I’m not saying that. I just think it’s funny that to BYU players that liquid is always “beer”. Sure it was beer Max, sure it was.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Nov 28, 2009 9:05 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah...

obviously there are idiots on both sides of it. Now you can add Max Hall to the Y side of that list.

What a coward.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Nov 28, 2009 9:06 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Total coward.

I don’t envy Heaps or whoever is starting for them next year (probably Riley Nelson).

I want ownage next year. I want to embarrass them like never before. I want 1989-like domination (you know, when BYU dropped 70 on us).

by JazzyUte on Nov 28, 2009 9:12 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

and last but not least,
I don’t like Utah. In fact, I hate them. I hate everything about them. I hate their program, I hate their fans, I hate everything."

Now all we get to hear is “George is still open” over and over until next year…….(sigh)

by GambitUte on Nov 28, 2009 9:02 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

Well I don't like him.

Wish he was returning, though.

by JazzyUte on Nov 28, 2009 9:13 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Any one catch uncle Max's 1st Quarter F-Bomb????

Sure enough, replayed it several times to the great amusement of all – cougars are sooooo above reproach . . . LOL!!

by mtseats on Nov 28, 2009 9:10 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

Another Cougar was very clearly calling a Ute a pussy.

And I doubt he meant pussy cat.

They’re hypocrites.

by JazzyUte on Nov 28, 2009 9:15 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

How bout those uniforms?

UG-LY!!!! but they won so I can’t dis em’ too much right.

by GambitUte on Nov 28, 2009 9:19 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

Sure you can.

They look like a Smurf vomited all over them.

by JazzyUte on Nov 28, 2009 9:32 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

low percentage throws

our play calling was definately exposed big time. and it was not just deciding to air it out when we are 1st and 5 at midfield instead of running it with wide that was on a roll. but it was continuing to go with low percentage throws downfield that either will go incomplete or get intercepted most times.I realize that is Wynn’s strength but still, you gotta be more smart with the play calling in such a big game.

by utahmanami on Nov 28, 2009 10:09 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

when u play boom or bust like our play calling was u play with fire and we got burned by our own damn self..when u go back and look how bad we played and yet we still had a chance to win, that’s what hurts the most

by utahmanami on Nov 28, 2009 10:14 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Well it is officially not a good season.

Three out of four is all I ask:

1) Beat BYU
2) Win the MWC
3) Win 10+ games
4) Win a bowl game.

That’s also pretty much the order of importance of each, thought the bowl streak makes the last two close.

The first two are out. It is not because we got beat by a better team. It is because we made mistakes and allowed a worse team to steal a win that the fourth quarter showed should have been ours. I wish I could say this was an anomaly but it was a trend evident in many games this season.

The 2009 Utes will go down as a team that was inconsistent. Losing significant depth at RB hurt. Smithson is not the same as Asiata in the direct snap roll. I personally think Cain would be much better for that roll.

I am fairly confident in this though:

Utah will still be in the final BCS top 25, if not this weeks BCS top 25.

BCS Evolution -- Punctuating the Equilibrium - twitter

by utesfan100 on Nov 29, 2009 12:20 AM MST reply actions   0 recs

i agree for next year i want t. cain leading the team

the offensive coordinator for utah should be fired. they are going back to to the ron mcbride /jim fassel days. 1 rb who can muster 100 yards a game plus 3rd down passing. i want a pure spread offens that got us those two undefeated seasons. jordan wynn is not the man. twice he twisted and went back 15 yeards and got sacked. i’m sure it was awful for team morale. next year i want t. cain rolling out throwing to wr’s doing slant routes and jailhouse breakout screen plays. j.w is not the man. t. cain is faster. he can’t throw the deep bowl but he won’t have too. just short passes. let the wr’s do the work and let t. cain do the running if necessary. utah could get extremely lucky next year. pitt has to break in a new qb. n.d has to break in a new coach and new qb and we get byu and tcu at home without thier best players. if utah does not go back to a pure spread offense i just will not watch them anymore. i only like pure spread offenses like utah use to have and tcu’s has and so does boise state. peace.

yes i am obsessive, obnoxious, in your face and all about covering the spread. those are my good qualities.

by wolfmanshowlforever on Dec 2, 2009 5:00 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Just curious:

What is the record in this rivalry in games decided by 7 points or more?

BCS Evolution -- Punctuating the Equilibrium - twitter

by utesfan100 on Nov 29, 2009 12:31 AM MST reply actions   0 recs

it's been very close the last 5 years. it came down to the last play in three of those five years

utah demolished byu the year they won the sugar.

yes i am obsessive, obnoxious, in your face and all about covering the spread. those are my good qualities.

by wolfmanshowlforever on Dec 2, 2009 5:01 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

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