Holy War report card
by JazzyUte on Nov 30, 2009 11:46 AM MST
in Holy War
9 comments
Believe it or not, there was a game Saturday. I know! Who knew? But it happened and unfortunately, for the third time in four years, the Utes LOST.
Ugh.
What's worse is that the Utes didn't even play all that good. It was like 2007 all over again where the offense stagnated and yet, they had their chances there at the end. Just a slightly better effort at any point during the first three quarters would have probably been enough for a Utah victory. But they just couldn't deliver.
Painful. Especially when you realize this Holy War ended just the same as the last two BYU wins - miracle plays that will be played over and over again by the Cougar faithful until the Utes once again regain the upper hand in this series. Hopefully that happens next year.
Anyway, the grades are after the jump...
Offense: D - It was pathetic. The play calling was probably the worst I've seen of the Whittingham era and made Andy Ludwig look like freakin' Bill Walsh. What's worse is that Utah's freshman quarterback Jordan Wynn played just like a freshman. But you can't really get too down on him since it was only his fourth career start at Utah.
The worst part is that the Utes actually started off amazingly on offense. They picked apart the BYU secondary on their first two drives, moved the ball down field and then stalled. The first time came after Wynn got his bell rung and they inexplicably ran a reverse with Terrance Cain in there and lost 15-yards. That killed the drive and the Utes would have to settle for a field goal.
After another three and out by the BYU offense, they once again got the ball back and marched all the way down the field. But, as it has been all season, the red zone offense stunk up the joint and again they could only get three out of it.
That pretty much sums the game up for Utah. Had they scored a touchdown on either of those drives and I think the tone is set and everything changes in Utah's favor.
After that last field goal, Wynn really struggled and the play calling went to hell.
But this is the Holy War and rarely does one team dominate for an entire game. Down 20-6 in the fourth, the Utes had a furious rally that eventually tied the game up and pushed it into overtime. Yet the play calling was suspect throughout, especially when, down three and facing a first and five, Utah failed to gain a first down.
They punted and thanks to the defense, got a huge stop and managed just enough to get into field goal range to send the game into overtime. In overtime, the poor calls didn't stop and then the Utes opted for a field goal on 4th down and one even though rarely does kicking the field goal there result in a win. It didn't.
Am I the only one who thinks they should have just gone for it?
Defense: B-plus - The defense did everything they could to deliver Utah a win. It wasn't perfect, but they held the Cougars to only 20-points in regulation and once again took Hall out of the equation. In the fourth quarter, they got every stop possible and though Utah eventually finally capitalized on the offensive end, it was too little too late to win it in four quarters.
I am very happy with the defensive effort, though. I thought this was going to be the most questionable aspect of Utah's game heading into the rivalry and they played the best. I guess it was the inexperienced offense we all should have been worried about, eh?
Hopefully this defense carries over into the bowl game, because I'm not so sure the offense is capable of doing anything special.
Special Teams: C-plus - There were a lot of mistakes, but the Utes did well on the kickoffs and were kept in the game because of Joe Phillips' five field goals. He really was the MVP outside of the defense.
Coaches:
- Aaron Roderick: D - His play calling was horrendous. Whittingham has a lot to decide this offseason and I don't think I'd be opposed to a shakeup on the offensive end. I liked Roderick prior to this game and one really poorly called game does not mean he's trash. But there has got to be some work done here or it won't matter how talented the Utes are next year - they will struggle against better teams.
- Kalani Sitake: B+ - As I mentioned above, I thought the defense was great. They weren't perfect entirely, but when Utah leaned on them the most in that fourth quarter (especially on the Cougars' final two drives), they did everything and more to get a stop. You can't fault them for the overtime debacle, especially since we all knew the second Utah kicked the FG they were going to lose.
- Kyle Whittingham: C - Whittingham wasn't bad, but this is the third Holy War he's lost on the final play. I don't know if it 's just a coincidence or what, but his teams just aren't getting it done in the clutch. Now that's not suggesting I blame Whittingham, but it would be nice to win a close one for a change.
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BYU fans voting...
…for moral victory.
You wish Utes thought like that.
I'd grade Whittingham down
Here’s why:
He doesn’t teach them to play disciplined ball.
I mean, he was a linebacker, and we get it, they play emotionally. that’s likely won him a fair share of games, but it’s time to start winning games by playing smart, too.
If teh Cougars play dirty or say/do something nasty, don’t retaliate, talk with your play.
We’ll win more games that way.
Overall though, I’d give him a solid B for the season.
I'd say B is about right.
We didn’t drop one game against an inferior foe and that was important. Could have been so much better, though, had we knocked off Oregon and BYU.
But do we lay Oregon and BYU at his feet? I’d put that more on Schramm/Roderick than anything Whit did.
Both of those games (and many others throughout the season) I came away frustrated with the offensive production. I don’t know if it was that I was overestimating the talent we had (I saw flashes of it, so I don’t think that is it) or whether they were under-performing, but I am inclined to think that the blame for those games lays at the feet of the OC.
Granted, Coach Whit did hire the OC(s), so you could pin it on him that way…
"Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action." - George Washington
by Hockey Beard in SLC on Dec 1, 2009 12:07 AM MST up reply actions
That's why he gets a pass.
Roderick and Schramm do not. This is Whitt’s biggest test, IMO. He’s got to decide if they’re up for the job or not. If they aren’t, he needs to make a move. If he thinks their issues were more due to growing pains, he can stand pat.
But either way, the decision he makes will directly impact the future of the program and his position running it. Now I don’t want that to sound like I’m saying Whitt won’t get it done. I’m just saying that this season Utah had a fairly favorable schedule outside of three games and they lost all three of those games.
That’s okay in a rebuilding year. I don’t think anyone is going to say this season sucked. However, next year the schedule isn’t nearly as easy. Pitt won’t be a given. Iowa State could be tough. Notre Dame is going to be a bitch regardless of who’s coaching and what they bring back. That doesn’t count TCU and BYU. Five games the Utes can realistically lose next year. If they go 0-for in big games like this year, things will be extremely interesting entering 2011.
Of course, we had a lot of questions about the offense at the end of the 2007 season and much of that was due to Johnson’s injury. By 2008, we were a really good team. My hope is that the same thing happens this time around. Because I remember the feeling I had after the ’07 Utah-BYU game. I was very frustrated with the offensive production.
But things worked themselves out a year later, even though no changes were made. If we don’t make changes, I’m hoping that happens again.
Agreed
And this yea is an experimentr, replacing our starting QB and WRs and losing a couple key defenders—and has anyone noticed teh drop off in D line productivity sans Kruger? Our corners are picking up nicely and we’re getting better however, if those two guys had stayed we’d likely be 11-1.
But if they don’t put acohesive unit together next year by game say 3, time to mix it up at end of next year.
Whittingham's "teams just aren't getting it done in the clutch"???
Are you serious? If this were true then last year never happened. The Utes season really reflected the college football season at large. Most teams have performed as they were expected. I have confidence that Whit will get the OC situation figured out. For the record, I will take a 9-3 “rebuilding” year anytime. Our program is in great shape.
That's none of your business...yet!!!
Sorry, I was only talking about the Holy War.
Not every other game.
All three of our losses to BYU have come by a score or less.
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