Utes enter November vying for a bowl berth
by JazzyUte on Nov 1, 2011 3:36 PM MDT
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PrintEven though Utah has struggled in Pac-12 play, thanks to their stellar out of conference record, the Utes enter November in prime position for a ninth straight bowl game.
With all that's happened, the injuries that have stacked up since the season began, I guess you couldn't ask for a better spot. 4-4 might not turn too many heads, but it puts Utah just two wins away from a bowl game and that ain't bad.
Of course, as we've seen in four of five Pac-12 games, there really is no gimmie on the schedule and it's going to take a strong performance these final weeks of the '11 season to gut out a bowl bid.
Are the Utes up to the task?
I think so. I've got faith that Kyle Whittingham can squeeze at least two wins out of this team. I said, prior to the Oregon State game, that Utah probably needed to win to have any chance at a bowl berth and, with a victory, I think they're on pace to do just that.
But it's not going to be easy. In fact, the Utes' next game should be their hardest of their final four. Arizona, who, just a month ago seemed completely moribund, has turned it around the last two weeks - even in defeat. They've got a powerful offense that should match up well against Utah's defense, since it relies more on the passing game, which the Utes have struggled against at times this season.
Even so, the Wildcats only enter Saturday's game as a 3.5 favorite and even if they have played well their last two games, they're still a 2-6 team that has to win out for any hope of a bowl game. That'll require threading the needle perfectly and, even though I think they're better than their record (their first-half schedule was just brutal), even with a win against Utah, I'm not sure they have what it takes to beat rival Arizona State.
But, until officially eliminated from postseason discussion, every game is now a must-win for Arizona. I'm sure, after their solid, though difficult loss to Washington last weekend, they'll come out fired up in hopes of inching closer and closer to a bowl berth.
For Utah, this game is not a must-win. Unlike last week, I definitely foresee a scenario where the Utes get to a bowl game with a loss this weekend. With that said, it would be nice to win this one. I think a win would not only indicate the team is, in fact, improving, but that they're probably, barring an ugly collapse, going bowling once again.
It would also be nice to start improving on the overall win total. Seven, eight or nine wins looks a helluva lot better than six.
For that to happen, though, the Utes are going to have to do more on offense. They can't rely on John White IV like they did against the Beavers in every other game this season. I get he's the guy who makes this offense go and when he struggles, so does Utah, but the offense is scarily one-dimensional right now. That's going to cost them a game or two in their final four unless fixed and probably give us a great deal of anxiety to boot.
So Jon Hays has to do more than just not turn the ball over. That's obviously step one to a good game, but in that second half Saturday, had it not been for the defense, the offensive's lack of sustaining drives could have taken what was a blowout and made it into a far more interesting game than what we eventually saw.
That means, for the Utes to finish strong, the offense is going to have to carry its weight all around - not just on the ground. Because 65 yards through the air is really walking on the razor's edge.
Hopefully Hays has gained some confidence though and can not only keep from turning it over, but also find a productive game through the air.
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After the Pitt win, we started thinking that perhaps we could win out.
Then the Cal Bear hand grenade blew up in our face.
If we have another 62 yard throwing day, I think the game may be over by halftime if not sooner.
Why Mike Riley didn’t load up the box against our offense is beyond me?
I think it would be safe to say, that Arizona will learn from the strategy mistakes made both by the Pitt and Oregon State coaching staffs.
Heaven help us if Jon Hays has just another “managing the game” type of effort.
If norm chow is not smart enough to have hays throw a quick slant route and i hope hays can do this type......
of throw b/c if he can’t or Norm Chow does not desire this play we will end either 5-7 or 6-6. the buffs are just terrible and have other problems. that game should be a win. then its either beat ucla or wazzou for the 6th win. i see zona and foles kinda lighting us up.
Public Enemy #1 and enjoying every minute of it. Tapology.
by wolfmanshowlforever on Nov 2, 2011 11:48 AM MDT up reply actions
When you stack the box the best play is a quick slant route. a successful quick slant route pass.
Public Enemy #1 and enjoying every minute of it. Tapology.
by wolfmanshowlforever on Nov 2, 2011 11:49 AM MDT up reply actions
I agree. If AZ are going to put up 8 man fronts
then throw 10 yard ‘quick’ slants. Run a few play actions to keep them honest and from using fakes and dropping a guy like byu did to pick off a pass over the middle.
Hays should practice slants until he starts seeing them in his sleep.
by Utah-UCLA alum on Nov 2, 2011 12:15 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
Will stacking the box be enough for AZ?
Cal already had a pretty good D, so stacking worked there. Even if they load the front, will AZ be able to hold the run?
If anyone found my snowboarding gloves after storming the field following the 2004 TDS game, I want them back!
Fired up or Flat
Reading the player’s comments after the Cal game, many team leaders said they were flat for the Cal game and after our strong effort (well at least the D) against the Tony Dorsett’s and Dan Marino’s former university.
As a fan and not being in the locker room, it is tough to know what kind of Utah team is going to emerge from the bowels of the stadium and out onto the field. In my playing days, our team Captains would kick a few of us too casual in demeanor players in the rump or insult our lack of kajones to get us jacked up. Despite our clear lack of talent at QB, I hope our team can show the same resolve (in their words) like they did against the Beavers. This fighting spirit and will to win would be good for at least 10 points (a WAG) on the board for us or off the board for them.
When putting up points is a challenge TOUGH, we need all the postive vibes we can get.
Nothing would surpise me with this team
Winning big, losing big, or a close one either way all have equal chances of happening for the next 3 Saturdays. That said, Arizona’s defense is not good. The Wolfman should be able to do his thing and if there was ever a game that our passing attack could get something going and carry their fair share of the load it’s this week. If the offense can’t score at least 28 on Arizona’s defense, I’m not sure I want to see them in a bowl game.
Hang in there Utes!!!
A lot of us in Bronco Nation are pulling for you as a class program and former member of the unclean (non-AQ). We BSU fans line our bird cages with Mark May (speaking of Pitt) photos but his comments dissing the Utes were really over the top the other day. He used your first year/rebuilding year experience in the Pac 12 as evidence of why non-AQ teams (in this case Boise State, but really any team) should never be allowed to play for an NC. Huh? How soon he forgets the team that should have at least shared the NC back in 2008 (Sugar bowl v. Bama). Good luck against Arizona – watch for flying water bottles and such.
I will root for Alabama or Ohio State if they play the Chinese...maybe.
I will root for Auburn if they play Al Qaida, Hamas or the Phillies
by HSridge on Nov 1, 2011 5:46 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs
Yeah, I heard about Mark May's comments...
The guy is, amazingly, replacing Craig James for my most hated sports commentator. I can only imagine that this is all based in his hatred of Utah’s constant dismantling of the highly overrated Pitt program.
How you can compare a Utah team who lost their starting QB, and was only 10-3 to a Boise St. team who has lost a total of 2 games in 4 years…and beat Utah soundly last year.
Seriously, listening to that idiot gives me high blood pressure. I want him fired a-la Trev Alberts…hell, Trev Alberts deserves a job over him. What a clown.
MayDay and Dr.Lou
Ah yes Marcus May. Mark knows relative strength of football teams as much as Colonel Klink knew about the tunnels under Stalag 13. The poster boy along with Tom Jackson and Craig James of dumb jocks blah, blah, blahing on espn.
by Utah-UCLA alum on Nov 2, 2011 9:06 AM MDT up reply actions
I heard trev alberts does high school football commentary in lincoln nebraska. :- }
Public Enemy #1 and enjoying every minute of it. Nobody picks MMA fights as good as me. Tapology. Peace.
by wolfmanshowlforever on Nov 3, 2011 6:43 AM MDT up reply actions
you have great sig. did you know Utah has never lost to a big east team? 9-0 vs teams in the big east.
maybe we should have gone to the BE instead. lol. :- }. have fun destroying UNLV.
Public Enemy #1 and enjoying every minute of it. Nobody picks MMA fights as good as me. Tapology. Peace.
by wolfmanshowlforever on Nov 3, 2011 6:42 AM MDT up reply actions
Thanks for the Support HSridge.
However, as I said before. Utah doesn’t represent any other football program, non-AQ or BCS, other than Utah. People really need to stop lumping together all Non-AQ schools. They don’t do that with the BCS programs. Since when has Iowa state and Texas been seen as the same caliber of school. While I can see the comparisions between Utah, Boise State, and TCU. I don’t understand why people insist that Utah is representing all these schools this year. Boise State is a superb team this year (as usual) and Its my honest opinion that they would do great in the PAC-12 this year. I’m not saying they would win it, but I’m not saying they wouldn’t either. This year Utah team represents nothing more than…..THIS YEARS UTAH TEAM. They don’t even represent past Utah teams (2004, 2008). I’m sure it would be a completely different story if it was the 2004 Utah team playing their first year in the PAC-12. Anyways, good luck with the year Boise State.
Go Utes!
I agree...
We’ve got enough problems of our own without helping carry the non-AQ flag.
It’s not fair to BSU that they’re being compared to the ‘11 Utes. The ’11Utes are potentially the weakest of the Whittingham era (sans ’06, maybe). If every non-BCS team is going to be judged by what we do this year, well that just ain’t fair.
That, Jazzy
Is why they are doing it that way. When non-AQs are having spectacular years, ignore them. As soon as one of the ‘representatives’ (although I agree with UteHawk about how silly that is) has a down year… it’s proof. Whatever keeps them from cutting another slice of the pie.
by Joseph Silverzweig on Nov 2, 2011 7:49 AM MDT up reply actions
Stockholm syndrome...
So let me get this straight. It’s not your new conferences fault that you’re having a shitty year. You’re just having a shitty year GENERALLY. Is that right? Is that the way this works?
So the fact that you’re 3-0 OOC (winning rather comfortably), and 1-4 in conference (getting creamed, generally), well, that doesn’t reflect AT ALL on the quality of your new week to week in-conference competition, does it? I mean, logically, how could it?
If BSU played in the Pac-12, I’m sure they’d roll right through the conference, because, well… just because y’all say so, I guess….
While a bit aggressively stated, I think Hawnk has a point.
… how many of these “weaknesses” would have been exposed if you played every week in MWC? Would Wynn even had gotten knocked out? Would the sweet TO margin you have in OOC play had continued over those teams? Would your already good defense be viewed by you as, perhaps, the best D in all of college football (in the same way that fans of Houston argue that they have the best offense in all of CFB)?
For better or worse, the move of Utah is an experiment that those who sit on the fence of the non-AQ issue are paying close attention to. This isn’t about “carrying a flag” as much as it is about seeing if the 85 scholarship limit has truly leveled the talent gap. While in no way a perfect measure, Utah’s move into the Pac 12 gives us a hint as to what might happen to Boise St should they move into an AQ conference. TCU’s move into the Big 12 will do the same.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
@chrislandon
Difference though, is strength of conference
when comparing UU vs TCU vs BSU. Congrats to all for making AQ status, but comparing Boise State to TCU or UU is not an fair because not all is equal. BSU (along w/ other non AQs) is heading off to an incredibly “why do they have BCS status?” weak confernece.
UU will have a tougher go and more L’s heading up against the likes of Stanford, Oregon, Wash, USC, etc and TCU witll have more L’s vs OU, oSu, UT, KSU, etc than BSU will ever have going up against Louisville, Rutgers, Cincinatti, and UCONN. Halfof the new proposed BE is going to be of current non AQ schools next year.
I should be working right now...
`Stanford, Oregon, Wash, USC, etc...'
With all due respect to Stanford, Oregon, Wash, and USC, it’s the etc.’s that grind you up, and spit you out, as a losing, beat to shit team that is a shell of its former self.
You guys are STILL, quite evidently, a product of this lame MWC mindset, where you play 4 games a year, and call it good. You came into this season thinking, `Jackpot! We don’t have to play Stanford and Oregon, so that just leaves USC and maybe… I dunno, ASU? 1-2-3-4. Hey, we’re going to roll!’
You didn’t give Washington, Cal, Arizona and UCLA much thought at all, because they were 5-6-7-8. Those are the teams that you roll through. I mean, that’s the way it always worked in your old conference(s), from the beginning of football. Of course it would carry forward.
When it didn’t, you blamed your team for their failure to live up to your expectations. You blamed the fates, for taking your QB away.
But what you never did, what you have yet to do, is to simply acknowledge that maybe these 5-6-7-8 teams are just better than you thought they were. And that maybe Stanford and Oregon are way, WAY better than you thought they were. And that, if you’re ever going to compete at the top of THIS pyramid, you’re going to have to get a LOT better yourselves. Not incrementally better. Almost unimaginably better.
Why wouldn’t you? Because, Stockholm syndrome. You have to justify your old non-AQ world-view, that says we’re just as good as anybody, anywhere. And I’m sorry to say this, but coming from Pac-X perspective, it’s an absurd notion. You were dead WRONG.
You have your memories of your glory days, but please try to refrain from equating those to what you will experience someday as the champions of the Pac-12. When you finally get there, you will better understand just how far you had to come. And you too will chuckle at the Boise States of the world, because there is no comparison. It’s the difference between skating through a cupcake schedule, and blasting through a murderous one. It takes a totally different, vastly better and more complete team.
Chill, buddy.
Slow down with the vitriol, and read our actual comments. We predicted between 6-6 and 8-4 on average, and thought we had a good chance at the conference if we beat USC and ASU… sounds pretty reasonable to me… you sound really angry, and I’m not sure at what.
by Joseph Silverzweig on Nov 4, 2011 4:26 PM MDT up reply actions
Are you on dope you clown?
Talk about rambling garbage. We never took Pac-12 teams , #5 on down lightly. However, we and others (see Pac-12 poll from Pacific takes) felt that Utah would be competitive against the ‘lower’ teams.
If we had our starting QB, I think we would be contending for the Pac-12 South.
As evidenced from the first half of the Utah-UW game, when we had Wynn our team offensively was pretty good. At the USC game, we also hung tough with great USC squad. Yes, Utah doesn’t have the depth of the other Pac-12 programs and perhaps won’t for a long time.
Since losing our starting QB, we have not been good. (See Indy Colts.)
But for you to come to a Utah website with aggressive language and basically rant about Utah’s fans having greater confidence for their team, well why don’t you stick it up your ASS. We can think what we want.
by Utah-UCLA alum on Nov 4, 2011 11:14 PM MDT up reply actions
Hawnk isn't vitriolic, and he's reflecting a POV that many other PAC 12 visitors to this site observed
… I don’t think we have stated it in terms meant to insult or drive flaming wars, but we have tried to convey the point. Its a truth that all of us have grown to accept. We’ve seen ORST upset USC. Oregon upset UW. UW upset WSU. Stanford upset USC (biggest upset ever?).
The bulk of those on this blog were expecting to hardly be challenged by the likes of UW, WSU and Cal. We just would like to convince you that every opponent should be viewed as a possible upsetter, even if you expect to win.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
@chrislandon
If you recall, there was a poll among
Pac-12 fans, which teams would win their respective divisions. The sample size was large, in the hundreds if I am not mistaken or perhaps even in the thousands. Utah was picked by users to win the Pac-12 South – even over ASU.
With a healthy Jordan Wynn, I believe that prediction would have been close or dead on.
However, the my faith in my team doesn’t mean I was thinking we were going to cakewalk through the Pac-12. I have been a fan of the Pac-10/12 for a LONG time and I KNOW how good the teams in it are.
Reality is we lost Wynn – again, so delusions/expectations for a great season were dashed. Nevertheless, as a fan and an alumnus of Utah, I can still expect our team to perform close to or at the level Utah football has become.
I hardly call that ARROGANCE. I am not negative on other teams, but positive on my teams. If other fans have a problem with that, screw them.
by Utah-UCLA alum on Nov 5, 2011 10:14 AM MDT up reply actions
All fans of their
respective schools have lofty expectations. Some realistic some not. It is called being a FAN.
Look up at that meaning in one of your textbooks.
by Utah-UCLA alum on Nov 4, 2011 11:28 PM MDT up reply actions
Dude, wtf
I’m not even a Utah fan. I was just making the point that if Boise St moves to the AQ BE and is successful out the gates – it is not a fair comparison to either UU or TCU due to the level of competition within the conference in the whole “carrying the flag” argument. It is doubtful that a team successful in the BE would be as successful in the Pac or UTen.
I should be working right now...
I would say
It’s about 50/50. It looks like we’ll finish 6-6 or thereabouts. I imagine we would finish 9-3 in the MWC. If it was the 2008/4 team, we’d finish 12-0 in the MWC and 9-3 or 10-2 in the Pac-12.
If BSU played in the Pac-12 this year… somewhere between 12-0 and 10-2. In other words, one of the best teams in the conference.
by Joseph Silverzweig on Nov 4, 2011 12:33 PM MDT up reply actions
I'm confused...
You think BSU this year would finish no worse than 10-2, but the ’04 Utes, with this schedule, would finish no better than 10-2?
So, I guess you’re saying this year’s Broncos are better than the 2004 Utes?
Yeah
I think that is what I was saying. I’d be rooting for the Utes all the way, though! Stanford and Oregon are CRAZY good, however. I don’t feel like the teams in ‘04 were of the caliber of this year’s top crop.
Wouldn’t rule out 12-0 for those Utes, I would just expect a loss to USC or ASU, and then a loss in the P12CG. Maybe an upset thrown in.
by Joseph Silverzweig on Nov 4, 2011 2:29 PM MDT up reply actions
That amazes me...
Really. I’m shocked that you would, with a straight face, say the ’11 BSU Broncos are a better team than the 2004 Utes – who were not tested in any of their games, were coached by arguably one of the greatest minds in modern college football history.
I get saying they might not go undefeated with this schedule, but to suggest the Broncos, at their worst, are still better than the ’04 team is at their best is astonishing to me.
Meh, whatever. We’ll never know. My take? The ‘04 Utes would cream the ’11 Broncos and it wouldn’t be close.
Would love to see it.
I would also have loved to see the Utes play some really good teams that year instead of who they did. I have a lot more faith in the ’08 Utes, because of who they managed to beat.
Didn’t mean to offend, I love my Utes!
by Joseph Silverzweig on Nov 4, 2011 4:28 PM MDT up reply actions
Well I'm not offended...
I just think that comment is flat out wrong. The Broncos are very good, but no way are they in the same galaxy as the ’04 Utes.
So yeah, not offended, just surprised that you think, at their worst, this year’s Broncos are still better than Utah at their best.
Sure the quality is the reason Utah is 4-4 and say, not 6-2...
But that doesn’t change the fact that this team is having a down year and would be having a down year in the MWC. Utah lost its starting quarterback, which very well could have happened in the MWC as well (in fact, you could say Wynn’s injury actually happened two weeks prior, against BYU, a non-BCS team) and it doesn’t matter what conference you’re in, it’s still difficult replacing your quarterback.
Sure, the Utes would’ve padded their record against the dregs of the MWC, but that doesn’t make them any better.
Would BSU roll through the Pac-12? Probably not – but with Utah’s schedule, I’d wager they would be no worse than 7-1.
We’re 4-4 because, yes, the schedule is much harder than last year, but also BECAUSE WE LOST OUR FREAKING QUARTERBACK FOUR GAMES INTO THE SEASON.
That has more to do with it than the teams we’ve faced. Yeesh.
Mark May logic
Well that means that the SEC isn’t worthy for the NC because Florida isn’t very good this year. I even question their NC teams of 2008 and 2006 since the 2011 team is struggling so much.
We should dial up the same first play we ran vs oregon state
That was very close to being a touchdown
But Jon Hays has to show he can make that throw or I fear we wont’ go back to it
Your facing a defense that gives up bigs chunks of yards in the air
We know Arizona will put up points, but we definately need a big performance from Hays on Saturday if we want to win
My thoughts exactly.
Stack the box, we’ll gamble and go deep.
by Utah-UCLA alum on Nov 2, 2011 9:01 AM MDT up reply actions
First half/Second Half
In the first half, Hays was throwing more on first and second down. We also had mostly 2 receiver sets. In the second half, we pretty much only threw on 3rd and long with 3-4 receiver sets. I’m not sure that Hays can make reads quick enough to get to the 3/4 route anyway. Seemed like the 2 receiver sets with extra blocking were more effective for the run and pass game.
Arizona will stack the box, no doubt about it
I think it would be wise to run some designed screens to white, that would help an over aggressive blitzing front which arizona will likely bring, loosen up a bit
Where may I find this Mark Mays statement about the utes?
by aUTmanAMi on Nov 2, 2011 3:40 PM MDT via mobile reply actions
Arizona's Sagarin SOS for first 7 games was #1
They currently stand at #4. I think they are tough to predict right now.
Utah is going to have to play more like they did in the first half of OrSt. than the second half in order to win this game.
I think they can, but it will be a test on the road for Hays.
I think they can, but I'm expecting a loss...
Hope I’m wrong, obviously, but I just don’t think Utah is at the level right now to win on the road against an improving team.
With that said, I do expect this game to be far closer than the last conference road game.
I hope Utah can stay exited.
I play football for west Jordan and I can say if you aren’t exited for a game, you won’t win. We ended up going 3-6 but we were a 6-3 worthy team. We had a 3 game winning streak going into the cottonwood game, if we won we were guaranteed a playoff spot. We Played our best but cottonwood got a hail Mary to win on the last play of the game. If we couldhave won any other region games we could have made playoffs, but that game sucked the life out of us. I know the Utes won on Saturday but I also know that the players see this season as a dissapointment. Let’s just hope that our Utes want a bowl game more than looking at what could have been in the past, because I know first hand that it can kill a season.
Go utes!
by utahman13 on Nov 2, 2011 4:44 PM MDT via mobile reply actions
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