The Morning Blitz: Daily Utah links
by JazzyUte on Aug 10, 2011 12:36 AM MDT
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I was looking over Utah's 2010 schedule to see if anything could be gleaned from it heading into 2011 and I really don't know what to make of it.
Certainly the three blowout losses to TCU, Notre Dame and Boise State come to mind whenever anyone mentions last season. However, I can't help but think that, warts and all, it wasn't all that bad of a deal for Utah.
In fact, I think it was a better overall season than 2009, even though the Utes ended that year on a far better note with their Poinsettia Bowl win than they did last year.
Outside that Cal victory, I can't really point to one win from '09 that stands out. Maybe Air Force, which has produced good teams under Troy Calhoun, but that's even a stretch.
So even though there were some bitter losses in '10, ones that I won't even begin to defend right now, overall, I still look at the season as pretty successful. They defeated Pitt in the first game, who then went on to win a share of the Big East (I know, I know...), went on the road and wrecked Iowa State, defeated a good Air Force team in Colorado Springs, gave San Diego State their lone home loss of the year and ended it all with a win over BYU.
Yes, we can focus on the losses to TCU and Notre Dame and a lesser extent Boise State (even though Jordan Wynn sat that game out), but I'm not ready to dismiss 2010 because of it.
I want to focus on one of those wins that I think has been downplayed a lot over the last year. In fact, I actually watched the game, which can be viewed for free on YouTube, for the first time since it took place and it led me to want to make this post.
I think we are so quick to ignore that win over the Aztecs because A) the Utes were favored and B) it's San Diego State. For fans who have followed Utah football for a long, long time, it's hard to wrap our minds around the idea of San Diego State being competitive. Since the creation of the Mountain West in 1999, the Aztecs consistently underperformed - in fact, their first bowl game since the conference formed came this past season.
But it was an impressive win. Maybe the most impressive of the season when you consider Utah had entered with zero confidence and was playing an upstart program that, as I said, hadn't lost at home that season. San Diego State finished 6-1 at home when you count their win over Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl.
A week before the Utah game, the Aztecs took TCU to the wire on the road and definitely had some swagger, as they entered the game winners of four of their last five.
They also held the lead late against a Missouri team on the road that would finish the season with ten wins.
It was an impressive victory.
What does this have to do with 2011? I'm not exactly sure. I guess a lot of people point to Utah's losses as proof they might not be able to compete week-to-week in the Pac-12. Maybe they're right. But it also seems people ignore the good wins. Wins like this one. Wins that, at the time might not have seemed all that great, but in retrospect, hold up better than initially thought.
Anyway, if you have time, go rewatch the game. It's a fun one. Maybe one of the most entertaining games of the season (outside the Iowa State win).
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SDSU Game
This game gets unfairly ridden off I think because of the Hail Mary at the end of the first half. Truth is, considering how flat the Utes still were, after their two previous losses, as well as how high SDSU was playing, the way the Utes turned everything on in the 2nd half is impressive.
One other note about SDSU, is they have two pretty legitimate gripes for officials possibly ripping them out of two wins last year. On the Missouri game, the touchdown that’s scored as time runs out was aided by a flagrant block in the back.
There was also Chad Bunn-Gate.
Now I’m not one to blame officials, because let’s be honest, had they tackled that runner, the block in the back doesn’t matter, and there was still time after the non fumble for SDSU to still be able to pull it out. So in all honesty, the losses still fall on them. But it does go to show, just how good SDSU really was, and how they easily could have been 11-2 last year, instead of 9-4.
The block in the back took out a defender in perfect position to make the tackle while the receiver was off balance making the catch.
The body of the defender then went flying into another defender in good position to make the tackle and took him out too.
With both the safety and the corner out and the catch right on the sideline there wasn’t anyone left to make the tackle. The play went close to 80 yards with time expiring.
You can’t reasonably say SDSU should have made that tackle. I am glad I am not an Aztec fan, I would have been fuming.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St Larry soon would be there. -Maji Man
by daedalus17 on Aug 10, 2011 9:54 AM MDT via mobile up reply actions
Just watched the Hail Mary before halftime
There was “a penalty flag on the 12 yard line” according to announcers and it was for Excessive Celebration (duh, they just connected on a 50 yard Hail Mary). I’m wondering if this would erase the TD with this year’s new rule change. That would be HORRIBLE.
I don't Believe So
Because it would have been a dead ball foul because the celebration occurred after the play.
Where it would cost someone is say High-Stepping into the end zone. since the play is still going.
I’m 99.5% sure this would have been the dead ball variety of the penalty.
Makes sense
I’m still nervous about the change. I hate the celebration penalty, then they make it worse this year.
As for the Hail Mary at halftime, it was easily negated early 3rd quarter by SDSU’s lucky 90 yard TD pass off a bad throw by Lindley that was tipped by 2 Ute defenders colliding and fell into the fortunate hands of the WR. Great comeback by the Utes and a great win on the road after 2 flat losses.
Totally agree the SDSU hail mary was a lot luckier.
I thought for sure it was an interception or an incomplete pass (if I remember correctly it was 3rd down and would have ended the drive.) When the collision tip for a touchdown happened I couldn’t believe my eyes.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St Larry soon would be there. -Maji Man
there was no time left on the clock
so whether or not the drive would have ended is a moot point.
No longer tweeting due to an overload of spam. please check out my blog sometime @ bigbenstechnicalfoul.blogspot.com for my thoughts on sports, religion, politics, family life and a host of other random stuff.
by BigBenSportsGuy on Aug 10, 2011 2:44 PM MDT up reply actions
I need to watch the YouTube clip to refresh my memory
But I think the Utah hail Mary was as time ran out of the half, not the sdsu hail Mary. I think the really long sdsu hail Mary had a lot of time remaining in the 2nd half.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St Larry soon would be there. -Maji Man
by daedalus17 on Aug 10, 2011 3:05 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions
The problem isn't the penalty
It’s the use of the penalty. The penalty is meant to stop the show boating, and taunting of the early 90’s Hurricanes. Which the game severely needed.
Unfortunately it’s used more on the Jake Locker situations than anything.
Eh.
Just finished watching that game for the second time. Still sucked. If Utah doesn’t have a better pass rush and/or better defensive backfield this year, I cringe at the yards and points opposing passing games will put up.
Dolphins and sharks are natural enemies. Dolphins are like, "Quit eating us," and sharks are like, "Stop smiling all the time, you morons."
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Mizzou
SDSU should have won that one.
"Gentlemen, it is better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football."--John Heisman
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