Because the internets rock, I've been able to do some interviews with a few bloggers out there. Two were Michigan and the other Oregon State. Another interview is forthcoming, so keep an eye out for that one.
The first was with Maize n Brew and you can read the interview here.
Maize n Brew: Tell us a little about the Utah offense. Is it a spread, an I, a pro-set, or something really cool that we've never heard of? What makes it go?
Block U: Utah's offense is much more diverse than what most were introduced to in the 2004 season under Urban Meyer. A lot of this has to do with the fact Brian Johnson has not been one hundred percent healthy and if your quarterback is not fully healthy, you're not going to run the spread option to its fullest, or you run the risk of losing that quarterback entirely. Because of this, Utah often mixed things up, but the foundation has always been the spread. Sometimes, when running the spread option, Utah took Johnson out and replaced him with Corbin Louks, who most likely will be taking over for the Utes next season when Johnson graduates.
With a healthy Johnson -- that sounds perverted, I know -- Utah's offense is efficient and smooth, especially the spread part. Unfortunately, Utah fans haven't seen this since the 2005 season, because Johnson sat out all of 2006 with an injury and then was reinjured in the 2007 opener, which limited his play for most of the season. When he was healthy, prior to the Louisville game and Poinsettia Bowl, the Utes looked pretty damn good on offense. However, if he's hurt again, even if it doesn't take him out of the game, it marginalize his talents and that will ultimately undercut Utah's ability to successfully run the offense they've been trying to run since Kyle Whittingham took over for Urban Meyer in 2005. Expect, though, a healthy mix of pro-set plays, spread and -- even though most Utah fans hate this aspect -- the I-formation.
The other Michigan blogger I had a Q and A with Maize N Blue Nation (not to be confused with Maize N Brew) and you can read that interview here.
5. And finally...Utah has had some great success in recent years and knocked off some good caliber opponents. Do Utah fans feel their school does not get the respect it deserves from the BCS and mainstream college football media?
Yeah, we feel there is a swipe at Utah and it's in various ways, too. Like I'm sure most Michigan fans believe they should beat Utah only because the Utes aren't a BCS team. And while I can understand that type of logic, I don't necessarily agree with it. Then when Utah actually does win, no one ever suggests it's because the Utes were better, but that the other team "lost" the game. In 2004, that let up a bit, but only because Utah went 12-0. Had they gone 11-1 or 10-2, none of the four BCS teams they beat that year (Texas A&M, Arizona, North Carolina and Pittsburgh) would have given them the respect they deserved.
The final interview was with Building the Dam, an Oregon State blog, and was far more tongue-in-cheek than the above two. You can read it here.
Four: Your fans have many traditions surrounding the sport of football. What are some of your most questionable traditions? Do you have any good ones that aren't laughably ridiculous?
It's Utah, we don't have traditions. Seriously, I mean, there is the Block U (no, not a plug for my blog), which lights up after every victory. I guess that's cool, but other than that, this is a tradition-lacking school. Luckily, though, we're not BYU, whose fans sing 'Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree' when victory is secured. This song manages to do the unthinkable, it takes every ounce of manliness and replaces it with what can only be described as estrogen laced entertainment.
As I said, expect another interview in the future.