New bumpersticker right there.
But yeah, adversity does suck. It's not fun. Oh sure, I bet there are a few go-getters who thrive off the challenge. I don't, though. I don't like adversity in life and I certainly don't like it in my football.
Unfortunately, that's life and you've still got to deal with it.
For Utah football, this is the first time since the '07 season that things have gone so wrong so fast. In that season, the Utes started 1-3, lost their starting running back, their starting quarterback for a few games and then experienced arguably the most embarrassing loss in program history.
Utah bounced back nicely, of course, winning 21 of their next 22 games - including a Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama.
I don't anticipate a similar run over the next season and a half for these Utes, but if '07 taught us anything, it's that no matter how bad things may seem, the ship can be righted rather quickly.
After Utah's shutout loss to UNLV, most Ute fans, or at least a loud minority, openly questioned the direction of the football program and it didn't look like the season could be salvaged. It wasn't until a bit later, maybe after the Louisville game, where fans started believing that maybe things were improving enough where the team could challenge for a bowl berth.
Are we in store for something similar this time around?
I'm hopeful because I believe in Kyle Whittingham. I think he's a great coach and very capable of bringing teams back from the brink.
I don't know if that's going to start this week or next, but until the Utes sit at seven losses, I'm not going to concede a losing season and definitely won't give up on them (regardless of how negative my posting may seem in the wake of a bad loss).
But a lot is going to depend on Saturday afternoon. I'm not suggesting Utah needs to win, but they need to be competitive. If they're blown out once more, in their second consecutive home game, it's going to be hard getting on board with the idea that things, a bit down the road, will kick it into gear and the Utes will cruise to a respectable finish and receive a bowl bid for the ninth consecutive year.
So get out to the stadium this Saturday and cheer on the Utes in a very important home game.