Grading out the loss to Washington State

If we could only forget about the 1st quarter of the game against Washington State, because the rest of the game they please rather well, but that 1st quarter was awful. Let’s try to grade the team out on this performance.

Offense: D+

I’m torn, as usual, with this grade, because the offense did some good things, specifically in the pass game. However, those 7 (let’s be real 6) turnovers were really painful, and they came in so many different fashions. Tipped passes, bad passed, fumbles by the wide outs, strip sacks, etc, you name it the Utes did it. The run game was almost non-existent, but Wazzu’s d-line was really good. The offensive line was really bad in that 1st half, where Huntley was given very little time to throw.

Defense: A-

Man, the defense’s back was up against the wall virtually the entire game, and time-after-time they held WSU to a field goal. To hold Luke Falk in check like they did was very impressive. After the Oregon and ASU games, I was concerned that WSU would attempt to hit Utah more on the perimeter in the run game, but instead they went after Utah’s young secondary all game, and they youngsters really stepped up. Also, without Chase Hansen, Marquise Blair, Sunia Tauteoli and Kylie Fitts (plus others), some of Utah’s twos and threes really played well.

Special Teams: B+

Matt Gay’s 56 yarder was awesome, and there was some good things in the return game, but the miss by Gay, and Boobie almost turned it over on a punt, is where I’m knocking them. Also, I think one of Mitch’s punts got tipped, but I may have had a bad angle on that one.

Where would you grade the team this week?