Block U - Utah Football 2014: UCLA PreviewAn unofficial Utah Utes bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47599/blocku_fav.png2014-10-11T12:15:44-06:00http://www.blocku.com/rss/stream/66244722014-10-11T12:15:44-06:002014-10-11T12:15:44-06:00Utah football talk: UCLA Wrap & Practice Audio
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<p>We put a cherry on top of the UCLA win, plus some audio from after practice Friday.</p> <p>Utes' fans were living large this week from the win at UCLA, after such a downer of a loss to Washington State. In this edition of <i>The U Fan Cast</i>, we chat about some numbers that jumped out to us (10 sacks, anyone?), who got our game balls, and some of the youth that filled in for <span>Tevin Carter</span>.</p>
<p>We opened the episode with Joseph Silverzweig going over some of his advanced metrics, and what really stood out from the UCLA win. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.blocku.com/2014/10/9/6949141/statistically-speaking-up-and-down-of-college-football" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Check out Joseph's write-up from earlier this week for more on his analysis.</a></p>
<p>Listen to the audio only version of the podcast right here:</p>
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<p>We also had some boots on the ground at practice on Friday to talk to the coaches and players. <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">Adia</span> and Daniel stopped by and got some great interviews, and talked to the team about going into the Oregon State week.</p>
<p>Here is an interview with Coach Kalani Sitake:</p>
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<p>Here is an interview with Coach Kyle Whittingham:</p>
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<p>Here is a post practice interview with starting corner <span>Eric Rowe</span>:</p>
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<p>Here is our interview with defensive lineman <span>Hunter Dimick</span>:</p>
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<p>Here are some post practice reactions from Daniel on Twitter. Give Daniel a follow @Dspizzy18 for some great Utah insight and reaction. </p>
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<p><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">Utes</span> had a good practice today. Good work everywhere. Players I talked were glad to have a little break.</p>
— Daniel (@Dspizzy18) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dspizzy18/status/520750613533954048">October 11, 2014</a>
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<p>Scott said "it feels great 2 be back on the field in general." Last weeks win in his home state felt amazing W/Friends and <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">fam</span> in attendance</p>
— Daniel (@Dspizzy18) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dspizzy18/status/520751432585469952">October 11, 2014</a>
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<p>Fun Fact about Scotty, He has inspirational <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">msgs</span> written on the tape on his wrists. Among them "Blood and Guts" a la <a href="https://twitter.com/89SteveSmith">@89SteveSmith</a></p>
— Daniel (@Dspizzy18) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dspizzy18/status/520753010889482240">October 11, 2014</a>
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<p>Talked to Hunter Dimmick today. That is a home grown Utah boy. His nickname amongst his peers is "Lunchroom". Dude likes to eat<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">...</span>a lot!</p>
— Daniel (@Dspizzy18) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dspizzy18/status/520752115569164288">October 11, 2014</a>
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<p>Also talked w/ E <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">rowe</span>. He said he feels like he starting to settle <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">in</span> playing DB. Has a better feel for WR tendencies.</p>
— Daniel (@Dspizzy18) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dspizzy18/status/520753429996904450">October 11, 2014</a>
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<p>Regarding the <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">black out</span>, an official told me that it will be determined by game times. Black outs are reserved for night games.</p>
— Daniel (@Dspizzy18) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dspizzy18/status/520754282895654912">October 11, 2014</a>
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<p>The blackout is undetermined at this point.</p>
— Daniel (@Dspizzy18) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dspizzy18/status/520754345055227904">October 11, 2014</a>
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https://www.blocku.com/2014/10/11/6962153/utah-football-talk-ucla-wrap-practice-audioShane.RobertsadialeighSteven FordAlex StarkDaniel SpightJoseph Silverzweig2014-10-06T18:17:06-06:002014-10-06T18:17:06-06:00Kyle Whittingham Weekly Press Conference
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<p>Kyle Whittingham gave his weekly press conference after the win in the Rose Bowl over #8 UCLA. Many topics were touched on including who will be the starting quarterback.</p> <p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">This week's press conference from head coach Kyle Whittingham was obviously a much happier one than last week. However, even with a win over the #8 team in the country on the road, there were still plenty of questions that still need to be answered like "Who is the starting quarterback?" and "Will <span>Tevin Carter</span> be able to play?" etc.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"It was good to get the victory on the road down in Pasadena. A hard-fought game, obviously, that went down to the wire. I'm proud of the way our guys played. They hung in there for the full 60 minutes, which is what we needed to do. We knew going in that it was going to be a situation where we had to play well for the full 60 [minutes]. There was no margin for error," said Whittingham.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"There were a lot of great individual performances. <span>Devontae Booker</span> came through again for us with 156 rush yards. <span>Kendal Thompson</span> came on in relief of Travis [Wilson] and took advantage of that opportunity. We didn't really get a lot going in the return game. [UCLA] did a nice job keeping <span>Kaelin Clay</span> to a minimum. Defensively, <span>Nate Orchard</span> was the headliner. He was in the backfield all night long. The front seven in general did a great job. I'm proud of the way they played. Good to get the win and we are now into bye week No. 2 and then Oregon State after that," said Whittingham.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">The biggest question is will Kendal Thompson, who led Utah to their first win over a top 10 team on the road since joining the Pac-12, or <span>Travis Wilson</span>, who has started 21 games for Utah at quarterback? The answer is not clear yet, but it should be on Wednesday.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"We have [not] decided [who is going to start]. We're still working through the depth chart, which will probably be released Wednesday. [Kendal Thompson] made a strong case for himself, obviously. It's obviously an important decision and we'll make sure we do everything we should do evaluation-wise and come up with the right answer," said Whittingham.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">With two talented quarterbacks who each do different things well, fans may wonder about a two quarterback system. Whittingham was emphatic that would not happen.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"There is zero chance of that right now," said Whittingham. "I haven't changed my stance on that. I guess anything is possible, but that's not in our mindset right now. We're working through all possibilities right now. It's a long season so my guess is that with seven more games it will be very difficult to get through the rest of the season with just one guy. We'll see what happens, but my guess is that we'll need them both."</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">The decision to put Thompson in during the first quarter was not meant to be a permanent decision. The coaches simply wanted to see if he could provide a spark that offense had been missing since the Michigan game.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"We wanted to give Kendal the opportunity and see what he could do. It wasn't 'Travis, sit down. You're done' and 'Kendal, this is your deal.' We talked about this that the last two weeks we had sputtered on offense and hadn't been real consistent. The plan was going in that if we didn't see some consistency early, we were going to give Kendal a shot. He's earned it in practice. He's a dynamic player and could give us a spark," said Whittingham.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">While the passing game did struggle, only gaining 100 yards, the coaching staff does not doubt Thompson's ability to throw the football. When the team rushes for 242 yards, there is not as much need to throw either.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"We're very confident [in his ability to throw ball]," said Whittingham. "He hit that long pass to Dres [Anderson], who made a spectacular catch, but he put the ball in a place where Dres had an opportunity to make the play. He was 10-of-13 Saturday night with two drops so he was actually on the money 12 of 13 times. We have no reservation about Kendal throwing the football well. He's very accurate."</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">While the injury risk increases when a quarterback runs, so much of Thompson's game is his threat to run, so they do not want to take that away. They just want him to be smarter, not taking unnecessary hits.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"He is a dual-threat guy. That is the way football is evolving. A vast majority of teams are trying to find that guy if they don't have him already. You have to do what you need to do to win the football game. We want to be smart and take as many hits off the quarterback as you can, but if you're a dual-threat quarterback you're going to pull the ball down and run certain portions of the time and have designed quarterback runs dialed for you a certain portion of the time. That's what makes the spread [offense] go," said Whittingham.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Part of the offensive struggles have been due to poor play by the receivers. Utah has dropped roughly 10 passes in the last two games. Trying to minimize dropped pass is difficult because it needs to be addressed but not to the point that it becomes stuck in the heads of the receivers.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"If you dwell on it too much, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and it seems to compound the problem so we're just going to do some extra things in practice. They already work hard in practice, going on the ball machine after as well as the things we have structured in the body of practice. There are some things we're going to try and do to increase the level of focus and concentration on just making the catch. We'll address it, but if you harp on it too much then you start to get even more negative," said Whittingham.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">The other big question is the status of free safety <span>Tevin Carter</span>. He has shown he is a playmaker when he is on the field, with two interceptions, one being returned for a touchdown on the season. Getting him back for the Oregon State game will be key to slowing down their passing attack led by quarterback Sean Mannion. Carter's absences were certainly felt against Washington State and UCLA (after he left the game and did not return).</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"We hope [to have him back for Oregon State]," said Whittingham. "He's struggled with some things this year. He's an impact player, when he's on the field, he makes his presence known with an interception return for touchdown and another tackle for loss [at UCLA]. He's really an impact player for us and I'm going to be optimistic this week and say that he'll be back in 10 days, but it's not known for sure."</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Carter was replaced by true freshman <span>Marcus Williams</span> against Washington State and true freshman <span>Andre Godfrey</span> against UCLA. If Carter cannot go, expect to see Godfrey get the nod. Godfrey looks to me like the next great Utah safety.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"That will most likely be Andre Godfrey. He was available, but wasn't at full strength, back when <span>Marcus Williams</span> played for [Carter]. [Williams] did a nice job, but they're both true freshmen and both have a lot of upside and talent. I'm very pleased with how well [Godfrey and Williams] have played. They stepped in when [Carter] went down and we didn't miss a beat as far as assignments. For a true freshman thrust into that scenario, [Godfrey] did a nice job," said Whittingham.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Offensive guard has been a position where several players have gotten the start. Redshirt freshman Salesi "Leka" Uhatafe made the start at right guard against UCLA.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"He's a guy who we've been very high on ever since he arrived on campus and saw him in the first few practices. He's just a redshirt freshman. He's really matured and started to figure things out. Not that he had any discipline issues early on, but he just started to figure out what it takes to play Division I football from a mental approach and doing things the right way all of the time on the field and in the meeting room, focusing and concentrating. We felt that it was the point in time where he was ready to take that next step and get significant playing time, which he did. He played virtually the entire game [at UCLA] and played very well. He was a big-time plus for us in that game," said Whittingham.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Senior guard <span>Junior Salt</span> did not start, which was not a knock against Salt. He has apparently been banged up, but he is still a team captain and a leader.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"He has a great attitude. He has some things nagging him physically so we're not down on Junior Salt at all. He's a team captain and one of our leaders. He has played a lot of good football for us over the last couple of years. We feel like we have three really good guards right now and a fourth, <span>Nick Nowakowski</span>, who is right behind the other three. It's not to take anything away from Junior, he's still in our plans."</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">On offense, running back Devontae Booker again had a strong rushing performance, topping 150 yards for the second week in a row. Also, be sure to check out our interview with Booker as well.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"We had a good idea of his capabilities when we watched his junior college tape. He was really a productive, high-level runner in junior college and so when he got here in spring, I liken it to John White. He was here in spring, but didn't make a big splash. We saw the potential. We saw the size. In the last couple of weeks, things have started to click for him. I wasn't surprised. He's doing things that we hoped he was going to do when we recruited him," said Whittingham.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Utah was led to the win by strong play from the defense, especially the front four. The Utes recorded 10 sacks on UCLA quarterback <span>Brett Hundley</span>, largely with a four-man rush.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"I really like our front. I've said that for 10 years," said Whittingham. "The defensive front has been a strength of ours and a strong suit for a lot of years. We had great sack production and great sack production to this point up to UCLA game, which was obviously a breakout game for sacks and tackles for loss. I'm not going to say we had one or two of their offensive linemen pegged as weak spots, we just feel good about our defensive line, which is headlined by Nate Orchard. He's the leader of that group, and probably the football team, and they got after it. The majority of those 10 sacks were on a four-man rush. We did bring pressure a certain percentage of the game, but a majority of those sacks came off a four-man rush."</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">The defense is led by senior defensive end Nate Orchard, who had 4.5 sacks against UCLA, and he currently leads the nation with 8.5 sacks.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"He was phenomenal [at UCLA]. I said during fall camp if we're going to be a good defense, Nate Orchard has to be a force off the edge. He has been just that through five games. We felt coming into the season that he could be one of the best edge players in the Pac-12 and that's been proven so far this season. The two most valuable commodities for a defensive coordinator are an edge pass rusher and a shutdown corner and we feel like we're close to having that situation for us," said Whittingham.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Orchard was not alone in having a great game on defense. Junior linebacker <span>Jared Norris</span> played extremely well, continuing his strong play on the year.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"He's a blue-collar guy. He's not really flashy. He just gets his job done, snap in and snap out. He has instincts and is always around the football. Both he and Gionni [Paul] are the same way. They both have very good instincts and are active, tough. [Norris] is one of the more underrated players in this conference. I think he's one of the best linebackers in the league and doesn't really get the recognition he deserves, but if he keeps playing the way he has, that'll come eventually," said Whittingham.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Getting the win on the road against UCLA was huge for the team, but coaches want to be cautious. Utah had the win last season against #5 Stanford at home but then lost five games in a row following that win. Hopefully, Utah can use this win as a springboard moving forward.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"Time will tell. For certain, it's a big plus for us to get a road win with the team a caliber of UCLA. They're a good football team. They have tons of talent. They're loaded and the Rose Bowl is a great environment. That was a big win for us, but we have to keep going. There's no telling what the future holds, but it gives us confidence and momentum going forward," said Whittingham.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Utah's win was not lost on pollsters, Utah is currently ranked #24 in the AP Poll, the first time they have been ranked since the 2010 season when they were still in the Mountain West Conference.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"I wasn't really surprised [by the ranking]," said Whittingham. "UCLA was highly ranked and when you beat a highly ranked team in the position we were in, I think we received some votes last week, so we were able to crack into the top 25. It's not a big surprise, but I'm proud of our players it's a good way to recognize their efforts and what they've done so far this season. We can't dwell on it, harp on it or get excited about it because there is a lot of football left. It's a nice recognition that we definitely earned to this point."</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Hopefully, this win provides a boost in recruiting. Five-star outside linebacker Osa Masina, the top recruit in the state of Utah, was on an official visit to UCLA for the game. Southern California is a hotbed of football talent as well.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"We work our tail off in recruiting all of the time, but the best thing to bolster recruiting is winning. There's no doubt about that. Getting that win in Southern California has been a real hot bed of ours, it's one of the three main areas that we do recruit, was a big plus for us. We were able to get out and see a couple of guys while we were on the trip. Plus, it was on national TV. To get a win on a big stage like that gives a boost to recruiting," said Whittingham.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">The Utes get a week off to rest up and get physically and mentally prepared to take on Oregon State in Corvallis on Thursday, Oct. 16th.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"This is a little bit different than our usual bye because we have a Thursday contest, rather than a Saturday contest. That makes you structure the bye week a little bit differently. The down time, rather than coming at the end of the week, comes earlier in the week. [The players] will come in today and watch film and get a good weight room session and then will have a couple days off and get started on Thursday on the field for Oregon State," said Whittingham.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">College football has been down right crazy this season, with half of the top 10 teams losing over the weekend and 11 of the top 25 teams, including all four ranked Pac-12 teams.</p>
<p style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">"It was an interesting weekend overall. Right now, everyone in the North [Division] has a loss and there's only one team in the South [Division] that doesn't. There's only one team in the conference that doesn't have a conference loss. It's interesting to say the least. I'm sure you're going to hear a lot of rumblings about the nine-game [conference] schedule. Pac-12 teams are just beating each other up is what's going on here. Right now, it's wide open. There isn't a clear-cut favorite. I couldn't be more excited to see how it all unfolds," said Whittingham.</p>
<h4><a href="http://listen.theufancast.com/2014/TheUFanCast_2014-10-06-booker.mp3" target="_blank">Click here for our interview with Devontae Booker after the press conference.</a></h4>
https://www.blocku.com/2014/10/6/6926393/kyle-whittingham-weekly-press-conference-post-ucla-winAlex Stark2014-10-06T16:58:34-06:002014-10-06T16:58:34-06:00Handing Out Game Balls: The UCLA Win
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<figcaption>Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>We hand out this weeks game balls for the massive win over UCLA.</p> <p>That was a close one! At least it appears that way if you look at the box score. The truth is, Saturday night in Pasadena, the Utes dominated <span>Brett Hundley</span> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bruinsnation.com/">UCLA Bruins</a>. In fact, it took UCLA until late in the 4th quarter to take the lead, and it didn't last long. On one of the biggest stages in college football, in one of the biggest venues, Utah had one of it's biggest moments in program history. There were many players and moments that stood out, but I did my best to narrow it down to the best of the best,</p>
<p><em><strong>Offense - Devontae "DB-23" Booker</strong></em></p>
<p><span>Devontae Booker</span> is the most dynamic RB the Utes have had in the last decade. His mix of physicality and elusiveness caused the UCLA defense all kinds of issues. Booker averaged 4.7 yds per carry Saturday night rushing for 153 yards. He was exactly what the offense needed in Pasadena, and he will be an intrigal part of what Dave Christensen hopes to accomplish the rest of the season. The best part about what Booker has done to this point, is the fact that the ball security worries of fall camp have been a complete non-factor.</p>
<p><em><strong>Defense - <span>Hunter Dimick</span></strong></em></p>
<p>Dimick has been consistent to say the least, and Saturday night was no different. Hunter Dimick finished with 2.5 sacks, multiple tackles for loss, and enough menacing hurries to cause Hundley nightmares for the rest of the season. To this point in the season, at times, he has at times been equally as disruptive as his counterpart Nate Orchard. While Orchard recorded 2.5 more sacks than Dimick this week, I feel that his work ethic and his ability to constantly give Hundley and the UCLA O-line problems wins him the defensive game ball this week.</p>
<p><em><strong>Special Teams - Andy Freaking Phillips and Tom 'Thunderfoot" Hackett</strong></em></p>
<p>This is a joint game ball. Why? Phillips for his clutch kicking that landed him a Lou Groza kicker of the week award, and Hackett for neutralizing one of the most dangerous players in the Pac-12, UCLA WR/PR Ishmael Adams. After the performance that Utah's special teams had in the Rose Bowl, there is no question that they are the best in the nation.</p>
<p>What do you think about our game balls this week? Right on or way off?</p>
https://www.blocku.com/2014/10/6/6926461/game-balls-utah-vs-uclaDaniel Spight2014-10-05T17:06:25-06:002014-10-05T17:06:25-06:00UCLA Win Highlight Film<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/yG6E-ga76XA?rel=0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>Here is a great video put out by the U going behind the scenes of the big win over UCLA, in the Rose Bowl.</p></p></div>
https://www.blocku.com/2014/10/5/6915561/ucla-win-highlight-filmShane.Roberts2014-10-05T16:59:06-06:002014-10-05T16:59:06-06:00UCLA Report Card: We grade the Utes big win
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Pxr0QB4Ps-dhdOmy0U_jDqKJ4fw=/0x110:4000x2777/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/40955058/456666358.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kevork Djansezian</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We grade the performance of each position group in Utah's bounce-back upset of the formerly no. 8 UCLA Bruins</p> <p>What a difference a week makes, Utes fans! Utah pulled a huge upset on upset weekend in college football, finally getting a signature road win in the Pac-12. This is Utah's second win against a Top 10 team since joining the Pac-12, but their first on the road. The Utes were not perfect, but they made enough plays to get the win in the Rose Bowl.</p>
<p><b>Offense - B</b></p>
<p>I am going to give the O a B. Yes, they only managed to throw for 100 yards, but they really did not need to throw the ball. The Utes controlled the game on the ground, with <span>Devontae Booker</span> (how amazing is he?!) gaining 156 yards on 33 carries (4.7 yards per carry), and <span>Kendal Thompson</span> adding 83 yards on 19 carries (4.4 yards per carry).</p>
<p><iframe src="http://gfycat.com/ifr/ArtisticJoyfulArrowcrab" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" width="598" height="332" style="-webkit-backface-visibility: hidden;-webkit-transform: scale(1);"></iframe></p>
<p>The combination of Booker inside and Thompson outside on the read-option was too much for the <a href="https://www.bruinsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Bruins</a> defense, with Utah gaining 242 yards on the ground as a team. Booker runs with so much physicality, and Thompson has great quickness and made good decisions in the option game.</p>
<p><iframe style="-webkit-backface-visibility: hidden;-webkit-transform: scale(1);" height="334" width="600" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="http://gfycat.com/ifr/GloriousWarpedElectriceel"></iframe></p>
<p>Thompson also had a 42-yard passing touchdown to wide receiver <span>Dres Anderson</span>, who made a fabulous catch in the end zone.</p>
<p><iframe src="http://gfycat.com/ifr/BouncyForkedKoala" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" width="598" height="328" style="-webkit-backface-visibility: hidden;-webkit-transform: scale(1);"></iframe></p>
<p>I loved the "pound-the-rock" approach, eating up clock and allowing the defense to rest. The big negatives were with the offensive line in pass protection (but they opened up holes effectively in the running game), and the wide receivers dropping the football. These aspects will need to be fixed moving forward, but ultimately, the offense responded every time they needed to and did enough to get the win.</p>
<p><b>Defense - A</b></p>
<p>All you need to know is 10 sacks (yes, 10!). Think about that. There are 43 <i>teams</i> in the NCAA that do not have that many sacks this season. UCLA quarterback <span>Brett Hundley</span> is very mobile, but he has a poor offensive line. Credit the coaches for preparing the defense to keep him contained, so he could not scramble, and keeping the pressure on him all game (I liked that they rushed four not three during UCLA's last drive). The best defensive series during the game was when in three plays, Hundley was sacked three times.</p>
<p><iframe style="-webkit-backface-visibility: hidden;-webkit-transform: scale(1);" height="334" width="600" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="http://gfycat.com/ifr/OblongDismalDog"></iframe></p>
<p>Safety Tevin Carter added a pick-six for Utah before leaving the game with an injury. (Carter's absence was felt on UCLA's fourth quarter drives.)</p>
<p><iframe style="-webkit-backface-visibility: hidden;-webkit-transform: scale(1);" height="332" width="598" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="http://gfycat.com/ifr/ElaborateBoldHare"></iframe></p>
<p>The one knock that keeps this game from being an A+ is the two long touchdown passes the defense allowed, but other than that, it was a truly amazing performance from the defense.</p>
<p><b>Special Teams - A+</b></p>
<p>I am going with A+ for special teams. <span>Andy Phillips</span> was 3-for-3 on field goals (48, 45 and 29 yards), including the game winner. Phillips also helped Utah steal a possession with a surprise on-side kick.</p>
<p><iframe src="http://gfycat.com/ifr/MadeupSkinnyGraywolf" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" width="600" height="334" style="-webkit-backface-visibility: hidden;-webkit-transform: scale(1);"></iframe></p>
<p>Punter Tom Hackett continued to do what he does, pin opponents deep in their territory, plus he kept the ball out of the hands of the dangerous <span>Ishmael Adams</span> (one return for one yard). <span>Kaelin Clay</span> returned two punts for 22 yards, the only yards UCLA has given up in punt returns in five games this season. Utah has the best special teams in the country, <i>period</i>.</p>
<p><b>Coaching - A-</b></p>
<p>Normally, we do not give out coaching grades, but I thought the coaches deserve a big shout out after last week. A lot of fans were down on them (myself included), but I think they deserve a solid A- for this game. They made the switch to Kendal Thompson, which provided the spark the offense needed, and they did not change what was working. They continued to pound the ball all game, wearing out UCLA's defense, eating up time from the clock, and allowing the defense to stay fresh. They continued to bring pressure all game with the defense. Even on UCLA's long touchdowns, they brought at least four guys. The only knock I will give to the coaches is that they did not go for the first down on 3rd-and-3 at the end of the game. Ultimately, things worked out, but I would like to see the coaching staff be more aggressive in that scenario.</p>
<p>This was a great win for Utah, knocking off a Top 10 team on the road, and finally getting a signature Pac-12 road win. The win has put Utah squarely in the Pac-12 South race, in what has proven to be a wild Pac-12 South. Utah gets a bye this week to enjoy the win and heal up, then they travel to Corvallis, Ore. to take on Oregon State on Thursday, Oct. 16th.</p>
https://www.blocku.com/2014/10/5/6911581/utah-at-ucla-postgame-gradesAlex Stark2014-10-05T13:44:17-06:002014-10-05T13:44:17-06:00Coach Whitt UCLA Postgame Presser<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/8aHtn0uIyDQ?rel=0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>Here is Coach Whitt after Utah's 30-28 win over UCLA last night (courtesy of KSL's YouTube).</p></p></div>
https://www.blocku.com/2014/10/5/6914365/coach-whitt-ucla-postgame-presserShane.Roberts2014-10-05T12:24:00-06:002014-10-05T12:24:00-06:00Utah cracks AP Top-25 at #24, just outside Coaches
<figure>
<img alt="The Utes have cracked the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2010." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/LRKpr6P2tSAnX7ncn5OiJKvmV6Q=/0x60:4000x2727/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/40959502/456666362.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>The Utes have cracked the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2010. | Kevork Djansezian</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Utah has jumped into the rankings for this week, coming in at No. 24 in the AP Poll.</p> <p>For the first time since 2010, the Utes have broken into the polls, and it's the first time they've broken in as members of the Pac-12 conference. After the win over previously Top 10-ranked UCLA in the Rose Bowl, Utah has caught the attention of some of the voters around the country. Utah was receiving votes before the loss to Washington State, but those votes vanished after the disaster that ensued on that rainy night at Rice-Eccles Stadium.</p>
<p>Last season after the Stanford win, Utah was flirting with the polls and receiving votes, but the subsequent five-game losing streak buried the Utes in a deep hole.</p>
<p>Utah is one of six teams from the Pac-12 to be in this week's AP Poll, along with Arizona (10), Oregon (12), UCLA (18), Arizona State (20) and Stanford (25).</p>
<p>Utah received 80 votes in the Coaches Poll, which leaves them at 27th, if the polls went beyond 25. If anything this past Thursday and Saturday taught us, being ranked doesn't mean a thing, especially in the Pac-12.</p>
<p>*edit - Utah is also No. 26 in the Sagarin rankings (thanks to Simon Grundy for pointing that out).</p>
<p> </p>
<table border="1" dir="ltr" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<colgroup> <col width="30"> <col width="100"> <col width="100"> <col width="100"> </colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td></td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"AP"]'><b>AP</b></td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Coaches"]'><b>Coaches</b></td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Sagarin"]'><b>Sagarin</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,1]">1</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Florida State"]'>Florida State</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Florida State"]'>Florida State</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Auburn"]'>Auburn</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2]">2</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Auburn"]'>Auburn</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Auburn"]'>Auburn</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Oklahoma"]'>Oklahoma</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,3]">3</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Mississippi State (tie)"]'>Mississippi State, Ole Miss (tie)</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Baylor"]'>Baylor</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Ole Miss"]'>Ole Miss</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4]">4</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Ole Miss (tie)"]'><br></td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Ole Miss"]'>Ole Miss</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Alabama"]'>Alabama</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,5]">5</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Baylor"]'>Baylor</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Notre Dame"]'>Notre Dame</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Baylor"]'>Baylor</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,6]">6</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Notre Dame"]'>Notre Dame</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Mississippi State"]'>Mississippi State</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Texas A&M"]'>Texas A&M</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,7]">7</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Alabama"]'>Alabama</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Alabama"]'>Alabama</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"TCU"]'>TCU</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,8]">8</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Michigan State"]'>Michigan State</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Michigan State"]'>Michigan State</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Mississippi State"]'>Mississippi State</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9]">9</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"TCU"]'>TCU</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Oklahoma"]'>Oklahoma</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Notre Dame"]'>Notre Dame</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,10]">10</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Arizona"]'>Arizona</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Georgia"]'>Georgia</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Georgia"]'>Georgia</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,11]">11</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Oklahoma"]'>Oklahoma</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Oregon"]'>Oregon</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Oregon"]'>Oregon</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,12]">12</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Oregon"]'>Oregon</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"TCU"]'>TCU</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"UCLA"]'>UCLA</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,13]">13</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Georgia"]'>Georgia</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Arizona"]'>Arizona</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Florida State"]'>Florida State</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,14]">14</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Texas A&M"]'>Texas A&M</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Texas A&M"]'>Texas A&M</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Michigan State"]'>Michigan State</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,15]">15</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Ohio State"]'>Ohio State</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Ohio State"]'>Ohio State</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Stanford"]'>Stanford</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,16]">16</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Oklahoma State"]'>Oklahoma State</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Kansas State"]'>Kansas State</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"LSU"]'>LSU</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,17]">17</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Kansas State"]'>Kansas State</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"UCLA"]'>UCLA</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Ohio State"]'>Ohio State</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,18]">18</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"UCLA"]'>UCLA</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Oklahoma State"]'>Oklahoma State</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Clemson"]'>Clemson</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,19]">19</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"East Carolina"]'>East Carolina</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"East Carolina"]'>East Carolina</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"USC"]'>USC</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,20]">20</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Arizona State"]'>Arizona State</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Arizona State"]'>Arizona State</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Florida"]'>Florida</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,21]">21</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Nebraska"]'>Nebraska</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Nebraska"]'>Nebraska</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Kansas State"]'>Kansas State</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,22]">22</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Georgia Tech"]'>Georgia Tech</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Stanford"]'>Stanford</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Arkansas "]'>Arkansas</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,23]">23</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Missouri"]'>Missouri</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Georgia Tech"]'>Georgia Tech</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Nebraska"]'>Nebraska</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,24]">24</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Utah"]'><b><i>Utah</i></b></td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Missouri"]'>Missouri</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Wisconsin"]'>Wisconsin</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,25]">25</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Stanford"]'>Stanford</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Clemson"]'>Clemson</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Louisvlle"]'>Louisvlle</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h5><em><a target="_new" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2014/10/5/6910047/college-football-rankings-week-7-2014-ap-top-25">For a composite Top 25 college football ranking, visit SBNation.com</a></em></h5>
https://www.blocku.com/2014/10/5/6913115/utah-cracks-ap-top-25-at-24-just-outside-coaches-pollShane.Roberts2014-10-05T02:07:05-06:002014-10-05T02:07:05-06:00Utah Holds Off Late Rally to Upset No. 8 UCLA
<figure>
<img alt="UCLA kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn collapses to the ground seeing his 50-yard potential game winning field goal pushed right, and Utah rushes the field after the Top 10 upset." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/l14juTRbTal-9Ux9YmYPN6wiV1I=/40x0:3965x2617/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/40926104/20141004_krj_usa_0442.JPG.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>UCLA kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn collapses to the ground seeing his 50-yard potential game winning field goal pushed right, and Utah rushes the field after the Top 10 upset. | Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Even two tries at the game-winning field goal weren't enough for the Top 10 Bruins, as Utah kicker Andy Phillips' 29-yard field goal proved to be the difference.</p> <p>One week after melting down in the second half and losing at home to Washington State, the <a href="https://www.blocku.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Utah Utes</a> held off a late rally, including two game-winning field goal attempts, to upset the no. 8 team in the country, UCLA.</p>
<p>Utah's defense came to the Rose Bowl ready to erase the memory of Washington State and sacked UCLA quarterback <span>Brett Hundley</span> 10 times. The Utes' defensive fireworks started early as free safety <span>Tevin Carter</span> picked off Hundley and returned the ball 27 yards for a touchdown to put Utah on the board 7-0.</p>
<p>On the offensive side of the ball, however, Utah struggled. Junior quarterback Travis Wilson's first three drives were three and out. Fortunately for the Utes, the defense continued to hold the Bruins scoreless as well.</p>
<p>After the Carter score, <span>Andy Phillips</span> executed a perfect on-side kick to give Utah the ball back. Instead of Wilson, offensive coordinator Dave Christensen trotted out junior transfer <span>Kendal Thompson</span>, who promptly began moving the ball, mostly with his legs and the pounding, determined ground game of running back Devontae Booker. On this possession, even with the great field position, the Utes again went three plays and out. But on his second possession, Thompson led Utah on a nine play, 87-yard drive, which ended with his 42-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver <span>Dres Anderson</span>, increasing the Utes lead to 14-0.</p>
<p>Thompson finished 10-of-13 (76.9%) passing for 95 yards and the touchdown. While the offense was hardly a juggernaut, the ball was moving. The sticks were moving, and points were being scored, even while touchdowns were hard to come by.</p>
<p>Utah churned out 242 yards on the ground, but their 100 yards passing is the second lowest total recorded in a Pac-12 game. As with the Michigan game, UCLA began loading the box and daring Thompson to beat them with his arm.</p>
<p>The two teams traded scores to end the half, with UCLA scoring on a four-yard touchdown run by 5-11 running back <span>Paul Perkins</span> and the Utes chalking up 48-yard field goal from <span>Andy Phillips</span>. Fast forward to the fourth quarter where things got much more interesting for both teams, and Utah needed to tighten its belt to hold onto this one.</p>
<p>With the lead at 24-14, Jim Mora dialed up the wheel route, and Hundley executed it perfectly, hitting junior wide receiver <span>Devin Fuller</span> in stride for a 93-yard touchdown strike. UCLA pulled within a single possession, down just a field goal at 24-21, and the lightning strike seemed to signal the Bruins were charging back.</p>
<p>Utah answered with an Andy Phillips 45-yard field goal to go up 27-21, but UCLA wasn't done. Hunldey again directed a calm drive, culminating in a 40-yard touchdown pass to 6-3 redshirt freshman wideout Eldridge Massington. The resulting extra point put the Bruins up 28-27, the very same score as the Washington State final. Omen? Deja vu?</p>
<p>Not this time, as Thompson and Booker forged a 10-play, 63-yard drive that chewed up 4:16 of the clock, setting up Phillips for the potential game winner from 29 yards out. Utah ran the clock down under 40 seconds, and Andy Phillips was true to his Automatic nickname, nailing the go-ahead field goal to put the Utes up 30-28. Unfortunately, that still left 37 seconds on the clock for Hundley.</p>
<p>Hundley used just about every second, directing a drive that ended with the ball 55-yards away for the game winning field goal. However, UCLA kicker <span>Ka'imi Fairbairn</span> missed the field goal giving Utah the win, right? Wrong. A controversial running into the kicker penalty gave UCLA a 50-yard kick with no time on the clock, again for the win. With the game on his foot, Fairbairn missed <i>again</i>, pushing the ball to the right, and the Utes rushed the field having finally defeated the no. 8 team in the country.</p>
<p>Utah improves to 4-1 on the season, 1-1 in the Pac-12. The bottom line for the Utes is that after two straight 5-7 seasons as members of the Pac-12, Utah is just two wins from bowl eligibility. However, two more wins are not going to be easy. As Utah learned a week ago and the no. 8-ranked Bruins found out Saturday, there are no easy wins, even at home, in the Pac-12.</p>
https://www.blocku.com/2014/10/5/6909843/utah-holds-off-late-rally-to-upset-no-8-uclaSteven Ford