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The Daily Utah Chronicle

The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

The Daily Utah Chronicle

The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

The Daily Utah Chronicle

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Want your voice to be heard? Submit a letter to the editor, send us an op-ed pitch or check out our open positions for the chance to be published by the Daily Utah Chronicle.
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Great Debate: Should Utah be Nervous About the Rest of the Season?

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Utes’ Recent Sloppy Games Are Cause for Concern

by Tyler Crum

Heading into last Saturday’s game, it was no surprise that Utah fans, players and coaches were eager to forget about the previous weekend’s debacle in Los Angeles, one that had all but crushed any National Championship aspirations the Utes may have had.

Frankly, a home showdown against conference bottom-feeder Oregon State seemed to provide the perfect opportunity for the Utes to regain some of their lost ground. A return to Rice-Eccles for a Halloween blackout game against a Beaver squad bristling with former Utah coaches seemed to be just what they needed to gain motivation and get back on track. Everything was in their favor, but come game time, it didn’t really look that way.

The Utes really only managed to put up a strong first quarter before falling into a slump, and they looked just as ineffective and unmotivated as they did against USC. Utah scored two touchdowns on its opening two drives, and then the offense started to sputter. The next four possessions resulted in three punts and a turnover on downs. In the second and third quarters of the game, the Utes didn’t score a single point and only managed 84 yards of total offense.

While the defense only allowed two field goals in the second quarter and a late touchdown in the fourth, the squad that formerly led the nation in turnover margin failed to have an interception or fumble recovery for the second week in a row.

Utah’s shortcomings were not limited to the players. The coaches were equally responsible in both the rout against USC and in what should have been a blowout victory on Saturday. The offense was vanilla, and the defensive play-calling failed to generate any real pressure as Utah tallied one lone sack. Fans can only hope these decisions were intentional so the Utes would have a few tricks up their sleeve for the final four games of the regular season.

All due respect to the Beavers, who undoubtedly relished the opportunity to take on a Utah team that had just had all the wind knocked out of its sails. Former Utah offensive and defensive coordinators Gary Anderson and Kalani Sitake had devised a tremendous game plan for taking on their old colleagues, but without their starting quarterback and with a roster lacking in talented playmakers, the Beavers were ultimately outmatched.

In defense of the Utah players, lack of motivation might not be the problem for the Utes, but rather a lack of confidence. It seemed like weeks of naysaying and criticism coming from doubters of Utah football finally caught up to the team. Utah’s only loss was a harsh reality check for those dreaming of a perfect season, and the entire Utah football community seems to have lost some of the special feeling surrounding this year’s team. Saturday’s game was played in front of the smallest attendance of the season, and it felt like many in the crowd were more concerned with their Halloween plans than what was happening on the field.

Some may argue the 7-1 Utes had merely done what they’ve been doing all season, finding a way to win close games. Fact of the matter is, the Utes cannot continue to play down to the level of their opponents and expect to get away with it.

Last season, seven of Utah’s conference games were decided by a margin of six or fewer points. As the team heads into a couple of challenging road trips to Washington and Arizona, the Utes must show improvement in all areas that made them look sloppy against the Beavers if they hope for a conference championship.

[email protected]

@tylerfcrum

 

Utah Showed True Self in First Games of the Season

by Brock Jensen

Seven and one. That’s how I’m going to start this argument. The Utes are 7-1. Period.

As the old adage goes, “You are what your record says you are,” and so it is for Utah. Sure, they’ve had some close calls and some sub-par performances, but at the end of the day, Utah has just one blemish on its record. In my opinion, the concern surrounding Utah isn’t justified.

Utah sits on top of the Pac-12 South and still controls its own destiny — something any Ute fan would have happily accepted at the beginning of the season. With two-thirds of the season in the books, the Utes have shown they are a clear contender for the Pac-12 title.

They have a one-game lead over UCLA in the South, the likely team to upend Utah for the division crown. The matchup with the Bruins on Nov. 21 in Rice-Eccles Stadium will have large implications for who represents the South in the Pac-12 championship.

But that’s still a couple of games away, and as we know, anything can happen in Pac-12 contests. Utah has defeated some quality opponents and has utterly embarrassed others (cough, Oregon, cough) along its path to 7-1. Even though the Pac-12 may not be as dominant as it has been over the last few seasons, it is still one of the best football conferences in the country. Utah is one of the two teams in the conference, the other being Stanford, that has just one loss.

I have to admit, however, that Utah’s last two showings have been far from impressive. Those games include a 42-24 loss at USC and, most recently, a 27-12 home win against Oregon State last Saturday. While Utah lost to the Trojans, I believe last weekend’s blackout game against the Beavers is more concerning, considering how much better Utah appeared to be on paper.

But even with those two games bringing up questions, Utah is still just fine. The Utes have remained relatively healthy throughout the season, and the defense has steadily improved, especially the secondary, as the season has gone on.

The offense has played very well and has taken good care of the ball. Devontae Booker has been the workhorse we hoped for and continues to play at a high level. The rushing attack has taken some pressure off Wilson and the passing game. Britain Covey has made an impact as a slot receiver for the Utes. It also seems the offense is finally realizing that Kenneth Scott is an extremely valuable and reliable pass-catcher. He has been getting more targets and has produced more because of it. The special teams, although not as lethal as it was last year, is still one of the best units in the country.

Yes, Utah hasn’t had its best two games its last two outings, but the team still found a way to get a win against a resilient Oregon State team. The Utes have a couple of tough games ahead, but I believe the real Utah team is more reflected by the first six games than the last two.

[email protected]

@brock_jensen02

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