The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

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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Print Issues
Write for Us
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.
@TheChrony
Print Issues

Great Debate: Do the Utes Deserve to be Ranked in the Top 25?

Questions at QB Justify Low Ranking for the Utes

by Brock Jensen

First off, I will be the first to admit that I was surprised when I saw the rankings. I honestly felt that since Utah ended last season as a top-25 team, it would easily justify a top-25 ranking to start the next season. But a closer look at it showed me why the Utes will start the season ranked the way they are (currently in the “receiving votes” section.”

Simply put, the absence of a top-25 ranking for the Utes boils down to the unknown at the quarterback position. Plain and simple, cut and dried. There’s really no other logical argument that holds water as to why Utah would be out of the rankings than that of its QB.

It’s the most important position on the field, and it’s a player that has the ball in his hands every single play. The ranking takes into account the back and forth midseason competition between Travis Wilson and Kendall Thompson, which eventually ended with Thompson’s injury. Wilson is the clear starter right now and it really isn’t a competition right now…at least that’s what we’re told. With Wilson entering his final year, expect him to leave everything on the field.

What makes this debatable ranking all the more bizarre is that Utah has a senior in Travis Wilson at the helm. In almost all other scenarios, a senior at QB means position security, maturity and a great grasp of the offense. But with all the ups and downs of Wilson’s career, there are still many questions that need to be answered this season.

Ultimately yes, I think those questions will be answered and the Utes will crack the top 25 very early on in the season, but we’re not in the season yet — we’re barely out of training camp. I mean, what else does the media have to go off of?

It’s an easy cop-out for them to not go out on a limb with the Utes’ ranking. Having an unknown quarterback position is a definite red flag, and usually, the first thing most people take issue of and notice outside the program. Thus with that being the case, I feel the ranking is justified for Utah.

The Utes find themselves outside of the top 25 only to see four of their southern division counterparts ranked. I suppose the poll put a lot of weight on the loss of Nate Orchard, who is now with the Cleveland Browns, as well as the quarterback conundrum that was last year. Orchard was a big part of the success of the Ute defense, and this may actually illustrate how much of a talent the voters thought both he, and Eric Rowe, were to the team last season.

But let’s remember these are PREseason rankings — they should be taken with less than a grain of salt. Things can get complicated and switched up very quickly. College football always has a ton of drama, and it’s fun to see it start back up.

Is it Sept. 3 yet?

[email protected]

@brock_jensen02

 

Great Debate: Utah’s Omission from Poll Puts Team in Undeserved Underdog Position

by Tyler Crum

The Utes have fought hard to establish themselves as a powerful contender in the conference, but this is not reflected in the AP Poll.

Utah Football has a long and storied underdog tradition, and it seems as though some degree of our past success is due in part to teams overlooking the often underrated Utes. But I am completely baffled by the fact that this year’s team did not crack the top 25 in the AP Preseason Poll in another instance of the national media’s systematic underestimation of the Utes.

I could understand that back in the Mountain West era, Utah was frequently ranked low because the AP viewed it as a scrappy non-BCS team that was tough to play at home, but that lacked a track record against high-level opponents. Additionally, in the initial years after our ascension to the Pac-12, the Utes found it difficult to establish themselves as a consistent threat in the conference and didn’t garner much attention in the polls.

However, the Utes are coming off of their best season since joining the Pac, a season where they downed three teams that currently appear in the top 25, were one game away from capturing the division title, and concluded the year ranked as the 21st best team in the nation.

At this point, the Associated Press’s disregard for the Utes’ success is evident of the group’s complete lack of respect for the team. The AP must have forgotten that the Utes are wielding veteran offensive and defensive lines, possess Heisman Trophy hopeful Devontae Booker, return two of the country’s best special teams players, and have a wealth of capable and experienced athletes on the roster. I am convinced that the level of talent and athleticism at Utah is on par with many of the higher-ranked teams and much better than several of the lower caliber teams like Boise State and Tennessee.

Some people probably argue that the poll is justified because it reflects the tremendously difficult road ahead for the Utes as they try to carve out wins in the Pac-12 South, which boasts four nationally-ranked programs and is one of college football’s strongest collections of teams. However, their winning record against divisional opponents last season has proven that the Utes can go toe-to-toe with their conference foes and come out on top. After four years of struggling and program-building the Utes have earned a reputation among their fellow conference members as a hard-nosed football team that cannot be written-off, and yet the national media still views the team as a midlevel program or a Pac-12 pushover.

Being left out of the top 25 was a mistake by the AP, but is not remotely detrimental to the team. The Utes should seize the opportunity to embrace their underdog identity, because in the event of a breakout performance, this may be the last time the team can enjoy some anonymity on the national stage. Like many seasons before, the Utes will kick-off the year with a chip on their shoulder, having to prove their worth through their performances on the field and not through offseason speculation, and to be honest, I am willing to bet that every single Ute coach and player wouldn’t have it any other way.