Empty seats littered Rice-Eccles stadium during most football games last season, which was no surprise considering the somewhat boring and unsuccessful brand of football the team brought to the public.
But with the entry of new coach Urban Meyer and his new system, the buzz is back and the new football ad campaign, headed by the U marketing department, is built around the new coach.
“We wanted to make Urban and his philosophy the focus,” said Randy Hanskat, copy writer for the campaign.
Instead of the run-oriented offense used last season and seasons past, Meyer is instilling a pass-heavy spread offense.
“Everyone wants to see what [Meyer] is about and the offense will put people in the stands, but the defense is what wins championships,” U safety Anthony White said.
As of June 2, four U football TV ads, directed by Mike Lee of Fast Forward Productions, had been released in hopes of convincing the public to come to the stadium this season.
The ads are focused not only on the offense, but on the defense as well.
“Even though most of the buzz is around the offense, we wanted to be fair because we know how important the defense is,” Hanskat said.
Meyer had a tough time doing the ads.
“[It was] one of the hardest things I have done, but I love it and I’m going to do anything to help Ute football,” Meyer said.
Since his hiring, Meyer has made numerous attempts to get out and meet the public to convince them to come to the games.
“I practically do something every day,” Meyer said. “I have done things like riding on TRAX to talk to people, and I am going to talk to six or 60 people, it doesn’t matter.”
Even the players notice the efforts he is making.
“Coach is not all about a billboard, he is about getting out to the people in person and telling them about the team,” White said. “The players are trying to do the same type of things.”
Hanskat knows that Meyer is a very devoted person and will do all he can for Utah football.
“He is good to his word and an amazing and very dynamic person,” Hanskat said.
Last season’s ads were based around players tackling people doing everyday things, such as gardening, and pulling them to the stadium.
The ads weren’t far from the truth, considering people taken to games by players were the only way seats would fill up.
“We are not in the least bit hitting Ronny Mac, but Urban runs a really high-powered offense,” Hanskat said. “The combination of his offense and Kyle on defense could be awesome.”
The marketing department is also setting up tailgating parties before games at the Gallivan Center and The Gateway to get more people downtown involved with the team.
“We are trying to get downtown to adopt this team as our own,” Hanskat said. “Downtown Alliance is hooking up with us and helping us get more people involved.”
But can the different brand of football, along with the marketing ploys, aid the hapless attendance numbers that have been put up over the past few years?
“I know it can work because it is something I have seen happen firsthand, and people enjoy watching the team grow,” Meyer said.
The pressure on the offense to succeed may be too great, and if the offense does not come through, then what happens to the Ute fan base?
“When expectations are high, you can’t meet them all,” White said. “[But] our schedule is strong and we have some great home games, so at least people will come for that.”
Nationally televised meetings against California and Oregon should put fans in the seats, and Meyer knows there is always a transition period when you are installing an offense.
“Realistically it takes awhile, but if you are passionate about what you are doing, then you don’t think it will take that long,” Meyer said. “How soon it works is determined by what [the players] do this summer.”
Hanskat believes that it is not winning that puts people in the stands, but the potential of winning.
“I was at Florida in the lean years, like 1978, and Florida didn’t win a game that year. But the stands were full because there was always potential on the field,” Hanskat said.
The Florida Gators later hired now-legendary coach Steve Spurrier, and the rest was history.
“The potential of the Utes is just great,” Hanskat said. “It’s always nice to have something new to work with and with unlimited potential, I think this could be a top-15 program in the nation.”
But winning is still the only sure thing that will get fans in the seats.
“We have to play good sound football and win games,” Meyer said. “By winning and playing exciting football, I think we can fill that beautiful stadium up.”
The one thing that everyone agrees on is that the team would play much better in front of a packed house.
“When we hear the crowd, we play better because it is so much more intense,” White said.
Meyer knows how important a full stadium is and that is why he has made so many attempts to get people to come out and support the Utes.
“It is so much easier to motivate players in a packed house, and it is good for the school and the community,” Meyer said.
At this point, some progress has already been made .
“We had 4,000 people at the Red-White game and only had 400 last year,” White said.
The unknown commodity of a new coach may be the change the campus needs.
“I think the golden days could be coming for the U because of Coach Meyer’s attitude and how much excitement he has already brought,” Hanskat said.