SAN DIEGO — Eric Weddle has been spending so much time with the Utah football team this week, Kyle Whittingham might have forgotten that he doesn’t have the former MWC Defensive Player of the Year at his disposal anymore.
Or, maybe, Whittingham just hopes newly appointed Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo is too busy adjusting to his two-week old job to notice. Either way, if R.J. Rice isn’t the No. 7 that takes the field for the third annual Poinsettia Bowl, nobody can say Whittingham didn’t offer fair warning.
“Weddle? We’re sneaking him in at No. 7,” Whittingham said in a press conference Wednesday. “If you see No. 7 out there, that will be Eric Weddle. We’re trading jerseys with a kid on our team.”
In case Whittingham’s laugh didn’t indicate he was joking, Niumatalolo agreed to let the Utes have the San Diego Charger defensive back. Just as long as Navy gets Charger tailback LaDainian Tomlinson.
Not that Navy’s offense will need him.
Navy brings the No. 1 offense in the nation to San Diego. With quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada running the show, the Midshipmen’s offensive attack will all-but-guarantee to keep the Poinsettia Bowl a high-scoring affair, without the help of any leases from the NFL.
“Wow. Tremendous athlete,” Whittingham said of Kaheaku-Enhada, who leads Navy in rushing. “He’s got speed. He’s got quickness. He’s just a tough kid and he’s just the epitome of what an option quarterback is all about.”
On the other side of the ball, Whittingham will have a healthier Brian Johnson than he’s had at any point since the junior quarterback hurt his shoulder in the season opener against Oregon State.
“Bottom line is, (Johnson) needs two or three months of just rehab and downtime to get that thing 100 percent, but he’s probably feeling better than he has at any point since the injury,” Whittingham said.
Whether that leads to Johnson being used more in the running game, or if it merely indicates that he’ll be able to get more zip on his passes, the Texas native will likely have to shred the porous Navy defense to secure Utah it’s seventh straight bowl victory — and sixth in seven years.
Navy has only been held under 30 points twice this season, and even then the Midshipmen still scored 24 (twice). With Navy running the triple option to near perfection, Whittingham stresses how important it is that each person fulfill their assignment in his “1-11th” scheme.
“All 11 guys have their one job to do,” Whittingham said. “It’s assignment football. Any breakdown in those assignments and the ball’s out the gate for big gains. You’ve got to play disciplined, assignment football.”
With defensive tackle Gabe Long cleared to play, the Utes have a better chance of doing just that. But without a working replica of Navy’s offense to practice against, Whittingham notes that the early goings could come with some growing pains as his team adjusts to the speed of Navy’s option attack.
“We can duplicate the schemes — who’s got the pitch — but the speed at which we see it in practice is nowhere near the speed at which we are going to see it tomorrow night,” Whittingham said. “That’s going to be an adjustment period for our defense, particularly in the first couple series, to get used to the speed in which that thing is coming at them.”
Utes get stingier around the holidays
As good as Utah’s defense has been during the regular season since 1999, they’ve been real Scrooges during bowl season. Utah has held all opponents to less than 17 points six times and less than a touchdown three times.
“People always ask me, ‘What’s the secret to our bowl success?'” Whittingham said. “I just think it’s the way our guys prepare. We approach the game and take it very seriously. It’s an opportunity to play a football game is how our guys look at it. It’s a reward. It should be a reward for your players, but by the same token it’s a competitive situation and our guys understand that.”
Coping with a loss
While the Utes had the benefit of having Weddle with them all week, they were without one of the biggest reasons they were able to turn their 1-3 season into a bowl appearance. Darrell Mack was excused from the team last Friday to be with his family. Mack’s grandfather, Larry Moore — who was more of a father figure to Mack growing up — died of cancer on Dec. 10.
“It’s been good for Darrell,” Whittingham said. “He’s spent a few extra days with his family and I think it has done him a world of good.”
Mack — who was just the fourth 1,000-yard rusher for the Utes since 1992 — will suit up as the starting tailback.
Fun in the sun
Beside receiving Poinsettia Bowl gifts — which include a watch, sweats, a new Sony PSP and a $175 gift card to Best Buy — Utah players were able to watch the San Diego Chargers play the Detroit Lions last Sunday, courtesy of Weddle. Other pre-bowl activities included a Poinsettia Bowl Grand Prix on Monday, a trip to Sea World on Tuesday, and a luncheon aboard the USS Midway on Wednesday.
“Guys are focused (and) having a good time, but not letting that interfere with their preparation for the game,” Whittingham said.