The Utes’ loss to Oregon last week at Autzen Stadium devastated fans and players alike as their 16-game winning streak came to a heartbreaking end.
The game highlighted the trouble Utah has had in performing consistently on both sides of the ball so far this season and revealed potentially weak spots in the lineup.
This week, however, the Utes performed like a different team8212;the one fans watched all throughout the 2008 season. They looked like a team of experienced athletes, not a group of individual players and meshing newcomers.
“We played our most solid football game of the season so far, I don’t think there’s any doubt about that,” said head coach Kyle Whittingham. “Offense, defense, special teams8212;we were more of what we expect to be tonight.”
The defense forced three fumbles in the first half, blocked Louisville’s first field goal attempt of the game and stuck to individual assignments to contain Louisville running back Victor Anderson, forcing the pass from quarterback Justin Burke.
Prior to Saturday’s game, defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake said the defense’s ability
to rely on each other would be crucial to come away with a win.
“The run defense struggled last week, so we knew we would be successful if everyone
did their assignment,” said senior linebacker Kepa Gaison. “We came out and played a complete game and made some big plays.”
Utah’s defense was not alone in showing improvement as the offense demonstrated
its versatility, racking up 416 yards, which were split almost evenly between rushing
and passing.
In prior weeks, Utah’s run and pass games produced inconsistent performances, trying
to incorporate new athletes and a developing quarterback.
Terrance Cain has performed well in a new offense in earlier games, but posted numbers Saturday night that usually only go hand-in-hand with experience and composure. He ended the night with only five incompletions, going 17-22, including a 42-yard pass to senior wide receiver David Reed.
The team also managed to overcome a barrage of injuries throughout the game. Senior starting running back Matt Asiata suffered an ACL injury in the first quarter, ending his season with the Utes. Junior running back Eddie Wide took over the run game after Asiata’s injury and ended with 129 yards on 19 carries, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. The direct snap to Wide worked for the Utes, and Wide showed he was capable of handling a bigger load than he had received in the Oregon game.
“Everyone on this team has confidence,” Wide said. “We lost a lot of great soldiers tonight,
but the rest of us on the team just have to keep going.”
With a bye week next Saturday, the Utes will have time to recover from minor injuries and will begin their conference schedule Oct. 10 against Colorado.
Mike Mangum/The Daily Utah ChronicleEddie Wide was the featured running back for the Utes after Matt Asiata went down. Wide finished with 129 yards on 19 carries.