The Utes will be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s loss when they host the San Diego State Aztecs in the final home game of the season Saturday.
This is the second time in two years that the Utes have played the Aztecs between TCU and BYU in the second to last game of the season. The only difference is that last year the Utes were coming off a win against the Horned Frogs.
“(The TCU loss) is still looming in my every minute and every day,” said Utah captain Stevenson Sylvester. “But the best thing to do after a loss like that is to press on and keep going; we put it behind us just like we put a win behind us.”
The Utah defense got lit up last weekend in Fort Worth and gave up season highs in first downs (32), rushing yards (342) and total offense (549 yards). The Horned Frogs made a killing against the Utah defense through the ground game, but the Aztecs will look to beat the Utes through the air with the strong arm of sophomore quarterback Ryan Lindley. Lindley is second in the Mountain West Conference in passing yards per game (250) and is also third in total offense behind only TCU quarterback Andy Dalton and BYU quarterback Max Hall.
Lindley and the SDSU offense have been hot as of late, averaging 27.7 points per game during the past five games. During that span Lindley has thrown for 1,374 yards, 13 touchdowns and only three interceptions.
“(Lindley) is a big, strong-armed kid,” said Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham. “He’s done a good job for them this year. He throws the deep ball exceptionally well and we’ll need to be ready to play solid pass defense.”
But Lindley will be without his favorite target, all-conference wideout Vincent Brown. Brown, who already has more than 1,000 yards in receiving, suffered a thumb injury earlier this season and will be sidelined once again this weekend because of surgery.
With Brown sidelined, Lindley will rely heavily on senior DeMarco Sampson, who leads the Aztecs in touchdowns (eight), receptions (55) and yards per catch (13.2). Sylvester, who is a two-year captain, said he knows that despite the Aztecs’ record, the Utes will have their hands full on Saturday.
“We just need to be us,” Sylvester said. “We’ve seen on film that they have chemistry. They’ve been together for the last couple years, and they trust one another. They are much improved from last year, and we need to take them seriously.”
To add to the festivities, Saturday will be senior night for Utah, as 24 Utes play for the last time in front of a home crowd at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Headlining this year’s senior class on the offensive side of the ball are wideout David Reed and All-American candidate Zane Beadles. Beadles, who has been a four-year starter for the Utes, will be sorely missed on the left side of the offensive line where he has been a mainstay during his career.
“(Beadles) has played excellently for us this year,” Whittingham said. “He was voted a team captain by his peers back during two-a-days, he’s been a four-year starter, an all-conference caliber player, and he’s just meant a lot to this football team for a lot of years. I think he has all the tools and abilities for the next level, but that’s not my decision.”
On the defensive side of the ball, this will be the last home game for eight Utah starters, including Koa Misi, safeties Joe Dale and Robert Johnson, as well as linebackers Kepa Gaison, Mike Wright and Sylvester.
“To see all that we’ve came though and to think it’s slowly coming to an end is crazy,” Sylvester said. “But we still have a lot to do, but most importantly we need to have fun. (Four years) went by so fast; it feels like my first day here was just yesterday. It flew by, but it’s been a remarkable journey.”
With the final home game of these seniors’ careers just a day away, players and coaches alike know how important it is to send the senior class off with a win.
“To send off the seniors with a win in their last home game is the main objective this week,” Whittingham said. “That’s something we have talked about all week long.”
“(A win) would feel great,” Sylvester said. “Every time I come back to this stadium I’m going to remember this game, so to end it on the right note would feel great. And getting a win after last week will give us great momentum for the rest of our season.”
Lennie Mahler/The Daily Utah ChronicleDavid Reed is among 24 seniors who will be playing their final game in Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday.