The Utes have entered new territory after defeating Oregon State 29-23 Thursday evening. For the first time since it joined the Pac-12, Utah is in the thick of the south division standings, sitting even with USC, Arizona and Arizona State, who all have a conference loss.
One could argue that the Utes were a few big plays short of having an undefeated 6-0 record as well as being ranked with the top 10 teams in the country. One could also argue that they were a few big plays away from being 3-3 and struggling to find their next win.
But in 2014, the Utes have found ways to win games instead of ways to lose them.
Before this season, the Utes had a combined Pac-12 conference record of 9-17. Of those 26 games, 12 of them were decided by 10 points or less. The Utes went a combined 4-8 in those games, losing many a heartbreaking game in the final minutes. It looked like the Utes would continue that trend after losing by a point to Washington State in the final minutes of what was a 21-0 blowout in the first quarter earlier this season.
Since that demoralizing loss, the Utes have won two straight nail-biting Pac-12 finishers by defeating UCLA by two points in the Rose Bowl and then coming away from Corvallis with a six-point, double-overtime victory against the Beavers. Games that were once slipping out of Utah’s grasp are now being snatched from the jaws of defeat thanks to a relentless defense, amazing special teams play and an inconsistent, but timely offense.
Junior defensive tackle Clint Shepard said that the winning mentality of the team began to form during the arduous winter workouts.
“I think a lot of it has to do with the offseason. We really came together, the chemistry of our team grew a lot,” Shepard said. “We went through a very difficult offseason. Our winter workouts were very hard, our summer workouts were very hard, but it brought us together.”
Shepard said that it was an increased effort by the coaching staff and the players in the offseason that brought the team closer together and gave them the attitude needed to make some noise in an extremely competitive Pac-12 conference.
“Our strength and conditioning staff was a big part of [the offseason],” Shepard said. “At six in the morning, we were running sprints and conditioning. The coaches would always try to bring us together, instead of bringing each other down we would lift each other up.”
Junior running back Devontae Booker has been arguably the most decisive factor in the Utes’ recent success in Pac-12 play. He said that having teammates on the field and on the sideline who don’t quit really motivates the entire team.
“There’s a fight in us,” Booker said. “We just go out there, coaches are yelling at us trying to keep us motivated. During the Washington State game, we had guys on the sideline that wasn’t boosting us up. That’s been the determining factor for us is having guys on the sideline as a booster, cheering us on and keeping us up. That’s how we’ve been able to grind out these last couple games.”
The guys keeping Booker and the rest of the offense and defense motivated from the sideline includes the nation’s third-ranked punter Tom Hackett. Hackett echoed what his teammates have been saying throughout this season, that this year’s squad is as close as can be and their bonds have aided in their clutch play as of late.
“To be honest, it’s the team unity right now,” Hackett said. “It’s superior to what it has been over the last two years since I’ve been here. Camaraderie, the boys are getting around each other. We hang out with each other outside of football and so personally I think the team is closer, and I think that’s the reason why we’re contributing to these road wins which is nice.”
The Utes will need all the team unity they can muster Saturday night when 20th-ranked USC comes to town. The Trojans are coming off of a 56-28 drumming of Colorado where quarterback Cody Kessler threw for 319 yards and seven touchdowns.
USC will come into Rice-Eccles Stadium Saturday night looking to take control of the Pac-12 south. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. MT.
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