Utah’s defense continues to impress during its perfect 6-0 start to the season after holding down another win against Arizona State last weekend. Even so, the Utes would like to continue to see some improvements on that side of the ball, and are setting their sights high on another win against USC this Saturday.
“I’m proud of the way our guys played on Saturday. They had that look in their eye, that they weren’t going to be denied,” head coach Kyle Whittingham said. “I thought our defense was outstanding. They didn’t allow Arizona State to reach the end zone; very good job by our defense.”
Now, a third of the way through the Pac-12 season, the Utes on all ends are staying focused. Driven by success, they are executing at the level of expectations they set for themselves at the beginning of the season, even if it has caught others by surprise.
If anything, this strong defensive front has become the norm here in Utah, according to Whittingham, and this year’s version continues to prove that week in and week out.
“We’ve been pretty good on defense for a lot of years. In our opinion, not to pat ourselves on the back, but that’s something we take pride in,” Whittingham said. “This year the defensive front is very good against the run.”
Utah’s run defense is regarded as one of the best in the nation, and Whittingham is proud of the five sacks the team had in the win over ASU. From the start of the 2015 season, the Utes have used this to their advantage in order to win games during high-pressure situations.
“Great defense starts with the line of scrimmage, and our front has been playing very well this season,” Whittingham said.
While defense might start with the line of scrimmage, the secondary has more than held its own thus far in the season. Led by sophomore Marcus Williams’ four interceptions, the Utes are tied for first in the country in interceptions with 13. The improvement in the secondary has complemented the tenacity of the front seven, making the unit more complete.
The Utes’ performance as a whole is somewhat dependent upon a collective effort on all sides. The defense feeds off the energy and motivation of their teammates and coaches. While the offensive end is beginning to mold into a solid group, and the special teams is certainly one of the best in the nation, the defensive front refuses to be idle in Utah’s quest for a perfect season.
“It’s sort of a synergistic thing when then the offense plays well; it makes us want to play better as a defense,” junior defensive end Hunter Dimick said. “We want to play better to match the offense, or the offense to match the defense.”
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