For the first time this season, the University of Utah football team will compete against a Pac-12 opponent at Rice-Eccles Stadium. To learn more about the upcoming matchup, The Daily Utah Chronicle spoke to Sam Curry, the sports editor of the Stanford Daily, the Stanford student newspaper.
Q. What worked for Stanford in its past two games to be able to come away with back-to-back wins?
SC: On offense, the difference has been sophomore quarterback K.J. Costello. Starter Keller Chryst went down with an injury early against UCLA a couple weeks ago, and Costello has breathed life into an offense that looked a little dead against San Diego State and in the second half of the USC game. Although his stats haven’t been eye-popping, he’s taken commanding control of the huddle and forced teams to respect the Stanford air attack. This has, in part, allowed running back Bryce Love to put up the insane stats he has in the past two games, although Love has been nearly unstoppable all season. The defense hasn’t been all too impressive the last two games, but the defensive line has done a much better job of putting consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and they forced Arizona State signal-caller Manny Wilkins to his first two interceptions of the season last week.
Q. How is Bryce Love able to have the success he is having on the ground this season? Is there a key to stopping him?
SC: There are so many aspects of Love’s game that allow him to torch opposing defenses weekly. First, there is his astonishing speed. If he gets any open space whatsoever, he has a good chance to take it all the way, as shown by his six runs of 50 yards or more so far this season. Then, even at 5’ 10” 195 pounds, he has demonstrated his ability to slip tackles regularly, notching 542 rushing yards after contact this season. Also, the Cardinal offensive line hasn’t been anything special, but you have to give them credit for the lanes they’ve been giving Love, especially in Stanford’s last two games.
It’s hard to say if there is a key to stopping him, because no opposing defense has really done so yet, but obviously if the Utes can win the battle in the trenches and stop him before he gets started that would stifle the Cardinal offense considerably.
Stacking the box with seven or eight defenders and forcing Stanford to throw it has been the answer for most teams, but with Costello throwing the ball like he has been, that hasn’t been an effective strategy.
Q. Who do you anticipate will start at the quarterback position on Saturday night for Stanford? And why?
SC: Head coach David Shaw always holds his cards very close to the vest, so we don’t know for sure, but I can’t see Costello not starting this one. Like I said, this offense has been running like a well-oiled machine with him in charge, and you have to give him a chance to prove himself against a better defense like Utah’s. Nothing against Chryst, but if it’s a close call between who is going to start, I think you have to give the younger guy the opportunity, especially with the momentum the Cardinal offense has going into Saturday.
Q. What other player’s besides Love do the Utes need to be prepared to go up against?
SC: The Utes defense should watch out for the Stanford wide receivers and tight ends. Although Stanford’s top receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside will be out Saturday, the Cardinal have a very talented and deep group of pass-catchers, such as junior receiver Trenton Irwin, freshman receiver Connor Wedington and senior tight end Dalton Schultz. While these guys haven’t been utilized nearly as much as other receivers in the Pac-12 this season, they certainly are capable of burning the Utes if they focus on Love too much, especially the way Costello is throwing the ball right now.
As for the Utes’ offense, Troy Williams [assuming that Williams gets the start] should try to stay away from safety Justin Reid as much as possible. The junior is tied for 3rd in the nation with four interceptions this season, including two picks off Arizona State’s Manny Wilkins last week, a quarterback with an otherwise clean interception record.
Q: Stanford hasn’t beat Utah since 1995. What are the Cardinal hoping to do differently this time around to put an end to the losing streak?
SC: While the Utes have had Stanford’s number since they joined the Pac-12, let’s keep in mind that only amounts to three Utah wins over the Cardinal. This time around, the Cardinal can’t get stifled on the ground, which is what happened to past Stanford stars like Tyler Gaffney and Christian McCaffrey when facing Utah. Stanford football lives and dies by its ground attack, and if the Utes can win the battle in the trenches and contain Love, the Cardinal will obviously be in a lot of trouble.
On defense, Stanford will need to get plenty of pressure on Troy Williams as well as solid secondary play, forcing Utah to beat them on the ground in hopes that they can stuff their ground attack.
Q. Who do you think will win? And why?
SC: There are many questions for the Cardinal heading into this Saturday, as well as for the Utes, and I think the game will be a good litmus for both teams for how the rest of this season is going to go. I can’t make a prediction with absolute confidence by any means, but, being a Stanford writer, I usually like to give Stanford the benefit of the doubt. Love is a lot to handle, and the way he’s running right now, I find it hard to see the Utes holding him down. Rice-Eccles is a tough place to steal a win, but I have faith the Cardinal can walk out with their hopes of winning the Pac-12 North still intact. Stanford 27, Utah 24.
@Britt_Colindres
@StanfordSports
S Garde • Oct 7, 2017 at 2:37 pm
Utah has a heck of a team again this year and they play the run particularly well. That said, Stanford’s running back (Love) is a load to bring down. He has more speed than Christian McCafferty had when they played last. I think it will be a close, well fought game and I think Stanford wins 23-21 on a last play field goal.