It was an offensive show for the ages in Utah’s week seven matchup, and on a cold night, the team handled the Arizona Wildcats, (42-10).
The game was a complete effort on both sides of the ball, but Utah’s run game shined through in this one. Zack Moss and Armand Shyne, along with TJ Green, ran wild on a Wildcat defense had a hard time handling Utah’s offensive line, a configuration that the team ran with for the second consecutive week. The unit had a strong showing against Stanford.
Tyler Huntley was involved on both sides of the ball. He threw well but also got in on the receiving game, when in the third quarter on a switch play, WR Britain Covey threw him a lob which he took for a 67-yard touchdown. Huntley was taken out after a spectacular effort, and freshman Jason Shelley played out the clock. Huntley totaled 201 yards and one interception. This game was also the first time in the junior’s career that he ran, threw and caught for a touchdown in the same game, a feat that he described as “pretty tight.”
Covey led the team in receiving, and while not scoring a touchdown, threw one of his own. The Huntley-Covey connection has thrived since Covey’s return to the team, and the sophomore standout has accounted for much of Utah’s offensive production through six games this season.
Covey commented on his doubled role as passer and receiver in the post-game press conference.
“I really liked it,” the receiver said. “Hopefully we’ll roll out some more packages like that,” he said with a laugh.
The Utah defense also shined for the second consecutive game, after shutting down Stanford on the road. While not forcing any turnovers, the unit stopped the Wildcats on several 4th-and-1 attempts, which helped Utah build such a tremendous lead as the game progressed.
Late in the game, the Utes got the chance to see some play out of their backups, Shelley and Armand Shyne. The two paired well, and Shyne had a touchdown of his own. Head Coach Kyle Whittingham commented on the play from the two.
“The better you play in practice, the more playing time you’ll see,” the veteran play-caller said. “They’ve been playing well and they were rewarded with some extra time.”
In the win, Whittingham also reached his 200th with the program, combined with his time as assistant coach. In his comments after the game, he credited those wins to the wealth of talent that he’s had in his time with the team. Whittingham also said that he plans to give the team a full weekend off to repair the “bumps and bruises from tonight.”
Utah now looks ahead to next Saturday, when the Trojans of USC come to Rice Eccles Stadium.