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View Full Version : Early look at the first third of the 2013 season



Ma'ake
06-22-2013, 09:45 AM
Every year is a critical year, in football, in its own way. This year is no exception, but the circumstances and tone are a little different for 2013.

The 2012 season was disappointing, by just about every measure. The D-Line underperformed, we got demolished at ASU and found new and interesting ways to lose other games we were competitive in. The silver lining from last year was a sobering reality check for the coaching staff, a young QB that got valuable PAC experience, and some changes in the coaches that led to Dennis Erickson making SLC his new home.

In 2013 the expectations have been lowered significantly, which I think is a good thing, but the Utes have got to exceed the more modest expectations as the exhilaration of our addition to the PAC begins to wear off.

It’s hard to imagine things going badly in all the ways they did last year, but we add two considerably more difficult conference foes, so I think the goal of getting back to a bowl game encompasses both an expectation that fewer problems will exist and the reality that the level of competition has gone up.

For Utah to play in December, the first third of the season is crucial, both in terms of developing the areas of the team that are less experienced, as well as simply getting wins.

The major areas of development for Utah include the D-Line and secondary on defense, and seeing improved O-Line play on offense, which should allow better WR and TE play, as well as finding new weapons in the kicking game.

Utah State - August 29
This isn’t the gimme game it has been in years past. USU returns 17 starters, and ranks very high in the nation in terms of experience, coming off a highly successful season last year that really got rolling with them beating us in Logan. That said, Utah should have the talent to win this game ugly, if need be. It would be great to see the dividends from bringing Erickson on board beginning to manifest themselves against the Aggies, but I will be satisfied simply with a win. Especially given the players lost, and the problem areas that need to be rectified, a victory over Utah State will be solid, regardless of how it is accomplished. Game 1s are notorious for ugliness and lack of polish. I’m keeping my expectations in check, but expecting a win at RES.

Weber State – September 7
This game should be more a focus on tightening up the loose ends from the first game, and developing depth with game time experience, but I don’t expect a serious challenge from Weber beyond the 2nd quarter, if that far. If this game is competitive in the second half, it will be a bad sign.

Oregon State – September 14
This game is the most important among the first third of the schedule, because we’ve gotten off to such poor starts in our PAC schedule in the first two years. We have to find a way to start our PAC season off with a win, which I think is quite doable. By Game 3, we should be hitting on at least 7 cylinders, and Oregon State will be in the same part of their schedule. My hunch is that the offense will be starting to really evolve, and the pressure will be on the defense to match, by whatever means necessary.

Remember the ’08 season, and all the injuries we suffered on the D-Line? Derrick Shelby was an undersized interior D-linemen and Greg Newman was kind of an afterthought transfer from Colorado. Those guys really emerged. We need player leadership to do to the same thing this year.

@ BYU – September 21
There’s no question that the BYU game in the middle of the season is a distraction, and in my opinion Whittingham is justified in being wary of having this game sandwiched between important conference games, but this year I don’t think we’ll have a problem getting focused for Oregon State in Week 3, and then we get a BYE after the BYU game, so this is about as ideal a scenario as it comes for dealing with the Cougars.

BYU will be as focused as they possibly can be, highly motivated to end the Utah streak before the 2 year hiatus, with a BYE preceding the rivalry game after a first week game at Virginia and their second game hosting Texas.

I would like to think that two years of PAC level recruiting and beating BYU in the recruiting rankings will start to manifest in a talent differential that will result in a solid win, but Utah-BYU never goes as expected, one way or the other. I don't think this is a make or break game for either team, but for the Utes to rebound from 2012 another victory in Provo would be really nice. Because of the disproportionate weight the rivalry game still means for both teams, and all the people that surround both programs (fans, community, etc), it's a very big game for BYU.

We have to come out of the first third of the season halfway to bowl eligibility, ie, 3 wins. Four wins would put us on a trajectory toward a nice season.

If this team can develop some swagger, the 2nd third of the season looks more "survivable", and from there it really depends on how the ball bounces, if we can get some wins we weren’t expecting, etc.

LA Ute
06-22-2013, 09:55 AM
Every year is a critical year, in football, in its own way. This year is no exception, but the circumstances and tone are a little different for 2013.

The 2012 season was disappointing, by just about every measure. The D-Line underperformed, we got demolished at ASU and found new and interesting ways to lose other games we were competitive in. The silver lining from last year was a sobering reality check for the coaching staff, a young QB that got valuable PAC experience, and some changes in the coaches that led to Dennis Erickson making SLC his new home.

In 2013 the expectations have been lowered significantly, which I think is a good thing, but the Utes have got to exceed the more modest expectations as the exhilaration of our addition to the PAC begins to wear off.

It’s hard to imagine things going badly in all the ways they did last year, but we add two considerably more difficult conference foes, so I think the goal of getting back to a bowl game encompasses both an expectation that fewer problems will exist and the reality that the level of competition has gone up.

For Utah to play in December, the first third of the season is crucial, both in terms of developing the areas of the team that are less experienced, as well as simply getting wins.

The major areas of development for Utah include the D-Line and secondary on defense, and seeing improved O-Line play on offense, which should allow better WR and TE play, as well as finding new weapons in the kicking game.

Utah State - August 29
This isn’t the gimme game it has been in years past. USU returns 17 starters, and ranks very high in the nation in terms of experience, coming off a highly successful season last year that really got rolling with them beating us in Logan. That said, Utah should have the talent to win this game ugly, if need be. It would be great to see the dividends from bringing Erickson on board beginning to manifest themselves against the Aggies, but I will be satisfied simply with a win. Especially given the players lost, and the problem areas that need to be rectified, a victory over Utah State will be solid, regardless of how it is accomplished. Game 1s are notorious for ugliness and lack of polish. I’m keeping my expectations in check, but expecting a win at RES.

Weber State – September 7
This game should be more a focus on tightening up the loose ends from the first game, and developing depth with game time experience, but I don’t expect a serious challenge from Weber beyond the 2nd quarter, if that far. If this game is competitive in the second half, it will be a bad sign.

Oregon State – September 14
This game is the most important among the first third of the schedule, because we’ve gotten off to such poor starts in our PAC schedule in the first two years. We have to find a way to start our PAC season off with a win, which I think is quite doable. By Game 3, we should be hitting on at least 7 cylinders, and Oregon State will be in the same part of their schedule. My hunch is that the offense will be starting to really evolve, and the pressure will be on the defense to match, by whatever means necessary.

Remember the ’08 season, and all the injuries we suffered on the D-Line? Derrick Shelby was an undersized interior D-linemen and Greg Newman was kind of an afterthought transfer from Colorado. Those guys really emerged. We need player leadership to do to the same thing this year.

@ BYU – September 21
There’s no question that the BYU game in the middle of the season is a distraction, and in my opinion Whittingham is justified in being wary of having this game sandwiched between important conference games, but this year I don’t think we’ll have a problem getting focused for Oregon State in Week 3, and then we get a BYE after the BYU game, so this is about as ideal a scenario as it comes for dealing with the Cougars.

BYU will be as focused as they possibly can be, highly motivated to end the Utah streak before the 2 year hiatus, with a BYE preceding the rivalry game after a first week game at Virginia and their second game hosting Texas.

I would like to think that two years of PAC level recruiting and beating BYU in the recruiting rankings will start to manifest in a talent differential that will result in a solid win, but Utah-BYU never goes as expected, one way or the other. I don't think this is a make or break game for either team, but for the Utes to rebound from 2012 another victory in Provo would be really nice. Because of the disproportionate weight the rivalry game still means for both teams, and all the people that surround both programs (fans, community, etc), it's a very big game for BYU.

We have to come out of the first third of the season halfway to bowl eligibility, ie, 3 wins. Four wins would put us on a trajectory toward a nice season.

If this team can develop some swagger, the 2nd third of the season looks more "survivable", and from there it really depends on how the ball bounces, if we can get some wins we weren’t expecting, etc.

Good post, Ma'ake. Seeing the season in this perspective makes it more clear to me than ever that the BYU game is a distraction, especially in the middle of the season. The only way I'd be in favor of having the game is if it could be the last one of the season, which probably won't happen.

Newbomb Turk
06-22-2013, 11:16 AM
Good post, Ma'ake. Seeing the season in this perspective makes it more clear to me than ever that the BYU game is a distraction, especially in the middle of the season. The only way I'd be in favor of having the game is if it could be the last one of the season, which probably won't happen.

As Ma'ake pointed out, this game means a lot to byu. Probably more to them than it does to us. While I agree that the conference games are more important, this game does concern me. And then tack on that they have no conference to reprimand them if they dish out a lot of cheap shots and I don't see any upside to playing them. If we win, we were supposed to. And if we lose, then all sorts of crap, none of it good.

LA Ute
06-22-2013, 11:21 AM
As Ma'ake pointed out, this game means a lot to byu. Probably more to them than it does to us. While I agree that the conference games are more important, this game does concern me. And then tack on that they have no conference to reprimand them if they dish out a lot of cheap shots and I don't see any upside to playing them. If we win, we were supposed to. And if we lose, then all sorts of crap, none of it good.

Agreed.

Applejack
06-22-2013, 11:26 AM
Remember the ’08 season, and all the injuries we suffered on the D-Line? Derrick Shelby was an undersized interior D-linemen and Greg Newman was kind of an afterthought transfer from Colorado. Those guys really emerged. We need player leadership to do to the same thing this year.

This is what has me most concerned about the team this year. Last year our D-line took a lot of heat, much of it deserved. But overall, it was a position group of strength. This year, if the D-line is a weakness (which looks likely right now), that could be disastrous for this defense. Our slow linebackers and short, inexperienced DBs will really feel the heat.

SavaUte
06-22-2013, 12:08 PM
This is what has me most concerned about the team this year. Last year our D-line took a lot of heat, much of it deserved. But overall, it was a position group of strength. This year, if the D-line is a weakness (which looks likely right now), that could be disastrous for this defense. Our slow linebackers and short, inexperienced DBs will really feel the heat.

I've said it a thousand times, having Chad Cauahahaa out of there is going to help immensely. I've talked to players on the D line and some of the things they have said about him were troubling to say the least. I won't say who, but take it from this random internet guy. :) I expect the d line will be much improved this year, even with the loss of Star.

Applejack
06-22-2013, 12:29 PM
I've said it a thousand times, having Chad Cauahahaa out of there is going to help immensely. I've talked to players on the D line and some of the things they have said about him were troubling to say the least. I won't say who, but take it from this random internet guy. :) I expect the d line will be much improved this year, even with the loss of Star.

:jig: