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Thread: 2016 Utah Football Season - Overall

  1. #31
    I think in order for us to win the south, we need to hit a couple of benchmarks:

    1 - we need to average 34 points per game. Reality: 26. Status: Failing. Trending: Up.
    2 - we need to average 225 yards passing per game. Reality: 249 yards. Status: Achieving. Trending: Even.
    3 - we need to average <1 TO per game. Reality: 3. Status: FAILING. Trending: Up.
    4 - we need to force >2 TO per game. Reality: 2.7. Status: Achieving. Trending: Up.
    5 - we need to average 175 yards rushing per game. Reality: 169. Status: Failing. Trending: Up.
    6 - we need to average >4.8 yards per carry. Reality: 4.4. Status: FAILING. Trending: Up.
    7 - we need to hold opponents to less than 120 yards rushing per game. Reality: 105. Status: Achieving. Trending: Up.

    So far: 3/7. Getting Better.
    Previous Weeks:
    2/7

    The bad news is that we are still failing. The good news is that we got a lot better in a lot of areas.

    At the end of the day, I'd say this so far:

    Our defense is special. Championship level.
    Our offense can be solid. Better than last year...IF they can quit turning the ball lover. We still had two TO's last night.

    And both TO's were silly. Dumb mistakes. Correctable...but, at some point mistakes quit being correctable and you are what you are.

    Is Troy Williams a liability in the red zone? That is the key.

  2. #32
    Quote Originally Posted by sancho View Post
    Espn has Utah in the holiday bowl vs Penn state in their still too early projections.
    That would be fun.

  3. #33
    Administrator U-Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Utah View Post
    That would be fun.
    Taking down the Blue Bloods is fun.

    First Alabama. Then Michigan and USC. We missed out on Notre Dame.

  4. #34
    Quote Originally Posted by Utah View Post
    Is Troy Williams a liability in the red zone? That is the key.
    I gotta call the 169 rushing yards vs the target of 175 a wash...

    I'm seeing Troy making improvement. But at the same time, the short TD slant he threw to Tim Patrick was a laser. The INT was a mistake, but with a cannon, the line between throwing a dart for a TD and getting picked starts to get a bit hazy. I think Troy has been watching NFL games, where the difference between at TD and an INT is inches. At this level, you rarely need that tight of a window.

    Where I hope to see Troy make another leap is scanning the defense better. Against SJSU, with superior WRs and his arm, he can focus and find Tim Patrick on 25 yard sideline routes. We'll play defenses where the pre-snap read changes, and the apparent right throw turns into double-coverage after the snap.

    Nice to see Raelon get a key grab, but he got crunched. Siaosi Wilson did a decent job of filling in for Tyrone, and our slot WRs were really good. CBB is a serious talent, it was *great* to see Fulks get a key third down on a slant with a hit coming (on his only pass of the night) and Demari Simpkins just can't be kept off the field. The number of targets we used was impressive.

  5. #35
    Some have correctly pointed out that there should be a buffer zone. So, if you are within 10% of the goal, you are almost there. 5%, we will curve you up.

    I think in order for us to win the south, we need to hit a couple of benchmarks:

    1 - we need to average 34 points per game. Reality: 26. Status: Failing. Trending: Up.
    2 - we need to average 225 yards passing per game. Reality: 249 yards. Status: Achieving. Trending: Even.
    3 - we need to average <1 TO per game. Reality: 3. Status: FAILING. Trending: Up.
    4 - we need to force >2 TO per game. Reality: 2.7. Status: Achieving. Trending: Up.
    5 - we need to average 175 yards rushing per game. Reality: 169. Status: Achieving. Trending: Up.
    6 - we need to average >4.8 yards per carry. Reality: 4.4. Status: Almost There. Trending: Up.
    7 - we need to hold opponents to less than 120 yards rushing per game. Reality: 105. Status: Achieving. Trending: Up.
    8 - we need to hold opponents to less than 24 points per game. Reality: 12 pts per game. Status: Achieving. Trending: Even.

    So far: 5/8. Getting Better. Almost there on the rushing yards per carry. It would be tough to get there vs USC, but vs Cal, we should be where we need to be.
    Previous Weeks:
    2/7.

    So, we went from 2/7 to 4/7 (almost 5) in one week. Not bad. We probably drop next week, but don't sweat it too much. I'd expect us to be accomplishing all our goals after Cal, Arizona and Oregon State. That would be amazing and quite the game vs UCLA.
    Last edited by Utah; 09-18-2016 at 06:16 PM.

  6. #36
    Quote Originally Posted by Ma'ake View Post
    I gotta call the 169 rushing yards vs the target of 175 a wash...

    I'm seeing Troy making improvement. But at the same time, the short TD slant he threw to Tim Patrick was a laser. The INT was a mistake, but with a cannon, the line between throwing a dart for a TD and getting picked starts to get a bit hazy. I think Troy has been watching NFL games, where the difference between at TD and an INT is inches. At this level, you rarely need that tight of a window.

    Where I hope to see Troy make another leap is scanning the defense better. Against SJSU, with superior WRs and his arm, he can focus and find Tim Patrick on 25 yard sideline routes. We'll play defenses where the pre-snap read changes, and the apparent right throw turns into double-coverage after the snap.

    Nice to see Raelon get a key grab, but he got crunched. Siaosi Wilson did a decent job of filling in for Tyrone, and our slot WRs were really good. CBB is a serious talent, it was *great* to see Fulks get a key third down on a slant with a hit coming (on his only pass of the night) and Demari Simpkins just can't be kept off the field. The number of targets we used was impressive.
    Great post.

  7. #37
    Administrator U-Ute's Avatar
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    2016 Utah Football Season - Overall

    Was it my imagination or did the pass that was picked off in the end zone actually hit Singleton right in the numbers and the SJSU players just took it from him?

    If so, I put this one on him, not Williams.

    I may be in the minority here, but I have not been impressed with Singleton.

  8. #38
    Quote Originally Posted by U-Ute View Post
    Was it my imagination or did the pass that was picked off in the end zone actually hit Singleton right in the numbers and the SJSU players just took it from him?

    If so, I put this one on him, not Williams.

    I may be in the minority here, but I have not been impressed with Singleton.
    Nope, not in the minority.

  9. #39
    Quote Originally Posted by U-Ute View Post
    Was it my imagination or did the pass that was picked off in the end zone actually hit Singleton right in the numbers and the SJSU players just took it from him?

    If so, I put this one on him, not Williams.

    I may be in the minority here, but I have not been impressed with Singleton.
    Good question. I went to the game, was standing at the concourse level more or less at the goal line. It looked like a Gionni Paul-esque play by their safety, McKnight, but I wasn't that close.

    (I have the 2nd half of the game recorded, the TV crew was using some very big Canon HD cameras that were huge, like the old TV cameras. There was a camera in the SW corner, at one point the operator was zoomed in on the near-full moon, and on his display (at least), you could see a ton of detail on the moon. Don't know if the broadcast was HD or SD.)

    Singleton is one of the receivers who could make the next step up, or fade. It's hard to tell. Tim Patrick is unquestionably the leader of the WRs, but with Tyrone out, it's not clear who the 2nd of the "wideouts" is. Is it Raelon? The tools are there. Is Siaosi Wilson ready to make a name for himself? He's thin, but long, with good speed. I have no idea what's going on with Repp.

    The slot WRs look the deepest. CBB is really good. Fulks is showing signs. Simpkins could blow up.

    Guy Holliday has done a nice job with the WRs, so far. They're stepping up, but the "preseason" is over. I hope Tyrone gets healed up.

    The move Butler-Byrd made on his early bubble screen that turned into a 45 yard pickup was just sick. The Ute fans I was sitting next all crowed in unison "Whoa ! ! !"

  10. #40
    This week's ESPN Bowl Projections have us vs. Penn St. in the Holiday bowl.

    Also, listed as a team trending upwards...and even asks the question "Are the Utes the team to beat in the South?"
    “It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”

    Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.

  11. #41
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrumNFeather View Post
    This week's ESPN Bowl Projections have us vs. Penn St. in the Holiday bowl.

    Also, listed as a team trending upwards...and even asks the question "Are the Utes the team to beat in the South?"
    That question is about one week premature, IMO.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  12. #42
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    That question is about one week premature, IMO.
    Agree to agree.
    “It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”

    Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.

  13. #43
    I third that. I'm not sure SUU, SJSU or BYU are any good. We might be a terribly average team. Glad this game is on Friday.

  14. #44
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    That question is about one week premature, IMO.

    Two weeks. Lets see how we handle the road.
    “Children and dogs are as necessary to the welfare of the country as Wall Street and the railroads.” -- Harry S. Truman

    "You never soar so high as when you stoop down to help a child or an animal." -- Jewish Proverb

    "Three-time Pro Bowler Eric Weddle the most versatile, and maybe most intelligent, safety in the game." -- SI, 9/7/15, p. 107.

  15. #45
    I was re-watching some of Milton Vanderslice's youtube videos and there needs to be a shout out to Jason Thompson. That guy has been amazing for us on special teams this year. What a great special teams player. Best since Bird.

    Team captain, fumble recovery vs SJSU, caught the onside kick vs BYU. Amazing season so far for Thompson. What a great Ute.

  16. #46
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Kaelin Clay not even mentioned. I'm sure he's fine with that.

    Cal has a new touchdown rule for its players after near turnover vs. Texas

    http://www.cbssports.com/college-foo...over-vs-texas/

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  17. #47
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Utah's 15 sacks for the season are divided among 10 players.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  18. #48
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    Utah's 15 sacks for the season are divided among 10 players.
    Let's get another 10!
    “It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”

    Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.

  19. #49
    Quote Originally Posted by sancho View Post
    Updated ESPN FPI rankings:

    Down two spots to #45

    SUU - 96%. 1-0
    BYU - 64%. 58%. 2-0
    San Jose State - 67%. 78%. 72% 3-0
    USC - 29%. 52%. 39%. Up to 47%. This one swings wildly!
    Cal - 47%. 45%. 42%. Now at 40%. Little lower each week.
    Zona - 54%. 57%. 66%. Another jump to 70%.
    Oregon St - 69%. 68%. 65%. Up to 71%.
    UCLA - 20%. 19%. 17%. Up to 21%.
    UW - 34%. 29%. 23%. Up to 29%
    ASU - 49%. 47%. 37%. Up to 44%.
    Oregon - 50%. 56%. 51%. The most steady percentage is now at 53%.
    CU - 56%. 41%. 34%. Up to 36%.
    So by this method, they had us predicted at 6-6 to begin the season, and still have us at 6-6 3 weeks into the season?
    “Children and dogs are as necessary to the welfare of the country as Wall Street and the railroads.” -- Harry S. Truman

    "You never soar so high as when you stoop down to help a child or an animal." -- Jewish Proverb

    "Three-time Pro Bowler Eric Weddle the most versatile, and maybe most intelligent, safety in the game." -- SI, 9/7/15, p. 107.

  20. #50

  21. #51
    One thing I have learned in a long life: that all our science, measured against reality, is primitive and childlike -- and yet it is the most precious thing we have.

    --Albert Einstein

    The fact that life evolved out of nearly nothing, some 10 billion years after the universe evolved out of literally nothing, is a fact so staggering that I would be mad to attempt words to do it justice.

    --Richard Dawkins

    Be kind to all, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.

    --Philo

  22. #52
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    2016 Utah Football Season - Overall

    I love seeing the Utes ranked. But am I the only one responding cautiously? It's still early in the season. We've got a great win over USC, but I'm not sure yet whether the Trojans are a good team, or just a super-talented team. We need a couple more wins. I'm loving the ride and am hoping we keep improving (as we have been, big-time) and keep winning.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  23. #53
    Administrator U-Ute's Avatar
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    I am more optimistic than most years based on the play of Troy Williams. We finally have a decent passing attack to go with our running game and defense.

  24. #54
    Handsome Boy Graduate mpfunk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by U-Ute View Post
    I am more optimistic than most years based on the play of Troy Williams. We finally have a decent passing attack to go with our running game and defense.
    This. I'm perfectly fine with the Utes being conservative and winning games with defense. If we don't open up the play book, that's fine with me. The problem is we have had no backup plan when things fall through on defense. We do now. Our offense won us a game against a talented team.

    I'm very optimistic about the season.

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
    So I said to David Eckstein, "You promised me, Eckstein, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life, there have only been one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have you not been there for me?" David Eckstein replied, "Because my little legs had gotten tired, and you were carrying me." And I looked down and saw that I was still carrying David Eckstein.
    --fjm.com

  25. #55
    Administrator U-Ute's Avatar
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    2016 Utah Football Season - Overall

    I will always respect Travis Wilson for his warrior attitude and his toughness running the ball, but Troy Williams made 4-5 passes against USC that Wilson just could not make. It really allows us to do some good things.

  26. #56
    Quote Originally Posted by U-Ute View Post
    I am more optimistic than most years based on the play of Troy Williams. We finally have a decent passing attack to go with our running game and defense.
    I agree, but I'm not totally sold on our defense as "elite." Yes, they are good, but USC gashed us over the middle all night. Inexperienced linebackers and a thin D-line are to blame. I think the weakness on D will cost us a few games.

  27. #57

    2016 Utah Football Season - Overall

    Quote Originally Posted by sancho View Post
    Updated ESPN FPI rankings:

    Up three spots to #42 (there are two 4-0 teams ranked below us here. Any guesses?)

    SUU - 96%. 1-0
    BYU - 64%. 58%. 2-0
    San Jose State - 67%. 78%. 72% 3-0
    USC - 29%. 52%. 39%. 47%. 4-0
    Cal - 47%. 45%. 42%. 40%. Finally rising with 43%
    Zona - 54%. 57%. 66%. 70%. Reaching a steady state at 69%?
    Oregon St - 69%. 68%. 65%. 71%. Up to 74%
    UCLA - 20%. 19%. 17%. 21%. Up to 25%.
    UW - 34%. 29%. 23%. 29%. Up to 30%.
    ASU - 49%. 47%. 37%. 44%. Down to 43%
    Oregon - 50%. 56%. 51%. 53%. Steady 55%
    CU - 56%. 41%. 34%. 36%. Wow, down to 32%. FPI doesn't know I'll be there, I guess.

    They still have us at 7-5 for the year.
    The schedule this year looks a lot more lopsided than year's past. The next three are key, because after that it's just fire.

    But these are obviously done without consideration to who's in attendance or lucky buttons.
    Last edited by LA Ute; 09-25-2016 at 01:35 PM.

  28. #58
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Scroll down to number 10. This guy's writing will put a smile on your face.

    http://www.sbnation.com/college-foot...da-gators-2016

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  29. #59
    Quote Originally Posted by sancho View Post
    I am used to hearing Utah fans describe our defense as elite, but it rarely is. We always have a good defense, but every year there are a couple of teams that completely pick us apart. You can't have an elite defense without elite recruits, even if your coach is a top 3 coach in the Pac-12.
    When you consider how terrible our offense has been, our defense has been pretty damn special in year's past. They asked Kalani what made the difference between playing Arizona at Utah/Oregon State. He said it was having an offense that can stay on the field.

  30. #60
    I think in order for us to win the south, we need to hit a couple of benchmarks:

    1 - we need to average 34 points per game. Reality: 27. Status: Failing. Trending: Up.
    1a - In PAC-12 play, we are averaging 31 points per game. Status: Almost There.
    2 - we need to average 225 yards passing per game. Reality: 254 yards. Status: Achieving. Trending: Even.
    2a - In PAC-12 play, we are averaging 270 yards passing per game. Status: Achieving.
    3 - we need to average <1 TO per game. Reality: 2.5. Status: FAILING. Trending: Up.
    3a - In PAC-12 play, we are averaging 1 TO per game. Status: Achieving
    .
    4 - we need to force >2 TO per game. Reality: 2.8. Status: Achieving. Trending: Up.
    4a - In PAC-12 play, we are forcing 3 TO's per game. Status: Achieving.
    5 - we need to average 175 yards rushing per game. Reality: 173. Status: Achieving. Trending: Up.
    5a - In PAC-12 play, we are averaging 186 yards rushing per game. Status: Achieving.
    6 - we need to average >4.8 yards per carry. Reality: 4.3. Status: Almost There. Trending: Down.
    6a - In PAC-12 play, we are averaging 4.3 yards rushing per game. Status: Almost There.
    7 - we need to hold opponents to less than 120 yards rushing per game. Reality: 132. Status: Failing. Trending: Down.
    7a- In PAC-12 play, we are giving up 132 yards per game rushing. Status: Failing.
    8 - we need to hold opponents to less than 24 points per game. Reality: 16 pts per game. Status: Achieving. Trending: Down.
    8a - In PAC-12 play, we are giving up 16 points per game. Status:
    Achieving.

    So far: 5/8 (7/8 in PAC-12 Play). All things considered, even with some flaws, we are playing really good football right now. Every team in the PAC-12 is flawed, but we have a very "complete" team. Our holes aren't tragic, and we have no real flaws. Pretty dang good.

    Previous Weeks:
    5/8
    2/7.

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