Page 1 of 15 1234511 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 30 of 424

Thread: Utah Utes 2017 football pre-season

  1. #1
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Los Angeles, California
    Posts
    17,726

    Utah Utes 2017 football pre-season

    The 9 best over/under win total bets for the 2017 college football season

    Utah Utes (OVER 6 ½)

    This one is simply a history play. Are you really betting that Kyle Whittingham, one of the most underrated coaches in college football, finishes .500 or worse this season? It seems unlikely considering he’s won at least nine games each of the last three years. Plus, the Utes have a manageable schedule that includes three winnable out-of-conference games (at BYU, San Jose State and North Dakota) and four of their final six games at home.
    http://www.foxsports.com/college-foo...7?sf82041725=1

    "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

  2. #2
    Some TV times/networks announced:

    8/31 (Thu) vs. North Dakota, 5:30 PM, MT Pac 12 Networks
    9/9 @ BYU, 8:15, PM, MT ESPN2
    9/16 vs. SJSU, 8:00 PM, MT ESPN 2
    9/22 (Fri) @ Arizona, 8:30 PM, MT, FS1
    11/3 (Fri) vs. UCLA, 7:30 PM, MT FS1
    “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.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by DrumNFeather View Post
    Some TV times/networks announced:

    8/31 (Thu) vs. North Dakota, 5:30 PM, MT Pac 12 Networks
    9/9 @ BYU, 8:15, PM, MT ESPN2
    9/16 vs. SJSU, 8:00 PM, MT ESPN 2
    9/22 (Fri) @ Arizona, 8:30 PM, MT, FS1
    11/3 (Fri) vs. UCLA, 7:30 PM, MT FS1
    So if I'm ever for a late starting game it is in the heat of the end of summer. I wish we were starting the 8/31 game at 8:30. Instead we'll have a 8:30 start in November.

  4. #4
    Utah has a winning Pac-12 formula, but it’ll be harder in 2017


    Kyle Whittingham teams overachieve with defense and special teams, but 2017 has a few things to consider.


    http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/6/1/15706610/utah-utes-football-2017-preview-schedule-roster

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Dwight Schr-Ute View Post
    Utah has a winning Pac-12 formula, but it’ll be harder in 2017


    Kyle Whittingham teams overachieve with defense and special teams, but 2017 has a few things to consider.


    http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/6/1/15706610/utah-utes-football-2017-preview-schedule-roster

    This offense better work or we are in a lot of trouble.


    I heard or read somewhere that Cal offered Troy Taylor the oc job after Taylor had accepted utah, and hired the EWU head coach when Taylor turned it down. have no idea if that is true.
    Last edited by concerned; 06-01-2017 at 09:02 AM.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by concerned View Post
    This offense better work or we are in a lot of trouble.
    I am more confident that the defense can re-load and that special teams will continue to be good (if we find a field goal kicker - the guys in spring were terrible) than I do that the offense can make tremendous strides given that we will be starting 4 young and inexperienced offensive linemen. One of the keys the past two years is the the offense has not thrown a lot of interceptions. The article indicates that Utah ran the ball 56% last year while EWU only ran it 39%. Obviously wins/losses and points scored will be the ultimate indicators of whether the offense has improved or not, but it will be interesting to watch % run/pass, scoring touchdowns in the redzone, whether the QB can improve the 53% completion rate (not all the QB's fault as I would guess the Utes averaged at least 3 easy catch drops per game) and the number of interceptions.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by UTEopia View Post
    I am more confident that the defense can re-load and that special teams will continue to be good (if we find a field goal kicker - the guys in spring were terrible) than I do that the offense can make tremendous strides given that we will be starting 4 young and inexperienced offensive linemen. One of the keys the past two years is the the offense has not thrown a lot of interceptions. The article indicates that Utah ran the ball 56% last year while EWU only ran it 39%. Obviously wins/losses and points scored will be the ultimate indicators of whether the offense has improved or not, but it will be interesting to watch % run/pass, scoring touchdowns in the redzone, whether the QB can improve the 53% completion rate (not all the QB's fault as I would guess the Utes averaged at least 3 easy catch drops per game) and the number of interceptions.
    I worry about a lot of 3 and outs (a return to the early Dave Christensen year) that puts the d on the filed a lot more, and in precarious positions. Sure hope that doesn't happen, esp. while the offense gets the timing down.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by concerned View Post
    I worry about a lot of 3 and outs (a return to the early Dave Christensen year) that puts the d on the filed a lot more, and in precarious positions. Sure hope that doesn't happen, esp. while the offense gets the timing down.
    I don't particularly like playing FCS teams, but I am happy we have one this year as BYU's defense will probably be as good as many of the PAC 12 defenses we will see this year; not UW, USC or Stanford, but as good as, or a little better than, the others.

  9. #9
    A crucial piece for this season officially signed today!



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Dwight Schr-Ute View Post
    A crucial piece for this season officially signed today!



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    6 feet tall and 160 lbs? Is he a kicker?
    “To me there is no dishonor in being wrong and learning. There is dishonor in willful ignorance and there is dishonor in disrespect.” James Hatch, former Navy Seal and current Yale student.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by chrisrenrut View Post
    6 feet tall and 160 lbs? Is he a kicker?
    Yes. Our kicking game was rancid this spring. The hope has been that this kid lives up to the hype.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  12. #12

    Utah Utes 2017 pre-season

    I haven't listened yet, but 41 minutes of talking offense with Coach Taylor has to be a good thing, right?

    https://espn700sports.com/interviews...inator-6-2-17/

    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  13. #13
    Senior Member justaute's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    SLC-FW-Pitt
    Posts
    1,162
    Look forward to seeing how good CJ really is. It's not easy for a high school kicker to get a scholarship.

  14. #14
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Los Angeles, California
    Posts
    17,726
    Quote Originally Posted by Dwight Schr-Ute View Post
    I haven't listened yet, but 41 minutes of talking offense with Coach Taylor has to be a good thing, right?

    https://espn700sports.com/interviews...inator-6-2-17/

    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    It's a great interview and well worth a listen. The headline, "Troy Taylor Is In Complete Control," is true to the content. This is going to be fascinating to watch as the season unfolds -- especially in the closing minutes of close games.

    "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

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    especially in the closing minutes of close games.
    I didn't listen. Can you explain?

  16. #16
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Los Angeles, California
    Posts
    17,726
    Quote Originally Posted by sancho View Post
    I didn't listen. Can you explain?
    Well, in brief, what stood out to me were these parts of the interview:

    The guy clearly has a well-developed offensive philosophy. He talked about all the studying he's done a football offenses, went down a list of various approaches used by the various grades, many of whom he learned from, and generally he sounds like an offensive"mind," if you will forgive me for using such a trite term. That is something new during the Whittingham era. He said that watching Urban Meyer's offense at Utah was a turning point in his own offensive philosophy. He went to Las Vegas and spent a few days with Mike Sanford just to learn as much as he could about that offense.

    He also emphasize that the number one condition to his taking the job at Utah was to have total control over the offense. I just wonder what that will mean. I hope he gets it, and I wonder if he will have it during the closing moments of close games. We have heard all along that Kyle has not interfered in the offense, except at crucial game moments, especially when the Utes are trying to hang onto a small lead at the end of a game. I am not enough of a football mind myself to really have much of an opinion about that, but it will be interesting to watch.

    He builds his offense around the quarterback, and considers the quarterback the most important player on the team, recognizing that the QB cannot succeed without good receivers and a good line. His offense is designed to be flexible enough to adapt to the skills of the best quarterback available. But we have known that about him for a while. What interested me the most was the apparent depth of his thinking about offense, and his desire to have total control, along with Kyle's commitment to give that to him.

    "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. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    Well, in brief, what stood out to me were these parts of the interview:

    The guy clearly has a well-developed offensive philosophy. He talked about all the studying he's done a football offenses, went down a list of various approaches used by the various grades, many of whom he learned from, and generally he sounds like an offensive"mind," if you will forgive me for using such a trite term. That is something new during the Whittingham era. He said that watching Urban Meyer's offense at Utah was a turning point in his own offensive philosophy. He went to Las Vegas and spent a few days with Mike Sanford just to learn as much as he could about that offense.

    He also emphasize that the number one condition to his taking the job at Utah was to have total control over the offense. I just wonder what that will mean. I hope he gets it, and I wonder if he will have it during the closing moments of close games. We have heard all along that Kyle has not interfered in the offense, except at crucial game moments, especially when the Utes are trying to hang onto a small lead at the end of a game. I am not enough of a football mind myself to really have much of an opinion about that, but it will be interesting to watch.

    He builds his offense around the quarterback, and considers the quarterback the most important player on the team, recognizing that the QB cannot succeed without good receivers and a good line. His offense is designed to be flexible enough to adapt to the skills of the best quarterback available. But we have known that about him for a while. What interested me the most was the apparent depth of his thinking about offense, and his desire to have total control, along with Kyle's commitment to give that to him.
    did he say whether he thinks he has the personnel to implement his offense now, or whether it will take a couple of recruiting classes?

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by concerned View Post
    did he say whether he thinks he has the personnel to implement his offense now, or whether it will take a couple of recruiting classes?
    he said that they do, but really, what else is he going to say. He did say that the offense is most different for the WRs because they have route options/adjustments based on coverage.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by UTEopia View Post
    he said that they do, but really, what else is he going to say. He did say that the offense is most different for the WRs because they have route options/adjustments based on coverage.
    Lots of new coaches cover their rear ends/hedge their bets/lower fan expectations/take pressure off the players by saying it is going to take a while to fully implement their offense/defense. Just wondering if he said anything like that.

  20. #20
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Los Angeles, California
    Posts
    17,726
    Quote Originally Posted by concerned View Post
    Lots of new coaches cover their rear ends/hedge their bets/lower fan expectations/take pressure off the players by saying it is going to take a while to fully implement their offense/defense. Just wondering if he said anything like that.
    He did not. He commented favorably more than once on the talent level.

    "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

  21. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    He did not. He commented favorably more than once on the talent level.

    Based on what Ive read about Jack Tuttle's performance at the Elite 11 this weekend, Taylor is probably salivating about getting him. Seems really comparable to Jake Browning.

  22. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by concerned View Post
    Based on what Ive read about Jack Tuttle's performance at the Elite 11 this weekend, Taylor is probably salivating about getting him. Seems really comparable to Jake Browning.
    A more mobile Browning.

  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    We have heard all along that Kyle has not interfered in the offense, except at crucial game moments
    Thanks. We have heard this a lot, primarily from fans. Thing is, we have a very good record in close games. Kyle generally makes good decisions in these situations.

    Taylor sounds confident. I assume he's smart enough to listen to the wealth of experience available to him on this coaching staff.

  24. #24
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Los Angeles, California
    Posts
    17,726
    Quote Originally Posted by sancho View Post
    Thanks. We have heard this a lot, primarily from fans. Thing is, we have a very good record in close games. Kyle generally makes good decisions in these situations.
    I have moved beyond criticizing Kyle's game management. You are right, I think he wins 2/3 of games decided by a touchdown or less. I think it is undisputed that during crunch time in close games, he makes all the key decisions. Nothing wrong with that. I am sure a lot of head coaches do the same thing. Every time Utah has the ball and the lead with a couple of minutes to go, the offense is very conservative. That is to avoid picks and other mistakes that might cost the team the game. Makes total sense. I personally don't like it when that results in us giving the ball back to the other team and thus a chance to win in the final minute or two. (BYU 2016, for example.) But I can't argue with the overall results.

    All I was talking about was the idea that Taylor would have total control of the offense. I just wonder if that total control extends to crunch time. If it does, it will be a departure from past practice. I don't care what Kyle decides, it will just be interesting to watch.

    "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

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post

    All I was talking about was the idea that Taylor would have total control of the offense. I just wonder if that total control extends to crunch time. If it does, it will be a departure from past practice. I don't care what Kyle decides, it will just be interesting to watch.
    There was one part of the interview where the total control question was asked a little differently. Taylor was asked who would have the final say on who the starting QB would be. Taylor said Whit would have the final say, but that he believed his opinion would be highly valued. What does this mean? When Terrance Cain was a junior and Wynn a true freshmen, the offensive coaches wanted to go with Wynn and were overruled. Whit also made the decision to replace Cain with Wynn at halftime of the Wyoming game and again the following year at halftime of the BYU game. Wynn came back in after Cain threw picks on his first two series. So, total control is a relative thing.

  26. #26

    Utah Utes 2017 pre-season

    Hopefully Javelin Guidry's hands are as deadly as his legs.




    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  27. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by UTEopia View Post
    So, total control is a relative thing.
    In this case, it probably means he can implement the offense he wants to implement. I'm sure the head coach still has input on game decisions.

    This is a good situation for Taylor. Whittingham knows the Pac 12 much better than Taylor does. He's the most experienced head coach in the conference. Taylor has a chance to learn a ton here.

  28. #28
    Empey makes it official.


  29. #29
    Eh. Empey was scored as a 0.84 as a OG.
    Capra was .84
    Dixon was .84
    Grant was .85
    Paulo was .87
    Peck was .83
    Scott was .85
    Umana was .84
    Unutoa was .84
    Richardson was .85
    Agasiva .86

    Empey is solid, but not essential. I'd probably go to BYU if I were him as well. Play for your dad and a lot easier path to playing than at Utah.

    Those are all the OL recruits that came in his class (2015) or 2016 or 2017. He'd be a true freshman this fall, so he'd have a huge uphill battle for playing time at Utah. At BYU, he is probably already penciled in as a starter next fall.

    Get used to these kinds of transfers, especially with kids from Utah. When they go on a mission, they lose a bit. When they come home, they are behind the 8 ball. Kids like this have two options: Go to Utah, fight for playing time, and quite possibly never see the field until they are seniors (Harvey Langi) or go to Utah and play a lot your first year and start by year two (if not by year 1).

    A lot of those borderline kids will choose the playing time over fighting/developing at Utah.
    Last edited by Utah; 06-05-2017 at 05:03 PM.

  30. #30
    Also, the risk you run at a school like BYU is the Harvey Langi Experience:

    BYU is so thin at their positions that there is a good chance you play out of position at your time at BYU and you are undervalued when it comes to the draft.

    Langi was a LB. Whitt wanted him at LB. Had he stayed at Utah, he would have played LB in a backup role until his SR year. BUT, as a SR, he would have been an absolute MONSTER at LB with Luafatasaga. He would have been drafted at a minimum, maybe even a top three round guy.

    But, he would not have played much until he was a SR.

    At BYU, he played right away. BUT, he was then moved out of position to DE, where he struggled his SR year and did not get drafted.

    That is the risk you run going to a school like BYU. Utah puts kids in the NFL. Especially on defense and on the OL. They will do you right. You may not play right away, but when you do, you will be in the best position to succeed.

    Other schools? They might need you somewhere else, and risk your NFL future by doing so.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •