8 Utes drafted – What does this say about our coaching

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- 04/30/2017 at 11:38 AM #33216
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  TexanUte
  Ute Fan
  
  @texanute
  
  I cant help but think this paints a negative picture regarding the effectiveness of Ute coaching. 4th most draft choices in nation means by definition this team was talented enough to win at least the Pac 12 South for heavens sake. Seems like a lost opportunity.
- 04/30/2017 at 11:45 AM #33218
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  AUtahManSir
  Ute Fan
  
  @autahmansir
  
  It is proof positive that our offensive coaching was below par last year. As if we didn’t already know that.
- 04/30/2017 at 1:23 PM #33220
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  Utah
  Ute Fan
  
  @utah
  
  This line of thinking isn’t reality. We get kids to the NFL. No one thinks we are better than USC, Washington, Stanford, and Oregon.
  
  So, no one expects to win the PAC-12.
  - 04/30/2017 at 1:34 PM #33221
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    Uteusmc
    Ute Fan
    
    @uteusmc
    
    He said “win at least the PAC 12 south. Neither UW, OR or Stanford are in the South and we beat SC. It was ours for taking and we s**t the bed
    - 04/30/2017 at 10:31 PM #33237
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      Utah
      Ute Fan
      
      @utah
      
      He said he wondered if it would hurt recruiting. So I responded. It won’t hurt recruiting, it will help recruiting. Why? Because we just put a TON of kids into the NFL. No recruit thinks we will win the south or the PAC-12. BUT, they know we can put them into the NFL.
      
      Our recruiting will improve because of this.
    - 04/30/2017 at 11:05 PM #33242
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      noneyadb
      Ute Fan
      
      @noneyadb
      
      Still have to beat those North opponents in order to win the South Division. Division Champ is based on entire Pac12 record, not just vs South opponents.
- 04/30/2017 at 3:15 PM #33222
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  TexanUte
  Ute Fan
  
  @texanute
  
  Agree exactly Uteusmc. Perhaps we collectively should have different expectations than to default to the “No one thinks we are better than USC, Washington, Stanford, and Oregon” mindset. Why not? We had more guys drafted than any of the teams stated. And as I said – at least the South. Six years in the conference and we cant win it once? Colorado jumps up and wins? Coaches have a shelf life and perhaps ours is slightly out of date.
  - 04/30/2017 at 3:32 PM #33223
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    UteThunder
    Ute Fan
    
    @utethunder
    
    You’re crazy if you think Whit’s shelf life is out of date. The only problem on this coaching staff has been the offensive staff. Yes, it is Whit’s responsibility to hire a good OC but you don’t get rid of a coach that wins 9+ games per year just because he has been deficient in one area.
    
    Regardless of how the Taylor hire plays out, if we continue to win 9+ games, then Whit should be welcome to stay.
  - 04/30/2017 at 10:34 PM #33238
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    Utah
    Ute Fan
    
    @utah
    
    You are changing the narrative here. Your first post was about recruiting.
    
    And, if you are questioning Whitt…
    
    Anyone who wants Whitt gone is nuts. Lotulelei, Mokofisi, Fitts, Luafatasaga, Hansen and Uhatafe will all be drafted next year. That is six more players.
    
    And you want to get rid of Whitt? Come on now.
    
    Yeah, we need to figure out the QB spot. BUT, we’ve been ranked three years in a row. We just had 15 Utes sign with NFL teams. We just had a top 25 recruiting class. We are starting to build a head of steam. To get rid of the conductor of this train now?
    
    That’s crazy talk.
- 04/30/2017 at 3:33 PM #33224
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  PlainsUte
  Ute Fan
  
  @plainsute
  
  Two-edged sword. Must have had great player development because these players did not come to Utah as top-rated recruits. Would be interested to know the comparison of recruiting “star ratings” for the Utah recruits vs the other schools among the top-5 in the number of draft selections.
  
  So, as discussed before, the Utes did seem to lack something in strategy/play calling to use their strengths to their best effect in the Pac-12. It does take 22 players and if the Utes had shortcomings in some key positions, say, ahem, QB, and some problems with play calling and clock management, well the Pac-12 is very competitive and you are going to lose some games, some of them key to winning the Pac-12 South. Good news is that those things are fixable, perhaps more easily than player-development. Maybe the new OC will get the Utes over the hump.
- 04/30/2017 at 3:50 PM #33225
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  BJA 13
  Ute Fan
  
  @bja13
  
  Unless you consider the star rating originally assigned to those athletes that were drafted.
  
  Our coaching staff has done a great job of development. (With the obvious exception of QB and play calling).
  
  If you took the avg recruiting class ranking, then final rankings/standings in comparison, Utah is an over achiever.
  
  While I agree that it would seem we underachieved with so many NFL-caliber players, the same could be said for Any year Alabama doesn’t win the National Championship with their recruiting classes.
- 04/30/2017 at 5:17 PM #33229
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  Utahute72
  Ute Fan
  
  @utahute72
  
  It probably points to the reason Whitt was so disappointed in the offense last year.
- 04/30/2017 at 9:55 PM #33236
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  UteDuke
  Ute Fan
  
  @uteduke
  
  We did have a huge draft, and I understand how that has people feeling like we should have done better, but I’m not sure it tells the whole story. It is awesome to have the most players from the Pac-12 drafted this year, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we were the most talented team. Washington, USC, and UCLA all had 5 picks, but they also retained several players that could have easily made teams for the draft. Also, as mentioned by others, we were weak in some of the positions that really counted like QB.
  
  While on this note, how many players do we have coming back that would have been drafted this year if they had left? Lotullelei for sure, and perhaps Fitts and Hansen? Is there anyone else I might have overlooked?
  - 04/30/2017 at 10:40 PM #33239
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    Utah
    Ute Fan
    
    @utah
    
    Lotulelei, Fitts, Mokofisi, Luafatasaga, Uhatafe and Hansen will all be drafted next year. Plus, we have a lot of future NFL guys on the team as well. I’d bet one of Moss/Shyne/DHC gets drafted. I bet we have 2-3 OL on the team outside of Uhatafe that get drafted. Fakailoatonga has a shot. I’d bet at least one of Blackmon/Johnson/Guidry get drafted. I’d bet that Smith is drafted. Bradley Anae, Davr Hamilton, Leki Fotu are all future NFL players. Corrian Ballard looks like a future draftee.
    
    And if Taylor can get the offense going…well, look at it this way: Dres Anderson was drafted, Kaelin Clay was drafted, Denham is still in the NFL, Patrick will make a team, Josh Gordon was drafted. We have had NFL talent. Odds are, we have 1-3 WR’s right now that will play in the NFL/get drafted.
    
    So, we are building. We need depth in some key areas still. LB, QB (hell, we need any sort of development at QB), WR.
    
    But we are headed in the right direction.
    
    I just hope people remember all this if we only win 7-8 games this year. The schedule this fall is BRUTAL. It is by far the toughest schedule we’ve ever had. A bowl game = the season was an amazing success.
- 04/30/2017 at 11:01 PM #33241
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  noneyadb
  Ute Fan
  
  @noneyadb
  
  Because 8 players drafted automatically means that all 8 of those players were involved in every game??? Maybe try to go back and count the number of injured starters and you’ll get a better picture as to what happened last year.
- 05/01/2017 at 6:02 AM #33243
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  TexanUte
  Ute Fan
  
  @texanute
  
  I cant help but think this paints a negative picture regarding the effectiveness of Ute coaching. 4th most draft choices in nation means by definition this team was talented enough to win at least the Pac 12 South for heavens sake. Seems like a lost opportunity.
  
  I changed the narrative? I said coaching not recruiting. We obviously recruit well but perhaps don’t get the most out of our potential, be it poor offensive coordination, game plan or whatever the reason. I tossed this out as a question. Most have answered – All’s well, move along, nothing to see over here.
  - 05/01/2017 at 10:04 PM #33261
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    noneyadb
    Ute Fan
    
    @noneyadb
    
    “4th most draft choices in nation means by definition this team was talented enough to win at least the Pac 12 South for heavens sake. Seems like a lost opportunity.”
    
    “We obviously recruit well but perhaps don’t get the most out of our potential,”
    
    Please tell me your not serious?
    
    FACT- UTAH IS ONE OF THE TOP RATED SCHOOLS IN THE NATION AT PRODUCING NFL TALENT BASED ON AVERAGE RECRUIT RANKING.
    
    I think a lot of certain “fans” issues with Whitt are that they expect Utah to be able replicate the ’04, and ’08 seasons without fully accepting the difficulty in stepping up to a P5 conference.
- 05/01/2017 at 9:03 AM #33249
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  gUrthBrooks
  Ute Fan
  
  @hammer
  
  So the Ute coaches can take the bottom of the P12 recruiting class, and after 4 years they can make them NFL guys? And this is a negative about the coaches. Look, it’s no secret that Whitt can coach up almost every position except QB and WR, and that he has left that to guys like A-rod, etc. This is the weakness of the Ute team. But let’s look at the positions that got drafted…defense and OL and RB…This is what Whitt was taught to coach up from Ron McBride. Troy Taylor should fix the other.
  - 05/01/2017 at 11:39 AM #33250
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    Utah
    Ute Fan
    
    @utah
    
    Even WR isn’t as bad as we all like to say it is. Look at the WR’s Whitt has brought through the program since the PAC-12:
    
    Kenneth Scott – playing professionally
    
    Dres Anderson – In the NFL.
    
    Anthony Denham – In the NFL.
    
    Reggie Dunn – Played in the NFL.
    
    Josh Gordon – In the NFL (or is he still suspended?)
    
    Kaelin Clay – played in the NFL
    
    Tim Patrick – Just signed by the Ravens.
    
    Don’t believe the FBYU-P bulls**t narrative that our WR’s suck. They have been the best WR’s in the state for a long time. We’ve had a lot of very, very good WR’s, and we still do.
    
    Whitt’s problems 100% come down to QB. We’ve had the talent at WR to be successful.