Georgia vs Oklahoma

[Tony (admin)]

This is some seriously good football. Now into OT. The Utes (and the Pac-12 really) are light years behind this level. Am I wrong?

[Anonymous]

I know how silly this sounds, but I think we’re a lot closer than you’re suggesting.

[Tony (admin)]

In what area? Kicking?

[Anonymous]

Our team will be improved in every phase of the game next year. Additionally, our team doesn’t suffer from weak trench play like the rest of the conference, save Stanford. We have quality depth everywhere. We finally have an offense. I’m optimistic.

[Tony (admin)]

I need some of what you’re having.

[Anonymous]

You’ll see. Tyler will settle down and be much more efficient. We’ll have three capable starters at RB. Our OL definitely benefits with their experience gained this year. We have an impressive stable at WR. Taylor will have our offense humming in year two.

Kyle built the D first which has kept us competitive. He’s built an excellent ST unit. The O was the next part of the process, and we’re starting to see results.

[UteThunder]

Starting to see results? The offense was the same as, or worse than, last year’s in just about every statistical category of impact.

PPG, TDs, Total Offense, Rushing Offense, 3rd Down Conversions, 4th Down Conversions, Time of Possession, Turnovers, Sacks Allowed . . . Each one was worse than last year. Some were about the same, but most of them were worse. 

The only areas we saw improvement in were passing yards, pass efficiency, and red zone percentage. And while we improved in those areas, our position among our peers was still bad.

Pass efficiency we improved by 12 points(120 to 132) but were still only good enough to finish 10th in the Pac-12, just like last year.

Passing yards we improved by just 33 yards per game and were still in the bottom half of the league moving from 9th in 2016 to 7th in 2017.

Red Zone scoring is the one area where we saw appreciable improvement, going from 78%(11th) to 87%(6th) but I suspect part of the reason for that is that Whit elected to take the FG more this year than last year.

 

 

[Anonymous]

I’m not going to try to change your mind. I’ll simply say that past performance does not guarantee future results. I have seen enough this year to think optimistically about this team. I like this team. It makes me think of a younger more talented version of the ’07 team. If you can’t be optimistic during the off-season, then what’s the point? I’ll believe in them unless they let me down.

[noneyadb]

Utah will go as far as the o-line allows. For multiple years they’ve been terrible at pass protection, and penalties. Clean up those issues and they can play with anybody.

[Rick]

Defense?  These teams defensive lines are horrible.  Both were getting blown back off the balls by 3-4 yards on  most plays.  I have never seen anyone man handle a Ute line like that.

[PlainsUte]

Utes are a couple of tiers below, in terms of bowl system…

1) Playoff teams

2) NY-6 teams

3) Bowl eligible and won bowl game

4) Bowl eligible and lost bowl game

5) Not bowl eligible

The Utes have, in the past, reached “level 2” so not all THAT far out of contention

[Tony (admin)]

Double OT now. 

[FtheY]

What an exciting game, it was great. 

[KiYi-Ute]

Dawgs win it. Ugh. This likely means two SEC teams in the championship. Sucks. 

I do agree with your thoughts about Utah and the PAC being behind this caliber of teams. It’s like JV and varsity. 

[MotherJabubu]

I shutter to think what that OU offense would have done to our defense this year. I think we could have held up against Georgia decently just because of our front 7