Looking at UCLA

[MFury]

I guess seeing the predict the score up for UCLA, means its time to think about the game a bit. Thanks Tony!

I’m sure others have more salient and better researched thoughts, but a quick review leads me to think that this game will come down to Iamaleava’s deep threat vs pressure from the Utah front 7. My reasoning:

1 – the UCLA D vs Utah O is basically two unknowns. I can’t expect either to be game winning capabilities. Or game losing deficiencies.
B – We should be able to manage their run offense, because Utah D. That’s as much looking into it as I have done. No specific matchups. I just believe that we will have reloaded in a way that it won’t be a major gap.
Thirdly – If you want to pick on our D, go deep. If we give Iamaleava time, he has the arm to beat us (scars of USC / Fink’s huck and pray strategy, but more talent) and I expect UCLA to have relative advantage speed / height on the outside. But if we can get pressure on Iamaleava we can probably disrupt their relatively nascent offensive scheme (expecting something different from last year).
Finally – You could try and pick our D apart with short passes, but I favor our nickel D in that scenario.

What do you think? How far off am I?

[2008 National Champ]

I don’t have any predictions for the game but I do have some concerns that I will be watching for during fall camp.

1. Center of lines: Utah is returning all starters on the O Line, but the interior has gotten beaten badly the last two years. On the other side, Utah is replacing the 3 who got the most time at DT the last two years with people that didn’t beat them out. I don’t feel like Utah can control this game if there are camp injuries and/or mediocre performances between the Tackles.

2. Receivers: I need to hear repeatedly that they are making plays. Let me rephrase, I need to hear repeatedly that they are dominating the DB’s and making all the 50/50 plays. Even then I might not believe it. But I won’t feel good about this group if we’re just getting the standard so-an-so is looking good and starting to separate. I need to start hearing that multiple guys are uncoverable.

3. Health: Utah just can’t have another fall camp with multiple starters beat up. Granted, we won’t hear about camp injuries until late October. But if Parker spends the season limping off the field like Jackson did in 2023 or they have to start the season with the 3rd string Center it could get ugly in a hurry.

First game of the year is tough on everyone. On paper 2022 Utah was better than Florida and they laid an egg. I don’t see this years team having that same advantage on UCLA and Utah is notorious for limiting the play sheet game one so it will come down to execution. For me to believe that Utah can go down there and win handily, I need to hear that the offense is making the D look silly in camp. I trust Scalley to get his guys where they need to be when it matters. I haven’t had that same belief from the offense since 2004.

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