Ludwig gonna Ludwig

[2008 National Champ]

Granted, it is up to the players to execute but there were some headscratchers in the red zone. Double reverse on the 2 point play, inside screen on 3rd and 3 from the 8 with no WR running a clearing route, never a timing route or fade to the tall WR’s.

The biggest were on the last series though. 1st and goal at the 6, over 30 seconds on the clock, the whole playbook is open to you. Where was your all-conference running back? Why turn your dual threat QB into a statue? Zone read? Play action? Roll your QB out and let him make a play?

Run Thomas left on first down. If he doesn’t get the score, spike the ball. 3rd down, take half the defenders out of the play by rolling Rising out with the option to run it in. When you absolutely can’t turn the ball over because you’ve got the chip shot FG to tie, why throw the ball into the teeth of the defense?

[prestitute]

I find it incredibly hard to fault Ludwig in this game. His gameplan was great, the execution wasn’t. We had the game won, but the pick killed us. The decision to go for 2 was also incredibly dumb. The 4th down run was not great from the goal line when we got stuffed… But it sure looked like we made it in and got screwed on that call.

By far, the D in the second half was the bigger issue. We continue to struggle with talented QBs who break contain. We had SO MANY opportunities to win this one, but we didn’t. Credit to UF, but this is one we shoukd have won but didn’t. And this one was like 95% execution and 5% bad play calls. I am not mad at all, and the only glaring issues I have are going for 2 and the timeout usage at the end that got us into that 2nd down. Even still, Rising tosses that out of the endzone and we get ine more shot then overtime. Not on the coaches, imo.

[RoboUte]

I don’t think I’m knowledgable enough to make a call on Ludwig, while you may very well be right at least we scored points. On the flip side this offically makes it a few year trend of our defense being fairly poor.

I’m really concerned at how Scalley has done much more with much less in the past. And at this point he appears to be slipping. And him being our “coach in waiting” really doesn’t sit well with me anymore. Maybe hes getting tired of DC.

[ProudUte]

We lost a lot of key players in our front seven the last few years. I fully expected some early season issues with our defense. I hope by conference play they will be up to the task. 

Our red zone offense needs to improve. Is it coaching or execution?  Probably a bit of both. Overall, our offense looked good IMO. 

We played in a very hostile environment and could have easily won this game. I’m not going to be too critical. 

[Distantute]

I thought we we were overly conservative (another year hearing how great vele is another year where we dont throw it to him; no down field shots entire game even though line held up great). The head scratcher for me was the 2 point conversion (we didnt need it) and usage of the 3rd timeout – also didnt need it. With that extra timeout could have run thomas once maybe twice.

[RoboUte]

this hostile envoronment business is an excuse, the sport is college football. It’s like a delivery driver complaining there is traffic. If you can’t deal with some loud 18 year olds don’t show up

[SalUteopia]

Yeah, also not buying the hostile environment argument. It’s not like we were getting false starts or other penalties. Sure we got some, but nothing out of the ordinary. If anything, we managed this part incredibly well.

[GameForAnyFuss]

Run Thomas left on first down. If he doesn’t get the score, spike the ball.

Yeah so I don’t know all that much about football, but I do know this: When you’ve got three shots to win the game, you don’t call any play that risks turning it into two shots. If you run it there, you have to score. And I don’t think there are any guarantees that either Rising or TT would’ve scored on a run from the 6.

The INT was not a play calling problem. It was an execution problem.

[SalUteopia]

Agreed, we needed to get 3 plays in to give it our best shot. And we’d have also needed to get the FG team in on the 4th down if the 3 attempts didn’t work, all within 30 secs.

[AZUTE]

It’s extremely difficult to run a roll out play in the red zone because of the short field. You cut the field in half and the back line of the endzone is an extra defender.

The two point conversion was a terrible call. No need to chase points that early in the game. I don’t know if that is whit’s call or Ludwig’s but it was stupid. Kick the Extra point and go up 20-14.

Utah’s WR are nonexistent…..again

I don’t know if it’s talent, coaching or game plan but they are basically a waste of space. Utah should just run 23 personnel for the rest of the season.

The Oline played well

Richardson is a freak of nature and the second coming of Cam Newton. He’s the best QB Utah will face all season including Caleb Williams.

Utah WILL go undefeated the rest of the season including the Pac12 championship and be 12-1. Does that get Utah into the playoffs? A the very least it the Rose Bowl vs Michigan after Ohio st takes a playoff berth.

The focus of practice this week needs to be tackling

[2008 National Champ]

the decision to go for two is Whitt’s. the play call is Ludwig and they had worked on it in camp. in a game where Utah had not been stretching the field horizontally to that point it was a strange time to try, especially with a play that was going to require multiple people to touch the ball to be successful.

[2008 National Champ]

Play Action at 4:59. Roll to boundary at 7:25. Zone read at 8:05. Just to name a few.,,