So, following along with Troy Williams.

[Utah]

Now, the sample size is so freaking small and it does involve three crappy teams and one great team (SUU/BYU/Fresno State and USC). 

In the first four games of the season, Troy was GREAT. Ok, not great, but very, very average and for Utah, that is GREAT. 

His average game was: 19/30, 63%, 248 yards per game, 1.5 TD, 1 INT (but, he did toss three picks vs BYU in his first DI game in over a year. His INT’s were him trying to do too much, ala throws that were TD’s in JC, ala things that can be fixed, so I’m not too worried about those). 

After he tore his knee up? He was terrible. 

15/30, 49%, 196 yards per game, 1 TD, 0.5 INT’s per game. 

Hopefully Taylor can keep Williams healthy and productive. 

 

[Utah]

What I would consider an amazing success for Troy next year: 

26/40, 275 yards, 2 TD, <1 INT. 

If we can get that from Williams…we win 9+ games. 

If on top of that, we can add in 30-35 carries, maintain our 4.9 average, 160 yards and two TD’s per game on the ground….

Holy shoot. That puts us at 435 yards per game, about what we were last year (430).  BUT, it adds us on another TD per game. Could you imagine six more points per game? We beat Cal, Washington, Oregon and Colorado. 

That’s asking a lot, but it might not be either…

Last year, Troy Taylor’s offense threw for 400 yards and 4 TD’s a game. He ran for 130 yards and 2 TD’s per game. 

I’d bet that if you gave Troy Taylor my goals, he’d scoff at them and think he could do a lot better than that. 

[Utah]

I will finish with this: 

I’ve watched a few EWU games from last year. 

Tyler Huntley looks like a Troy Taylor QB. Watching Huntley this spring reminded me of Troy’s offense at EWU, but with more mistakes. 

If Huntley can clean up his reads, it wouldn’t surprise me to see a battle this fall and maybe into the season. 

[UteDuke]

I think this year’s team sets up very well to help Troy succeed. The offense looks like it has a lot of potential and many of the pieces that could make Williams position a whole lot easier.

Coach: The Utes may finally have found an OC and QB coach that can make good decisions and supply the QB with the skills and gameplan to be successful. Even small improvements in areas like completion percentage or redzone efficiency could translate to a more dynamic and effective offense. Also, we know Taylor want to be aggressive and put points on the board. I don’t think we’ll have too many more 4th quarters where offense is just playing not to lose.

RBs: Williams (or whoever secures the starting QB spot) will have the benefit of a deep stable of RBs to lean on if they can remain healthy. Shyne, Moss, and Henry-Cole all appear poised to be taking meaningful carries this season. If the RBs can establish themselves as a threat the passing game should benefit immensely.

WR and TE: While fairly unproven, this may be the largest collection of talent at WR that Utah has seen in years. Veterans such as Singleton, Wilson, Simpkins, and even McCormick should be reliable, while players like Fulks, Young, and some of the newcomers compete for roles as well. At TE we have Fakiolatonga and Handley returning, and both are excellent.

OL: This is where things get questionable. There is no overstating the experience and talent the Utes lost from the OL last season, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t reason for optimism. Harding is an excellent O-line coach, and he has talent to work with. If the line can open holes and give the QB time to get the ball out this team will be very potent.

 

 

[Utah]

I agree. Going along with the OL, Harding is a fantastic coach and with the new offense and the quick reads/throws, Taylor can cover for some holes in the OL with quick passes and screens. 

[noneyadb]

Like Harding, but to say he’s an excellent OL coach with how much chaos existed last year is a reach. That OL was terrible at pass blocking.

[Utah]

Who else is sending 4 guys to the NFL? 

I do agree with you though about the pass blocking. 

Here is the problem as a coach. You only have 20 hours a week with these kids. So, what do you do? Do you focus on run blocking or pass blocking? 

Weve been a team that relies on rushing, so Harding built an amazing run blocking team. 

You do what you can in the allotted time. 

Harding is a great coach. I’d be shocked if he was still here next summer. It wouldn’t surprise me if an NFL team snapped him up. 

[noneyadb]

Harding has been with Utah since 2014. When in the last 2 seasons has Utah been good at pass blocking? I like the Troy Taylor optomism, maybe throwing screens, quick passes, and a hurry up offense can help but if QB doesn’t have time to throw deep those short routes are pretty congested, and easy tips/pick 6’s.  

If I remember correctly SJSU, SUU, and BYU were all getting pressure on Troy Williams last year before all the injuries started pilling up.

[Tony (admin)]

I hope we see better decision making and execution in the red zone.  That was probably the biggest issue we had last year on O.

[Utah]

I agree a ton with this. It should help if he can run. Also, experience should help a lot. He threw two red zone picks to BYU that he won’t throw this fall. In JC, those are TD’s. In FBS, those are picks. 

[jamarcus24]

I’m sure he believes he can do better, and based on what I’ve seen of EWU last year I’m sure he can, but I think he knows it’s going to take one full season and a handful of his own recruits to get this offense to where he wants it to go.  Which is why I hope Troy Taylor has a 5-year plan here.  Our offense doesn’t merely need a shot in the arm.  It needs a foundation.

[rbmw263]

Every QB Troy touches either improves greatly or overperforms their talent level. Troy has a ton of talent and the difference between Roderick and Taylor will be massive. MCL sprains are serious and extremely mentally taxing (just ask Rudy Gobert, who looked like a shell of himself when he had his grade 2).

 

Im drinking the kool aid with Taylor and QBs. That combined with being healthy, I think Troy can have a special year. Ton of arm talent and upgraded physical tools this season, and a coach who I think can go a very long way in minimizing Troys flaws

[noneyadb]

Take out the ASU (worst pass defense in the nation) and Oregon St games from the after stats.

86/220, 39% completion, 1426yds, 204yds/gm, .7 TD’s/gm, .5 INT’s

[Utah]

Good god that’s awful. Holy cow. 

[rbmw263]

everybody would have much worse stats if you took out their games against s**tty defenses. Which everybody plays against