the trajectory of Utah football …

[sweetgrass]

like many of you, I hadn’t quite made it through the stages of grief from the conference championship game prior to the Alamo Bowl fiasco.  I’m not ready to deal with that yet.  It has soured me on any football for a while.  

However, despite the humbling finish, you can’t deny that overall the trajectory of Utah’s program is positive.

1. 8-1 conference season (no ones ever gone 9-0 in the P12)

2. 8 wins in a row, our previous best was 5 in conference

3. recruiting avg. per player for 2020 was highest its ever been

4. with two 4 star guys in the mix our QB situation seems to be better than its ever been

5. our coaching staff is intact, especially on the offensive side of the ball where its been a revolving door since day 1 in conference

I am excited about the future.  There is no reason, we can’t be in the mix like we were this year every 3-4 years.  So fill your lungs and sing it out shout it to the sky.  We’ll fight for dear old crimson for a Utah Man am I!  

 

 

[User Suspended]

I think the real cold reality that hit me is that the PAC12 really isn’t that good – and it showed in these bowl games. Even Oregon looked out maned…. and Oregon is light years ahead of Utah in recruiting.

I think as a Utah fan it’s time to step back, understand that Utah is not close to “hanging” with the big dogs and accept that if and when we do beat a name program it should be viewed as an upset….a team we snuck up on.

Yea, it’s a huge slice of the humble pie being eaten for me right now.

 

[gUrthBrooks]

The only tibit that I would add is that Wisconsin comes in way more tested than Oregon. Wisconsin played Ohio State twice, beat #14 Michigan, Beat a #16 ranked Iowa by 2 points, beat an #18 ranked Minnesota. Meanwhile Utah and Oregon are slapping around mediocre PAC 12 teams and everyone is patting them on the back. I think Utah and Oregon are closer than you portray or equal to what Wisconsin has talent wise, they just don’t play the same level of competition and this holds back their progression by the end of the season.  

[User Suspended]

I agree. It feels like the PAC12 is simply not prepared to play at the same level as other conferences  – not saying Oregon cant, it’s just that they’re not getting enough practice swings during the year. 

My take away for this bowl season is that a lot more BIG10 teams than I thought would actually do VERY well in the PAC12 including Iowa, Minn.  All the BIG10 vs PAC12 bowl teams came much more physical and athletic and I must say I was a bit surprised…. sigh 

 

[utefansince79]

Loss (less than 48 hours ago as I type this) still stings as it was so recent.   But while in previous years, we usually stumbled in last October or early November, then licked our wounds and came back strong in a mid-level bowl game, the last 2 years we made it to December with a chance to win in Santa Clara (last year would have sent us to Pasadena, this years possibly to the CFP, if not to Pasadena) before fading late.

May not be next year (with such a large graduating class) but we will soon be back with another oppotunity.

Do need more of the teams in the PAC12 to play stronger starting with pre-season games next September.

 

 

 

[sweetgrass]

five year average recruiting ranking of the three schools we lost to this year USC, Oregon and Texas:

USC #5 (had #2 ranked class in 2015)

Texas #9 (had #3 ranked class in 2018 and 2019)

Oregon #17 (had #7 ranked class last year)

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/college-football-recruiting-schools-with-best-class-rankings-on-average-over-the-past-five-years/

Utah #38 (over the same period)

on avg, were recuting 30 spots lower than these teams.  If I look at the schools Utah is 30 spots better at recruiting, they are schools like Tulane, Rutgers, La Tech, North Texas.  When I consider why Utah got dominated at the line of scrimmage against USC, Oregon and Texas.  I think these numbers clearly factor in.   

 

[utefansince79]

Been mentioned repeatedly before, but one wonders how USC does so little with so much.

 

[User Suspended]

I really think in general, the culture of the West and (particularly California) makes it hard to rise to the expectations of the South and Midwest. I know PAC12 fans/players love football …but it’s just different and more committed in other areas of the USA. 

I know so many kids growing up in the midwest and live and die for a specific program…. it’s a 24/7 all year obsession. 

Before Pete Caroll, USC sucked for a long time but still sent a tremendous amount of players to the NFL.  Sometimes it’s a culture that can’t be faked.