Things have changed. The future is bright.

[GreatNorthernUte]

We are not used to having an average or slightly above average D line.  That is what we have now.  They were thoroughly beat on both run stop and pass rush.  Dont get me wrong, I am not saying these guys are bad players, they just arent at the same level weve been spoiled to expect.

We could also use another hard hitting safety.

But there is another thing we also arent used to.  Despite getting run over on defense, the offense kept the team in it.  Rising had a good game and he was under some pressure at different points.  I never felt that a comeback was off the table until the fourth and goal miss.  In previous years I would have given up far earlier.

The future with Rising is very bright. We have a totally different dynamic going on now.  I am going to enjoy this season for what it is and pin my hopes on the next two seasons.

[Trailgoat]

Very young team getting great experience. Biggest player talent liability on a solid defense next year is LB with Lloyd gone. Reid and Sewell are nice media walk on stories. Reid has the heart, head, and size, but (experience) is very slow for a D1 LB in the open field and gets blocked inside a lot. Sewell has all the same attributes with speed, minus size. Although both these Utes play their hearts out for the team and hold their own. Missing DL next week for a half is going to be a big problem at LB.

Not sure who the next LBs are for Utah if Reid as an unknown walk-on is a starter tells me the talent pool may be shallow or slow developing right now at the LB position for next season. Hopefully the younger guys develop like we’ve seen with Lloyd. Need a couple guys to step up at LB.

[GreatNorthernUte]

Yep Lloyd is covering those gaps at LB.  Gotta remember that a potential first round NFL draft pick LB makes a lot of players around them look better.

Even Lloyd before the ejection couldnt make up for the DL getting beat badly last night though.

[Yergensen]

I think the under recruited, over achiever is a blind spot for both Whit and Scalley. There have been a lot of success stories where they’ve developed these guys into NFL players. However, this can be done to a fault. Last night after Lloyd was ejected, we had 2 walk-ons and a 2-star making up the LB core and we looked slow. You can’t tell me that none of the three 4-star guys behind the guys on the field aren’t better options.

[concerned]

I heard a podcast yesterday that Karene Reid fills  a slot. He is not starting over Reynolds or Calvert. They play Devin Lloyd’s position. Fwiw.