What is our floor and ceiling next year?

[Larry B]

I’d say 8-4 is the floor, 10-2 is the ceiling.

I like the fact that we get USC and Washington at home. USC will be a tough team (at least on paper) but we always play them tough at RES. I don’t imagine Washington will be a whole lot better than they were this year so I could see us beating them. If we win both of those, 10-2 is realistic and could easily win us the South.

Obviously it’s all going to depend on if the defense rebuilds or reloads, but when is the last time our defense was really a rebuild? It seems like every year we say “how are we possibly going to replace so-n-so?” and yet we find a way.

Offensively I think we could be really damn good. O-line will be experienced. There are at least 4 legitimate passing threats (Covey, Dixon, Thompson and Kuithe). Running back is still a little bit of a question mark but I’m not too worried there. And then the QB looks like he could be really good.

 

[ProudUte]

I appreciate your optimism and I hope you are right.

The 2019 team is loaded and without a doubt the best defense in Ute football history.  We lose most of these guys.  We lose the best running back ever at Utah and a seasoned senior QB.  I would love to say that we are going to re-load and maybe we will.  I am just saying it will be difficult to be any better than 8-4 IMO.

On the bright side you mentioned a solid group of receivers, a more experienced offensive line.  RB and QB are the questions.  We may be okay at QB, but I doubt we will have anyone nearly as good as Huntley was this year.  RB could be okay in time, but you do not replace Moss that quickly.  Our defense will be totally different and lack game experience.  I think we have some good athletes that may in time be very good.  However, there is no way on earth that our defense will repeat what they did this year IMO.

I think it will be a rebuilding year where we will end up around 7-5 or 8-4.  We should be good enough to compete at a high level, but we won’t be loaded with All American type players like this year.   I hope for a great season as I always do, but I am looking at 2021 as our next possibility to win the conference.

 

[Larry B]

Yeah I see what you’re saying. I just look at the schedule and I’ve got to believe we’re still better than BYU, Montana St., Wyoming, Cal, Colorado, UCLA, Arizona and Oregon St.

That right there puts us at 8 wins.

[gUrthBrooks]

It’s interesting to pontificate a significant drop off, but when you consider that Utah was in the P12 championship in 2018 with an injured Moss and Huntley you start to think that an 8-9 win season is doable. This 2019 team, in its last 8 wins before the CCG won by an average of 28 points. So a drop off might mean closer wins not strictly losses.

[astUTE]

Hope i’m wrong, but I think ASU will be very tough next year.

[cjd1]

Washington loses Petersen which is a major hit and USC keeps Helton who holds them back. If we can put pressure on Daniels again then we should beat ASU.

[EagleMountainUte]

15-0 averaging 15 sacks a game, 15 interceptions, 15 rushing touchdowns and 15 receiving touchdowns. 

I want to believe we will have 15 pick sixes a game but I can’t be greedy. 

[chinngiskhaan]

15 sacks though, we can count on that one

[noneyadb]

A lot of UW fans thought they’d be better this year after losing noodle arm, Gaskin, and multiple All-Americans on defense. Reality- they lost to Colorado and were 7-5…

It’s going to be a rough season. Utah’s backups allowed TD’s to OSU, UA, and Col that were held to a combined 7 pts before they came in. 2021 this team should be competing for the South again, but next year is a rebuild.

[chinngiskhaan]

I won’t be shocked if we don’t play well next year, but I don’t think the way they performed in garbage time is really a fair way to gauge their ability. Almost every player out there plays better when they are playing in the role they are prepared for.

I don’t believe we will have as good a defense as this year, but we will still have a top 3 DL in the conference. Our linebackers will be solid as well. I have no idea how our secondary will perform. Overall I think we will have a solid defense that suffers from occasional mental lapses due to inexperience.

We might actually be better offensively next year. I worry we won’t be able to replace moss’s production, but we will almost certainly have a vastly improved offensive line, which bodes very well for our offense. Our receivers will be better without dedroppy dropkins.

I think we will compete for the south ultimately losing a critical game or two we could have won if not for a boneheaded mistake or two. There is not a snowball’s chance in hell that we get any further than south champs.

[Johnny]

I won’t be shocked if the Utes are right back in the PAC12 championship next year. Grow some balls.

[noneyadb]

Mix for the Pac12 Championship? Damn that’s hoping for some really bad South teams next year.

[Trailgoat]

Agree, 8-4 at the minimum. With Ludwig in the program for a year and the new QBs, Utah will be solid on offense. Fans may be surprised how good the new QBs will be. Oline, will be better. Covey and Thompson will be back. IMO, Ennis, Dixon, Vele, and the new WRs will be getting more passes. Huntley’s numbers are amazing. Overall, the pass game will be very good. Run game hold it’s own, overall Rising and Bentley are a great fit for how Ludwig runs his offense.

UO and CU to an extent exposed some weaknesses in the offense when the run game slowed down forcing Utah to pass in uncomfortable situations. Not sure if it was protection, play calling or Huntley finding open receivers through progressions. Some games the run game may not work well, Utah needs to be able to adjust and not be effective passing when the successful run game opens things up. Conspiracy or not, I do think KW has some sort of coaching mental block preparing his team to play as confident winners. UO game, like it or not was a big hit to the program. Texas is a must win for KW.

[FtheY]

Without a more detailed breakdown of the schedule, 7-5 is the floor, anything less would be a disappointment. 9-3 is the ceiling, anything more would be amazing. 

We will look like udub this year – losing our best players and rebuilding an entire defense. We usually reload, but have never had this much talent turnover all at once. 

Our offense might be better than our D next year, which is crazy to think about. 

Less points mean closer games, which increases risk of losing. Younger guys could mean more wtf wames or lapses of judgement due to inexperience. 

I fully anticipate next year to be bumpy and I predict 8-4. We will be Iin the mix for the south but would be surprised if we bring it home with USCs returning talent. predicted 10-2 this year and was gladly incorrect. 

If we can build on this year’s recruiting class and get some dudes more experience, 2021 and beyond could have whitt riding off into the sunset. 

[BoiseUTE]

One comment for one of the above predictions the Las Vegas Bowl changes next year to Pac-12 Conference vs. a team from either the SEC or Big Ten Conference in a six-year deal announced Tuesday at the Palms Resort. In the new Stadium. So should become an improved bowl.

[Utahute72]

6-6 as the floor, 10-2 as the ceiling. Probably 8-4 as the most likely. Key is development of the QB, DB play and Oline improvement.

[Charlie]

Goodness, I am an optimist but… I think Ludwig can improve Bentley just like he made improvements in Huntley and last year Bentley was good enough to carry a Pac team to a divisional title. Rising is a wildcard option as well. There is no reason to think next year’s RBs do not include someone that can go for 1000 yards. Bam just may help the OL show significant improvement. Possibly, the offense can be just as good in Ludwig’s second year.

We need to see the guys queued up behind this year’s seniors. We have always worried about a drop off when DL stars leave but it doesn’t seem to happen. Three starters is a bunch but spring practice may show the gap to the next bunch is not great. With more rotation with hungry guys we could be back to great faster than anticipated. On the back end, Lloyd, Burgess, Lewis and Nurse were all in the refrigerator, unknown, and much better than expected. There may be a new bunch in the fridge playing on special teams that we have not noticed.

For both, we often seem to have a freshman that is a surprise on the scene. Phillips will not be the only freshman to surprise, step in and have a big impact next year. Other underclassmen may be ready but stuck behind a bunch of experienced seniors.

I might be optimistic, but I expect to see us compete for the championship again until we see areas fall off in spring or fall camp. By that, I mean in the two at the top of the division. Other teams also have key losses as well.

[Tony (admin)]

I have us at 7-5 at this point, but I think that would still be slightly better than expectations.

[tarheelute]

Nine wins

Wins over Montana State and BYU at home to start the year. Cal, Colorado, UCLA, Wyoming and Arizona State – all on the road. All are winnable with the talent coming back, but winning three of the five is reasonable expectation. Wins over Arizona and Oregon State at home. Winning one of the USC and Washington home games. Finally, a tossup at Washington State, but a win never the less. By my count, makes for a nine win season and a trip to Las Vegas.

Amended: Whats this I see about the “LA Bowl” against the best MW opponent?

[chinngiskhaan]

Did you actually read my whole post??? I said we could win the south, just not the whole pa12… which is basically what you said. You need to grow a pair… of eyeballs.