[Desert Ute]

Lots of good suggestions in this thread already. Nearly all these shows/podcasts have helped me survive long commutes or home improvement projects over the years. As far as professional media goes, ESPN 700 shows are the most Ute-centric, but Hans on KSL is probably my favorite for talking Xs and Os while still maintaining some objectivity. His Football Friday shows with old Coach Mac are pretty enjoyable and informative, though you’ll have to tolerate (or skip) segments focusing on the other local teams. Especially that One.

Living near Phoenix, I don’t have many opportunities to talk to ordinary Ute fans, as most of my friends and neighbors are grads/fans of other Pac schools, Big Ten transplants, or Zoobs of all varieties (original, cactus, and potato). So I like a couple of podcasts hosted by regular schmoe Utah fans like myself: (1) the Utah Football Fans Podcast; and (2) the Utah Man Podcast. They’re not hard-hitting sports journalists or former players, so listening to them is like eavesdropping on the conversations of fans sitting around you at RES or standing around the water cooler. That can be a good or a bad thing, I guess, but I definitely appreciate it as a fan in exile (just as I appreciate UteHub).

[RoboUte]

If you take almost every quarterback related decision made since 2020 and look at it, it’s a near guarantee to be wrong. Whatever is decided, I genuinely hope Whittingham has absolutely nothing to do with it, for the sake of our team. He at least tried to start Cam over Bentley during that timeframe, but other than that. It’s tough to reminisce about.

[RoboUte]

Any collection of folks can feel untouchable before the rubber ever meets the road, I’m sure spirits are quite high. The real test is how the team dynamic reacts when unexpected or negative things happen. Some rise to the occasion and some wilt. If you watch every game and keep track of the news on a team it’s not hard to track their overall mood as the season progresses, you can see it in the way they play. In the past I would say that one of the things that set our team apart was how they dealt with setbacks from an attitude standpoint, how the team would come out after a loss felt like clockwork in a positive way. I want to see how the team responds after an opposing pick 6 or a tough loss.

[Charlie]

I think this point is key. George Patton’s perspective can be remembered. He often made the point that the other side has a plan also. Half the focus is on what we plan to do and it is easy to see our plan get better with practice and feel good our plan. The second half is all of the many other things the other side may pivot to in their plan. The last part is execution and Patton reminds us how hard it is to keep the plan going when the other side starts shooting and when things go wrong.

I see reasons to expect good schemes and the ability to pivot. In the past we have had good ability to respond to adversity but that is substantially built again with each team. Last year spirit, scheme and ability to bounce back from adversity took a hit due to the greatest risk to keeping them up. That was the lack of a serviceable QB. Hopefully, Beck’s offense translates well to the Big 12, our QB is serviceable and the backups are better.

[UtesRule]

1. The Utah Blockcast, by Steve Bartle

2. The Utah Checkdown, by Josh Furlong

3. In the Zone Podcast, by Sammy Mora

Several local sports radio shows to follow:
1. The Sean O’Connel Show
2. The Drive with Spence Checketts
3. ESPN 700 & 92.1 FM (post practice / post game interview)
4. University of Utah Sound (KSL Podcasts) – Also provides post practice interviews, pre and postgame

[2008 National Champ]

I think you can only view how accurate the vibe was in hindsight. Or to quote noted philosopher Mike Tyson, “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”.

Every team in the country believes in themselves right now, has a great vibe, loves their culture, loves their talent, is on a mission to prove ____.,, all of the preseason cliches that get recycled each year as if they are prophetic.

[Roy Rangum]

So you can only know the vibe in hindsight? I don’t buy that. Last year the vibe and expectations were as high as they have ever been. But then the wheels came off the bus. It’s what it is. But, I will say, I would rather go into any season with a good vibe rather than a bad vibe. While not all good vibes translate to good seasons, if you start with a bad vibe, it seems unlikely you will be successful. Unfortunately I’m not sure I’m feeling the same good vibe everyone else is, but my fingers are crossed that my pessimism will be proven wrong.

[Chasqui]

Agreed. I had to stop listening. I wish JT the best but the overall locked on brand is going downhill fast.

[RoboUte]

The whole “locked on” series is clickbait trash imo. However, most of the hosts in them are quite good. There’s clearly organizational pressure that brings the quality down.

[Jim Vanderhoof]

It certainly wasn’t good the last 2 years. It’s one thing to say it’s there. Another to back it up. If you can’t back it up it wasn’t there to begin with. Last two years the vibe has been over confidence, injuries,turmoil and bad coaching. I loved the vibe going in to last season didn’t turn out. My vibe is these things have been corrected and the players are hungry to prove last year was an anomaly.

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