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[GreatNorthernUte]

An F for Rising is absolutely ridiculous and gets this post a downvote.  He made one very bad decision on the INT.  Otherwise he delivered several good throws and two strong TD runs.  Also, Yassmin straight up dropped a perfectly thrown TD.  

I get that everyone is frustrated, but to give Rising an F is downright zoobish.  Guy played a good game.  Just because the other QB had an A+ game doesnt make Rising anything less than a B.

[GreatNorthernUte]

Our below average run game last week makes sense given OSU loading the box and their general strong run defense.

The good news is Cam took advantage of some of those opportunities.  My concern this week is whether the opportunities in the throw game are sustainable without Kuithe.

 

[GreatNorthernUte]

These are interesting points on the defense being possibly undersized, and the consequences of that.  If you are right, then its a good sign that Scalley subbed more size in the second half vs OSU.  It shows they have enough confidence in the 2s to at least try a different approach.  Remains to be seen if it will work.

I am not nearly as concerned about the secondary.  One of the reasons Boughton looks bad is because he is simply not Phillips and everyone is throwing to his side of the field.  For obvious reasons.  The problem is that anyone less than Phillips will inevitably get beat several times when they face that many attempts.  Is there a legit problem with Boughton?  Maybe.  We will soon find out.

One of the reasons OSU put up 400 yards is that they were on the field a lot.  We scored fast off multiple turnovers.  I wouldnt worry too much about the OSU yardage stats.  They had a decent running game, but it was hardly disastrous.  Also, red zone defense is still defense.  There have been many excellent Utah defenses that would give up yardage only to slam the door shut in the red zone.

Outside of Florida, the defense looks good.  Multiple analytics approaches agree on this.  We had run gap discipline problems vs Florida but the pass defense was actually quite decent all things considered.  We are extrapolating bad defense based on one truly bad game of run defense in our very first game on the road against an SEC opponent.

[GreatNorthernUte]

Lets not forget that OSU held USC to 17 points last week.  Pretty hard to judge the offense given all the short fields they had.  I am just grateful we got the turnovers and did not get into a dogfight like USC did.0

[GreatNorthernUte]

Absolutely no doubt that several Pac 12 schools are having at least informal talks with the Big 12.  It would be negligent not to explore options at this stage.

There is also no doubt that Kliavkoff is in talks with ESPN on viable scenarios that keep the remaining Pac schools in the same conference.  Could be a full merger with the ACC or Big 12 or something else.  Assuming the Big Ten door is truly closed to UW and Oregon, I dont think anyone does anything until Kliavkoff at least presents ESPN’s offer.

[GreatNorthernUte]

Jimmy has one more year unless he wins the North.  Outside staff not loyal to Jimmy are being brought in partly to keep an eye on him.

[GreatNorthernUte]

Fans have had legitimate gripe about our offense for years.  Now good offense arrives and some freak out because we have happen to have an average defense on the field for the first time in a long time.

I am also optimistic.  

We have Rising for another two years.  We arent losing much talent or experience on offense next year.  Next year’s offense could arguably be better, even without true blue chip talent.

Defense is young but the raw talent level keeps getting higher.  We now have multiple blue chips on the defensive roster.  With Whit’s defensive development history it would actually be surprising if the defense was not significantly better next year.  Its very likely not going to be worse.

Special teams often regressses to the mean.  It really cant get any worse.

We also havent had too much turnover luck this year.  This can also improve.

[GreatNorthernUte]

Expectations have been hyped so high that anything less than an A-grade performance from any particular unit in any given week is the end of the world.

Folks, it is all relative.  Outside Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State, every single team in the country has at least one possibly suspect position group.  And every single week, some of those teams look like shit in some facet of a game they win comfortably.

So our run game vs what appears to be a very good run D in Oregon State had a below average game.  Well we all wish it wasnt so, but we still beat them 42-16 for goodness sakes.

Compare our team to the rest of a Pac 12 that is stronger than it has been in recent years.  We have the most complete team top to bottom.  Yes other schools may have a slightly better run game, or D line, or LBs, or whatever else.  Overall though we are above average at nearly every position group.  

 

[GreatNorthernUte]

It was more than a slap on the back of the helmet.  It was an attempted strike to the face and a push to the back, both with violence.  I have never seen Whit do such a thing in a game.

Viewed in the heat of the moment, it is perhaps explainable.  But I suspect it gives a glimpse into his demeanor in practice as well.

Combine with a team playing well below its talent level, and it has a real stench to it.  UW plays like a team that doesnt really want to be there.

Between this and his asinine “academic prowess” comments this week, UW has a problem.  Too expensive to fire him but he will possibly get a one game suspension and be told to hire new coordinators who arent necessarily loyal to him.

[GreatNorthernUte]

I think Whit sees it through Rising’s career barring another injury.  This is possibly the best pure passer he has had since Brian Johnson.  I think he comes back next year reinvigorated.  He knows the window is open.