Stone

Interesting that one of the primary factors cited in him choosing between UCLA and Utah was location (i.e., he wanted to get away from home). I think this is one of the biggest hurdles Utah faces in recruiting the kids in Utah. It’s just the way high school kids think (I did too). It is often sexier to tell your friends/neighbors/family that you…[Read more]

Alright, I guess we will see where recruiting rankings end up tomorrow. But even still, I would weight the actual on the field performance much more than a recruiting ranking. Recruiting is critical… but recruiting rankings are meaningless without on the field performance. Utah (and Whit) beat many teams this year that had higher recruiting…[Read more]

Also, a B- for Whit this year? Utah played one of the hardest schedules in the Pac 12, lost its starting running back, starting QB, and top receiver, yet won the South Division and was a close loss away from the Rose Bowl. How does that result in a B- coaching job?

This is where your prejudices and bitterness really manifest themselves. And why…[Read more]

Utah rarely recruits kids from the midwest, so not sure how the perceptions of Utah’s weather in the midwest matter (and it is no surprise they don’t complain about Utah weather… because Utah’s weather is typically better than in the midwest).

Utah largely recruits kids from California, Texas, and Florida. Those are warm weather states. People…[Read more]

I thought this bit from the article on Daniels was interesting:

he’ll be the highest-rated recruit to join the program since receiver N’Keal Harry (No. 53) came to the school in 2016, and the highest-rated ASU quarterback since Brady White (No. 68) inked with the Sun Devils in 2015.

Remember Brady White and how many times he decimated opp…[Read more]

Nothing too surprising about the fact that day games on network TV are the highest rated. Only marginally surprising that UW was in 5 of the 10 top games (they are a marquee program), but that also could be a result of them having more network/day games than other teams.

4 of those top 10 games are likely more about the non-conference opponent…[Read more]

Plus, what if @OnlyU is actually GA? We will now only have insider info at USU.

Happy for USU, a bit sad for Utah. It gave me a lot of confidence having Gary on staff – the more smart, experienced coaches, the better. Plus, I was really looking forward to having a few recruiting cycles with him on staff. He is a really strong recruiter.

Thank you! People need to r-e-l-a-x on the speculation (I heard his mom had a mixed up order at Cafe Rio and refuses to let her son go anywhere near the place). So much angst over an unsigned recruit. The repetition of speculative perceptions probably only perpetuate unwarranted perceptions.  

Good grief. 

IglooDweller (three posts down): “Utah has a perception problem related to Mormons.” 

IglooDweller (here): “Perception problem, you hear it all the time. What do you think the perception problem refers to? Is it code? For what?”

Are you stuck in an echo chamber?

Those are some really sheltered Michigan fans that they would be surprised at that; funny to think that they think Utah fans are the sheltered ones. When I hear someone say stuff like that, it is painfully clear that they are the ignorant, uneducated ones that have no idea what the world is like beyond their neighborhood. We are quick to shame…[Read more]

I did mention Urban Meyer (and I guess Whit is in the eye of the beholder, I consider him a great hire, but it sounds like many would dispute that). Regardless, I am not trying to make an exhaustive list, just pointing out the risks of thinking a new coach is the answer, and how even “home run” hires don’t always pan out.

By the way, here is the…[Read more]