Posted By: ColoUte - Official Pissed off SOB of the
Bandwagon <everutes@hotmail.com>
Date: Monday, 3 December 2001, at 9:05 a.m.
1. I just want to relate this story about my 18 month old little boy. My wife came home at half-time of the Air Force game. My little boy ran up to her and said, "Mommy, Football." She said, "Are you watching Football with your Daddy?" He looked at her, threw his little Ute football and the wall, and screamed, "Geez!"
That was just cute, but what he did later that day was flat out scary. He likes to run around with his football and yell, "Go Utes!" or "Go, Go, Go" or "Coach!" and throw his ball. Well, Saturday afternoon, he was running around, and yelled, "Coach, you suck!" Now, I guarantee I didn't say that, but I sure as heck was thinking it. So, either my little boy has some sort of psychic gift, or an incredible knowledge of the game that goes well beyond his years.
2. I apologize in advance to any Rice supporters. You may not want to read beyond this point.
3. OK, I guess I need to talk about the game. Well, let's start at the logical point. Lance Rice: Nice guy, decent smarts, great work-ethic...BAD Quarterback. Enough said.
4. No, that's not nearly enough said. It doesn't do justice to how remarkably bad he was on Saturday. Now, if you take away that last play, his game was STILL ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS. He handed Air Force two TD's in the second half. He didn't throw one single pass on Saturday that the receivers didn't have to make significant adjustments to their routes in order to catch. NOT ONE!!! Even his best pass of the day - the crossing pattern to Tate in the two minute drill - was thrown behind his wide open receiver. If he hits Tate in stride, I'm not sure Tate doesn't score. He was that open.
5. I initially thought that the 2nd interception late in the game wasn't Rice's fault because it looked at first like it bounced off Richardson. After seeing the replay, though, that ball wasn't nearly close enough to Richardson to bounce off him. Actually, it bounced off the LB covering Richardson. Again, if Richardson catches that pass, ball game. He gets an easy first down, and may have been able to piggy-back his defender for 15 yards. We can then just run 3 times and even if we have to punt, Air Force has to go over 70 yards in under 2 minutes to win. Unfortunately, it's tough to catch a ball thrown 5 freakin' feet behind the guy.
6. If you think about it - and believe me, I've thought about it A LOT - if we had a Joey Harrington, we're undefeated this season. If we had a Joey Harrington who only gets sacked 5 times this season, we don't even play a close game with anyone. Now, it's probably not fair to ask for a Joey Harrington. He's a Heisman contender on the best team in a BCS conference. Utah just doesn't get guys like that. However, if you look at teams with similar circumstances as we have....well, we're undefeated with a David Carr, we're undefeated with a Tim Ragone, and we're probably undefeated with a Patrick Ramsay, a Casey Bramlett, or either of the guys at Hawaii. It makes me wonder.
7. The problem with our team is that, out of 117 D-1A teams, we probably have a QB ranked somewhere between 90-100. (That ranking doesn't take into account the probably 50 back-up QB's who are better or the D-1AA QB's who are better.) This fact gets masked by 2 things, however. A) We have a dominant running game and a great O-Line. Frankly, they've won 7 games for us this year, and winning masks a lot of other problems - especially with Mac who thinks that a winning season means there are no problems. B) 6 of the other QB's in our conference are actually WORSE than Rice is. It's easy for Mac and Ver Steeg to rationalize his mediocre play by saying, "Yeah, but he's still the 3rd best QB in the league."
8. That last play was just inexcusable. I know that both Mac and Ver Steeg were trying to accept responsibility after the game, but don't worry, guys, theres PLENTY of blame to go around. Mac's to blame because he should have had a head-set on and when Ver Steeg called a play, Mac should have said, "NO, KILL THE DAMN CLOCK!" Ver Steeg's to blame for being indecisive. Rice is to blame because he should have just hucked the ball throught the uprights after his stumble, and been glad that he didn't fall down. And Kaneshiro is to blame because if he had ever shown the ability to hit an important FG (or PAT for that matter) at ANY point in his career, there wouldn't have been a question in any rational thinking mind about what we should have done.
9. You know, getting pasted by USC in the Vegas Bowl may actually be in the best interests of the program. A win just convinces Mac that he doesn't need to make any off-season adjustments. You think I don't know what I'm talking about, all I need to do is point to last year. Everyone on this board saw potential problems at the QB spot after the Vegas Bowl, but nothing was done about it. I'll say right now, that even if we win the Vegas Bowl, we're staring directly into the eyes of another 4-6 win season next year if there aren't significant improvements at the QB spot.
10. OK, enough about the QB. I had one other observation. Was it just me, or did Adam Tate look like he was running in slow-motion compared to Dameon Hunter. Don't get me wrong, I thought Tate was great. 140 yards are 140 yards. But he really looked slow a couple of times. I thought Hunter probably should have gotten 5-10 more carries, but Hunter looked pretty winded a few times.
11. Yeah, the defense was horrendous in the first half, but Air Force gained a whopping 36 total yards in the second half (8 in the 3rd quarter). How sad is it that said 36 yards produced 2 TD's?
12. I'm not going to weigh in on the coaching. I don't think Mac deserves to lose his job, and I'm not sure Mac deserves to keep his job. I'll let the voices in my head sort this one out. However, his biggest mistake on Saturday was asking Rice to throw a pass.
13. Anyone still wonder which side of the QB debate I'm falling on?
ColoUte Tip of the Week: This may be a good year to start taking a more active interest in women's sports.
Posted By: Johnny Lingo
Date: Sunday, 2 December 2001, at 4:31 p.m.
I've been struggling to find silver linings from yesterday's fball game.
First, we have a rookie play caller. I believe this is VerSteeg's first year calling D1 plays. He can't get any worse at the end of games than he was this year against CSU and AFA. I have little argue about regarding his offensive scheme & game plans.
The second silver lining concerns the contempt I have for those few Y fans who came to this board "celebrating" the U's collapse. Every once in a while I need another slap in the face to keep my blood boiling and yesterday's posts will keep me going for quite a while.
Most Y fans I've met and worked with are like fans most everywhere -- they enjoy their team, are gracious in victory, and congratulatory in defeat. Others are taunting, self-righteous, low-lifes unlike any I've encountered anywhere. For some reason, I like them better as the the latter.
Thanks.
Posted By: Sacramento Ute
Date: Monday, 3 December 2001, at 10:20 a.m.
I don't post very often, but I couldn't contain myself any longer this week
after that joke of a game Saturday. . .
I hate to admit this, being the converted avid BYU hater that I have become
in the last few years, but is there anyone out there who would doubt we'd be
10 - 1 right now if we had half the poise of the kitties in Aggie blue? A comparison
of my feelings watching the last 5 minutes of both the Utah and BYU games this
weekend were a telling sign. As I watched BYU start its last drive, I had no
doubt in my mind the Cougs would win the game. As much as I've hated to watch
it, the Cougs have done it all year long. They find a way to win week in and
week out. Never mind the Cougs weak ass schedule, they deserve their top 10
ranking if for nothing else than their uncanny ability to do what it takes to
get a W.
I've pretty much been a Rice apologist for the majority of the season. I bought
into the Ute coaching staff rhetoric that we were winning games with our ground
attack, and that a "smart" and "steady" quarterback who could make decent reads
is all we really needed to win. I became a believer in this way of thinking
as I watched Rice make some pretty good plays here and there, and I admit I've
been most impressed with Rice's ability to deliver a decently thrown ball just
moments before getting drilled by a defender. I closed my eyes to his inability
to throw an accurate deep ball, and the number of times he'd miss wide open
recievers. I'm calling BS on the hype right now.
Let Ver Steeg and McBride take all the blame they want for the absolute emarrassment
that was displayed on the field that last drive, but they're not the ones who
make the plays on the field. What the hell was Rice thinking not having the
team up at the line of scrimmage after those first downs, ready to take the
next snap. It seemed like every time the clock would stop after a first down,
instead of being ready to snap the ball when the clock started again, Rice would
just be getting in the huddle. That burned time out they used because they couldn't
get a play of in the last series was nearly as bad as the last play blunder.
Speaking of which, though Ver Steeg or McBride, or whoever called that last
play, was an idiot for having any hesitation about just spiking the ball to
set up the field goal, Rice should have had the brains to chuck the ball into
the top row when he saw he didn't have anyone open. I'm sure he can see the
clock better than I could sitting there watching at home in disbelief.
Air Force is a team we should beat by 30 even without the 12 Falcons suspended.
Even giving up those turnovers inside our red zone, the way our offense was
moving the ball, it still shouldn't have been close. Utah beat themselves with
flat out stupidity, which has unfortunately become the common element for all
Utah football teams over the years.
We all endured the justification for Rice starting, that he didn't make the
overly aggresive mistakes that Breska and Elliot were known to make. Anyone
watching a BYU game this year, especially the MSU game would see Doman making
a couple of forced passes that ended up in picks. I doubt there's a Cougar fan
out there that would trade Doman's leadership and aggresiveness for Rice's so
called decision making skills.
Anyway, I've rambled enough. I had to vent. And people wonder why this teams
following is spotty. It makes me sick to sit through this sort of performance.
Here's one Ute fan praying that Elliot stays healthy enough, and McBrice has
the balls to sit Rice's below mediocre ass on the bench next season. GROW SOME
BRAINS!!!!
"Sick and Tired" Sacramento Ute
Posted By: Swoop(this bandwagon bird is tired of
road kill, and crow)
Date: Monday, 3 December 2001, at 11:08 a.m.
OK here it goes....
First of all in defense of Lance Rice. Does anyone else out there think he is a guy that needs to throw earlier to get into a rythm. I am not defending the fact he is very average. I feel Rice was rusty from handing the ball off so much when he was asked to throw he couldn't get the feel of the game. I think a QB needs to get involved early. Rice didn't have the opportunity. I am defending Rice in the sense that he was put in some bad throwing situations for an average QB by Ver Steeg.
I get tired of winning TOP, and just about every other statistic except scoreboard. The philosophy of massaging the ball is really getting old. John madden even said so earlier this year that it is not that important of a statistic. The Utes have kept other teams in games this year by not taking advantage of things the defense was willing to give up. SDSU, and BYU were a perfect example.
This team has become too one dimensional over the last 3 or 4 games. Other than the lateral to the tackle play where has the creativity gone? Where is the double moves by receivers, and the pump that freezes the secondary, and linebackers? Why are they not using the tight end even more? You look around at all of football, and the TE is the clutch play for just about everybody. If Utah throws to the TE more at BYU the cougs don't even come close even with Doman, and Staley.
Although I am happy about the 7-4 turnaround I am not satisfied in the way the Utes blow 4th quarter leads. They should be 10-1 right now ranked in the top 15. What coulda shoulda woulda been. Wait till next year right?!!
The defense played outstanding after they turned up the heat. I still see some faults with Whittinghams defenses though. They seem to stand around and watch big plays on 3rd and 4th down. A perfect example the AFA receiver slides between 6 Utes on 3rd and I think 15 after the Rice INT. The QB threads the needle, and they score. This type of collapse has been present in tight games. The Ute D makes great plays except when they really count.
With all that said there is plenty of blame to go around this program. Coaching, players, and yes fan support. I feel bad that I am asking for a change in coaching after a 7-4 year, but it is finally time. As much as I love Mac he is too old school, and it cathes up with them in a couple of games each year. Bring in a new coach that will take what teams are giving rather than trying to impose your will on them.
The program needs to emerge from the disfunctional state that it is in. The forever 7-4 syndrome.
nuff said...bring on the Trojans
GO UTES!!!!!!
Bob Davies is looking for a gig.
Posted By: Wakara
Date: Monday, 3 December 2001, at 12:34 p.m.
I didn't want to post immediately following the game because my judgement would be clouded by dissapointment. On Monday, I'm still disapointed, but hopefully more rational. While the game was meaningless from a bowl standpoint, it wasn't from a MWC standings viewpoint, or from a character stanpoint. We should always play hard to win. Especially against an undermanned team.
1. I predicted at the beginning of the year a 7-4 season and a Las Vegas bowl bid. We were all thinking that would be great, considering last year. We finished that way, but we're all dissapointed...and should be. The fixes from last year that Mac put in place worked wonderfully and we saw glimmers of what this team should be. We should be 10-1, undisputed MWC champions and that's why we're dissapointed with 7-4. And the primary reason we're not the champion is:
2. The QB. I don't know what it will take for Mac to see that Rice is not a D-1 QB. We all knew he wasn't good at throwing, but thought that he was smart enough and didn't make mistakes. Let the running game and defense win the game. Well, he still can't throw, and now he makes mistakes that cost his team the game. Allowing the clock to run out was one of the dumbest things I've ever seen on a football field...ever. Even Arceneax wouldn't have done this. He can't throw, he makes mistakes and he wastes another great effort by his running backs, o-line, and receivers. VS and Mac tried to take the blame, but given the uncertainty at the kicker position, it was a smart play to take one shot at the endzone with a pass. What was he thinking to try and run the ball in? Not to mention all the time he wasted earlier in the drive. The stadium should be renamed Eccles stadium. After what his grandson did, Grandad's donation makes them now about even. The sad thing is he's a nice kid from a true Ute family. But I think he's Utah's Sean Covey.
3. The defense didn't come to play on Saturday, the first letdown all year. But this letdown only lasted 1/2 half and it didn't cost the team the game. We were leading in the fourth Quarter, and a Rice caused turnover let the other team score.
4. Glad to hear Dameon will be back. He played like a warrior.
5. Mac has one glaring weakness. He has too much loyalty and sticks with something even after everyone else can see it's not working. Now, I'm the first to admit that this is an admirable trait that I would want in my friend. It shows character, the kind of character that breeds loyalty from his players and allows him to recruit so well. On the other hand, his job is not to make friends, but to win games with a clean and player focused program. That sometimes requires your head to make choices that your heart doesn't want you to do...like firing Tommy Lee. Mac needs to learn that and sit Rice down. Give Breska or Elliot the shot. Yes, they will make mistakes, and it may cost us the bowl game, but we should look forward to next year, when the defense might even be better. Rice should be a backup from here on out. He had his shot. Mac, you're the CEO, not the worker on the line. That requires making tough choices that may not be popular. You wanted the HC job, so you have to take the good with the bad. Oh, and find a kicker please.
3. We are very close to being a consistent top 25 program. I think Mac deserves the chance to take us there next year. He brought us this far. If he can make the changes the program needs...great. If not, there are plenty of others who will try. I appreciate what he has done for Utah football. We are now respected for our talent and defense. Now we need to be feared.
4. We will give USC all they can handle. Our defense is tailor made to stop their offense, and we have enough of a running game to keep it close.
All in all, this is Utah football. We can never quite get over the hump. They
say this kind of thing breeds character. We've got enough character, I want
some wins.
Posted By: U-Ute (Official bandwagon gas-pumper)
Date: Monday, 3 December 2001, at 8:27 a.m.
I must say, it's pretty amusing watching it happen.
While, yes, that was probably the most incredible "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory" I think I've ever seen, it doesn't warrent the complete implosion of the program.
Ver Steeg took responsibility for what happened and explained how it happened. Due to the clock stoppage with Hunter's injury, he decided that we could take one more crack at the end zone. It was a bad idea, sh*t happens.
What kills me is the same people clamoring for McBride's head due to the Utes being too aggressive (taking an extra shot at the end zone) are the same people who call for McBride's head due to him being too conservative (4 pass plays at the end of the first half of the CSU game).
Look, there were a lot of wild bounces and bad breaks that pretty much screwed us over. The fumbled punt by Scalley because the wind carried the ball an extra 20 yards. The fumble by AFA on that reverse that bounced right back up into the runner's hands and he goes on for a TD. The punt by Lewis that was held up by the wind, landed at the 50, took a single bounce that went 10 yards in Air Force's direction and landed right in the hands of an Air Force player who then ran it some more.
After all of that, I think we should be thanking our lucky stars that the injury to Hunter wasn't a broken bone like they thought it was. This game meant absolutely nothing. As a matter of fact, after USC watches that film, they will probably overlook us.
Bottom line: We got out of a game that meant absolutely nothing without any serious injuries and are heading to a bowl game.
Man, some of you take yourselves just a little bit too seriously.
U-Ute
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