Posted By: ColoUte - Bandwagon AA Sponsor <everutes@hotmail.com>
Date: Monday, 19 November 2001, at 2:11 p.m.
I'm going to start off with the ColoUte tip of the Week first...
ColoUte Tip of the Week: Don't read anything I write this week - including this post. I'm going through a bout of multiple personality disorder that would even make Macphisto say, "Wow! This guy is Whacked!" I'll probably ramble on and on, I'll make little to no sense, and, if all works out well, I should be able to offend just about everyone when all's said and done. Just a heads up.
1. I have been debating all day long whether I even wanted to come on this board or not. I was actually contemplating simply leaving for a couple of weeks because of the jackass trolls on this board. Don't get me wrong. I expect a lot of trolling, and we deserved it. Don't tell me for one second that if the shoe was on the other foot that the BYU board wouldn't be absolutely flooded with crappy winners as well.
That said, after seeing what those cretins brought to this board last week, I was actually happy for the anonymity of the internet. It pains me to think that I may actually go to church with some of the racist jackasses that infested this board last week. Losing the anonymity of the internet may have confirmed that I do, in fact, go to church with said racist jackasses, or worse, call some of them "friend", and I can't tell how I would have reacted. However, I'm not going to allow a very vocal and visible minority (and I still have several Zoobie friends who are just as upset with these freaks as I am) ruin one of my favorite things.
2. If I may, I'd like to return to my boxing analogy. On Saturday, heading into the last couple of rounds, we were out-pointing our opponent. Their only chance for victory was a knock-out. So rather than trying to win the last couple of rounds as well, our manager gave us the strategy to go out, put our hands up around our head, and dare the opponent to knock us out. That's what they did.
3. I caught a lot of grief for my "smoke and mirrors" comment last week. In retrospect, that term actually does apply, unfortunately, it applies to OUR offense. We've got the same problems right now we were facing after the '99 season. More on this to come...
4. MAN! The voices in my head are waging an absolute war over McBride. On the one hand, this is a REBUILDING YEAR. We were 4-7 last year, and lost the core of the team - particularly on defense. This year, we'll be, at worst, 7-4, and probably 8-3. We accomplished that record starting 9 Freshmen/Sophomores - 25 on the two deep. I don't see how you can fire a coach after that.
5. On the other hand, the guy is NOT a finisher. He has NEVER, in his career, lost fewer than 2 conference games in a season. In the last 5 years, his teams have lost 11 games where they've had the lead in the 4th quarter. ELEVEN FREAKIN' GAMES where we mailed it in early, and didn't put the opponent away. That's not an easy thing to get over.
6. ELEVEN FREAKIN' GAMES!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just in case you missed that point.
7. I'm not saying that Chris Hill should pull the plug on the Mac era, but I won't be singing the blues if he does. However, I'll state for the record right now, that I'm HEAPING expectations on next year's squad. Mac will have the team to be able to pull off that ellusive outright conference title next year. If he can't do it next year with the squad he'll have, he won't ever be able to do it, and we'll need to find someone who can.
8. OK, for the moment you've all been waiting for - Lance Rice. OK, I've defended this guy for weeks now. I'm done. He's not the answer. I look at Lance Rice, and I see an average D1 QB. Now, for the first half of the season, I was doing cartwheels because we finally had an average D1 QB, because, compared to what we had last yaer....well, ya know. But this is where the "smoke and mirrors" come into play. We once again had a mediocre QB hidden safely behind a line with 3-4 future pros and disguised by a powerful running game. It's '99 all over again.
9. So, I've said that Rice is an average D1 QB. Does he have potential? Sure. He's got potential to become a more experienced average D1 QB. He doesn't have the physical tools to get much better than he is. He may be able to improve his decision making skills, he may be able to improve his leadership skills, but he's not going to get any quicker, his arm's not going to get much better. I'm not saying Breska or Elliott is the answer, but if they're not, then that needs to be a HUGE priority in recruiting this year. Again, the "smoke and mirrors" won't fly next year. If we don't have our outright title at the end of next year, then there needs to be a major overhaul in the program.
10. I actually liked what I saw from Koford last Friday night. There, that ought to piss off anyone who I hadn't pissed off yet.
GO UTES - I guess
Posted By: UteDominator
Date: Saturday, 17 November 2001, at 10:33 p.m.
I was at the game sitting at the 50 yard line, East side. Here are thoughts and mussings:
1. That was one hell of a game. Both teams played hard and played well. Hats
off to both.
2. BYU's defense was huge. They played mush better than any of us expected and
credit must be given to them.
3. Utah's defense is IMHO a top 10 unit.
4. Utah has a top 20 team. Unfortunately with 3 loses we won't be ranked, but
props to the Utes.
5. Prevent defense usually prevents a win.
6. Call Doman and the Cougs lucky, but they have come up big time and time again.
When fourth quarter come back happens once or twice it's luck, when it happens
a half dozen times you become a legend. Just ask John Elway. I'm glad Doman's
days against the Utes are over. He's a player and will go done as one of the
great competitors in this rivalry.
7. Overall, I was treated very well by the kittens; however, I kept my mouth
shut for the most part.
8. The ugly BYU coed who sat behind me had one of the most obnoxious screams
I've ever heard.
9. After the game I was dissapointed to hear a fellow Ute fan make a totally
inappropriate religous slur. Bigotry, in any form, is flat out wrong. The saddest
part about it was that he was talking to his son who couldn't be more than ten.
It is not worth repeating.s
10. And finally, this rivalry gets better every year. It's just too bad we couldn't
hold on because we played well and should have won.
Do not hang your head UTES. Let's be AFA and clean up at the Liberty Bowl against
UCLS. We will win out!!!
Posted By: U-Ute
Date: Monday, 19 November 2001, at 9:03 a.m.
While I was bummed after the game, I must admit, I thought that was a classic Utah/BYU game. One that's going to stand in my mind for a long time. That was an awesome game. Big hits. Clutch plays. Whacky formations (what the hell was that 3 lineman thing BYU had? It was reminiscent of The Duck). Plus it all came down to the last minute of the game. I love having the rivalry back.
Well, on to my useless observations...
I'm not sure what to think of the play calling late in the game. At the end of the 3rd quarter, we were totally having our way right up the middle no matter how many guys BYU had in there. So I can see why the coaching staff went back to it. You have to give credit the BYU defense with showing some guts and coming up when they had to.
I can't question Whittingham at all. The D held all game. We didn't change philosophy. You have to give the BYU O line credit for sacking up and blocking well. Up until the 4th quarter, we were getting pressure on Doman with rushing only 4-5 guys. We didn't get a whiff of him in the 4th quarter. Plus we had done a great job of stringing out the option, shedding the blockers, and making the tackle for a minimal gain until the 4th quarter. Then it seemed like we just couldn't get off our blocks. I'm guessing that we got a bit tired.
Our secondary was awesome. How many times did Doman have 4-5 seconds back there with nobody to throw to until one of our D-linemen came free to get pressure on Doman? That's a sign that your secondary is doing great. The problem in the 4th quarter is that he was getting 5-7 seconds. The extra two seconds was all that was needed for someone to finally get open in the secondary.
Basically, the reason BYU won is because their offensive and defensive lines took over in the 4th quarter. We couldn't get pressure on Doman. We couldn't get off our blocks on the option. We couldn't open the holes as wide as we did in the 3rd. We lost the advantage we were holding there.
Bring on Air Force. They are not looking very good. Let's take our frustrations out on them.
U-Ute
Posted By: Red Sheep
Date: Saturday, 17 November 2001, at 8:40 p.m.
Utah had this game won with about seven minutes to go and INSTEAD OF GOING FOR THE JUGULAR(sp), he ended up handing the victory to BYU. All Utah had to do was have Hunter run a few end-arounds and toss the ball to Richardson a couple of times over the soft middle to keep moving the sticks and the GAME WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER!!! But no, he plays to not lose like he's always done in his sorry, pathetic, miserable life!!!
Even though it won't happen, MACBRIDE HAS TO GO!!!! Why can't this year be the last year of his contract.
I'm very, very, very bitter.....
I'm going to bed.
Posted By: UtahDan
Date: Sunday, 18 November 2001, at 7:36 a.m.
You the truth is that if we go out and win next week and then go on to win a bowl game, by any measure we will have had a great season. We were picked to finish 6th (just another example of how worthless thos pre-season rankings are) and will probably finish second. It is hard to fault a caoch who exceeds expectations.
Still, every year we lose a game or two we should have (or maybe a better way to say it is "might have") won. This year has been no exception. Granted that the losses came to probably the two toughest conferencve opponents we faced, never the less we had oppotunities to win both but failed to in large part because at the end of the game the other caoch made an adjustment that McBride ccould not deal with.
In both games we were outcoached, no so much in the sense that the other coach did something brilliant and unexpected, but more in the sence that our coach did exactly what he had to to open the door for the other team to prevail. Say what you want but when you lead 21-10 with a little under 4 minutes to play and you lose, a large share of the blame must be laid at the door of the coach.
I am not here to call for his resignation of anything like that, I am just pointing out the obvious. I'm sure McBride is a very nice man. I think that as long as he is here we simply have to accept the double edged sword of his ability to recruit great players on the one hand, and inability to think on his feet at the end of games in the other. This is what Ute football will be as long as he is here. I am happy to live with an 8-3 or 9-3 season any year, don't get me wrong, I am just observing that Crowton did what he had to to win and to give his kids a chance to win and Ron McBride did not.
It also occurs to be that another fact of our collective Ute lives is the inability in the three years since the doink to recruit a kicker. McBride to his credit wasn't about to let Kaneshiro kick anything but an extra point, still, with a halfway decent kicker it is 13-3 at halftime instead of turninging it over on downs. Maybe a small thing but in a game won by three points it was huge. Games are won on all three phases of the game. Sadly under McBride in recent hisotry, our excellent return teams have been counter balanced in large degree by our poor kicking game.
Posted By: AZUTE
Date: Monday, 19 November 2001, at 10:15 a.m.
Let’s see were to start.
The coaching. Who’s decision was it to go the “prevent” defense up 21-10. We all know the old saying “all that does is prevent the win”. I give you exhibit “A”. 24-21 lose. You watch BYU play and they are always playing to win no matter what the situation they seen to always be dictating to flow of the game up 14 or down 14 they are still executing the game plan. McBride is famous for playing not-to-lose getting a lead then going into “hold-on” mode. If this was Whittingham’s choice, I’m really confused now. He doesn’t strike me as that type of coach. This kind a coaching philosophy has cost us against BYU two years in a row now.
The players. If Hunter follows his block outside this is all mute. Doman is
a special player. The perfect college Q.B. His ability to run and throw, scramble
and make a play.
On the other Rice is weak at best. What was it that Crash Davis said about Nuke
“Million dollar arm five cent head” Rice is the opposite of this “million dollar
head five cent arm. He can see the play that needs to be made but he doesn’t
have the ability to execute it. Why buy a BMW when you don’t know who to drive?
He was named the starter because he doesn’t make mistakes, his just being out
there is a mistake. The pass to Lyman that set up Tate’s TD, great job of avoiding
the rush but the pass was underthrown and Lyman had to make a great play to
adjust. The int. that ended it. His lack of arm-strength allowed Gilford to
jump the route and make a game winning play. If Breska is throwing that pass
or any other QB with an arm, its complete for a first down and the drive continues
or Cliff breaks a tackle and maybe scores. A quarterback is suppose to lead
and make the players around him better, Lance is no leader and is half as good
as he is because guys like Cliff, Josh, Tate, Hunter and the o-line make him
look better. When the time comes to make a play he can’t do it. You look back
on the season and you see three loses to teams who did a good job of slowing
down our running attack and requiring Rice to beat them with the pass and he
couldn’t do it. This is not a post to tear down Lance, I like him and he’s doing
the best he can.
So why is he out there? This all goes back to McBride playing not lose. And
all that happens is we lose. His coaching style has to change. You win championship
and finish in the top 25 you can wear lucky beads, and put your feet in magic
sand and have the players rub lucky rocks and the college football world will
think your colorful.
(Thanks Crash) Until you win however they just make you look like a fool. Do
you think Crowton goes through all that voodoo with his players? No. he just
tells them to go out and win because he makes them believe they are just better
than the other team. Memo to Chris Hill tell Mac to change his coaching style
or tell him your changing coaches.
P.S. Before you get fired or just retire try getting a kicker with a leg to kick the damm ball from 45 yards. But, I guess this is just part of your coaching style. Quarterback no arm, kicker no leg.
Now I get it.
I wish Ronnie could leave gracefully. I know he won't want to, because of the way he is, but I wish he would just say, "You know, I want to enjoy my grandchildren more and I am going to quit while I am still young enough to do that. I've taken Utah football to a new level and I'm proud of what we have done."
The undeniable fact is, Ron brought the program up from mediocrity. He's gotten is to bowl games, pieces of the conference championship, a top 10 ranking, and regular wins against our arch-rival. All of these things were just dreams in the TWO DECADES before he became head coach. He has a record to be proud of. No one thinks he can take the program to "the next level," however. I think someone like Whittingham could. I love Ron for what he has done but wish he would leave gracefully.
Most of you know where I stand on Mac. But what really bothers me is the seeming paradox that refuses to hold the anointed and saintly Kyle responsible when there are defensive breakdowns. Two years in a row the offense has been adequate, but the "D" has been unable to hold the Cougs in the last minutes. Surely there is enough blame to spread around. I would probably be more accepting of anti-Mac comments if this were so.
Whose decision was it to switch from the first-team defensive studs to the prevent defense with second-string cornerbacks in the lineup? I would put my money on the first defense being able to force BYU into taking a lot more time off the clock than they did, if they would have even scored.
Again, it it Whittingham or McBride who makes that call?
Posted By: Mr. Crimson (Wondering if he's alone in
the Universe) <me@me.com>
Date: Saturday, 17 November 2001, at 9:18 p.m.
First hats off to the Y Staley and Doman are gamers.
Second anyone who calls Mac conservative again is a jackass, the tackle eligible on 4th and 10 is perhaps the guttiest call I've ever seen.
Third I hope and I believe that Ver Steeg and Mac will revisit the QB situation in the Spring and Fall, while I understand all the reasons Rice was made QB this year and it probably would have been my decision as well, lets see what Elliott can do. If Rice can make a couple of throws, who knows.
Fourth FOR THE LOVE OF GOD RECRUIT A KICKER WHO CAN HIT A FG BEYOND 40 YDS. If we can kick at least one FG when we had to go down there it probably seals the game. Where did Daniel Pulsipher go?
Fifth I hate to second guess Kyle but when stuff works for 55 minutes why don't we go ahead and do it for the last 5.
Sixth Whatever happens with the Y now is win win for us, either they go to the Fiesta Bowl get waxed and we don't have to hear from them or they go to the Liberty Bowl play a very tough Louisville team, while we get to go to Vegas and play USC.
Finally it was a classic, I wish we'd won but I know at least we belonged. Congrats Cougs
Posted By: Fact Checker
Date: Sunday, 18 November 2001, at 10:13 a.m.
Curiosity brought me to this board this morning and I am amazed reading the comments from both sides of the fence. The comments I found most interesting stated that neither side should "run smack" and how we should defer to decency, respect, mutual admiration, et al. All of this following a great week of conjecture, ad hominem attacks, religion/race baiting/bashing (from both sides), derogatory insults and the like. My first thoughts were the world has been turned upside down and now, heaven forbid, "dogs and cats will be sleeping together". Perhaps my second thought is more indicative of the situation. I can't decide if it reminds me more of the boy who constantly picked upon his little brother, beating and berating him at every turn only to be at his side to defend him against anyone outside the family or people who endure a harrowing, life threatening experience together and develop lifelong bonds despite their original dislike for each other. All in all, I think that true Utah/BYU fans (assholes notwithstanding) have greater mutual admiration and respect for each other than either will care to admit.
The weeks leading to this incredible game featured some interesting debate which sounded something like "you suck because you don't even have a med school. Oh yeah, well our law school rocks. Does not and our engineering school is superior to yours. Big deal, your accounting students can't write numbers in little boxes as well as ours. Perhaps each of these have merit but after watching yesterday's game, the more salient debate should be over who has a better general studies program. Especially after witnessing each school's ability to retain upperclassmen in the program.
Is their an opening in a sociology class at either school? I do not doubt the need for people with these skills. They do wonderful work with at-risk youth and families facing struggles but I didn't realize the need was this great. As I watched "Declared Major: Sociology" flash across the screen for the umpteenth time, I was reminded of a comment made at a school board meeting years ago. A slightly bitter man said "I recognize that all of you educators are geniuses and have all the answers to society's problems, but could one of you tell me that in all the years I was working towards an engineering degree we constantly had people leaving the engineering program to transfer to education, but not once do I recall someone leaving the education program and transfering to the engineering department. I'm not sure what my original point was....
Finally, there are many reasons to call for Ron McBride's head (MAFU, the fireman's T shirt, the beads would all be good places to start) but to do so on the conservative play calling at the end is unfair. It's based on 20-20 hindsight. If he is more agressive and a ball is dropped/batted/intercepted or Rice is sacked, McBride is an idiot for going away from what got him there. Also, if Tate rushes up the gut for 5 yards (he'd been getting 6-7 yds a time previously)first down, game over, McBride's a genius. Some of the blame should be on Tate for misreading his blocks when he had a tremendous opening. Had BYU lost, everyone would be pissed at Crowton for bringing 6-7 guys leaving the tackle lateral play wide open. Also, it is a great leap of faith to assume that if McBride had gone a different direction with the kicking game, the team's fortunes would change. I saw a very accurate kicker miss a gimme extra point at the end of the game. Also, if Rice cost the game with the interception at the end, would one feel equally comfortable in saying had BYU lost that Doman cost them the game because he fumbled on the 11?
Oh well, enough for now, but what a great game.
Posted By: Wakara
Date: Monday, 19 November 2001, at 12:17 p.m.
I don't mind losing to BYU this year. They are playing well this year and seemed to be charmed. It was the way we lost that bothered me. With one more smart play by either the qb or the coaches we win the game. We shut down their offense, used the clock...everything we said we needed to do to win. And then we have brain cramps the last 3 minutes.
Overall thoughts:
Rice is not the QB to take the Utes to the next level. I said it at the beginning of the year and I say it again. I know he's only a sophomore, but his main problem is not correcting itself. He can't throw the ball hard without being wildly inaccurate. I noticed His soft throws are accurate enough, little dump-offs and such, but that leaves him open to Pick-offs on longer throws(gee when did that happen?). His hard throws all, I repeat, all sail high. He has not gotten better this year, from USU onward. So the choice is throw short and soft, or run. Not a complete gameplan there. He's a nice kid, but we need to give Elliot a shot, or Breska.
This year we are good at all phases of the game, except QB.
We need to remember this is still a very successful year. I think we will beat AF, end up 8-3 and go to the LV bowl to play the MWC's best opponent in a bowl game. Given expectations at the beginning of the year, this is great. The bitterness of the way we lost will disappear in time and we'll consider this a good year. I know we are all thinking that with 2 smart plays against CSU and BYU, we are 10-1 for the year and win the championship outright. I think we need to measure this team against pre-season expectations.
And as we all know, as long as McBride is here, there are 2 games a year where we will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. At least this year it was BYU and CSU, not BSU.
Next year we could be great. Sape should be back to man the middle and the rest of the D-line stays intact. We have Deckart back and can add the JC linebacker Payne who is ineligible this year. The secondary adds Shane Scrugss and Antonio Young, who were both very highly recruited. The D might even be better next year than this year.
On the offense, we won't miss a beat at RB, but the O-line will take a hit with Ta'amu and Kafusi (rip your head off) gone. Cliff will be gone, but Lynzell Jackson will play. The big question will be QB. If we can't find a QB that can make plays, then we end up with another year similar to this one.
BYU fans should grow up on the Kafusi pancake (and that's what it was). The ref was right there and if it were that egregious, he would have thrown the flag, like they did on Margin Hooks last year. ESPN was just keeping Toddy Christensen happy by showing it so much and getting self-righteous. A lot of dirtier stuff goes on under the pile on just about every play. If you were an NFL scout, would you draft Kafusi or the guy under him? Kafusi will play on Sundays and Dennehy will be watching him, telling his kids about the time he played Kafusi. Props to Dennehy for not responding. That is good discipline and coaching. You just take your beating and try to get him back on the next play. Would that BYU fans were as smart.
Utah 28 AF 14