Runnin' Utes Message Board

CollegeFootballNews.com's MWC Preseason Pix

MWC preview

Posted By: Y'zGuy
Date: Tuesday, 5 June 2001, at 11:51 a.m.

and its not the pigskin post. have the yootz at #6 and the cougs tied for #2. although i disagree, no way will BYU lose 4 games and no way do we lose 3 in a row. we wont lose to UNLV or SDSU.

it has utah winless on the road and suffering 3 and 4 game losing streaks, even a loss at rice chex stadium to SDSU.

MWC football preview

   PREVIEW 2001
   Mountain West Conference 
   Preview & Unit Rankings

Click for our 2001 All-Mountain West Team     2000 M West Preview      E-mail us about the M West

  Projected Finish based on where we think they'll finish in conference
  click on each team for their preview, predicted wins and breakdowns

1. UNLV (6-1 in conference, 8-3 overall)
T2. BYU (5-2, 8-4)
T2. Colorado State (5-2, 8-3)
T2. San Diego State (5-2, 6-5)
5. Air Force (3-4, 7-5)
6. Utah (2-5, 4-7)
7. New Mexico (2-5, 4-7)
8. Wyoming (0-7, 2-9)
 Offense Unit Rankings
Quarterbacks
1. UNLV
2. BYU
3. Colorado State
4. Utah
5. San Diego St
6. Air Force
7. New Mexico
8. Wyoming		 Running Backs
1. Colorado State
2. New Mexico
3. BYU
4. Utah
5. San Diego St
6. Air Force
7. UNLV
8. Wyoming		 Receivers
1. Colorado State
2. San Diego St
3. Air Force
4. BYU
5. Wyoming
6. UNLV
7. Utah
8. New Mexico		 Offensive Line
1. BYU
2. Colorado State
3. Utah
4. New Mexico
5. San Diego St
6. UNLV
7. Wyoming
8. Air Force
  Defense & Kicker Unit Rankings
Defensive Line
1. Air Force
2. UNLV
3. Utah
4. San Diego St
5. Colorado State
6. BYU
7. New Mexico
8. Wyoming 		 Linebackers
1. BYU
2. San Diego St
3. New Mexico
4. UNLV
5. Colorado State
6. Air Force
7. Utah
8. Wyoming		 Secondary
1. Colorado St
2. Wyoming
3. UNLV
4. San Diego St
5. BYU
6. Utah
7. Air Force
8. New Mexico		 Kickers
1. UNLV
2. San Diego St
3. Colorado St
4. BYU
5. New Mexico
6. Utah
7. Wyoming
8. Air Force

QB Lance Rice

Preview 2001
Utah Utes

Click for Utah offense     Click for Utah defense

 '99 Prediction: 8-3     1999 Record: 9-3    2000 Prediction: 9-2
2000 Record: 4-7     2000 Utah Preview   Thanks to Utah sports info

CFN 2001 Prediction: 4-7

Head coach: Ron McBride
12th year at Utah (75-53)
Lettermen Returning: 39
(19 offense, 18 defense, 2 ST)
Lettermen Lost: 24
(10 offense, 13 defense, 1 ST)

2001 Schedule

Predicted wins

Sep 1 Utah State
Sep 8 at Oregon
Sep 15 at Air Force
Sep 22 at Indiana
Sep 29 New Mexico
Oct 6 South Florida
Oct 20 Wyoming
Oct 27 at Colorado St
Nov 3 at UNLV
Nov 10 San Diego St
Nov 17 at BYU

2000 Results
2000 Record: 4-7
CFN Prediction: 9-2
Sep 2 Arizona L, 17-3
Sep 9 at California L, 24-21
Sep 16 Washington St L, 38-21
Sep 23 Air Force L, 23-14
Sep 30 at Utah State W, 35-14
Oct 14 at S Diego St W, 21-7
Oct 21 Colorado St L, 24-17
Oct 28 at New Mex L, 10-3
Nov 4 UNLV W, 38-16
Nov 11 at Wyoming W, 34-0
Nov 24 BYU L, 34-27

Will the real Utah Utes please stand up? This is a big, athletic and talented team that laid a big old egg last season with a 4-7 record and posing in the team photo for the most disappointing teams in the country. The MWC is stronger this year so why will they be better? They might not be. There's a ton of talent here yet they need firepower on offense and more playmakers on defense. That said, the D could grow into one of the better units in the conference and the running attack could be devastating.

Best Offensive Player: Senior RB Adam Tate. He'll probably go in the 5th round of the 2002 NFL Draft then run for 1,200 yards his rookie year. Sound familiar?

Best Defensive Player: Sophomore SS Arnold Parker. He can play corner, safety or linebacker. He's big, fast and awfully good.

The season will be a success if… they finish with a winning record. That might be aiming too low, but with road games at Oregon, Air Force, Colorado State, UNLV and BYU, a winning record would be a huge accomplishment.

Key game: Sept. 15 at Air Force. The Utes need this win to prove they can beat the better teams in the MWC

Fun stats: 
- Despite a 4-7 record, Utah outscored teams 234 to 207
- Opponents converted a mere 28% of their 3rd down conversions
- Utah scored 17 touchdowns on 34 chances inside the red zone. Their overall scoring percentage was only 68%.

Final Thoughts: Something really scares us about this squad. They need several breaks from the NCAA eligibility group to make many of their linemen available. While that shouldn't be a problem, it's still a concern. They have a nice mix of experience and athletic youth and it all needs to come together right away. Six road games won't help their confidence at all.
Click for Utah offense     Click for Utah defense
2001 Recruits
Player in yellow is the star of the class and the one to watch
NAME POS HT WT HOMETOWN/SCHOOL STATE
Michael Culpepper DB 5-10 195 Los Angel-Arizona Western JC Calif.
Bernard Fano DL 6-2 260 Fountain Valley Calif.
Rob Gueck WR 5-10 180 Springville Utah
Devin Houston WR 5-10 175 Los Angeles-West Los Ange JC Calif.
Lynzell Jackson WR 6-3 180 Tempe Ariz.
Paris Jackson WR 6-3 190 Vancouver (B.C.)-Butte JC Canada
Andrew Johnson OL 6-2 270 Salt Lake City-Cottonwood Utah
Chris Kemoeatu DL 6-4 325 Kahuku Hawaii
Marquess Ledbetter LB 6-3 220 Louisville Miss.
Semisi Livai LB 6-1 200 Kahuku Hawaii
Raymond Manumaleuna OL 6-2 275 Kahuku Hawaii
Juan McNutt WR 6-1 185 San Diego-Marian Catholic Calif.
Dominic Payne LB 6-4 205 Phoenix-Eastern Arizona JC Ariz.
Eric Pettit OL 6-3 250 West Jordan-West Jordan Utah
Kyler Rushton DB 6-0 195 Las Vegas-Cimarron Nev.
Colt Sampson LB 6-3 215 Pleasant Grove-Pleasant Grove Utah
Antwoine Sanders DB 6-3 200 Fayetteville-Arizona Western JC N.C.
Shayne Scruggs DB 5-10 185 Ontario-Chaffey JC Calif.
Chad Smith RB 6-2 195 Lehi Utah
Soane Taliauli LB 5-9 185 Long Beach-Long Beach Poly Calif.
Elia Taula DL 6-2 260 Honolulu-Santa Ana JC Hawaii
Dwayne Taylor WR 5-10 180 Oxnard-Hueneme Calif.
Steven Thompson LB 5-10 212 Los Angeles-Dorsey Utah
Antonio Young DB 5-11 185 Carson-Serra Calif

 


 


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