Utah Utes
Preview 2009
By
Pete Fiutak
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2009 Utah Preview |
2009 Utah Offense
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2009 Utah Defense |
2009 Utah Depth
Chart
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2008 Utah Preview |
2007 Utah Preview |
2006 Utah
Preview
Head coach: Kyle Whittingham
5th year: 37-14
Returning Lettermen:
Off. 25, Def. 28 ST 1
Lettermen Lost: 22 |
Ten
Best Ute Players
1.
OT Zane Beadles, Sr.
2. LB Stevenson
Sylvester, Sr.
3. DE Koa Misi, Sr.
4. SS Joe Dale, Sr.
5. LB Mike Wright, Sr.
6. OG Caleb Schlauderaff, Jr.
7. RB Matt Asiata, Sr.
8. FS Robert Johnson, Sr.
9.
WR/KR David Reed, Sr.
10. OG Zane Taylor, Jr. |
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2009 Preview
CFN Prediction: 9-3
2009 Record: 0-0 9/3 Utah State
9/12 at San Jose State
9/19 at Oregon
9/26 Louisville
10/3 OPEN DATE
10/10 at Colorado State
10/17 at UNLV
10/24 Air Force
10/31 Wyoming
11/7 New Mexico
11/14 at TCU
11/21 San Diego State
11/28 at BYU |
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2008 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 10-2
2008 Record: 13-0
8/30
at Michigan W 25-23
9/6 UNLV W 42-21
9/13 at Utah State W
58-10
9/20 at Air Force W
30-23
9/27 Weber State W
37-21
10/2 Oregon State W
31-28
10/11 at Wyoming W 40-7
10/18 Colorado State W
49-16
10/25
OPEN DATE
11/1 at New Mexico W 13-10
11/6
TCU W 13-10
11/15
at San Diego St W
63-14
11/22
BYU
W 48-24
Sugar Bowl
1/2 Alabama W 31-17 |
Yes, Utah went 13-0 and throttled Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. No, it
wasn’t the best team in the country even with the great season.
Yes, few will expect another BCS season considering 11 starters and star
kicker/punter Louie Sakoda are gone. No, there won’t be the major slip
some will predict.
It took all the veteran talent, guile, and
experience of last year’s team (along with some chokes from the opposing
kicker) to pull out an epic classic over TCU, and there were five other
games decided by a touchdown or less that a younger team might have
lost. However, the talent level is so high and the athleticism so strong
that there’s a chance this Ute team could actually be better.
The
defensive line loses pass rushing terror Paul Kruger, but Koa Misi and
Derrick Shelby are just two of the ends good enough to pick up the
slack. The safety tandem of Joe Dale and Robert Johnson might be the
best in the Mountain West, and the offensive line, led by tackle Zane
Beadles and guard Caleb Schlauderaff, will be fantastic.
Most of
the major holes will be quickly filled. Losing two first-team
All-Mountain West corners in Brice McCain and Sean Smith stinks, but the
Ute secondary has loads of sub-4.4 speedsters ready to fill in. The
receiving corps loses the top three targets from last year, but it could
be even better with David Reed about to blow up and become a star and
former JUCO transfer Aiona Key one of the greatest wide receivers to
ever play for the Utes. There could even be a slight upgrade in certain
skills at wide receiver. Brian Johnson will be sorely missed, but Corbin
Louks will bring more speed and a rushing threat to the position, and
JUCO transfer Terrance Cain is a strong passer.
After last year,
will the Utes finally start to get their respect? They have as many good
athletes and playmakers as most of the BCSers and they have a solid
enough schedule with Oregon and Louisville to deal with. Will the Utes
go 12-0 and get a shot to play for the national title? No, but if they
can beat the Ducks in Eugene and win at TCU and BYU, they’ll deserve the
chance, and that’s all they’re asking for.
What to watch for on
offense: More running out of the
quarterbacks. If it’s Terrance Cain under center it’ll be another year
of Brian Johnson-like passing efficiency. However, Corbin Louks will
likely get the first shot, even if there’s a rotation, and he’ll come up
with at least 500 rushing yards and add a dimension to the attack that
was missing after Johnson’s knee injuries.
What to
watch for on defense: The corners. Everything else is in place for
the Utes to boast the Mountain West’s best defense, or at least be in
the race with TCU. The line is fantastic, the linebackers are terrific,
and the safeties are all-stars. But there will be an early concern that
the new corners might struggle a bit early on, even though they’re
experienced and bring blinding speed to the table. R.J. Stanford,
Brandon Burton, Kamaron Yancy and Justin Jones can move. Now they have
to show they can cover. If they’re good, the defense will be a brick
wall.
The team will be far better if … the quarterback
play is solid. Johnson wasn’t just a good stat-sheet filler and he
wasn’t just great in the clutch; he was a leader who made things happen.
He was a calm, steady performer who managed to keep the chains moving
and came up with the big play when needed. Louks and Cain will be good,
but Utah won’t win the Mountain West again unless they’re great.
The Schedule: It’ll be a far, far
more difficult run than last year. The in-state battle with Utah State
and the trip to San Jose State will be nice ways to ease in to the
season, and then comes the fun. The date with the Spartans kicks off a
run of four road games in five, with a key week off in the middle and a
game against Louisville. A trip to Oregon will show if the Utes really
were able to reload, while Colorado State will be a
tougher-than-it-looks Mountain West opener. There's a reward for the
tough start with four home games in five late in the year. However, the
showdowns with BYU and TCU are on the road.
Best Offensive Player:
Senior OT Zane Beadles. The 6-4, 305-pound senior is a blaster of a run
blocker and is just good enough in pass protection to get by. He
could’ve left early for the NFL and would’ve been a top 100 pick, and
now he’ll be the star of a good, big line that should be among the best
in the Mountain West. With Beadles combining with guard Caleb
Schlauderaff, the left side of the line should be devastating.
Best Defensive Player: Senior LB Stevenson Sylvester. A first-team All-Mountain West performer
who was all over the field last season, he wasn’t much of a college
football household name. And then came the Sugar Bowl, and here comes
the attention. Sylvester wasn’t used much as a pass rusher from the
outside linebacking spot too much last season, and then he destroyed
Alabama with three sacks showing speed that an SEC team should’ve been
used to handling.
Key player to a successful season:
Senior PK Ben Vroman. Yes, Corbin Louks is the team’s key player, but
considering how many close calls there were last season, Vroman needs to
be great. Louie Sakoda nailed 22-of-24 field goals, and while Vroman
should show off the same leg, if not a deeper one, he needs to be
consistent. Four games were decided by three points or fewer, and there
will be more tight battles this year.
The season will be a success if
... the Utes win the Mountain West title again. With road games at
Oregon, BYU and TCU (and don’t dismiss the Colorado State game), it’ll
be too tough to go unbeaten. But that doesn’t mean the team can’t win
another conference title if everything comes together by the end of the
season. After seeing the fun of the Sugar Bowl, it’ll be hard to shoot
for anything less.
Key game:
Nov. 14 at TCU. Yes, the season-ender at BYU is the game of the year,
but if the Utes can come away from Fort Worth with a win, then the
regular season finale will take on a whole other meaning. After last
year’s classic, the Horned Frogs will be looking for revenge, and if
nothing else, this should be another war.
2008 Fun Stats:
- First quarter scoring: Utah 117 – Opponents 54
- Third down
conversions: Utah 82-of-181 (45%) – Opponents 54-of-178 (30%)
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Interceptions: Utah 19 – Opponents 9
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2009 Utah Preview |
2009 Utah Offense
-
2009 Utah Defense |
2009 Utah Depth
Chart
-
2008 Utah Preview |
2007 Utah Preview |
2006 Utah
Preview