I guess we are all UCLA fans for the rest of the season. That’s one good thing about not being in their conference. If they do well, it helps us.
7 Likes
Ficklin in
6 Likes
Whew
1 Like
Loved how the commentators kept saying it was the anniversary of one of UCLA’s biggest comebacks ever. Down 44-10 to ATM.
Not today boy…
9 Likes
Such a nice way to start the season. 
6 Likes
and I don’t think there were any injuries
4 Likes
Exactly what I was hoping for but in no way expected.
So far, so good.
6 Likes
I don’t want to get too hyped, because there is a lot of football left to be played, but this was quite a performance tonight. This might have been the most impressive opening-day showing by Utah since the 2004 win over Texas A&M.
9 Likes
I like 492 yards, even better against one of the teams that bolted to the BIG.
6 Likes
Fock em.
Move on
Get better
GO UTES!!
5 Likes
Yep. The only thing sweeter would have done this to Southern Cal.
5 Likes
Fortunately, that missed PAT didn’t come into play.
Now get off my lawn.
5 Likes
Overall, that was a fun game to watch.
Some things to clean up, but a lot of positives came out of this game.
6 Likes
Overall, a pretty solid performance. It was nice to see a blowout…ok most of a blowout because I fell asleep.
Now to come home and get the rest of the team the tuneup to get ready for the conference season.
8 Likes
What can I add that’s new? Not much I think. I was pleasantly surprised by the offense. Defense did what I hoped they would do. I was quite impressed by the 20 play drive that the offense put together. It was good seeing so many guys touch the ball, and be effective.
9 Likes
I’ve developed robust filters for Game 1s - either way - but even squinting through my don’t get too high, don’t get too low trained bias… that was a great start.
UCLA is in hell this morning, but that’s in large part because we took them to the woodshed repeatedly. We were on point on both sides of the ball, Nico looked like he left his mojo in the limo, and his cast were ultimately confused and probably angry that they looked as poor as the UCLA crowd.
It’s 1000 times better to be building off a game like that and pulling the rest of the guys into the club than the alternative of trying to regroup.
Offense: A++ - “Beck and Dampier” was just the tonic Utah fans needed after the past 2 years of QB purgatory. The offense was imaginative, Dampier made a strong case the hype wasn’t overdone, the OL looked like a team of U-DOT snowplows headed down I-15. I didn’t see any really poor decisions, Devon’s a gamer, it was evident he’s been well prepped for making the jump. Parker and Rogers are like peanut butter and jelly. Using Snowden, Barton and Bennee was brilliant for Game 1, and the talent we brought in got into the act later - Simmons, Merriweather & Davis will be nice cards for Dampier as the season goes on. JJ Buchanon & Bentley erased any lingering doubt about Beck’s ability to use TEs.
Defense: A - holding UCLA to 10 points speaks for itself. We got caught in blown coverages a couple of times, and there will probably be some deeper understandings of scheme today and tomorrow, but overall we looked really good, showed some new guys who look legit and flexible - Lance Holtzclaw, Cotton, Kash Dillon, John Henry Day - and other guys should now be fully bought in, wanting to make their mark. The Utah brand of playing physical defense will be marketed by UCLA players going forward.
Special Teams: B - We found a kicker! We found a serious kicker! KR team needs some work, I’m sure Snowden will be getting razzed about that drop-fumble-stumble thing he shared with the world. Kick coverage was solid, Rayshawn Glover did exactly what he needed to in PR. There will be opportunities for him to make big plays later, but good decision making is where it begins.
Flow of the Game - the 20-play drive extinguished any fire they may have had to turn things around after halftime. You could see it in their defenders’ eyes. We knew we were going to score a touchdown, they knew we were going to score a touchdown, and there is no amount of massage or physical therapy or medication that will erase that nightmare this morning.
Lop-sided sided games can be like cheap whiskey, but it’s evident we have excellent player leadership, and that was a GREAT start to the Redemption Tour!
11 Likes
The box score doesn’t lie - this game was won upfront:
Utah: 53 rushes / 287 yards, 5.4 average
UCLA: 28 / 84 yards, 3.0 average
Dampier - 21/25, 206 yards, 8.2 average, 2 TDs
Iamaleava - 11/22, 136, 6.2 average, 1 TD, 1 INT
The shot of Harding and all his guys on the sideline in a big circle - I’ll remember that. The OL may be the X factor for this year.
3rd Downs:
UCLA - 2/12
Utah - 14/16
12 Likes
There is really only one concern I have. And it’s the throw game. Dampier had all day but could find no one. Either dampier ain’t seeing or the WRs ain’t there or they can’t get the two to mesh. Need to be better.
3 Likes
They rushed 3 / dropped 8 a fair amount, and he didn’t try to force throws. UCLA has athletes, the near TD to Davis had their best cover CB draped on him and Pleasant later broke up a pass over the middle.
I suspect Beck adapted his play calling to what we were doing on the ground + the rap on Dampier at UNM was 12 TDs… but 12 picks. Some of the impressive throws in his highlight video from last year were into coverage, and Whitt said something like “no disrespect, but he didn’t have a lot of help last year, had to do a lot on his own”.
Dampier and Merriweather weren’t on the same page on the PI call we got bailed out on, I’m sure there are other areas where (hopefully) he’ll be able to pull some of the new WRs along.
But overall we followed the first rule of FB: When you’re able to run the ball… keep running the ball! I loved Tyler Huntley, but sometimes he played too much hero ball. Dampier avoided that temptation, last night.
10 Likes