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I have been a Utah fan since my school days (class of 02), so not as long as many of you, but long enough to know that we're one of the most pessimistic fanbases around (and I grew up a USU fan, so that's saying something). I thought I'd go back to Utefans and check on some of the 2008 posts after the Air Force game, to compare them to the vast majority of us posting after the NIU game this week. I enjoyed myself. We were a little more optimistic that year (2004 wasn't as far in the rear view), but the number of complaints about the team were amazing, particularly considering what we know now about that team (and the players about whom we were complaining at the time). Here's a sampling:

At the game I was very frustrated by a couple of things, BJ's inability to get rid of the ball and McCain's inability to cover. I rewatched the game last night and my feelings were completely confirmed. BJ was really only sacked due to no time and excellent defensive pressure once. Otherwise, he had plenty of time to get rid of the ball and had open receivers that he just didn't throw to.

McCain is an ongoing problem. He got picked on at Michigan, gave up a huge pass play to UNLV, and fell asleep on two big pass plays against AFA. I would seriously consider playing one of our extra safeties or Stanford over McCain. His lack of focus will end up hurting this team... We left a lot of points on the field by our TO's and an inability to finish off drives, which is on BJ IMO.

Il Slinky post

BJ is taking WAY too long to get rid of the ball... Most of the time he is getting sacked, he is only on a 3 step drop! He shouldnt even be in the pocket still when he is getting sacked. his slow decision making is infuriating to watch

Fitzute post

I'm going to have go back and look at the five sacks, but my recollection is that BJ had a LONG time to throw. If that is true, the BJ is hanging on to the ball too long, or our receivers are having problems getting open? In most pass plays the ball should be in the air well within three seconds. And it seems to me that on several of the sacks, BJ had a lot more time that that to make his reads. I'd be interested to see if he is just missing open guys or if our receivers really can't get open.

TribUTE post

I think it is a combination of BJ taking too much time to decide what to do when patterns are not immediatley open and the O-line not protecting as well as we'd like. Regardless of which scenario you chose; BJ must make quicker/better choices to throw the ball away, dump the ball to a back - we have backs who can catch the ball now or run and get a few yards out of the busted play. In any of those cases he must take care of the football!

Music_Man post

3-Utes I don�t know about anyone else, but I�m getting frustrated by the inconsistency. Played 4 games, shown flashes of brilliance offensively, but BJ and the O-line make me nervous. BJ is making some bad decisions at crucial times. He needs to make his reads more quickly. His read progression is not consistent. He has been holding on to the ball too long. Maybe this is because of poor route running by receivers. Turnovers will catch up to them when they play somebody like TCU, who takes TO�s and turns them into scores every game. The D is the strength of this team. Speed impressive. I hope the D stays this fast in the future. The makeshift interior line has held its own so far. Our ends, best tandem in the league. LB�s are solid. Our DB�s are good, not as great as predicted. Bryce got burned by AF twice for long passes that resulted in 2 scores. Similar results at Michigan. He is not the shut down DB the Utes have enjoyed on the past. Safeties look very strong. Punt returns still look shaky. Bottom line, this team needs start playing well complete games. If their MO continues to be playing streaky, they will end up in 3rd place. If they get their act together, they could be OCC.

homer post

I'd rather win AND not have the huge mistakes. At some point in the season if we continue to play like this we will drop a game or two. Like I said, we have the potential to be a GREAT team but right now we're just good. If it was just 1 or 2 sacks, or BJ just holding on to the ball too long a couple times then I don't complain. But what I saw Saturday drove me crazy.

Winning is GREAT, and yes at the end of the day that's all that really matters but playing sloppy will result in not winning.

hardcoreUTE post

Which brings me to Brian Johnson. Brian you are 3 year starter. You are making mistakes like you are freshman. Too many fumbles... On the fumble that was returned for a td you had a full 5 seconds to the throw the football. When you were scrambling out right why not just cut up and run? It was obvious coach must have said something because immediately following (next drive) when you couldnt find a receiver you scrambled for yards. Why must this be learned every game? So many times if you just scramble you get yards.

Ann_Arbor_Ute post

Throw the F!@#$ing Ball away, Damnit!!!! Will he ever learn to just get rid of the F@#$ing ball???

newmanscott22 post

-My man crush on Brian Johnson is gone and I wish it wasn't. He made some very nice throws today but he needs to learn how to check off recievers and not stare them down. More often than not when he passed you knew where the ball was going as soon as he got it in his hand. BJ, please get rid of the ball quicker, I really don't like watching you get hit. I would have liked to see Loukes in for a full set to send a message to BJ, but thats just me.

-Stop with the foot shooting, we don't have that many toes. I don't like being #1 in the country in the wrong categories. Please, dicipline is one of the core fundamentals that is football. The penalties will catch up to us. You will always get a flag here and there and it was nice to see less here than in the past 3 games, keep that up please.

-Turnovers happen but the frequency that they happen can be helped. Another case on BJ to get rid of the ball faster.

hardcoreUTE post

In 2004 nobody was content to just get the win. They step on their throats when they had them down. This team has the talent to equal that feat from only a few years ago. The offense and defense dominated every team they have played so far, yet there is always boneheaded mistakes.

Most penalized team in the country?
Can't field a punt?
QB does not know how to throw the ball away?

These are things that are fixed with coaching.

TexansUtes post

Good: Air Force ran 42 times for 53 yards. Wow.

Good: Darrell Mack and Matt Asiata - best backfield duo in the country? Possibly.

Good: Dave Kruger is the best DE in the conference. Jan Jorgensen aint' got nothing on #11. Seriously, Jan Jorgensen isn't even good enough to be Paul Kruger's butler.

Good: We beat an undefeated Air Force team on the road - never an easy task.

Good: We don't have to play Air Force again this season. Phew!

Bad: Brice McCain continues to get beat in coverage. He was out of position on two huge pass plays - both of which lead to touchdowns. Not a great season, so far.

Bad: Five sacks allowed. AF's pass rush was running circles around our tackles, at times.

Bad: Louie goes 0-2 on FGs. Granted - they were really long kicks into a stiff wind. Coaches would have been wise to punt on both tries.

Ugly: Brian Johnson. Utah's turned the ball over 11 times this season, and BJ has accounted for 7 of them. He's holding onto the ball too long, not being decisive, and has shown NO pocket awareness this season. He's got to play better.

Ugly: We continue to serve up points to our opponents. 7 more points off turnovers today, after 10 last week, and 20 against Michigan. With as dominant as our defense has been, it's amazing we haven't held anybody to single digits. Gotta' get better.

PandaUte post

Just a reminder, Ute fans, sometimes you're too pessimistic. We're 2-0. Problems? Sure. But let's not overdo them just yet. It's still early.

 

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