After a night to cool and reflect, I think Utah Football right now is a BUY, albeit not a strong one.
The offensive inconsistency is maddening, but I feel the problems are ones that will be redressed with time, and not a lot of time. For me, the number one problem on this team is the OBlock. If there's one guy on staff I have confidence in, it's Big Jim Harding. I think he can recruit, coach and motivate. I don't know jack squat when it comes to OLine play. However, I've never let that stop me from sharing my opinion. My gut tells me is the OBlock needs a combination of better players and more time to adjust to the scheme. And with this, I'll be honored to be nominated for "Most Blatantly Obvious Take" of the year.
From an offensive skill and defensive backfield perspective, I think the Utes have begun to recruit and develop the right type and quantity of athletes. Someone with better computer skills, please create a "Needs More Hallandale" meme from the old SNL cowbell bit. Huntley, Moss, Simpkins, Siaosi Wilson, Bryan Thompson, Julian Blackmon, Jav Guidry, Jaylon Johnson, Samson Nacua, Phillip Afia. I think there even was a Terrell Burgess (#26) sighting last night on D. Run DVC has shown some nice flashes. With any luck, TJ Green, Bronson Boyd, and Tyquez Hampton will fulfill their promise and be ready to contribute next year. All these guys are either Frosh or Sops or Redshirts by eligibility. The future looks good.
Now, mix in Corrion Ballard and Marquise Blair. When you look back at Utah's history with JUCO DBs, I feel pretty confident that the defensive backfield will be adequate if not better year in and year out. This is a spot they can recruit to and develop quickly.
Ditto on that for RB. I don't even need to list the JUCO RBs who have been absolute studs for us, do I? If anything, Armand Shyne could be the last of the line because, given my previous observation about the promise at the skill positions, Utah might not need to depend upon the JUCO ranks to carry the ball (and the offense).
In terms of position coaches, Harding, Scalley, Shah and Holliday are getting it done. Kiel McDonald: need more time to evaluate. So far, though, no complaints.
In terms of the Holy Grail...(QB for those slow on the uptake)...I mean, come on; if you're not at least a bit impressed with Tyler Huntley's potential then I have no time for you. Either your expectations are whack, or you're blind, or you're an idiot. Moreover, in terms of what we've all been waiting for these forty long years in the dessert -- a highly-touted 4* QB -- we have that in Tuttle!!! Yes, the football gods are smiling upon us, it seems. And, frankly, I am more than a little interested in Jason Shelley.
Linebacker. Donovan Thompson anyone? He played well last night. I was not in the WASU game thread, but I'm guessing there was less than the usual #30 bashing. If so, can we give CB some love? Kavika L. is a stud. Just a solid ballplayer. Sunia has been a capable player. I'm not sure where the immediate future of this position is heading -- I'd sure like to see someone on the commit list who plays HS LB and is slated as a college LB -- but I feel pretty confident about this position group going forward. It definitely is the longest position to rebuild in the KW system, but it's been pretty reliable. Room for improvement to be sure, but it's not been, nor is it currently, the main reason Utah is where they are, where they have been...or have yet to be (i.e., South champs).
DL. DL, DL, DL???? Hey, didn't we used to be good here? I think the days of the big, ponderous, plodding Poly DL are done. Dead and done. Either that or we need to be a lot better at coaching technique and getting some more fast twitch athletes. We just don't have any explosive guys this year. If you're going to have DT's who eat space and blockers like Lowell and Tenny Palepoi, then you need some faster, quicker guys, like Vil Fauonuku and Pita Taumoepenu to complement them. Bradlee Anae looks to me like he would have been a great 5-Technique strongside defensive end in the old Fred Whittingham defense. Problem is, that's what Fitts is. There's no quick weakside open end type player they can rely upon in this defense. In fact, you really need two weakside ends you can trust and be able to play in passing downs.
I'm not sure where the DL help is coming from, and how soon it will arrive, but I feel this is just a down year. I don't see this as an endemic weakness in KW football land. If there was such a weakness, we know it was QB and speed at the skill positions. Those weaknesses are seemingly more difficult challenges to address given Utah's resources, demographics and recruiting pipelines.
OBlock. Oh my!!! You're my weekly "smashes his thumb with a ballpeen hammer" experience. Please stop. You guys do know that there are four quarters of football in a football game? If you guys were a boxer, you'd be the type who would let the other guy tire himself out by allowing him to repeatedly punch you in the face before you started to mix in a few body blows and counter punches.
Historically, there's been more inconsistency along the OL than DL, but OL rarely seems to be a consistent, multi-year problem. Within any given three to four-year period, I'd wager that you will always find at least one year where the OL is decent if not very good in at least one aspect of the game. Given that OL coaching is the one position aside from OC that's had more turnover than any other, I'm not terribly concerned that the OBlock won't be much better next year, or the year after that, than this year.
Special teams. We've been spoiled. Kicking and punting is the cute little rabbit Whitt always seems able to pull out of his hat. It'd be great if Whitt could move up the food chain and pull a tiger out of his hat....hmmm. Coverage units are rarely a liability and in many years are quite good. With Covey coming back next year (if I recall correctly) I'm hoping for an uptick in the return game. Every few years the return game is a bright spot.
I almost forgot: the after-thought group of TE/FB/H-backs. Where have you gone Harrison Handley? If I have one criticism of Taylor, it's that he's even more predictable from a formation and personnel standpoint than ARod. When Taylor does mix it up, he gets results (i.e., see Fakailoatonga two-point conversion Saturday and the 4th-down conversion at USC). If he's going to use TE as a blocking back hammer, then that needs to be addressed in recruiting. I would like to see less predictability in the TE usage and if you are going to be formation/personnel predictable, then get someone who's suited to that role. Handley seems to be the TE of choice, but I don't think he's well suited to that blocking-back role.
I would love to see Wes Tonga weigh in here on the TE/FB/H-back group, not necessarily to criticize any of the players or the play calling, but to help us understand what role Taylor seems to want from this group and what needs to be addressed from recruiting and player-development points of view.
My bottom line is: I feel Utah has turned the corner at QB and the skill positions. The weakest links right now are positions that are historically strengths. The year-over-year drop off at the lines has been a cold, hard blow. They may need to rethink recruiting, development, conditioning/strength training to get more speed and agility on the field at DL and OL, but I'd be more concerned if the poor play along the lines were the result of a slow prolonged slide. If they can figure out the QB / skill position thing, I feel they can likewise correct the weakness along the lines.
I am Buy now.
The offensive inconsistency is maddening, but I feel the problems are ones that will be redressed with time, and not a lot of time. For me, the number one problem on this team is the OBlock. If there's one guy on staff I have confidence in, it's Big Jim Harding. I think he can recruit, coach and motivate. I don't know jack squat when it comes to OLine play. However, I've never let that stop me from sharing my opinion. My gut tells me is the OBlock needs a combination of better players and more time to adjust to the scheme. And with this, I'll be honored to be nominated for "Most Blatantly Obvious Take" of the year.
From an offensive skill and defensive backfield perspective, I think the Utes have begun to recruit and develop the right type and quantity of athletes. Someone with better computer skills, please create a "Needs More Hallandale" meme from the old SNL cowbell bit. Huntley, Moss, Simpkins, Siaosi Wilson, Bryan Thompson, Julian Blackmon, Jav Guidry, Jaylon Johnson, Samson Nacua, Phillip Afia. I think there even was a Terrell Burgess (#26) sighting last night on D. Run DVC has shown some nice flashes. With any luck, TJ Green, Bronson Boyd, and Tyquez Hampton will fulfill their promise and be ready to contribute next year. All these guys are either Frosh or Sops or Redshirts by eligibility. The future looks good.
Now, mix in Corrion Ballard and Marquise Blair. When you look back at Utah's history with JUCO DBs, I feel pretty confident that the defensive backfield will be adequate if not better year in and year out. This is a spot they can recruit to and develop quickly.
Ditto on that for RB. I don't even need to list the JUCO RBs who have been absolute studs for us, do I? If anything, Armand Shyne could be the last of the line because, given my previous observation about the promise at the skill positions, Utah might not need to depend upon the JUCO ranks to carry the ball (and the offense).
In terms of position coaches, Harding, Scalley, Shah and Holliday are getting it done. Kiel McDonald: need more time to evaluate. So far, though, no complaints.
In terms of the Holy Grail...(QB for those slow on the uptake)...I mean, come on; if you're not at least a bit impressed with Tyler Huntley's potential then I have no time for you. Either your expectations are whack, or you're blind, or you're an idiot. Moreover, in terms of what we've all been waiting for these forty long years in the dessert -- a highly-touted 4* QB -- we have that in Tuttle!!! Yes, the football gods are smiling upon us, it seems. And, frankly, I am more than a little interested in Jason Shelley.
Linebacker. Donovan Thompson anyone? He played well last night. I was not in the WASU game thread, but I'm guessing there was less than the usual #30 bashing. If so, can we give CB some love? Kavika L. is a stud. Just a solid ballplayer. Sunia has been a capable player. I'm not sure where the immediate future of this position is heading -- I'd sure like to see someone on the commit list who plays HS LB and is slated as a college LB -- but I feel pretty confident about this position group going forward. It definitely is the longest position to rebuild in the KW system, but it's been pretty reliable. Room for improvement to be sure, but it's not been, nor is it currently, the main reason Utah is where they are, where they have been...or have yet to be (i.e., South champs).
DL. DL, DL, DL???? Hey, didn't we used to be good here? I think the days of the big, ponderous, plodding Poly DL are done. Dead and done. Either that or we need to be a lot better at coaching technique and getting some more fast twitch athletes. We just don't have any explosive guys this year. If you're going to have DT's who eat space and blockers like Lowell and Tenny Palepoi, then you need some faster, quicker guys, like Vil Fauonuku and Pita Taumoepenu to complement them. Bradlee Anae looks to me like he would have been a great 5-Technique strongside defensive end in the old Fred Whittingham defense. Problem is, that's what Fitts is. There's no quick weakside open end type player they can rely upon in this defense. In fact, you really need two weakside ends you can trust and be able to play in passing downs.
I'm not sure where the DL help is coming from, and how soon it will arrive, but I feel this is just a down year. I don't see this as an endemic weakness in KW football land. If there was such a weakness, we know it was QB and speed at the skill positions. Those weaknesses are seemingly more difficult challenges to address given Utah's resources, demographics and recruiting pipelines.
OBlock. Oh my!!! You're my weekly "smashes his thumb with a ballpeen hammer" experience. Please stop. You guys do know that there are four quarters of football in a football game? If you guys were a boxer, you'd be the type who would let the other guy tire himself out by allowing him to repeatedly punch you in the face before you started to mix in a few body blows and counter punches.
Historically, there's been more inconsistency along the OL than DL, but OL rarely seems to be a consistent, multi-year problem. Within any given three to four-year period, I'd wager that you will always find at least one year where the OL is decent if not very good in at least one aspect of the game. Given that OL coaching is the one position aside from OC that's had more turnover than any other, I'm not terribly concerned that the OBlock won't be much better next year, or the year after that, than this year.
Special teams. We've been spoiled. Kicking and punting is the cute little rabbit Whitt always seems able to pull out of his hat. It'd be great if Whitt could move up the food chain and pull a tiger out of his hat....hmmm. Coverage units are rarely a liability and in many years are quite good. With Covey coming back next year (if I recall correctly) I'm hoping for an uptick in the return game. Every few years the return game is a bright spot.
I almost forgot: the after-thought group of TE/FB/H-backs. Where have you gone Harrison Handley? If I have one criticism of Taylor, it's that he's even more predictable from a formation and personnel standpoint than ARod. When Taylor does mix it up, he gets results (i.e., see Fakailoatonga two-point conversion Saturday and the 4th-down conversion at USC). If he's going to use TE as a blocking back hammer, then that needs to be addressed in recruiting. I would like to see less predictability in the TE usage and if you are going to be formation/personnel predictable, then get someone who's suited to that role. Handley seems to be the TE of choice, but I don't think he's well suited to that blocking-back role.
I would love to see Wes Tonga weigh in here on the TE/FB/H-back group, not necessarily to criticize any of the players or the play calling, but to help us understand what role Taylor seems to want from this group and what needs to be addressed from recruiting and player-development points of view.
My bottom line is: I feel Utah has turned the corner at QB and the skill positions. The weakest links right now are positions that are historically strengths. The year-over-year drop off at the lines has been a cold, hard blow. They may need to rethink recruiting, development, conditioning/strength training to get more speed and agility on the field at DL and OL, but I'd be more concerned if the poor play along the lines were the result of a slow prolonged slide. If they can figure out the QB / skill position thing, I feel they can likewise correct the weakness along the lines.
I am Buy now.
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