First win in Tempe since 1976, Dimick gets the all-time sacks record at Utah, his heir-apparent Bradlee Anae gets his first career sack, etc., etc. What a game last night! I've been saying it all season long, these slow starts are the Achilles heel of this team: thank goodness for Marcus Williams and the d line, otherwise it could've been 21-0, instead of a 13-0 hole they had to climb out of. Regardless, this was a balanced win with all three facets of the game outperforming ASU. Here are some of my reactions to the game:
- Joe, Joe, Joe! His 181 yards on 15(!) carries against ASU's front seven is astounding. Going into the game, they led the Pac in their run defense, and the fact that Williams was able to burst through those holes like a cannon is a testament to his abilities as well as the offensive line's progression over the season. He has an opportunity to surpass 1,000 yards on the season against the Ducks next week. What a comeback and definitely the story of the season for the Utes.
- Ahh, 4 yards away from getting 300 yards for Troy Williams! There's no question that his accuracy downfield is what makes him special. Though, that fumble on the option was a head-scratcher. Sixteen misses is too much, but with 4 touchdowns, I'll take it. Does anyone else love his energy when he throws a touchdown? He always runs over and congratulates his receiver. That's leadership. And for a guy that was playing against JUCO competition last year, that speaks volumes to his character. His leadership is one of his best traits.
- Air raid was on last night! Butler-Byrd got rocked quite a bit and I cringed a little when he did. But man, is he tough. He shrugs/laughs it off then burns defenders again the next play. I love it. Singleton had a career night as well with just four receptions for 116 yards and 3 TD's. I kept thinking to myself, "wow, he's only a sophomore?" When Patrick graduates, Singleton will be the guy. When I interviewed him earlier this season, the thing about him that stuck out to me the most is his calmness and intelligence. He's progressed immensely from where he was a year ago, I'd love to see that continue for him. As good of a game those two had, Tim Patrick is Mr. Clutch and his presence gave Williams the confidence he needed to have a career night, in my opinion.
- Is Chase Hansen and Marcus Williams the best safety duo in the league? Yes. The country? Maybe so. Williams wasted no time in making his presence known to Arizona State with a timely interception, and Hansen got in on the action with his own pick 6.
- Welcome to Sack Lake City, we hope you enjoy your stay on the turf. Holy cow, how impressive was Hunter "Snacks" Dimick last night. Five sacks is a Utah and Pac-12 record, and his 27 career sacks is the most in Utah history. Now, can people stop saying his great 2014 season was a result from The Nate Orchard Effect? He leads the nation in sacks with 13. Also, Bradlee Anae is going to be really good. He came to campus a mere 225 pounds, now he's looking at least 265 and got his first career sack. I'm excited to see how Anae does in a more prominent role next season, and if the ASU game was any indication, there won't be much drop off in production.
