Let's see what you have on Utah
You're right, lightning, but I think whitey's argument is more turnover margin. Oregon only turned it over 11 times last year, leading the country.
However, national ranking in turnovers gained the past few years:
2014: #3
2013: #17
2012: #1
2011: #19
2010: #12
Three years before Mariota: +9, +13, +2. Not bad, but a difference for sure.
Pass defense is a question mark with a lot of youth at corner, for sure. Loss of vets like Ekpre-Olomu, Hill, Dargan. I think we'll learn a bit more about new DC Pellum in the second year. I'm more worried about the linebackers, honestly. Someone needs to break out to be a TFL/pass rush threat.
The good thing is Vernon Adams had an incredible ratio at Eastern Washington: 110 TD / 31 INT. Mariota was 105/14, which is one of the best in NCAA history.
Darron Thomas was 66/17 and even Masoli was 28/11 (14/13 @ Ole Miss). The system isn't very risky for passers.
If Oregon beats Michigan State they are set up to be 7-0 at the bye. Will be huge favorites in every game but MSU up until that point. Then it's:
@ ASU
Cal
@Stanford
USC
That is the stretch which will determine how their season goes.
Agreed on all points however while they did lose their DC, the defense has always been Whittingham's defense and will continue to be his regardless of who the coordinator is. Their offense is a shit show and has been for a very long time. Utah wins on elite defense and a strong run game and they still have both of those this year. They will regress but still win 7 or 8 in my opinion. As a Utah fan you have to be happy with 8 wins in the Pac 12.I'll take a stab:
Lost their best players on offense and defense
Lost both their OC and DC
Something is rotten at Utah - 8 different OC combinations in 8 years
Travis Wilson, really?
I could easily see Utah being one of the teams that regresses the most this year. Pac 12 is brutal, and there are a lot of weird things happening with that program. Still expect them to beat Michigan, though.
Wilson could easily lose the starting job to Thompson. Bruin I think you remember him.Devontae Booker is still at Utah. As long as Whittingham doesn't try to put Travis Wilson in the wildcat, that offense should be ok.
Please tell me that .gif is from last years implosion in OT against a hapless FSU defense.
Why?I'll say it again: Utah gon bust this year. Hard.
Worst offense in conference games by a significant margin last year: 4.81 YPP and 344 YPG.Why?
If a team consistently players over their head, doesn't that mean they are just that good? I could understand you saying they played one game over their head but not multiple games. They also took ASU to overtime and where in the game with Oregon in the 4th quarter after dropping a massive TD. Point being they won close games and they lost all but the Arizona game close so they actually easily could have had a better record.Worst offense in the league by a significant margin last year: 4.81 YPP and 344 YPG.
Defense was middle of the pack in conference games: 6th in YPG against, 8th in YPP.
Played well above their heads in wins against UCLA, USC, Stanford (that is a once in a decade or so type sweep).
Won 5 conference games by a total of 18 points.
Margin of error is way too small for them to repeat what they did last year. I think they could easily drop any of Utah State, @ Fresno State, Michigan. Their next four games:
@ Oregon
California
Arizona State
@ USC
Anything better than a 1-3 start in conference would be great for them. I see a 3-4 overall start or worse. I bet they end up 6-6 or 7-5.
True, but it also can be argued that it mostly means they where a competitive team that is equal with the rest of the division.Winning and losing close means they could have easily had both a better and a worse record, though.
True, but it also can be argued that it mostly means they where a competitive team that is equal with the rest of the division.
Other than at defensive end the best players from last year are returning including the best RB in the conference.
If a team consistently players over their head, doesn't that mean they are just that good? I could understand you saying they played one game over their head but not multiple games. They also took ASU to overtime and where in the game with Oregon in the 4th quarter after dropping a massive TD. Point being they won close games and they lost all but the Arizona game close so they actually easily could have had a better record.
Dres Anderson was their best WR last year but was hurt part of the year. In the secondary Dominique Hatfield was the best last and will be back.Uh, what about WR and the secondary? And I think Booker isn't all that special. He's an above average college player for sure, but 5.2 yards per carry isn't special in college. Perkins was at 6.2 yards per carry, for comparison. Booker also finished the year with a lot of meh games running the ball.
Perkins finished with less than 50 yards more than Booker last year and Booker wasn't even the starting running back for the first 2 games.Except Utah doesn't consistently play above their ceiling. Before last season, Utah had gone 18-19 in the Pac-12, with 2 straight 5 win seasons. Now they've lost their OC and DC, lost their best defensive players, and have no discernible offense outside of Booker. And even Booker only scored 10 touchdowns last year. If Utah is going to improve on last year, that means they're only going to lose 3 of Michigan, @Oregon, Cal, ASU, @Zona, UCLA, and @SC.
Also, lol at Booker being the best back in the conference. Perkins had more yards, a better YPC, and more TDs all against a tougher schedule. Nick Wilson and Royce Freeman also would've outrushed Booker had they had the same amount of carries and both had far more TDs on less carries. Booker is a good, even a great back, but he's not carrying an offense that has pretty much no one else and is going through their 4th OC in as many years.
Perkins finished with less than 50 yards more than Booker last year and Booker wasn't even the starting running back for the first 2 games.
Booker has over twice the receiving yards as Perkins as well.Neither was Perkins. Thanks for playing.
Booker has over twice the receiving yards as Perkins as well.
Just 2 guys who are now in the NFL.Probably because Utah had no one else to throw the ball to...
Booker has over twice the receiving yards as Perkins as well.
Thought he had 400 sorry. If Utah had another player like Booker he would have had better stats as well and if UCLA had better players they might have beat Utah. What's your point?Just looked this up. 300 is over twice 200? WAT? And once again, Perkins had a better average than Booker. If UCLA only had one player to give the ball to like Booker, he would have far better stats.
If anybody would like to request a couple of teams for me to knock out tomorrow, have at it. Leaving work for the day (@kella), but I can do it tomorrow when I get back to the office. It's a light day, and may even be able to get 3 done.
-YTC
We shall seeOoh good one. Booker is not the best back in the conference lol.
How old are you?Ooh good one. Booker is not the best back in the conference lol.
How old are you?
They were closer to having a worse record than a better record, was the point. I'll be surprised if they're anything better than 7-5. I'd predict 6-6 with a gun to my head. I don't think that's very bold.If a team consistently players over their head, doesn't that mean they are just that good? I could understand you saying they played one game over their head but not multiple games. They also took ASU to overtime and where in the game with Oregon in the 4th quarter after dropping a massive TD. Point being they won close games and they lost all but the Arizona game close so they actually easily could have had a better record.
I watch the hell out of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and I'm not really sure why. I can't sit through any of the other countless restaurant tour shows. That and Chopped are my go-to background noise shows.
My favorite one was when they went to Guy's restaurant in Vegas and it had the most ridiculous menu items. Look at this shit: http://vegas.eater.com/2014/4/21/6237937/the-full-menu-prices-at-guy-fieris-vegas-kitchen-bar
What the fuck is a sidewinder cut fry?
The Off-Da-Hook Original Smash Burger $16
This burger is money! Crunchy righteous rojo rings, LTOP + the kicker- Guy's bourbon brown sugar BBQ sauce is sandwiched between a toasted brioche bun. It'll leave you in a food coma!
I don't know what any of that stuff is.
I'll take a stab:
Lost their best players on offense and defense
Lost both their OC and DC
Something is rotten at Utah - 8 different OC combinations in 8 years
Travis Wilson, really?
I could easily see Utah being one of the teams that regresses the most this year. Pac 12 is brutal, and there are a lot of weird things happening with that program. Still expect them to beat Michigan, though.
I agree he is a defense first kind of guy and that's fine but he needs to leave the offense to someone who knows what they are doing. I honestly don't think Brian Johnson was ready, Dennis Erickson would have continued to be the OC but didn't really want that kind of workload anymore. He is the RB coach now and has been a huge help in recruiting. I think Whitt liked Dave Christensen, but he couldn't get a long with any of the coaches and the players couldn't stand him.Does Whitt know what type of offense he wants to run? He had his old QB Brian Johnson calling the shots,that didn't work. Had Dennis Erickson,that didn't work, had Todd Christense,that didn't work either. It's hard to replicate that Urban Meyer Spread,so Whitt needs to get with times & find a good OC that is well versed in the Spread
I agree he is a defense first kind of guy and that's fine but he needs to leave the offense to someone who knows what they are doing. I honestly don't think Brian Johnson was ready, Dennis Erickson would have continued to be the OC but didn't really want that kind of workload anymore. He is the RB coach now and has been a huge help in recruiting. I think Whitt liked Dave Christensen, but he couldn't get a long with any of the coaches and the players couldn't stand him.
Now we have 2 guys running the offense who where coaches last year and claim they will run the same offense as last year with a few changes.
The biggest issue I see now is they have not been recruiting for a specific type of offense so we have various QBs who are not suited for the offense they now want to run. Anyways we will see how this year goes but I won't be holding my breath for an amazing offense. Either way Utah can't meet their goals in the Pac 12 without a good offense so if he doesn't turn it around he won't be the coach after next year. I fully believe he gets fired if they win less than 7 games.
Too bad Chow didn't stay there. That would have been awesome.Well that's the issue I have,what offense DO they want to run? I remember Whitt had hired Norm Chow-who I forgot mention in my last post-to run the Pro Style Spread & he left after one season then after that the offense went to the drizzlin' shits. Whitt kinda reminds me of Lovie Smith did in his last years with the Bears,hired Mike Martz,fired him & replaced with an even more shitty hire in Mike Tice & told the media to basically f$!k themselves when they questioned him about the hire
Apparently he is a total ass as well so we are glad he left.Too bad Chow didn't stay there. That would have been awesome.