Fourth Down and 18

Message put on the Deseret News comment board in regards to an article:

You are spot on with your analysis of the Utah losses to BYU over the past several years.  I have attended most of them and seen first hand what you are talking about.  What amazes me is that Kyle Whittingham has been involved in everyone of them and Bronco has not.  Kyle should be keenly aware of what is required to "close the deal".  Yet, he stated in the Tribune today that no one play decides a game.  Are you kidding?  Of course one play can decide a game!  As long as Kyle continues with this assessment he will continue to lose the close ones.  I am a Utah season ticket holder and I want Kyle to succeed in every way.  May I suggest one simple thing?  In fourth down situations with the game on the line when a defensive stop will win it all, spend a time out and get the players on the same page and review coverages and assignments.  Make sure the players understand the situation and what their assignments are.  There is no sense saving your time outs when the opposing team beats you in a fourth down situation.

I completely agree.  Spending a time out to help ensure a broken play for BYU on a 4th and 18 is critical.  Guess how many time outs we had left last year at the end of the game when we lost on that last play? 

 

Whit is like Jerry Sloan in this regard.  He saves his time outs as if they'll pay him interest in a savings bank.  Note to both of them:  Time outs are like options, they can have huge payoffs, but THEY EXPIRE at the end of the half. 

 

One other note.  How long has it been since two MWC teams have been in the top 25 this close to the end of the season?  The WAC has two.  And if Hawaii can hang on and beat Washington, they'll be in the BCS for sure.

 

If that happens, the WAC will get back to back years of BCS money.  It has been 3 years since the MWC sent Utah to the Fiesta Bowl.

 

This is why I hate BYU winning the Conference all the time.  They are not very good at beating teams outside of the conference, so what good is it to win the conference championship when you can't go out and represent the MWC to the other big boys.

 

The MWC needs to come up with a special trophy award for the team that wins the most NON-CONFERENCE games so that there is more motivation to go out and defeat those other teams.  The award should include regular season and bowl games.

 

Lastly, look at some of the teams in the Top 25.  Some have 8-4 records, so the Utes should not get down on themselves for their 8-4 record.  They have improved over last year and I think they will continue to get better.

 

Go Utes

 

-Tijs