2025 College Football Thread

[Jeff Lebowski]

Utah looked great against UCLA (dang it). I expect both teams to be ranked tomorrow.

[wally]

I find it odd that they are leaning so heavily into that strategy. Can't be a gimmick, so is it a depth and talent thing on the offensive side?

I think that you are partially right here, although my hope is that they are doing this to allow for some of the receiver and TE talent time to develop, as they are mostly untested. The benefit here is that the DB and LB positions are pretty deep so Snowden and Barton can be spared some defensive play to participate on offense. It'll be fun to watch things develop.

One thing is for sure, Beck seems to have some seriously creative play-calling capability. It'll be fun to watch that develop too.

[USUC]

This is a good point, but I think that Kyle might finally be lessening the "death grip" on things with the offense. something about the way he is talking in press conferences just has me thinking that he knows he is nearing retirement and that has him trusting the OC more. We'll see I guess if Utah can play well enough to have B12 title hopes on the line. This is when I think we will see whether he can keep himself from meddling with the offense or not.

The national media just needed a flicker of life as an excuse to go all in on Utah. McMurphey put them as 13th on his AP ballot. Bud Elliott has them now going undefeated and getting a 4 seed in the playoffs. The expectation nationally is beyond just B12 title hopes.

[Jeff Lebowski]

The national media just needed a flicker of life as an excuse to go all in on Utah. McMurphey put them as 13th on his AP ballot. Bud Elliott has them now going undefeated and getting a 4 seed in the playoffs. The expectation nationally is beyond just B12 title hopes.

That's funny.

[Omaha 680]

This is a good point, but I think that Kyle might finally be lessening the "death grip" on things with the offense. something about the way he is talking in press conferences just has me thinking that he knows he is nearing retirement and that has him trusting the OC more. We'll see I guess if Utah can play well enough to have B12 title hopes on the line. This is when I think we will see whether he can keep himself from meddling with the offense or not.

Andy Ludwig (both of his stints) gave Utah the most stable and successful offensive runs in the Whittingham era. That is partially due to above average QB play but Ludwig knew how to use those quarterbacks. When things went sideways on Ludwig, an OC with decades of experience and a successful track record at Utah, KW jumped in and meddled so much that he ran Ludwig off. If he does that to such an experienced OC, do you really trust KW to hold himself back if his first year OC (third year overall) starts to struggle? The dude is not going to change at this point so I think your best shot at him staying out of the offense's way is Beck proving to be a wunderkinds and the offense not having any problems.

[Omaha 680]

The national media just needed a flicker of life as an excuse to go all in on Utah. McMurphey put them as 13th on his AP ballot. Bud Elliott has them now going undefeated and getting a 4 seed in the playoffs. The expectation nationally is beyond just B12 title hopes.

Like I said the Tech game will bring everyone back to earth. I'm not saying Utah will lose but it will be a huge challenge and they aren't going to dominate the LOS like they did/will against the first few victims on the schedule.

[falafel]

This is a good point, but I think that Kyle might finally be lessening the "death grip" on things with the offense. something about the way he is talking in press conferences just has me thinking that he knows he is nearing retirement and that has him trusting the OC more. We'll see I guess if Utah can play well enough to have B12 title hopes on the line. This is when I think we will see whether he can keep himself from meddling with the offense or not.

Just in time for retirement.

Hey Wally, in all seriousness, thanks for sticking around and talking Ute football. Btw, when is your tour of duty over? Any idea who your replacement from utefans will be?

[wally]

Andy Ludwig (both of his stints) gave Utah the most stable and successful offensive runs in the Whittingham era. That is partially due to above average QB play but Ludwig knew how to use those quarterbacks. When things went sideways on Ludwig, an OC with decades of experience and a successful track record at Utah, KW jumped in and meddled so much that he ran Ludwig off. If he does that to such an experienced OC, do you really trust KW to hold himself back if his first year OC (third year overall) starts to struggle? The dude is not going to change at this point so I think your best shot at him staying out of the offense's way is Beck proving to be a wunderkinds and the offense not having any problems.

I guess that is one explanation of the events surrounding the debacle last season. I have heard others. Do you have a source inside the Utah Athletic Department? I know that most Cougs really hate Kyle so I am sure the most negative perspective is the favored perspective.

I would like to think that as Whit contemplates his legacy, he may be intelligent enough to realize that if he wanted to come back for one more go with a new OC and system, He might need to make some concessions and changes for the best possible sendoff. I have seen people first hand make risky and or out-of-character decisions when staring down retirement and legacy. I have seen it work both ways in terms of good or bad outcomes.

[wally]

The national media just needed a flicker of life as an excuse to go all in on Utah. McMurphey put them as 13th on his AP ballot. Bud Elliott has them now going undefeated and getting a 4 seed in the playoffs. The expectation nationally is beyond just B12 title hopes.

LOL! I'm not gonna inhale that just yet.

[wally]

Just in time for retirement.

Hey Wally, in all seriousness, thanks for sticking around and talking Ute football. Btw, when is your tour of duty over? Any idea who your replacement from utefans will be?

I am not sure I even have a Utefans account. If I do I am not sure whether I've posted anything. I mostly just lurked there, so pretty sure my operations here are completely clandestine to them. UFN just seemed sort of goofy. Same reason I never trolled on cougarboard.

I have interacted a little lately to some "Ute Hub" website that I stumbled onto. Not sure if that is a great venue or not. Seems like there are some former/current UFN people there also.

[falafel]

I am not sure I even have a Utefans account. If I do I am not sure whether I've posted anything. I mostly just lurked there, so pretty sure my operations here are completely clandestine to them. UFN just seemed sort of goofy. Same reason I never trolled on cougarboard.

I have interacted a little lately to some "Ute Hub" website that I stumbled onto. Not sure if that is a great venue or not. Seems like there are some former/current UFN people there also.

Great, so we're not even getting the mid-level trolls over here.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Their offensive line is very good. Defense is as stout as usual. The QB is as advertised. The challenge however is playing multiple players both ways. This isn't little league or high school—it's not sustainable. Who can they find to fill that offensive and or defensive void when those players wear down?

This has been overstated with the 2-way players. Lander Barton played 7 snaps on offense. Snowden was held out a lot on defense.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Andy Ludwig (both of his stints) gave Utah the most stable and successful offensive runs in the Whittingham era. That is partially due to above average QB play but Ludwig knew how to use those quarterbacks. When things went sideways on Ludwig, an OC with decades of experience and a successful track record at Utah, KW jumped in and meddled so much that he ran Ludwig off. If he does that to such an experienced OC, do you really trust KW to hold himself back if his first year OC (third year overall) starts to struggle? The dude is not going to change at this point so I think your best shot at him staying out of the offense's way is Beck proving to be a wunderkinds and the offense not having any problems.

Andy Ludwig effing sucks. Always has effing sucked. Completely overrated as a offensive coordinator. I hope this post summons HFN, so he can also comment on the effing suckiness of Andy Ludwig. Or has HFN likes to call him Puntwig.

Ludwig's offense was a dinosaur. It was unnecessarily complex in scheme and terminology. It only worked with a seasoned QB. That isn't happening anymore in the days of the transfer portal and NIL.

You are right about Whittingham meddling in the offense. Ludwig sucks and I'm so glad he is gone.

[falafel]

This has been overstated with the 2-way players. Lander Barton played 7 snaps on offense. Snowden was held out a lot on defense.

What is "a lot"? How many players are playing both ways?

[myboynoah]

I think that you are partially right here, although my hope is that they are doing this to allow for some of the receiver and TE talent time to develop, as they are mostly untested. The benefit here is that the DB and LB positions are pretty deep so Snowden and Barton can be spared some defensive play to participate on offense. It'll be fun to watch things develop.

One thing is for sure, Beck seems to have some seriously creative play-calling capability. It'll be fun to watch that develop too.

Thank you for the kind explanation. My thinking is that if it's true that the WR and TE talent isn't developed yet, I doubt it will get much better at this point, especially if Snowden and Barton are taking their reps in live action. If the uofutah is that deep on defense, maybe these moves will become more permanent.

As for Beck's play-calling, he benefits from a very creative player in Dampier.