Battle of the Brothers: Utah vs. Utah St.

[Goatnapper'96]

The Aggies haven't laid eggs?

The Auburn game?
The BYU game?
How many games did they blow in the final minutes last season?

These guys are clowns.

The Colorado State game was the funniest choke job I think I ever saw.

[Portland Ute]

I am trying to figure out where their optimism comes from. I read Rocky over on Cougarboard talking about the local media hyping up Utah State. Perhaps that is it, I did read their site a bit after the BYU game and many of their fans were surprised at BYU this year and suddenly not feeling so confident about their sure victory in Provo so perhaps they have been buying SLC media hype - I don't follow SLC media so I don't know who or what they have been hyping. I recall how I felt about Bronco when he led BYU to our Shawshank Redemption, and that does cloud one's perspective on a coach's ability, but perhaps it is the media stroking their egos because of what a great dude GA and how good he is about working with them. I don't get it because when I compare what I saw in the times I paid attention to USU last year to what they seem to think they got going for them I am stumbling upon one huge disconnect. I say again if Utah's offense is as bad as many are making it out to be, and to be honest it would not surprise me if the U offense struggles a bit this week, the game could stay at 10-14 points (perhaps as low as 7 if Utah has some FUBAR moments in its kicking game) but for USU to win is going to require Utah to play really poorly. If Utah doesn't play poorly there is nothing USU can do to win, IMO.

I guess, to me, I don't see how a program like USU loses the talent that it lost after last season and gets better.

Turbin was a once in a generation, maybe lifetime, back and USU really pissed that away. They lost a lot of other really good talent, too.

I guess the media and USU fans believe this is a case of addition by subtraction, but I'm doubtful.

USU just isn't to the point as a program where you keep plugging in guys without missing a beat. Especially guys like Turbin.

That being said, I can imagine scenarios where USU wins. I think they are capable of beating Utah. Losses to UNLV and Colorado made little sense, but they happened. Same thing could happen vs. USU.

I think USU is going to have a disappointing season. They'll be lucky, IMO, to finish with a better record than they had last season. Something most USU fans and local media expect to happen.

[ChuckieKeeton]

I guess, to me, I don't see how a program like USU loses the talent that it lost after last season and gets better.

Turbin was a once in a generation, maybe lifetime, back and USU really pissed that away. They lost a lot of other really good talent, too.

I guess the media and USU fans believe this is a case of addition by subtraction, but I'm doubtful.

USU just isn't to the point as a program where you keep plugging in guys without missing a beat. Especially guys like Turbin.

That being said, I can imagine scenarios where USU wins. I think they are capable of beating Utah. Losses to UNLV and Colorado made little sense, but they happened. Same thing could happen vs. USU.

I think USU is going to have a disappointing season. They'll be lucky, IMO, to finish with a better record than they had last season. Something most USU fans and local media expect to happen.

We improve at every position but RB and lb. our offensive line is all back except one player. All our WRs except one, who was injured anyway. Our defensive line is deep but not individually spectacular. Our linebackers are good. Our corners all return, and all but one safety. I'm an awesome qb who looks great.

Our offense is more balanced. Our defense has good size, as does our offensive line. Matt Austin has incredible hands at WR. Jacobs has speed. Our running backs go four deep, but aren't turbin. Turbin didn't run a whole lot last year though. Really underused.

Utah will probably win. But usu has the depth and the talent to compete. You guys all see some crazy lucky talent we just happened to get and then lost last year. But the truth is, we've had that for the last few years. We just didn't have the depth behind them. We could hang in games, but not win them. Now we have depth.

Outside of the three drafted, we hardly lost anybody that wasn't replaced by somebody they either split time with or would have backed up if not for eligibility, injury, or otherwise.

Also, last year was our first ever season running the 3-4. Bojay was a natural lb but was moved to de because of lack of depth there. Now, he is back at lb. after a year in the system, our defense is better.


I think Utah wins by a 24-17 type score, but I won't be shocked if usu wins. I expect usu to win one out of UU Byu Wisconsin, or at least play all three close.


Sent from my iPad

[Flystripper]

For me it is simple. I could talk about how usu has explosive playmakers at rb and at wr. I also could talk about how they have a veteran offensive line. Both of those reasons are enough to expect usu to score at least three touchdowns every week. However, when it comes to college football it is usually as simple as who has the best quarterback. Keeton is better than Winn and it isn't even close. Utah state will score at lease 3 touchdowns. Will Utah's offense keep up?

I watched every snap of usu and uu this past week. USU looked better at all phases of the game against a better team in suu.

[Portland Ute]

For me it is simple. I could talk about how usu has explosive playmakers at rb and at wr. I also could talk about how they have a veteran offensive line. Both of those reasons are enough to expect usu to score at least three touchdowns every week. However, when it comes to college football it is usually as simple as who has the best quarterback. Keeton is better than Winn and it isn't even close. Utah state will score at lease 3 touchdowns. Will Utah's offense keep up?

I watched every snap of usu and uu this past week. USU looked better at all phases of the game against a better team in suu.

Isn't USU replacing a couple of O-linemen?

[Flystripper]

Isn't USU replacing a couple of O-linemen?

One

[Jarid in Cedar]

For me it is simple. I could talk about how usu has explosive playmakers at rb and at wr. I also could talk about how they have a veteran offensive line. Both of those reasons are enough to expect usu to score at least three touchdowns every week. However, when it comes to college football it is usually as simple as who has the best quarterback. Keeton is better than Winn and it isn't even close. Utah state will score at lease 3 touchdowns. Will Utah's offense keep up?

I watched every snap of usu and uu this past week. USU looked better at all phases of the game against a better team in suu.

SUU isn't a better team. Their attrition from last year was substantial. I would wager that NoCo ends with a better record in the Big Sky. I add that SUU is my second favorite team to cheer on Saturdays.

[Flystripper]

SUU isn't a better team. Their attrition from last year was substantial. I would wager that NoCo ends with a better record in the Big Sky. I add that SUU is my second favorite team to cheer on Saturdays.

doubt it

Once again it comes down to QB and it isn't close.

[Jarid in Cedar]

doubt it

Once again it comes down to QB and it isn't close.

Besides watching his outstanding performance against Utah State, how many games have you watched Sorenson play? I can count 6 for myself. Kid has a good arm but comes up small in games. He is more Jake Heaps than Max Hall.

[Flystripper]

Besides watching his outstanding performance against Utah State, how many games have you watched Sorenson play? I can count 6 for myself. Kid has a good arm but comes up small in games. He is more Jake Heaps than Max Hall.

I don't think he is a great QB but he has performed well against FCS teams of which NoCo fits the bill. All I have seen is box scores. I don't watch a lot of FCS football unless they are playing teams I am interested in...

[ChuckieKeeton]

Isn't USU replacing a couple of O-linemen?

One was a part time starter filling in because of injuries, but otherwise a backup.


Sent from my iPad

[BoylenOver]

For me it is simple. I could talk about how usu has explosive playmakers at rb and at wr. I also could talk about how they have a veteran offensive line. Both of those reasons are enough to expect usu to score at least three touchdowns every week. However, when it comes to college football it is usually as simple as who has the best quarterback. Keeton is better than Winn and it isn't even close. Utah state will score at lease 3 touchdowns. Will Utah's offense keep up?

I watched every snap of usu and uu this past week. USU looked better at all phases of the game against a better team in suu.

"Keeton is better than winn (sic) and it's not even close"? Really? Keeton isn't even the best person with the last name of Keeton (Buster Keaton and Michael Keaton are superior).

[LA Ute]

I don't think he is a great QB but he has performed well against FCS teams of which NoCo fits the bill. All I have seen is box scores. I don't watch a lot of FCS football unless they are playing teams I am interested in...

I am beginning to form a hunch that you are trolling.

[statman]

I thought that was Grambling vs Southern.

[Portland Ute]

One was a part time starter filling in because of injuries, but otherwise a backup.


Sent from my iPad

So, listening to USU fans, USU only really lost Turbin and Wagner and one O-lineman, but their replacements are all better anyway so it doesn't matter.

Did I get that about right?