KW annouced Jordan Wynn will be the starter

[Flattop]

Whit was very clear in not naming him the starter for the Utah State game. He is currently taking the snaps with the 1's, and it is definitely his job to lose, but he is not officially the starter.

That's a point I made yesterday at UF.N.

http://www.utefans.net/message.php?id=864219

But Wynn certainly has the inside track while getting 85% to 90% of the snaps in camp.

[BoylenOver]

That's a point I made yesterday at UF.N.

http://www.utefans.net/message.php?id=864219

But Wynn certainly has the inside track while getting 85% to 90% of the snaps in camp.

You and sizzle make correct points, but if Wynn loses the job to Cain when he's getting that many reps, God help us.

[RockyBalboa]

Utah wins 7, maybe 8 games this year, and doesn't finish in the MWC Top 3....which if you think about it....while starting a True Freshman is a worthy accomplishment.

[BoylenOver]

Utah wins 7, maybe 8 games this year, and doesn't finish in the MWC Top 3....which if you think about it....while starting a True Freshman is a worthy accomplishment.

Care to make a wager on that MWC top 3 comment? Oh, say, dinner at The Pie?

[RockyBalboa]

Care to make a wager on that MWC top 3 comment? Oh, say, dinner at The Pie?

You got it.

[All-American]

Thank you Barack.

Consider for a moment how small a percentage of the world's population would consider a comparison to Barack Obama an insult. "Shows what you know, you charismatic, highly-educated leader of the free world!"

[SeattleUte]

Are people forgetting that last year a freshman from Nowheresville WA led Boise State to a legitimate claim to a BSC bowl bid and a whisker of 13-0? There's no rule that a freshman can't lead a special season.

[YOhio]

Are people forgetting that last year a freshman from Nowheresville WA led Boise State to a legitimate claim to a BSC bowl bid and a whisker of 13-0? There's no rule that a freshman can't lead a special season.

People have already forgotten, SU.

[All-American]

Wynn starting (if, as seems likely, he will) means Utah is now a great unknown quantity. One never knows how a new player, no matter how many stars he got on rivals, is going to do, freshmen least of all.

Here's the way I see things going down. Utah will have a solid defense, and defense wins games. The quarterback only needs to be good enough to keep opposing teams from stacking the box and killing the running game, which only needs to be good enough to outrun the other offense, provided the defense is up to task.

Looking at Utah's schedule, you figure Utah State is a win, if anybody ever truly wins when playing Utah State. It's just too bad that they couldn't get a better team for the sake of Wynn's development. It won't help his transition from high school to college to play a high school team.

San Jose State may very well be worse than Utah State. Win, even on the road.

At Oregon, against a team that will either be high off of its victory or furious because of its defeat against Boise State. A strong defensive performance gives Utah a chance, but Wynn must be better than hoped for and Oregon worse than expected for Utah to pull it off.

Louisville just ain't what it used to be. Win.

By game 5, Wynn has had four games of experience, most of it winning experience. He is picking up confidence, and his teammates trust him (though Cain will have done well enough in garbage reps against truly bad teams to keep a couple of people talking). Utah coaches will have learned not to undermine their QB by yanking him when the going gets rough (a la Grady). A new quarterback is susceptible to unexpected lapses, and it MAY cost them a game in October. My guess is that it won't.

TCU will beat Utah. One more minute in Salt Lake cost them ten million dollars and they will remember it well. They may have BCS implications of their own by this time, but BCS or not, Gary Patterson is nightly washing his sheets as a result of his dreams of what he will do against a Ute Freshman quarterback.

By the time of the BYU game, Wynn will have his experience, but so too BYU's offensive line. It's a winnable game, possibly with conference championship implications, but my emotion clouds my judgment. BYU wins.

I am going to vote on the side of Karma and say that Utah finally loses the bowl game.

If Wynn turns out to be much worse, they can expect to drop another conference game or two. If he turns out to be much better, they beat BYU.

So probably 9-4, but no worse than 7-5 and no better than 11-2, depending on how good the kid ends up being.

[All-American]

People have already forgotten, SU.

Boise State . . . aren't those the guys with the blue turf? Awesome.

[DrumNFeather]

Wynn starting (if, as seems likely, he will) means Utah is now a great unknown quantity. One never knows how a new player, no matter how many stars he got on rivals, is going to do, freshmen least of all.

Here's the way I see things going down. Utah will have a solid defense, and defense wins games. The quarterback only needs to be good enough to keep opposing teams from stacking the box and killing the running game, which only needs to be good enough to outrun the other offense, provided the defense is up to task.

Looking at Utah's schedule, you figure Utah State is a win, if anybody ever truly wins when playing Utah State. It's just too bad that they couldn't get a better team for the sake of Wynn's development. It won't help his transition from high school to college to play a high school team.

San Jose State may very well be worse than Utah State. Win, even on the road.

At Oregon, against a team that will either be high off of its victory or furious because of its defeat against Boise State. A strong defensive performance gives Utah a chance, but Wynn must be better than hoped for and Oregon worse than expected for Utah to pull it off.

Louisville just ain't what it used to be. Win.

By game 5, Wynn has had four games of experience, most of it winning experience. He is picking up confidence, and his teammates trust him (though Cain will have done well enough in garbage reps against truly bad teams to keep a couple of people talking). Utah coaches will have learned not to undermine their QB by yanking him when the going gets rough (a la Grady). A new quarterback is susceptible to unexpected lapses, and it MAY cost them a game in October. My guess is that it won't.

TCU will beat Utah. One more minute in Salt Lake cost them ten million dollars and they will remember it well. They may have BCS implications of their own by this time, but BCS or not, Gary Patterson is nightly washing his sheets as a result of his dreams of what he will do against a Ute Freshman quarterback.

By the time of the BYU game, Wynn will have his experience, but so too BYU's offensive line. It's a winnable game, possibly with conference championship implications, but my emotion clouds my judgment. BYU wins.

I am going to vote on the side of Karma and say that Utah finally loses the bowl game.

If Wynn turns out to be much worse, they can expect to drop another conference game or two. If he turns out to be much better, they beat BYU.

So probably 9-4, but no worse than 7-5 and no better than 11-2, depending on how good the kid ends up being.

With a freshmen at QB, and the fact that they play BYU the week before, I see UNLV now anywhere from toss up to loss. While UNLV has only beaten Utah once, and while the Utes point to it as the catalyst towards their current succes, I think Sanford will have his team ready after (likely) losing to BYU.

I tend to agree that USU, SJSU, and Louisville will all be wins. I also think that the conference games at home will be wins (Air Force might present a challenge). So, like you said, 7-5 or 8-4 could be a likely outcome.

"Experts" seem to think that Vegas won't take BYU, even if they win the conference, but I don't number myself among that group.

BYU/TCU to Vegas/Poinsettia/BCS

Utah/UNLV to...what's left? Armed Forces, New Mexico, and Humanitarian?

[UtahDan]

I will be surprised to see Utah finish anywhere but third this year. As others are saying, this would mean that the QB position is either much better or much worse than it seems. I see shades of Urban's first year with a lot of running and very limited things the QB is asked to do. That was a pretty successful year with the help of some lucky bounces, but the difference between this year and that is that TCU is in the conference and good and BYU is not in the toilet and it also quite good. That 2003 team would likely be looking at a 3rd place finish this year.

I just don't see anyway with a true freshman that you go get a game you shouldn't and the likelihood is you lose one that you shake your head over. OTOH with a very good O-line, solid backs and a very, very good defense, you can keep the ball out of opposing offenses hands if you are smart and that might offset things. The pieces all seem to be there for a very good team, except at QB so I agree there is a pretty big possible spread for this year.

I hope posts like this one will offset the inevitable "I told you so's" and "you ewts thought you could pick up where you left off last year" comments that will come if we lose four or more games. Just for the record, I am not predicting anything other than third and will be quite content looking for better things next year and looking for improvement in our young QB over the course of the year. Yes, I'm lowering expectations. It is appropriate. Doesn't mean it won't be fun!

[Hot Lunch]

Are people forgetting that last year a freshman from Nowheresville WA led Boise State to a legitimate claim to a BSC bowl bid and a whisker of 13-0? There's no rule that a freshman can't lead a special season.

He was a redshirt freshman. Had an entire year the system. You could almost consider Wynn and a redshirt freshmen though since he did do spring ball with the team.

[LA Ute]

I will be surprised to see Utah finish anywhere but third this year. As others are saying, this would mean that the QB position is either much better or much worse than it seems. I see shades of Urban's first year with a lot of running and very limited things the QB is asked to do. That was a pretty successful year with the help of some lucky bounces, but the difference between this year and that is that TCU is in the conference and good and BYU is not in the toilet and it also quite good. That 2003 team would likely be looking at a 3rd place finish this year.

I just don't see anyway with a true freshman that you go get a game you shouldn't and the likelihood is you lose one that you shake your head over. OTOH with a very good O-line, solid backs and a very, very good defense, you can keep the ball out of opposing offenses hands if you are smart and that might offset things. The pieces all seem to be there for a very good team, except at QB so I agree there is a pretty big possible spread for this year.

I hope posts like this one will offset the inevitable "I told you so's" and "you ewts thought you could pick up where you left off last year" comments that will come if we lose four or more games. Just for the record, I am not predicting anything other than third and will be quite content looking for better things next year and looking for improvement in our young QB over the course of the year. Yes, I'm lowering expectations. It is appropriate. Doesn't mean it won't be fun!

I'll be happy with 8 wins this year.

[CJF]

I'll be happy with 8 wins this year.

Wow. I'll be shocked if Utah doesn't win at least 9 this year not counting their bowl game. Now if Asiata gets hurt early, or a rash of injuries wipe out the OL, maybe Utah struggles and goes 7-5. Wynn will do a great job of handing off over and over, and then burning teams with play action. From what I'm hearing the kicking game will be fine. Controlled passing game, power running, stout defense is a recipe for success. If Utah was going to run the exact same offense as they ran last year, it would be tough. They won't and they'll keep winning.