Gameweek: Utah

Unlike last year after the poor showing against Rice, this year after the poor against BYU we have an incredibly easy game at Utah to get things working again.  We say easy because Utah has stumbled onto what is going to be one of its worst seasons ever.  They lost all their key players on offense to injury and that offense, ranked near dead last in the country (107), has gotten in the red zone all of 1 time in 2 games.  Their defense is not much better, allowing a nearly 300 yards per game (287) on the ground for near dead last in the country (113).  Their passing defense is ranked #4 simply because it's so easy to rush against them. Only 44 passes were thrown against Utah in its first 2 games. In terms of total defense, Utah is ranked #71 in the country.  

Think Stanford LAST year.  After the Rice game last year, we had to travel to Seattle to play Washington, a bad Washington team but not nearly as bad as Utah.  We lost that game in Seattle and that started the losing.  We will blow Utah out Saturday, even if it is on the road … so if there will be losing this year it won't start this week.  Next week, however, we get to avenge that Washington loss at home against an improved Husky team that is making headlines.

On to the news:

• Our own defense has some work to do. We are ranked #83 in the country in total defense - and that's after playing lowly Stanford and BYU (who lost all their key offensive players).  We lost the link to the quote, but DC Walker was quoted after the BYU game that the only statistic he cared about was the W.   Sounds like he is running out of ideas and solutions.
• Dorrellisms are flying fast.  We have promised to put up a Dorrellism page for his brilliant quotes and when we find the time we will get that up.  Nestor at BruinsNation has found a winner, per Brian Dohn, Daily News: "A couple misreads by the backs. (BYU) had a good game plan against us. They must have caught some tendencies on what we were doing, and gambled on making some of those plays." Oookay.
• Punter Aaron Perez named Pac-10 Player of the Week.  We are right back to where we belong with Dorrell, with his kicking team getting awards and praise.  Aaron Perez was honored this week with the Pac-10 Player of the Week nod, along with Oregon QB Dennis Dixon and Husky CB Roy Lewis.  Congrats to Perez for an incredible game.  Thanks to Karl Dorrell for always putting our kicking team first.
• Dorrell looking to the refs.  In one of the more disappointing developments after the BYU game, Karl Dorrell has publicly condemned the officiating in the game, according to Robert Kuwada OC Register, "Coach Karl Dorrell lit into the officials, a Pac-10 crew, on the third-quarter play where Joe Cowan was tackled while trying to run a route."  We bet BYU's coach is having a good laugh at this tantrum Karl is putting on.  Karl on the play in question: "I just want to make sure our officials call a completely fair game and stay within the rules. That’s all. That was something that was a big point for BYU. It changed the momentum of the game.’’  Sure, there was PI on that play, but Karl - dude - we benefited hugely from mistakes in officiating against BYU!!  This is all a little ridiculous. We don't get what Karl is trying to achieve here.  We would have lost were it not for all the bad calls against BYU.  We won, leave it be.  Point it out to the conference officials, but why take it public and then with such indignation??

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