2010 NCAA Football Preview: University of Utah
When Urban Meyer took over the football program at Utah prior to the 2003 season, no one knew that he would launch the team into the national conscience. After the 2003 season the Utes would finish ranked 21st in the nation after a 10-2 finish and a victory in the Liberty Bowl.
Following the 2004 season, Meyer would be celebrated as one of the best coaches in the country and the Utes one of the best as the team went undefeated in the regular season, beating every opponent by at least a pair of touchdowns as well as their Fiesta Bowl opponent, Big East champion Pittsburgh.
It would not have been surprising to see the Utes falter after Meyer departed Utah for Florida. Instead the team has continued to play well and be a competitive force in the Mountain West Conference. In the five years since Meyer’s departure the team is 47-17 including five consecutive bowl game wins and another undefeated season in 2008 that saw them finish 4th in the Coaches Poll and 2nd in the AP Poll.
Following their 2009 regular season and upset win over California in the Poinsettia Bowl, the Utes finished 18th in both polls. With such an impressive win to finish the 2009 season and a potential Heisman candidate in Jordan Wynn, Utah looks to be a tough team to play in 2010.
Offence
The offence for the Utes is shaping up to be one of the better ones in their conference, if not the nation in 2010. Eight starters return to the field including sophomore quarterback Jordan Wynn and most of his offensive line. Wynn should get some good protection and all-conference running back senior Eddie Wide should get some nice holes, especially from two seniors who were also all conference in 2009, center Zane Taylor and guard Caleb Schlauderaff.
Eddie Wide returns after rushing for 1069 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. He will end up sharing time with the guy that started the 2009 season at running back, Matt Asiata. Asiata suffered a season ending injury against Louisville. In his last full season in 2008 he led the team in rushing with more than 700 yards (in a season where the pass was heavily favored).
The team does not look to have any real glaring weaknesses when they have the ball. Losing a wide receiver like David Reed is never something you like to do, but Jereme Brooks is more than capable of stepping up and being the go-to guy. If they can’t find a good replacement for Zane Beadles they could be a little susceptible to blitzes off the end, but head coach Kyle Whittingham should have plenty of talented candidates to try.
Defence
If the team is going to hurt anywhere it will be on defense. They only return five starters to the group; no coach ever likes to have to replace so many starters all at once.
Three of their defensive line starters return in Derrick Shelby, Sealver Siliga and Dave Kruger; gone is some of the depth in Kenape Eliapo and Koa Misi. Misi’s 71 tackles (third highest on the team) will definitely be missed.
The three linebackers will all be new starters (Chad Manis, J.J. Williams, and Chaz Walker). These guys will have the tough task of replacing the team’s two leading tacklers, Mike Wright (79) and Stevenson Sylvester (81).
Replacing the production of R.J. Stanford, Joe Dale, and Robert Johnson will not be easy either. Between the three they made 164 tackles and eight interceptions. The coaching staff will be looking to returners Brandon Burton and Lamar Chapman to pick up the slack along with the help of Reggie Topps and Ryan Lacy, a pair of sophomores.
After finishing #2 and #4 in the polls in 2008 and #18 last season, head coach Kyle Whittingham is looking for good things to happen this season. His Utes will be tested right out of the gate with Pittsburgh and another potential Heisman candidate in running back Dion Lewis
Tags: