12 Days of Football... Add Comment    Aug 21, 2010

On the 12^th day of football my true love gave to me.a top 25 ranking.Once again the Utes have been voted in the top 25 to begin the season.  The Utes have also been picked to take 2^nd in the conference just behind TCU, and ahead of the team down south. 

It still seems almost too good to be true that in 12 days Pitt will be in town for what should be a hard fought battle.  Pitt comes in with a preseason ranking of 14, but Utah does have the home field advantage with an amped up crowd from just receiving the BCS invite we had all been waiting for.  Although the Utes wont join the PAC-12 until next season, plenty of fans are excited to show their support as Utah proves they belong with the big boys.

The big question mark seems to be on the defense.  Losing several starters to graduation and the NFL, there are a lot of unproven players waiting to make their mark.  Year in and year out coach Whitt has proven how his defense will always be ready to play.  Every year key players leave and the next season someone else is there to fill their shoes and impress. 

Something to be excited for is the rumored use of the tight ends.  When was the last time Utah had a tight end that was actually a threat down the field.  With our young talent comes a new look.  As we all remember the Poinsettia Bowl last year against Cal, The tight end position was one that actually helped change the pace of that game.  Expect to see a lot more of that this year as Jordan Wynn learns to use his check downs and Tight end specific routes.  This should add an extra element to the offense to help get it going.  So many times in the last few seasons we see the run game sputter and the receiving corp not able to get things going quick.  Through in some tight end schemes and the play action pass becomes A LOT more effective.

Another thing that should be exciting to see is the play at running back.  With Eddie Wide coming off 1000 yard season and Asiatta looking to get some game time, we could see the Utes with a dual running back scenario that could prove difficult to stop.  Add in some tight ends and you get what could shape up to be an exciting offense to watch.

One thing that I feel has been lacking at Rice-Eccles stadium as a whole is the crowd.  It seems every year the crowd gets especially amped for the Rivalry game and the rest of the games there is just a lack of intensity.  This year lets make EVERY home game feel like the last home game of the season.  Our toughest games this year are at home, and we as a crowd have the ability to be the 12^th man and get inside the oppositions head and make things that much more difficult.  Stand up! Yell! It doesnt even have to be wordsjust make some noise.  The players will fuel off the intensity of the crowdwhen things start to fall out of place and the crowd gets quiet, it just makes it that much harder to get motivated.  Now more than ever the Utah fans MUST show up and let the nation know we belong with the nations elite, not only on the field, but in the stands as well.

Go Utes!!!

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