Tavion Thomas (9) of The Utah Utes celebrates after scoring a landing in opposition to the Southern Utah Thunderbirds in Salt Lake Metropolis on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. The Utes gained 73-7. Ben B. Braun, Deseret Information
Utah opened the season with an enormous problem at The Swamp in opposition to Florida, which resulted in a 29-26 loss.
On Saturday, the No. 14 Utes walloped Southern Utah 73-7 at residence.
Two completely different weeks, two very completely different video games, two very completely different outcomes.
Now, Utah (1-1) is settling into the 2022 marketing campaign that continues subsequent Saturday (8 p.m., MDT, ESPN2) when it hosts San Diego State (1-1). The Aztecs misplaced to Arizona 38-20 then beat Idaho State 38-7.
“It’s a superb recreation to get behind us and prepare for the following one. Then the season, right here we go,” stated coach Kyle Whittingham after beating the T-Birds. “It’s on — beginning this week. We’ve bought San Diego State coming to city. It’s a crew that bought us final yr. We’ve bought to be ready and be prepared for that one.”
A yr in the past, the Utes rallied from a 14-point deficit in opposition to SDSU however in the end fell in triple additional time 33-31 in Carson, California.
Regardless of its overwhelming win Saturday, Utah dropped one spot within the Related Press ballot from No. 13 to No. 14.
Florida, which misplaced at residence to Kentucky Saturday, fell from No. 12 to No. 18.
Within the preseason, Utah was ranked No. 7. Throughout fall camp, Whittingham stated rankings this early within the season are meaningless.
“Whether or not we’re not ranked or whether or not we’re excessive, I don’t care,” he stated. “I’m of the opinion that you simply shouldn’t actually have a rating till a month into the season on the earliest. Most likely Week 5 or 6, when you may get some perspective. We don’t pay any consideration to that.”
What Whittingham is listening to is how his crew can proceed to enhance.
“We had some particular groups miscues that we’ve bought to get mounted. We will’t be kicking the ball out of bounds. These are issues we will’t do if we hope to have the kind of season we need to have,” he stated.
“We have now issues to right, there’s little doubt about that. A recreation like that is simply as invaluable for our (second crew) as it's for our (first crew), getting nice analysis. The second ‘O’ performed your entire second half. The primary ‘D’ performed one sequence within the second half and it was all twos the remainder of the best way.”
The Utes held SUU to 85 yards of whole offense. Whittingham was happy by the best way the protection performed one week after 27 missed tackles in opposition to the Gators.
“The tackling was a lot better. We all know we should always have tackled higher final week than we did. We did this week, which was nice,” Whittingham stated.
“I believed the offensive line performed effectively. Defensively, a lot better in opposition to the run. We knew we’d be higher this week in opposition to the run. The run protection was a 180 from final week. Clearly, the extent of competitors is completely different, so you may’t put all of your inventory within the numbers. You must watch the tape and see how we did with our fundamentals and methods and ensure we’re doing all that stuff proper. Generally issues can grow to be masked should you don’t actually analyze the movie, which we’ll do and make the corrections.”
“All week, we have been honing in on physicality and being dominant up entrance,” stated freshman linebacker Lander Barton. “I really feel like at present we have been really dominant on the entrance seven.”
Offensively, Utah gathered 599 yards of whole offense.
“There’s going to be so much to right nonetheless on movie,” stated tight finish Dalton Kincaid, who caught seven passes for 107 yards in opposition to SUU. “We’ll watch movie and make these corrections and look towards San Diego State.”
“We got here out of the sport largely wholesome,” Whittingham stated. “We’ve bought some guys which can be query marks. We’ll take one other take a look at it (Sunday). In any other case, there was numerous great things.”
San Diego State (1-1) at No. 14 Utah (1-1)
Saturday, 8 p.m. MDT
Rice-Eccles Stadium
TV: ESPN2
Radio: ESPN 700