Monday, September 21, 2009

Today's noon press conference was one of the longest in recent memory with coach Kyle Whittingham. When a team loses for the first time in more than a year it seems there suddenly is a lot to discuss.

First things first, Whittingham said Terrance Cain is still the guy at quarterback and bringing in Jordan Wynn against Oregon wasn't discussed, Whittingham said.

"There is no quarterback controversy," he said. "We think he is the guy who gives us the best chance to win so we'll keep heading in that direction."

However, Whittingham did say the Utes still want to get some game time and don't plan to redshirt him.

"We've said ti before you are only one snap away from your backup being your guy," Whittingham said. "We'd like to have him get some snaps and opportunity for that."

As for the offensive production against Oregon, Whittingham called it a "poor effort," noting the Utes had 10 three-and-outs.

"That is tough on our defense when you are going three and out and not controlling the football, that was our biggest issue," he said. "You won't win many games with those statistics, you have to move the football."

Whittingham didn't put the offensive woes all on Cain, saying the run game wasn't efficient and that will be a focus this week against Louisville.

Eddie Wide, who started in place of Matt Asiata, lost three yards on two carries. Whittingham said in hindsight he should have gotten more carries.

Asiata finished with 15 carries for 54 yards.

"We didn't do a good job of getting off the line of scrimmage," Whittingham said. "Oregon was mostly using a 4-man front, standard stuff, and we have to do a better job moving them and the back has to do a better job of breaking tackles at the line of scrimmage like we have been in the past."

Freshman Sausan Shakerin's 46-yard run against San Jose State was used as an example of a good job of breaking tackles. Unfortunately, it sounds like Shakerin won't get an opportunity for another run for a couple of weeks. Whittingham said he doesn't expect him to play Saturday because of a shoulder injury.

The only other injury that affected Saturday's game was a quad bruise to receiver David Reed. Reed had five catches for 48 yards but wasn't used on kickoff returns because of the bruise. He'll go back to those duties this week against Louisville.

Offensive lineman Zane Taylor said he knows the offensive line has to do a better job than it did against Oregon this week.

"Everything starts with the offensive line so all that goes on our shoulders," he said. "If we're not protecting the quarterback he isn't going to get passes off, the passing game comes down to us even more than the running game. We have to continue to work hard, focus and prepare for this next team and get that running game going so we don't have any more of those three and outs."

Defensively the Utes have their issues too, linebacker Mike Wright said, noting the Utes knew what Oregon was going to do they simply couldn't stop it. The Ducks rushed 51 times for 217 yards.

"I could see them using the same play over and over again and it's frustrating not to be able to stop that play," he said. "Give some credit to Oregon, they had some good athletes and if you can do that and be successful, obviously you're doing something right."

"We have to come with a different mentality that we are a hard nose hitting team and if they are going to try and run on us we'll stop them," he said.

I can't think of the last time the Utes said they knew what a team was going to do against them but just simply couldn't stop them. Sounds like they have plenty to work on this week.

Link to this morning's story if you haven't seen it.