Friday, September 11, 2009

Morning, time to empty out the notebook day, had some quotes and comments from this week that didn't make it into stories but were worth sharing, starting with the Utes playing a team that was soundly whipped by USC. Coach Kyle Whittingham said he isn't judging the Spartans' abilities on that game because USC is so talented, but he did say the Utes at least know more about this opponent than they did Utah State, even with former assistant Gary Andersen coaching the Aggies.

"The thing we have going this week for us is we have actual game tape," he said. "Even though the game got out of hand it's still good film and a good thing for us to look at."

I'm writing about Utah taking its road winning streak of eight games into San Jose State for tomorrow's paper, so that was topic of discussion for some of Utah's inexperienced players at the D-I level, including QB Terrance Cain.

The team seems like they have quite a bit of confidence in the JC transfer.

"He isn't a rookie no more," defender Lei Talamaivao said. "He played a game. He'll get that confidence going and be just fine."

For his part, Cain said he isn't feeling any pressure now that he is the QB for the team with the nation's longest winning streak (15 games).

"Can't look at it as a target on our back," he said. "If you have a target, you're scared to lose and you make mistakes. We know we are going to get everybody's best game."

Talamaivao remembered his first road game, at Oregon State in 2007. That was the game in which both Matt Asiata and Brian Johnson were hurt in a 24-7 loss.

"It was a packed house and I was nervous," he said. "You're just waiting for that first hit and as the game goes along you get used it. I was nervous at first, but that first hit brings you into it."

Talamaivao was asked about the chemistry of this year's team during Tuesday's press conference. Here was his response: "We go to the movies like girlfriends and boyfriends, that is how close we are," he said. "We have chemistry, we're close. We're the most diverse team in the nation and we don't care about all that. We just try and help each other out."

Link to today's feature on Lei Talamaivao, a laid back guy off the field but who is asserting himself as a big defensive threat on the field.