Meyer looking for others to step it up on offense

Published: Saturday, Oct. 4 2003 9:45 p.m. MDT

Urban Meyer is loosening the reins. Though effective enough to produce a 3-1 record, Utah's offense is undergoing some alterations. A little? A lot? No one knows for sure, not even the architect.

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SIZE="2">Utes on TV

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No. 19 Oregon (4-1)

at Utah (3-1)

Friday, 8 p.m.

Rice-Eccles Stadium

TV: ESPN2

Radio: KALL 700 AM

"I'm going to take responsibility for where we are offensively," Meyer said. "We're going to run the spread offense the way it's meant to be run and not be quite as conservative."

What does that mean? Meyer isn't saying. He claims to have no idea other than the Utes need to identify more playmakers.

"I know what he's taking about," said tailback Brandon Warfield, who ranks fifth among the nation's leading rushers with an average of 131.5 yards per game. "He's just going to let us go out and play the whole time."

Utah's offense produced just two touchdowns and 15 first downs in last week's 28-21 win at Colorado State. The lack of firepower prompted Meyer to note that the Utes need to identity more playmakers on offense.

Aside from quarterbacks Alex Smith and Brett Elliott, only Warfield and wide receiver Paris Warren have contributed consistently at the skill positions. Warfield has 526 of Utah's 733 rushing yards, while Warren's 24 catches are 12 more than anyone else on the team.

Spreading things out could be crucial against the Ducks.

"The biggest thing this week is staying fresh. We still lack depth and have a lot of guys playing lots of downs," Meyer said. "Oregon gives us more wrinkles and more looks on defense than we've seen. They also have some real talented players on offense."

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