Utah football: Utes have been good in 2nd quarter

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah head football coach Kyle Whittingham isn't exactly sure why the Utes have outscored the opposition 70-7 in second quarters this season.

"I don't know. There's so many statistics it's hard to keep track of them all," he said while noting it'll be something to look at if the numbers are still skewed by season's end. "I just know we'll take 70 points in a quarter (now)."

Utah's biggest second-quarter output came in the San Jose State game. The Utes put 28 points on the board, scoring three offensive touchdowns and one on a punt return.

In victories over Pittsburgh, UNLV and New Mexico, Utah netted 14 points in the second frame of each game.

"I don't have a good answer other than our guys have just been playing well in the second quarter," Whittingham added.

Quarterback Jordan Wynn didn't have much of an explanation, either.

"There's really no answer. It could be adjustments. It could be guys just getting comfortable in the game," he said. "I can't even put any words to it. We're just going out and producing."

Center Zane Taylor offered a theory — momentum.

"I think we really turn things on and figure out an opponent before they can figure us out," he said. "So that kind of leads to us being a little bit more successful in that quarter."

THE NEXT WEDDLE: Freshman safety Brian Blechen is already starting to draw comparisons to former Ute Eric Weddle of the San Diego Chargers.

"It's an awesome compliment. It kind of gives me big goals to work towards because obviously he's a player that it would be awesome to be anything like him," Blechen said. "So hearing that I remind people of him, or I could be like him, it really just motivates me to work hard and see what I can do."

Blechen and Weddle have yet to meet. However, that will likely change when the Utes visit San Diego State on Nov. 22. Two days later, Weddle and the Chargers host the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium.

There's also a chance Weddle will attend Utah's game at Notre Dame on Nov. 15. The Chargers have a bye that week.

EXTRA POINTS: Like Utah, Iowa State's most productive quarter in terms of points scored (51) is also the second. ... Cyclones head coach Paul Rhoads earned his masters degree from Utah State in 1991 and served as a graduate assistant for the Aggies. He was Pittsburgh's defensive coordinator when the Panthers lost to the Utes in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl. ... The Utes are 5-0 under Whittingham after bye weeks.

e-mail: dirk@desnews.com