U. offense hopes to keep clicking against TCU

Jordan Wynn's debut as Utah's starting quarterback really accelerated in the third quarter of Saturday's 45-14 win over New Mexico.

"At half, we all looked each other in the eye, got fired up and said 'Let's go out and put up some points now,'" Wynn noted.

The Utes came out and scored three touchdowns in a span of 8:38 to ignite the offense. By game's end, they wound up with 557 yards, 45 points and 28 first downs — all season-highs.

"We just clicked," said Wynn, who acknowledged the numbers were indicative of a "solid night."

Now comes the encore.

And a greater degree of difficulty as the Utes go from winless New Mexico at home to undefeated TCU on the road.

The fourth-ranked Horned Frogs enter Saturday's game in Fort Worth with a defense that ranks among the nation's elite. They're third in total defense (240.6 ypg); fourth in passing defense (150.9 ypg); fifth in scoring defense (11.2 ppg); and seventh in rushing defense (89.7 ypg).

It's a tall order for a Utah offense that recently switched play callers (going from Dave Schramm to Aaron Roderick) and starting quarterbacks (replacing Terrance Cain with Wynn).

"I think we've got a pretty good combination right now," said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. "We helped ourselves with what we did."

One of the biggest changes, he added, was moving Schramm and his fiery personality down to the field.

Whittingham considers it as big of a factor as anything because he's now able to deal with players face-to-face with his energy and emotion.

"Hopefully, all those changes are going to help us continue to head in the right direction," Whittingham said.

It won't be easy, though. The Utes will have to contend with the like of TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes. The All-American leads the Mountain West Conference in sacks.

"He's a very good football player," Whittingham said. "He's somebody you have to account for."

The Utes, he continued, will have to try and take care of him in all protections. It worked last year, when right tackle Dustin Hensel did a good job containing the Horned Frogs' star in a 13-10 win at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

This time around, however, the circumstances are different. Utah won't have a veteran like Brian Johnson managing the offense. Wynn, a 19-year-old with one collegiate start under his belt, will be directing things.

"It's his first real test. But he knows that," said receiver Jereme Brooks. "He's going to prepare himself well and I expect big things from him."

Wynn, who completed 18-of-28 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns against New Mexico, enters the game with a respectable pass efficiency rating of 158.9. In six quarters of play this season, the true freshman has completed 64.3 percent of his throws.