Deseret News | Reader comments: Ute receivers figure to be among MWC's best

Reader comments
Ute receivers figure to be among MWC's best

go utes! | 4:18 a.m. Aug. 25, 2007

With the 7 -pack (counting Jereme Brooks, whom MWC defenses are going to come to hate sooner than later) and Brian Johnson healthy, this will be a VERY fun year to watch the Utes.
I anticipate this team will gain some national attention.

phenom11 | 7:30 a.m. Aug. 25, 2007

too bad harline is still open in the corner

Dennis | 8:43 a.m. Aug. 25, 2007

Will Wilson be playing or not? I read where Kyle said he could not play until the courts had resolved the issue. When we have multiple DUI accidents resulting in deaths in the state of Utah I find it incomprehensible that a football coach would give his player a wink and a nod after being caught drinking and driving, and underage to boot. It makes me wonder what my alma mater is thinking these days. I guess football victories mean more than the lives of people on the road.

Comments continue below

SOB | 9:01 a.m. Aug. 25, 2007

Now if only we have a running back, a D line, and some safeties

SOB | 10:35 a.m. Aug. 25, 2007

to phenom, or is it phenone

if utah doesn't let byu win now and then, the cougs will do what they did to the aggies, stop playing them
for lack of interest.......

Christian | 12:01 p.m. Aug. 25, 2007

Hey Rob, since you brought up the subject of booting people, how do you think Bronco will handle the player that "booted" down that door? Or what about the player that purposely gave wrong information to the police and spent some time in the slammer? Yes drinking and driving is a horrble thing but so is breaking and entering and giving out false info. I bet we see those players on BYU sidelines this year.

KT | 12:12 p.m. Aug. 25, 2007

Phenom,

Must be desperate to throw out a Harline dig when the Cougs were supposed to blow out the Utes last year and had to win on last second play.It's Ok to be proud of your team but don't perpetuate the sterotype of Coug fans being myopic. You had a great team last year, enjoy the fruits of their labor and try and have less acidic touch to your demeanor.

Lewis Clark | 12:22 p.m. Aug. 25, 2007

oops. I clicked on the wrong story...but I find this funny.....If you go to a story about BYU you see ewet fans coming out of the woods, trashing BYU. This is the first ewet story I have seen this year(honest accident) and there are just a bunch of Ute fans trying to bash BYU in a story about ewe WR's. You can't stop thinking about us...ewe want to be us. Just come down south join up you know you want to be a BYU COUGAR. Beavers 38 Utahs Beavers 00

S.A.B. | 12:46 p.m. Aug. 25, 2007

After all the families torn apart from alcohol-related accidents, particularly over the past year or so, I cannot believe Christian would equate a DUI to providing false information or breaking down a door.

Go ahead and let Wilson play so he really understands what society values - football! Teach him that lesson and he is a disaster waitng to happen.

I don't care where a athlete hails from. DUI's should be dealt with swiftly and harshly. Wilson should never be allowed to play another down for ANY school.

It is time that we all get our priorities right and send a message to those weasels who think they are above the law - and who continue to put my family and yours at risk.

Joe Dumars | 1:46 p.m. Aug. 25, 2007

BYU 45 Arizona 24

SOB | 2:59 p.m. Aug. 25, 2007

oh my I'M SUCH a mean person
i do hope that the cougs win all their non conference games

Better Solution | 4:01 p.m. Aug. 25, 2007

S.A.B. - What about second chances and redemption? Do you really think it is better to kick the kid off the team when football may be the only place he has ever been taught discipline and responsibility? I think society, not to mention the kid who made the mistake, would be worse off.

Also, if you are so sure that DUI is worse than breaking and entering, then contact your legislator. DUI is usually considered a misdemeanor unless someone is seriously injured. Breaking into someone's home (with the intent to injure them) is usually a felony.

While not to be excused, the kid who drove under the influence of alcohol surely didn't intend to hurt someone (and luckily he didn't or this would be a different story). The kid who broke into another's home did so with the sober (we presume) intent to cause someone harm.

UtahManAmI | 4:25 p.m. Aug. 25, 2007

Hey Lewis, no one would be bashing BYU if not for the Coug fan who just had to post that Harline is still open in the comments to a story about Utah WRs.

lovernotfighter | 4:47 p.m. Aug. 25, 2007

SOB we do have a running back Asiata is going to tear it up and we have a D line and a mature experienced Leader in steve Tate.

Return to mediocrity | 6:35 p.m. Aug. 25, 2007

Harline is still open? Really? He is still standing there in the north end zone of Rice-Eccles Stadium? Somebody better hurry and get him so he can move on to his NFL career. Oh wait...no NFL teams appear to want him.

"Harline is still open" has got to be the dumbest slogan I've ever heard - exactly what I would expect from BYU fans.

sob | 10:03 p.m. Aug. 25, 2007

if ashita stays healthy,
if both lines play as a team, not a bunch of new comers
if tate fills the role that each years team has been able to find another great d back
if brian johnson fights off the rust this could be
a really fun year
and oh yeah

if gary anderson remembers that prevent defenses in the last quarter only prevent wins

go utes,,,,

No Chance for Utah | 11:46 p.m. Aug. 25, 2007

You Ute fans need to understand that you have no run game, your o-line is no good and your wide recievers, as good as they are can't get the ball if your quarterback is sacked. I think Johnson will be better, but he was 5-5 and lost games for utah. Asiata is your only hope, and that's all it is. We havn't been able to see him at all.

UtahManAmI | 3:45 a.m. Aug. 26, 2007

Sure, because Beck never got better, so Johnson can't either.

Junior college all Americans more often than not are busts in D1 football.

Jason Boone by himself prevented all those sacks last season, and he suffered a season ending injury.

Or, No Chance is just another BYU homer.

I saw enough of Johnson in 05 to be sold on his ability. He will improve the running game all by himself and that will open up the offense. Asiata has just as much chance of being a solid running back as Hall has of being a good QB (we haven't been able to see him either). Actually, I would say Asiata has a better chance than Hall, at least he has played football recently.

UtahUtes07 | 3:04 p.m. Aug. 26, 2007

Hey No Chance,
Good Luck sacking a quarterback who in 2005 carried the ball 478 total yards and averaged 47.8 rushing yards per game plus being no. 1 in the MWC in passing efficiency (11th in the NATION). Ya sure, beck threw for more total yards but that's just because he hucked it 513 times (with 13 int). Anyone quarterback who passes 513 times will rack up the yards on their stats provided they have decent recievers. (FYI Johnson threw for a decent 330 with a solid 2892). AND he ran the scout team. Don't forget that.

On top of that, remember his rushing yards. Yes, he was injured rushing, but he managed to play the first 10 games before that even happened, and he has learned from that.

Beck turned out to be quite the QB in 2006, but guess what? He's kind of gone. Johnson will be fine and I predict he will put Beck to shame.

No Chance for Utah | 8:53 p.m. Aug. 26, 2007

I'm not saying that Johnson won't get better, I am sure he will. He won't be able to win games himself. He is not Vince Young. And Hall has at least scrimmaged against the first team defense. Asiata is can't get himself even healthy enough to be on the field. And at least the o-line in 05 was better than this years crop. Again I say the Ute running game has no chance even with a better Johnson.

UtesFanfor life | 10:01 p.m. Aug. 26, 2007

I would like to add that while the Utes may not have another amazing year where they go 12-0 that last year not having half a good as Q. we were able to do decent. we should have a great year with Brian Jhonson and the amazing receiving core.

I would like to ask what Byu has and who they have after last year. because as far as I can see all the people who won the Utah Game that's right they are gone. so tell me about someone who is not injured or a freshman and I may believe you.

No Chance for Utah | 11:56 p.m. Aug. 26, 2007

What about Fui. Oh yea, you guys don't recognize runningbacks. Also Austin Collie, most of the o-line. Most of the defense too. Think before you write.

They will appear good. | 9:36 a.m. Aug. 27, 2007

I'm a BYU fan but this is one article I can really agree with. I think utah will be very good in this department, and ST, but I don't see much strength anywhere else. This corps will appear to be very good, and I think Whitt. finally got it right when he didn't say they'd be the best in nation like he did to every position last year. They will be ONE, but possibly not the best. #'s may suggest they are the best, but other teams like BYU and TCU, will have a more balanced attack, while utah is hoping to start a RB who has been injured. BYU will have a killer running game, but their WR's are very good. Utah just has more talent there, while other teams have a more balanced talent base.

Utah will have to defeat teams with their passing, because I still can't see a good running game or a good defense happening. Weddle is an enormous loss. Utah relied on him too much last year, and his effects will be felt this year. Utah may do well in conference, but I can't see them standing a chance against B$ teams mainly because utah is weak in so many areas. You'll need more than WR's to win games...just see Johnson's only road win at UNLV, about a 10 point victory or something.

UtahManAmI | 8:46 p.m. Aug. 27, 2007

BJ won't have to win games by himself. Even without an solid running back he has an impressive supporting cast.

While Asiata missed most of camp (he has been getting reps in practice this last week), he at least played in real games last year, unlike Hall. We will have to wait and see what happens starting Thursday, of course. Asiata may need a game or two to get it going, but I see no reason why he can't be a solid back by the bulk of the conference season.

Weddle was a big loss, but the secondary this year is the most talented on the Hill in the last 4 years. They just need experience.

Utah has a brutal out of conference schedule, no question. I'm not terribly concerned with how they do in the three big games as long as the compete and leave it all out on the field. But if they can stay healthy, they should do very well in conference and challenge for the title.

Btw, BJ was 20-29 for 264 yards with 3 TD passes and 73 rushing yards against UNLV in 2005 as the Utes took a 42-20 lead into the 4th quarter. Quinton Ganther had 155 yards on 15 carries.

Utah was within inches of winning in Ft Collins and had chances to win in Ft Worth before losing in overtime on a controversial play (BYU fans should know all about losing to TCU in OT on a controversial play).

Utah will be just fine -- in conference, certainly -- if Asiata can be as good as expected.

UtahManAmI | 8:50 p.m. Aug. 27, 2007

BYU should have a good running game, and one assumes someone will step up and be a solid #1 back. That should help Hall out a little, but, as with Asiata, we'll just have to wait and see what happens starting on Saturday.

BYU could have some issues with its secondary, and Jensen was a big loss at linebacker. Maybe not as big as losing Weddle, but still pretty big.

eat it Team Down South | 6:09 p.m. Aug. 28, 2007

Asiata is a solid running back. so are the rest that are there behind him. ludwig is just an idiot, not using them correctly. had Brian Johnson been there last year, and not ratliff, we would have had a better running game, because they would have used the option a lot more. frankly we had a terrible running game, almost non-existent, but somehow how we still managed to beat TCU and lose to TDS by only 2 points on the very last play of the game. and TDS had its wonderful running game amount to less than 100 yds, or something like that. that's with 3 of their running backs (curtis brown), who are great running backs, i might add. we return 10 starters on offense. an offensive line that didn't give up a sack for the first 6 games. an incredible WR corps. the defense might not be the best, but we return the player with the most tackles (tate, with more than 102) and burnett who had the most sacks. as far as the secondary is concerned, they might not be very expirienced, but they are very athletic, and should do well enough.
Brian Johnson, whom has matured (one tends to do that over time, you know) and is incredibly athletic and extremely accurate. he led the MWC as an 18 year-old sophmore... 18! and thats with TDS's beloved Beck in the league as a 24 or 25 year old junior. he's now a 20 year-old junior, and has learned that he doesn't have to do everything (explaining his gaudy stats from 2005). regardless of who is at running back, Brian Johnson will make him look good with the option, especially with that o-line.
what is the TDS without a proven quarterback? look back to 2005.

UtahUtes07 | 4:45 p.m. Aug. 29, 2007

Our running game should be fine. Asiata has actually played college ball. He's got talent, experience and a great offense to work with. Junior College, though a little like advanced high school football, is still better than nothing. Take Max Hall- obviously we won't know until game time, but i just don't see hall coming out with a glorious season. More like sporadic or downright horrible.

sterling | 4:03 p.m. Aug. 30, 2007

wait UtahUtes07 i was just wondering, are you talking cause that was alot of crap you just gave about Max Hall i mean he tore up our scouting defense last year in practice and our defense was and is good if your just wondering. o wait is harline still open????????? just wondering

UtahUtes07 | 12:02 a.m. Aug. 31, 2007

There is no replacement for game time. None. So until he plays in a game, nobody knows anything. And if harline is still open, then so is LaTendresse.
Look at Matt Asiata. He was great for a few plays and now he won't play until next year because of a broken leg. You can't assume anything until gametime and even then, things happen.

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