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Utah Utes football: Johnson sets sights on big year

I can't wait to see BJ and the Utes take care of Michigan. It's going to be a long summer waiting for college football.

Go Utes!!!

You mean the same way they took care of Oregon St. last season? Michigan will be just as good if not better than Oregon St. was. I'm not saying it isn't possible but don't be too overconfident.

Good luck Utes!

New year, better team, hopefully no string of fluke injuries. Michigan could be in for a surprise. Maybe you need to read some of Harmon's personal ads he writes for the BYU players. I hear the cornerbacks down south are dreamy.

No, the same way they took care of that UCLA team that seemed to handle BYU twice only to give them the 2nd game...

and fluke wins (UCLA) and fluke losses (UNLV)... Utah is certainly full of flukiness. I wouldn't be surprised to see them beat Michigan, and then lose to Colorado St.

handled BYU..in what..10 points? BYU had way more total yards than UCLA. Getting handled is losing 27-0 and i dont care if its to UNLV or whoever. that is getting handled!

Utah has the potential to be really good this season and despite injury gave some good games to UCLA and Louisville and BYU! I wouldnt fault Utah too much for the Oregon State loss. Losing your star qb and prized recruit back is a huge blow! Its like people razzing USC for the slump they had mid season..injuries do add up!

Last time Utah played mighigan it was a tough game and a tough loss. Definitely will be one I will watch..on second thought..I dont think i will miss a televised game come opening weekend of the college football season! ha Only 5 months away!

When it matters Utes choke.

Good Luck in Michigan, I will root for you because it is a MWC team. But ods are against you.

I've always thought Brian Johnson is a very classy guy and a very good quarterback. His nemesis has been injury. Injuries can be flukie or guys can be injury prone. Either way I hope they option him less next year so he can hopefully have an injury free senior season. I'll be rooting for him in all his games but one.

I will be there in Michigan! Go Utes!

There is much riding on what Brian Johnson accomplishes. Like last year Johnson is the one of the few reasons the Utes have a chance this fall. Johnson was recruited to run Urban Meyer�s spread option offense. Meyer�s offense was a �read� offense and Alex Smith ran it to near perfection. To bad for Johnson; coaches Whittingham and Ludwig don�t seem to run the Meyer version of the spread offense.

Or they don�t trust Johnson to run it.

And maybe the Utes don�t have the athletic personnel to spread the defense. If so and without Johnson reading the defenses, the first game has nightmare written all over-it. And the rest of the season will be just as tough as 2007.

I know Urban is gone, and I don�t wont to dwell to far in the past, but I believe most Ute fans were hoping that Coach Whittingham would maintain some of Urban�s philosophy and with Urban�s QB of the future, Johnson, we would have expectations of greatness after he departed for Florida.

So far that expectation for Johnson and Ute fans has not been an option and Whittinghams's future may be riding on it.

So, are the utes worried that underarmour would make them lightning rods? Did they really have to go inside because it was chilly? Isn't that a bit, you know, wimpy?

New Year, Better Team. Not only that. I dont think you watched the game. We were killing them until Brian Johnson got injured. If we had him we would have won.

And I agree. It will be an uphill battle. Chances are we probably won't win. We have a chance because though Rich Rodriguez is a new coach and they have a new offense.

I hope Utah comes here to Michigan with an attitude. Nobody here will expect the U to win, but I doubt they will forget how it almost ended a few years ago.

I think they can beat Michigan, but for Utah to win they will have to play like a team does after a few games of the season and not the first. Michigan is starting over at QB and their best RB are gone. The opportunity to hit Michigan in the mouth is there. If Utah is physical, clean (no penalties, dumb turnovers), and avoids injury (of course), I wouldn't be surprised at all for the Utes to pull off a W in convincing fashion. Johnson has to take it to the next level and the defense better put the hurt on a new Michigan QB.

Great comments. I would love to see the Utes take out one of the most storied programs in the country. It will be tough, but it can be done. Go Utes!!

Well, we weren't killing OSU when Johnson got injured. It was pretty even with OSU slightly ahead. We definitely have the potential to take down the Wolverines. They're not just breaking in a new coach, they've got a new QB, RB, and lost their left tackle. That's a lot to replace on offense.

I hope Utah does beat Michigan as a Cougar fan and a MWC supporter it only helps the conference look better. Utah had nice wins over Louisville and UCLA last year that made the conference look better.

It will also look a lot better when BYU bets Utah for the third straight year.

Final note: your huge win over UCLA and our loss to them THE FIRST TIME : ) does not cancel out 4th and 18. Scoreboard

Go Ewets beat Michigan just lose when it matters!!

I am thinking Michigan has soem serious talent and they are not soon to forget Appalaccian State that caused them to be a season starting joke last year.

I want Utah to Win but dang Michigan will not be a pushover and they will not be sitting back thinking that Utah is Nobody.

Way to go Utah for scheduling a big Dog and I hope they can have talent and poise and take down the big dog in the big house.

Is it August 30th yet...I can't wait for college footbal to start...I hope I have all my work done so I can watch without my wife bothering me.