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Utah Utes football: Seeing red

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weak defense | 1:46 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
Yes the first team offense had its most effective start in years because of the yewts' weak defense. I'll bet brian johnson completed about a dozen 4th & 18's. HAR!!!
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Conejo | 3:12 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
Please, please, let the Utes and Cougars be as good as expected this year.
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Cougar Fan | 5:04 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
Good Luck to Coach Kyle and the Utes this year. Love to see him do well and hope Utah can knock off Michigan! Have a great year! Want to see both teams do well heading into the finale!
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BlueCoug | 7:02 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
Re: weak defense

WEAK SAUCE!

It's a new season.

Try doing some actual critical analysis of why you think Utah's defense is going to be weak instead of throwing out juvenile name misspellings and hackneyed "4th and 18" smack from last season.
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wow | 7:23 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
Nothing better to do then live in the past at 1:00 a.m. in the morning? Get a life!!!!
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JIMI | 7:25 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
weak defence? lol you dont know much about utah. lets keep this message boad positive. that means, it has nothing to do with byu so.... leave that team out of it.
GO UTES
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Anonymous | 7:58 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
We need a better coach than Whittingham if we ever want to be relevant. He is steadily dragging our once great program down to nothing. Get Kyle out of here.
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Anonymous | 8:30 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
Too bad they have to go through UNLV. Oh, and go Weber St.!
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markymark | 8:35 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
kyle is a great coach for x's and o's actually, but he is just finally learning how to motivate, which is such a huge part of it. last years streak showed some improvement in that regard. before the streak they could only self motivate after losses, which is pretty easy. but after a rebound win, they weren't pushed to keep a high level, making them inconsistent and win-loss-win-loss all year. hopefully he can keep doing better at motivating now.

i don't think the U defense is weak, it is quite good. with faster linebackers, we should do better against the run and on the backs coming out on swings, etc., which was a weakness a few years ago. but last year was already pretty stout by the end of the year. key will be an edge rush (at least one side) and replacing tate. i look for paul kruger to be huge this year if he is all the way back from the attack.

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Anonymous | 8:44 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
Sounds like the coaching staff was pleased with the opening day. I'm cautiously optimistic -- very encouraged with BJ's progress and as mentioned, hopefully the line and receiver depth develops. What is with splitting the squad and sending half to the weight room?? Isn't that what the summer offseason is all about? Isn't that why the strength and conditioning coach is allowed to work with them all summer -- so you don't have to use valuable practice time on weight training? I'm still puzzled at some of the decisions made by our coaching staff....
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Re: Anonymous | 9:05 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
How cute, a BYU fan is pretending to be a Ute fan.

Kyle is dragging the program down?

At Utah, when numbers continually get bigger, that means there is improvement. 7 wins, 8 wins, 9 wins, 3 bowl wins. If that means that Kyle is 'dragging the program down' then I hope he keeps dragging it down. If he does, the Utes will be in a BCS bowl in no time.
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usually downplay | 9:08 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
As I remember the utah players have historically been low key and downplayed how well the practices went in the past, so the fact that they are all saying that everything looked so good on day one probably means they looked tremendous. The main difference between utah this year and in past years will be experience and leadership, both from the players and a now experienced Coach whit.
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Yes | 9:15 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
Sounds like the Utes are right where they want to be. Going to Michigan, win or lose will help them compete in the conference. They won't see anything like the Big House here in the Mountai West.
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michigan game | 9:14 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
I'm cautously optomistic about the michigan game. As long as we dont get the "deer in the headlights" at the bighouse we should probably do just fine. But if not, we shouldnt let it damper a potentially great season like poor opening weeks have done in the past 2 seasons. The michigan game is not make or break and could be a tremendous way to get the utes prepared for the rest of the season. Utah will not play a defense nearly as talented as the wolverines for the rest of the year.
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"Quest for Perfection" | 9:41 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008


There are huge differences between Utah and BYU. Utah is excited about their potential where BYU thinks they are "on a quest for perfection".
Utah is working hard, and promising to get better, BYU is already claiming a conference championship and looking to the BSC (which BYU built and Utah Busted).

I would much rather be in Utah's shoes right now. They are willing to work hard and admit that they have room to improve, BYU thinks they have arrived. Doesn't Bronco and the Boys listen to any of the firesides that they put on? Arrogance and pride (like that of Austin Collie) always come before the fall.
Tread lightly BYU, Utah, TCU and Air Force could come by and light you up.

GO Utes!!!!
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Not soon enough | 10:03 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
August is going to be a long month. Go Utes!!
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UTE in Utah County | 10:06 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
I'm encouraged to hear that the offense had a great opening day. In previous years, what we have been hearing on opening day and all during fall camp is that the defense is way ahead of the offense and that that is normal. I think that is still pretty common, but to hear that the offense is already rolling along well, it's a good sign. And they should roll along well - they've got tons of weapons that can get the job done. With BJ healthy, and depth at RB, receiver, and OL, the offense should be top 25 in the country. On defense, the LBs sound like they are going to be solid and quick, and the corners and safeties are experienced. Hopefully, the defensive line will step up quickly. It should be a great year. GOOOOOOO UTES !!!!!!!
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BYU is NOT arrogant | 10:05 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
No team under Bronco will EVER be arrogant. Not going to happpen. BYU understands who they are more than Utah does however. Utah is lacking confidence and a win against Michigan would do wonders. I think they do get a BIG win against Michigan because Michigan stunk last year and probably will this year too according to pre season predictions. BYU has a tougher opening pre-conference schedule @Washington and then UCLA at home. I could see the Washington and UCLA games going either way.
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Re: Quest ... | 10:15 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
And where did your clueless insight into what BYU's players and coaches are thinking come from?

ALL of BYU's quotes from preseason practice directly contradict your claim that BYU's players already think they've won a conference championship and that their work is finished.

Clueless Utah fans fail to grasp the true meaning and motivation behind the "Quest for Perfection," which is to IMPROVE on what BYU has accomplished the last two years. To set the bar even higher.

Once you've cleared 7'0", the logical next step is to raise the bar to 7'1". You still have to work just as hard to clear 7'0", but now you have work even harder to clear an even higher standard.

Every other truly movitated team in the country, including Utah, has the same goal, to improve upon what they accomplished last season.

For Utah, that's winning the MWC championship, finishing in the Top 25, and winning their bowl game.

For BYU, that's winning the MWC championship, finishing in the Top 10, getting a BCS invitation, winning their bowl game, and possibly playing for a National Championship.
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Re: BYU is NOT arrogant | 10:50 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008
We will just have to agree to disagree about the Arrogant factor.
I do not see your point when you said that "BYU has a tougher opening pre-conference schedule @Washington and then UCLA at home".
I think that Michigan is twice the team that Washington is. This Michigan team last year ended the season very strong and capped it off by handing Florida a very disturbing loss.
BYU will have a tougher time getting past the Mountain West then they will UCLA (who is not good at all) Washington has not seriously competed for 5 years. The Mountain West is a solid conference with real teams this year. Every school has BYU in their sights and they are going to execute.
I think that Utah, TCU and BYU will be bowl eligible, I am just not ready to call the conference champs yet (due to the fact NO ONE HAS PLAYED, THIS IS ALL MEDIA HYPE)

I think that BYU will lose some easy games and it will bring them back to earth, where they should have been all summer.
Bronco is not the arrogant one down there, It is the players.
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