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Utah Utes football: Win-win for Utes at running back spot

Jennifer | 9:49 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

GO UTES!!!

Best Duo in the conference | 10:56 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

These guys are the best Duo in the conference. And the best part is that they already played the best defense we will see all year. The rest of the year will be exciting.

needs work | 11:47 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

If Darrel Mack can fix his poor technique then some day he might become as good as Asista or Unga. Otherwise there's not much hope for him at the next level and he'll be very average in college.

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Kevin | 11:51 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Go Utes, now all the Utes need is another undefeated season and conference championship

RE: needs work | 12:03 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Yeah, great point. After all having more rushing yards last season than unga in less games totally validates unga being the better back. And feel free to clarify what you think lacks in his technique with your vast first hand knowledge of running the ball in college. Because it's good to see that you know more about it than the people in charge of the Daok Walker award. I mean really, who are they to think they know more than a BYU fan about college running backs.

Re: needs work | 12:56 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Hate to be the bearer of bad news. Unga, Asiata and Mack are not going to the NFL.

andrewute1 | 1:59 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I absolutely loved it when Asiata ran over that michigan defender, than right after ran over the referee! That guy is a very tough runner, that guy will easily average 4 yards a carry this year.

SF Ute | 3:07 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

This seems eerily similar when we had the best "Quarterback" situation a few years ago. We all remember what happened that year...

I do think both would start and do a great job on any college team in the country. Sure, we are in a good situation with two solid running backs but let's all hope the competition stays healthy.

Question for Ute Nation: "When the Utes are up 35-0 Saturday who is going to relieve Johnson at Quarterback?"

Re: RE: needs work | 3:23 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Mack actually had less yards than Unga (1204 vs 1227), less yards per carry than Unga (4.8 vs 5.0), less TDs than Unga (12 vs 13), less receiving yards than Unga (144 vs 655), less yards per reception (6.9 vs 14.9), and less receiving TDs than Unga (3 vs 4)... just to be fair. Is there any other part of the game you'd like to compare the two with?

Objectively-speaking, if you were to compare the two, the only REAL difference between them would be Unga's ability as a receiver out of the backfield. Admittedly, BYU uses that more often than the U, but you stil have to admit that 14.9 ypc for a back running flares and circle routes sure is good...

RE: SF Ute | 4:32 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I think a better question for the Ute Nation is:

If/When the Utes are up 35-0, will Whittingham kick an on-sides kick in retaliation for last year's game?

Hey Needs Work | 5:19 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Thanks for the break down... looks like a little technique improvement will really help mack since he had 23 less yards yet played less games due to his planned redshirt. less yards per run .2 - huge difference there, 1 less touchdown - man mack was horrible last year - nothing close to unga.(sarcasm) I will give you the receiving yards but that is more due to the differnce in offensive philosophy - though impressive for unga - not sure how mack would compare if utah threw to the runningback more.

I guess my question is why does an article about the 1-2 punch for utah at runningback even warrant a comment about unga and byu.

Re: Re: RE: needs work | 3:23 | 5:35 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

It's been reported several times the slight edge Unga has had over Mack in both yds per game, and yards per carry (which is the REAL measure of a good back). The 12:03 author/cougar-troll knew this, and knew by opening himself up for multiple refutable points (including misspelling "Doak" - I guess you missed that one, didn't you?), Ute fans would look ignorant.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, the irony of those cougar trolls is that while attempting to make Ute fans look ignorant and foolish, the only ones suckered in are cougar fans. One coug duped one of his OWN, and one coug was duped BY one of his own. Dumb!

Bracket Buster Bob | 6:12 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

The best running back in the MWC will be starting for UNLV.

help me Ute's | 6:22 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Ute's I need a win! 2 yrs from now all we will take about is who won the game. And in resent history it is all BYU. NO one is talking about alex smith or john beck. they both suck in the NFL. If we lose to byu at home again for the third strait year. we suck. P.S. Mack please win us the big game!

Comments Need Work | 9:28 a.m. Sept. 5, 2008

Enough about BYU vs Utah (I know, I ask the impossible). As a Brigham Young AND Utah fan (one of the few), I think that this Mack vs Unga thing is ridiculous. They both played very well last year and will hopefully continue on playing well this year. Enough said about that!

I tell you what I AM excited about is to finally see Asiata play. I was impressed with his game against Michigan. I guess Mack made improvements, too, since his major weakness last year was pass protection. But, I loved watching Asiata run the ball in the Big House. Honestly, I probably would have put him behind center even more in the second half of that game. Maybe they would have been able to sustain a drive... Anyway, he's gonna be a tough back to stop.

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