IU takes on No. 19 Utah in the Foster Farms Bowl on Dec. 28, and in an effort to get an inside look on the Utes the Indiana Daily Student spoke to Kim Brenneisen, sports editor of The Daily Utah Chronicle.
1. Utah started the season 7-1, was in the hunt for the Pac-12 South Division title and had a No. 17 ranking in the AP Poll. Then, the Utes lost three of their last four conference contests and missed out at a chance at both the College Football Playoff and Pac-12 Championship. What went wrong in that final third of the season and will the team have the confidence to rebound in the bowl game?
The team ran out of steam, and to be honest, the Utes always seem to choke instances where a shot at playing in the Pac-12 Championship is on the line. This marked the third year in a row where the Utes dropped their second-to-last game of the regular season when they were still fighting for a chance to win the entire conference. They dropped the second-to-last game this year to Oregon at home, on senior day. With Oregon being the joke of the conference this year, that loss took a lot out of the team when it still had to face Colorado the next weekend. What really went wrong was the offensive play calling.
Often times, the Utes will attempt to get the pass game going, and while that isn't necessarily a bad thing, when the run game is working and it is proving to be successful, that's what you have to stick with. Other than that, not many of the receivers lived up to expectations, and while head coach Kyle Whittingham will say that wide receiver Tim Patrick was the "go-to guy," I did not see anyone who fit that mold.
That being said, the past is the past, and Utah knows how to proceed forward heading into a bowl game. Whittingham's teams fare well in bowl games, and with as many let downs as this team has had this season — the past two seasons as well — his team will show up in the bowl game.
2. Junior quarterback Troy Williams can make plays for the Utes with his arm and his legs, and so far this season IU has struggled against dual-threat quarterbacks. Will Utah adjust their offensive game plan to attempt to take advantage of this, or will Williams likely just look to capitalize on opportunities as they come?
I expect to see Troy Williams just take things as they come. He mentioned after the season that he had been playing with a sprained MCL that occurred in the first Pac-12 game of the season, and it hampered his ability to run. Granted the month of prep for the bowl game most likely helped Williams get back on track, I do not think the coaching staff will want to push the issue too much. However, like any other dedicated teammate, he is going to say he should have run more during the regular season, so it will be interesting to see how things play out. Where their run game really comes into effect is when Joe Williams has the ball.
Joe Williams came out of retirement to help the team when it lost multiple running backs due to injury, and he has excelled for the offense. He has even become the focal point for the offense. I think Utah can execute a balanced attack if both Joe Williams and Troy Williams are working with each other.
3. Utah has picked off opposing quarterbacks 17 times this season, good for the 10th best mark in the nation. What makes its pass coverage so lethal and how will it look to bait IU junior quarterback Richard Lagow into adding on to the 16 picks he's already thrown in 2016?
Chase Hansen and Marcus Williams are a great tag team for the Utes. Hansen came to Utah as a quarterback, but after several people went down to injury last year at the defensive back position, Hansen filled in, and it has been his role ever since. That experience at quarterback gives him insight into what the opposing quarterback is thinking, and he gets a pretty good read on the ball. And as Whittingham would point out, Williams and Hansen complement each other. Williams is more quick and agile, and Hansen has more size. So no matter who these two are assigned to, opposing quarterbacks have to think twice about throwing a ball in their direction.
4. Utah senior defensive end Hunter Dimick boasts 14.5 sacks in 2016, and the Utes as a whole have tallied 40. IU's pass protection, headlined by an offensive line that's dealt with numerous injuries this season, has allowed 26. What allows Utah to have so much success in this area and will it continue to find that success against the Hoosiers?
Give or take, a lot of those sacks came against schools like San Jose State and Arizona State, neither very prolific opponents, but nonetheless a great showing for this defensive line. Dimick is the all-time leader in sacks at Utah, and that number comes after he sat out the majority of the 2015 season due to injury. Utah's defense has always been its strong suit, so much so that it has been given the nickname "Sack Lake City." With Dimick leading the way, this defensive line has the experience and the skill necessary to beat its opponents. And since it is Dimick's last outing as a Ute, I expect him to perform the way he has all season long along with the rest of the team.
5. Who will be the difference maker for Utah on Wednesday?
Joe Williams will be the difference maker. In the regular season finale against Colorado, the Buffaloes found a way to restrict his running capability so, hopefully this month "off" gave him that time to get rejuvenated and ready to showcase his talents once more.
6. Fill in the blank: Utah wins if _______?
Utah will win if they don't beat themselves. Utah beat itself against Oregon, and it beat itself against Colorado. The early loss to Cal was a result of the Utes not being able to cross the goal with seven different opportunities just two yards away. Utah has struggled in the red zone all season long, and it's one of those things where it needs to get the seven points rather than just the three, because field goals aren't going to cut it. Utah doesn't lose in bowl games (usually, anyway).
Jordan Guskey
