Preparation, Strategy, and Execution Wins the Sugar Bowl

Sources:
- I was at the game
- Various "day-after" newspaper articles about the game (Times Picayune, NOLA & Press-Register, Mobile)

The Utes had all three elements down about as perfectly as you could ask for the 2009 75th Anniversary Sugar Bowl. The Tide had not-a-one.

Preparation:

Besides keeping in physical shape, there are three things a team can do to prepare for a recently former No.1 team you have never faced before; Film, film, and more film. And the Utes had studied hard.

What’s the evidence? Ute QB Brian Johnson was able to read every defensive scheme the Tide showed him and circumvent the vast majority of them. And the Ute defense sacked the Tide QB eight times (Wilson had suffered only six sacks the entire season until then).

Nick Saban, Tide Coach: “He was the best quarterback we’ve faced all season.”

That’s quite a compliment coming from a coach that had just faced and lost to a Heisman Trophy winner in Gator Tim Tebow the game before.

Brian Johnson, Utes: “I had a great bead on what they were doing defensively, and you can only do so much when you spread them out. It was all film work.” (emphasis mine)

Strategy:

How was a team from a conference wrongly considered as “lowly” as the Mountain West going to beat the storied, mighty, SEC powerhouse of Alabama Tide? That’s where the preparation really comes to fruition. Film baby!

Sean Smith, Utes: “We came expecting to lose to the former No. 1 team in the nation. But when I saw them on film, all I saw was a running game, and you can’t come back with a running game. So our plan was to get on top early and keep them down.”

Make the SEC team play Mountain West Conference football.

Brian Johnson, Utes: “The more and more tape we watched, the more and more confident we got with our scheme.”

Execution:

The Utes executed their game plan about as perfectly as possible from the very beginning. That great, huge, monstrous, massive Tide O-line that pushed around and “rolled” so many SEC defenses throughout the season; pushing their opponents backwards, opening huge holes for the running game, etc., etc., was relegated by the Ute game plan and defensive unit to a back-on-their-heals, pass-blocking line with their hands full of white jerseys blitzing from everywhere.

The stellar Ute defense showed its prowess, and yes, power, right up front. SEC style football and the smash-mouth, grind-em-down, multiple-minutes-long scoring drive offense that the Tide was so good at was met by a three-and-out first drive, courtesy of the Ute defense.

Nick Saban, Tide Coach: “Give a lot of credit to Utah. We couldn’t run on their defense, they pressured our quarterback all night…”

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