BYU vs. Utah: Similarities Abound in This Rivalry Game

Ever find yourself reading a book…scratch that. Sorry, Ute fans.

Ever find yourself watching a movie where you keep expecting that the next scene will clarify all the mystery leading toward the build-up, but every subsequent scene just keeps adding more twists and turns without resolution?

It’s amazing that we’re two weeks into the college football season and we still know so little about BYU and Utah.

All we have are twists and turns.

Here’s a preview of what scenes might unfold in Saturday’s game.

Disclaimer!

Thanks to my friend at TentTrash for this epic pic.

It’s rivalry week. I love to poke at Utah fans and will do so in this article.

Those who know me know that I have tons of friends that are Utes who actually went to school there and have a connection to the university…and I love them like brothers.

What I don’t love are all the 2005 Ute fans who don’t have any connection to the university other than they dislike BYU and Utah was winning. My “Real Ute” friends don’t like them either. But they are the loudest portion of the fan-base, even if they're only 40% of the total.

You know the phonies I’m talking about:

They’re the red-clad mullets buying Natural Lights at 11:00 am Tuesday at the Maverik.

They’re the guys who have bumper stickers about preferring to eat their own young than cheer for BYU.  

They’re the Joe Punchclocks who put in their painful Monday hours down at the construction site and come home to bitch about how they hate Mormons before cheering on Eric Weddle and the Chargers on MNF.

They're the fans who have never actually seen the U of U campus.

So I take jabs at Ute-dom in general, but the real Utah fans know I’m not talking about them. They’re sullied by association only.

Ask them behind closed doors and they’ll tell you they’d rather the anti-BYU wannabe Ute fans (like he-who-is-pictured) find another team.

Did These Teams Really Show Well?

Defenders on both sides argue BYU and Utah both played well and came up just short against very good competition.

I’m not going to argue against that. But do we really know anything about Texas and USC?

USC barely beat a Minnesota team which LOST to New Mexico State, one of the worst programs in the country. So does coming up just short against the Trojans really tell us anything about the Utes?

And while BYU beat Ole Miss, they’re a middling SEC team at best, and after losing to BYU, gave up over 400 yards to Southern Illinois.

And like Utah, BYU barely lost to one of the nation’s elite programs in Texas, but just how good are the Longhorns this season? They needed some late-game trickery to beat Rice.

So you can’t use these teams’ opponents as any accurate measuring stick.

Offensive Offenses

Both Utah and BYU returned quarterbacks who were expected to lead potent offenses. But that hasn’t happened for either team.

Both are in the bottom half of college football in offense. Utah at least had the benefit of playing a far inferior opponent to pad the stat sheet with.

But the point is, neither team has shown any ability to move the ball consistently. Both offenses have sputtered at times and really shined in glimpses.

Saturday could be a breakout week for one of them. But don’t count on it.

Defensible Defenses

In a completely unexpected turn, BYU and Utah both find themselves in the upper half of college football in defense.

The Utes have given up about 16.5 points per game, while the Cougars have yielded just 15. And both schools aren’t giving yards away easily.

But how much of that success can be attributed to the points made two slides previous? Maybe the teams they’ve played just aren’t that good.

Not-so-Special Special Teams

Both of these schools have seen pain from a lack of execution on special teams. BYU gives up yards by the dozen in the kick return game.

And Utah’s kicker couldn’t get above elbow-height against USC.

In a game that’s been historically very, very close, special teams gaffes could be a dagger.

Jordan Wynn’s Arm

It’s rare we see this much talk about single player’s single body part.

But fans and foes all see something amiss in Jordan Wynn’s throwing motion. Even USC coach Lane Kiffin commented that he looks injured.

As always, the truth is hard to find and buried in speculation. But one thing we can count on: It will be a topic on Saturday. With a good game for Wynn, it will be the last time it’s mentioned. If he struggles, you can expect more arm pun headlines in the local rags.

Coaching Concerns

Question of the game: Who pulls his pants up higher: Kyle Whittingham or Norm Chow? And does Gary Patterson have them both beat?

BYU and Utah are breaking in new offensive coordinators. Many are saying Utah has a leg up with an old-hand like Norm Chow in the booth.

But have you looked at Norm’s track record of late? UCLA went 4-8, 7-6 and 4-8 with Chow calling the plays, and that was with all that “Pac-10” talent and depth we hear so much about from Utah and their myopic conference brethren.

And BYU has its own problems in the coaching game. The mismanagement of the clock to end the half at Texas was a major blow to the Cougs chances of winning the game.

And the baffling offensive play calling in the second half left all BYU fans wondering if Robert Anae ever really left.

So both teams’ coordinators have work to do and something to prove Saturday. And the game’s outcome is likely in their hands.