Ute Football Team Plays At Brigham Young
11/15/1999 12:00 AM | Football
Nov. 15, 1999
SALT LAKE CITY -
QUICKLY
Utah (7-3, 4-2 MWC) closes the regular season this Saturday in Provo, Utah, against arch-rival Brigham Young (8-2, 5-1 MWC) ... Game time is 1 p.m. ... Utah is still in the race for the MWC title courtesy of its 52-7 win over New Mexico, combined with BYU's 31-17 loss at Wyoming on Nov. 13. The Utes would finish in a tie for first place with a win this week (see bowl outlook below) ... Utah has won four of the last six games against BYU ... The Utes have not lost in Cougar Stadium since 1991?Ron McBride's second year as head Ute coach ... McBride, 69-46, is shooting for his 70th career victory as Utah's head coach ... The game will be televised live by ESPN+Plus, shown locally on KJZZ .... Utah is 2-0 all-time in games broadcast on ESPN+Plus ... Utah is 3-0 in day games and 3-2 on the road this year ... In addition to the ESPN+Plus telecast, the Utah-BYU game can be heard on K-news radio (KNRS 570 AM) and KALL 910 and on the internet (www.UtahUtes.com).
LAST WEEK
Senior Mike Anderson rushed for a career-high 204 yards and Steve Smith returned two punts for long touchdowns as Utah blasted New Mexico 52-7 in the final home game of the year. T.D. Croshaw, making the second start of his career at quarterback, passed for 182 yards and four touchdowns. Utah's defense gave up a touchdown on UNM's first drive before putting the hammer down and holding the Lobos scoreless the rest of the way. John Frank got his 26th career sack, tying him for first in school history. But it was Anderson and Smith who stole the show in a game that positioned Utah for a shot at a share of the conference title. Anderson averaged 6.4 yards per carry and went over 2,000 yards in his career. He also caught an 18-yard pass for a touchdown. Smith returned four punts 163 yards (40.8 yards per return) and tied the NCAA record with two punt returns for touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 70 yards.
BOWL OUTLOOK
If a team wins the Mountain West Conference championship outright, it is guaranteed a berth in the Liberty Bowl, with the Las Vegas Bowl getting second choice (not necessarily second place). In the case of a two-three or four-way tie for the MWC championship, the Liberty Bowl can take its choice of the champions. While the Liberty Bowl may use criteria such as head-to-head competition and Bowl Championship Series rankings, it is not required to take the team that wins out in those areas.
SMITH IS MWC PLAYER OF WEEK
Utah junior receiver/returner Steve Smith was named the Mountain West Conference Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this year, after tying an NCAA record with two punt returns for touchdowns against New Mexico. Smith, who broke a 15-year-old Utah record for most punt return yards in a season (441) in the process, returned four punts for 163 yards and 2 TDs against the Lobos, an average of 40.8 yards per return. His touchdown runs were 70 and 52 yards, respectively. Smith's three punt returns for a touchdown this season also broke the school record. He leads the NCAA in punt return average (20.0). Smith also had four receptions for 70 yards against UNM.
THREE UTES NAMED TO ACADEMIC TEAM
Junior defensive back Kimball Christianson and junior running back Nick Morgan have been named to the GTE Academic All-District VIII first team, while junior linebacker Howard Christianson was named to the second team. Kimball Christianson, a German major, carries a 3.79 GPA. Morgan is a business major with a 3.66 GPA. Howard Christianson, who is also majoring in German, has a 3.86 GPA. Both Kimball and Howard are starters. Kimball has 55 tackles and leads Utah in tackles per game (6.88), while Howard is Utah's tackle leader with 65. Morgan played in five games before a knee injury, rushing 12 times for 88 yards. As first-team all-district picks, Kimball Christianson and Morgan are now eligible for the GTE Academic All-America team.
HEAD COACH RON MCBRIDE
Head Coach Ron McBride is 69-46 in nine years at the helm of the Ute program. McBride, the school's second winningest coach, is one of just two coaches in school history to win 60 games. He has coached Utah to seven straight winning seasons, including this year, and has suffered just one losing season (1990, his first year). McBride's teams have averaged seven wins per year. With four bowl appearances, McBride is the only head coach to take Utah to more than one bowl game. He is 1-3 in bowl games. McBride led Utah to the 1995 WAC Championship (tie)?Utah's first conference title in 31 years. Before accepting Utah's head coaching position in 1990, McBride served two previous stints on the Hill. He was Utah's offensive line coach from 1985-86 and its offensive coordinator from 1977-82. McBride is 4-5 against BYU and head coach LaVell Edwards.
SERIES SHORTS
The Utah-BYU series is in its 81st game, making it the second-longest series in Ute football history (Utah and Utah State have played 99 times) ... Utah leads the all-time series 47-29-4 ... Utah has won 4 of the last 6, while BYU has won 6 of the last 10 games ... The visiting team has prevailed in the last four years. Not since Utah defeated BYU in Salt Lake City back in 1994 has the home team won ... Utah has won three straight in Provo (1993, 1995, 1997) ... The series is deadlocked in Provo, with each team winning 14 games and one tie.
GRIDBITS
Saturday marks the final regular season game for 18 Ute seniors: Mike Anderson, Omar Bacon, Boo Bendinger, Stewart Carvalho, Josh Cochran, Teneil Ethridge, John Frank, Jay Hill, Chris Hunter, Colby Knight, Taulia Lave, Fisi Moleni, Luis Park, Chuck Pine (injured), Richard Seals, Rod Talaeai, Cletus Truhe and Donny Utu ... Kimball and Howard Christianson, juniors who start at strong safety and linebacker, respectively, are going home this week. They were raised in Provo and both parents attended BYU. Two brothers played football for BYU ... Utah defensive backs Jay Hill and Andre Dyson have combined to score five touchdowns this year. Hill has scored twice on interceptions and once on a blocked field goal kick, while Dyson has one pick and one blocked field goal return for a TD ... Utah Coach Ron McBride has put together seven straight winning seasons and he has been .500 or better in nine of his 10 seasons (all but his first year). A Ute team has not had seven straight winning seasons since Ike Armstrong's teams had 15 straight winning seasons from 1928-1942. McBride is right on his average for wins in a season (7) this year ... Utah's all-time record is 518-383-31.
HOME ATTENDANCE MARK FALLS
In their second year in their new home, Rice-Eccles Stadium, the 1999 Utes broke their previous single-season attendance record of 39,060 set last year. The 1999 Utes averaged a paid attendance of 39,249. The best crowd of the year (45,224) attended Utah's Sept. 18 victory over Utah State. It is the second biggest crowd ever to watch a home Ute game, behind last year's sell-out gathering of 45,634 last year against BYU.
ARCENEAUX OUT
Junior starting quarterback Darnell Arceneaux will miss this week's game due to lingering effects of the concussion he suffered in the Wyoming game back on Nov. 6. Arceneaux, 11-2 as a starter in three injury-plagued years, also missed the 1998 game with BYU (due to shoulder surgery). As a redshirt freshman in 1997, he started and led Utah to a 20-14 win over BYU in Provo. In that game, he completed 13 of 21 passes for a then career-best 208 yards and rushed for 74 yards and two touchdowns. Arceneaux has missed time this year with an assortment of ailments, including a sore lower back, a lacerated hand, a mid foot sprain, the flu, strep throat and a concussion. Arceneaux was the MWC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 23 after completing 15 of 21 passes for a career-best 266 yards and two touchdowns against San Diego State. He was not intercepted or sacked. He did not play in Utah's win over New Mexico last Saturday.
A BROKEN RECORD
Mike Anderson, John Frank and Steve Smith have all broken or are approaching school records in several categories. Key among them: Anderson is averaging 103.5 rushing ypg for his career with one game left?well ahead of the school record of 96.62 set back in 1981-82, Frank now owns the school sack record (tied at 26) and needs one tackle for loss to share that mark as well, Smith has broken the U. record for most punt return yardage in a single season (441 yards). More on the record watch can be found in the trio's individual writeups below.
MIKE CHECK
* Running back Mike Anderson (6-0, 232, Sr.) was the preseason Mountain West Conference offensive player of the year and is a Doak Walker candidate.* Anderson is averaging 99.7 ypg rushing, best on the team and second in the MWC.
* He had a career-best 204 yards rushing against New Mexico last week.
* Anderson now has 2,070 career rushing yards, which ranks him seventh all-time at Utah.
* He is one of just eight Utes ever to rush for 2,000 yards and one of only two players to do it in two seasons.
* His career average (in 20 games) is 103.5 yards per game. The school record is 96.62, held by Carl Monroe (1981-82).
* With 897 net yards, Anderson needs 103 yards against BYU on Saturday to reach 1,000 yards for a second straight year.
* Despite missing a game (Louisiana-Monroe), Anderson leads Utah in rushes (167), yards (897), rushing touchdowns (10) and yards per carry (5.4).
* Anderson, who has one receiving TD, is tied for the team scoring lead with Steve Smith, each with 11 touchdowns and 66 points.
* Anderson is second to Smith in all-purpose yards (104.1 ypg).
* Anderson's 10 rushing touchdowns this year is tied for fourth in Utah's single season records. Last year, he rushed for 12 TDs, which is tied for second all-time at the U.
* His four rushing touchdowns against UNLV on Sept. 25 tied the school record.
* Anderson was named the USA Today Player of the Week in the Mountain West Conference (Sept. 25).
* Anderson has 11 career 100-yard games (four this year)?tied for third in school history. One more will tie him for second with Del Rodgers (12, 1978-81).
* He has 22 career rushing TDs?tied for fourth with Juan Johnson, 1994-97, and Fuamatu-Ma'afala, 1995-97. He needs one more to tie for third (23 by Mark Stevens, 1983-84).
* Anderson was first-team all-WAC last year and its leading rusher (20th in the nation), averaging 106.6 ypg. He rushed for 1,173 yards, which ranks second in Ute history, and he is one of just four Utes ever to average 100 yards per game rushing. In his first year of NCAA ball, Anderson carried the ball 244 times and had seven 100-yard games.
FRANK TALK
* Senior defensive end John Frank (6-5, 277) was a preseason all-Mountain West Conference pick.* Frank leads the MWC in sacks with 12 (80 yards).
* He also leads the MWC in tackles for loss with 19 (103 yards).
* Frank is third on the team in total tackles (56) and first in quarterback hurries (14).
* Frank now has 26 career sacks, tying him for the school record with Filipo Mokofisi (1982-85).
* Frank's 168 career yards in sacks is second all-time at Utah behind Jimmy Bellamy (172 yards from 1990-91).
* He has 28 career tackles for loss, also second all-time at Utah. The school record is 29, held by Luther Elliss (1991-94).
* Frank is the school record holder in tackles for loss yardage for both single season (103 yards) and career (124 yards).
* Against Wyoming, Frank had five tackles, four tackles for loss (17 yards), two sacks (8 yards), an interception and three hurries. He also caused a fumble.
* Another big game of his came against Boise State on Oct. 2, when he had 12 tackles (9 unassisted), four sacks for 29 yards and five tackles for loss (30 yards).
* Frank, first-team all-WAC last year, finished second in the league in sacks with 10 in 1998.
T.D. TOSSES
* Junior quarterback T.D. Croshaw has played in all but the season-opening game, starting three (Air Force, Colorado State and New Mexico). All three times he got the nod over an injured or sick Arceneaux.* Croshaw is 2-1 as a starter (wins were against Air Force and UNM).
* Croshaw had a career game against Colorado State, completing 18 of 29 passes for 241 yards and 1 TD. He had 211 yards on 16 of 24 passing and 2 TDs vs. Wyoming.
* He has completed 68 of 113 passes (60%) for 948 yards (105.3 ypg) and 12 touchdowns (5 interceptions).
* Croshaw leads the Utes with 12 touchdown passes.
* His pass efficiency rating is a team and league-best 156.84. He does not qualify for the national rankings, which require 15 attempts per game.
* He had four touchdown passes vs. both Louisiana-Monroe and New Mexico.
SMITH NOTES
* Juco transfer Steve Smith, Utah's best receiver and return man, is up for conference honors in both categories in his first year of NCAA ball.* Smith leads the nation in punt returns, averaging 20.0 yards per return (22 for 441 yards).
* It is the third week he has been No. 1 in the NCAA in punt return average. He also led the nation for the weeks of Oct. 16-23.
* His 441 yards in punt returns is the school record, breaking Erroll Tucker's 14-year old mark (389 yards in 1985).
* Smith's two punt returns for a touchdown (70 and 52 yards) vs. New Mexico tied the NCAA record.
* He now has three punt returns for a touchdown, which is the Ute single season record and is tied for second in the career books.
* He is tied for Utah's scoring lead with Mike Anderson. Each has 11 touchdowns and 66 points. Smith has eight receiving and three punt return touchdowns.
* He leads Utah in every receiving category: catches (40), yards (806), average per catch (20.1), touchdowns (8) and yards per game (80.6).
* Smith is second in the MWC in receiving yards per game (80.6), despite ranking just sixth in receptions per game (4.0). His 20.1 yards per catch is best in the league.
* He has two 100-yard receiving games, including a career-best 131 yards against SDSU. He had 110 yards against UNLV.
* Smith's eight touchdown receptions is tied for fifth at Utah in a single season. His next TD grab will tie him for fourth with Jack Steptoe (9 in 1976).
* Smith leads the conference and ranks 21st nationally in all-purpose yards per game (143.6 ypg).
* He is second on the team in kickoff returns with six for 169 yards. His 28.2 yards per return average is best on the team.
* Smith was named the MWC special teams player of the week after returning four punts for 163 yards and two touchdowns against New Mexico on Nov. 13. He averaged 40.8 yards per return.
* Smith was also named the MWC Special Teams Player of the Week after Utah's game with Air Force on Oct. 16. He returned two punts for 110 yards?one for a 61-yard touchdown. He also caught two touchdown passes in that game to account for all three of Utah's scores.
* He was named the USA Today Mountain West Conference Player of the Week and won the Compaq award for best punt return in the nation the week of Oct. 16.
* Smith won the Compaq award for Most Unusual play of the week for his 54-yard touchdown "reception," resulting from a teammate's fumble, on Oct. 23.
CORNERSTONES
* Utah has the two best corners in the Mountain West in senior Jay Hill and junior Andre Dyson. Hill leads the league in interceptions with six, while Dyson is tied for second with four.* Dyson is second in the MWC in passes defended with 18 and Hill is third with 16. Backup corner Teneil Ethridge has moved into fourth in the MWC with 12 passes defended.
* Hill has returned two interceptions for touchdowns, which is tied for second in school history?both single-season and career.
* Dyson has returned one interception for a touchdown.
* Hill and Dyson have each returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown.
* Dyson leads Utah with 15 pass breakups, which ranks second at Utah in a single season behind Kareem Leary (17, 1994).
* Ethridge has 11 pass breakups (tied for fifth most in a season by a Ute) and Hill has 10.
OFFENSIVE INFO
* Boo Bendinger is second on the team in receptions with 31. He has 378 yards in receptions, second on the team, as is his five receiving TDs.* Cliff Russell, who had a career-best 155 receiving yards against Wyoming, is second to Smith in that category with 506. He is also second in yards per catch (16.9) and ranks third on the club in receptions (30). He missed one game with a knee injury.
* Senior running back Omar Bacon is Utah's second-leading rusher with 123 carries for 402 yards and 3 TDs. He is averaging 3.3 yards per rush. Bacon's best games were against UNLV (92 yards) and Louisiana-Monroe (72 yards). He started against ULM.
DEFENSIVE DATA
* Junior linebacker Howard Christianson is Utah's tackle leader with 65. He also has 6 tackles for loss.* Junior strong safety Kimball Christianson leads Utah in tackles per game (6.88). He has 55 total tackles in eight games. He has missed two games with a knee injury and is listed as probable to play this week.
* Free safety Jason Potter is second in total tackles (60).
* Senior tackle Richard Seals has nine tackles for loss (second on the team) and five sacks (third). He also has nine QB hurries, second to John Frank. Seals is questionable to play this week due to an injured Achilles.
SPECIAL TEAMS
* Utah's return teams have been exceptional, mostly thanks to Steve Smith, who is averaging 20.0 yards per punt return, which leads the nation. He is also averaging 28.2 yards per kickoff return.* Utah is second in the nation in punt return average (17.6 yards per return).
* PAT field goal kicker Cletus Truhe is 26-26 in extra points, best in the MWC, and has made 4-6 field goals (long of 46 vs. Wyoming).
* Golden Whetman, who began the season as Utah's field goal/PAT kicker, but who now handles only kickoffs, is 17-18 in PATs and 4-7 in field goals (long of 48).
* Whetman has had touchbacks 45 times in 65 kickoffs.
* Senior punter Chris Hunter has 50 punts for 2,072 yards, an average of 41.4 yards per punt, with a long of 63 (vs. ULM). Fifteen of his punts were downed inside the 20-yard line and 11 have resulted in fair catches.
* Utah did not have to punt against UNM.
* Freshman Sheldon Deckart has blocked two punts this year (vs. UNLV and ULM).
* Utah has blocked two field goal attempts and scored both times. Against CSU, Colby Knight blocked the kick and Andre Dyson picked up the bounce and scored. Against Wyoming, Richard Seals blocked the kick and Jay Hill scored the touchdown.
* Knight is Utah's tackle leader for special teams with eight.
INJURY REPORT
Player, Pos., Injury/Status/GM Brooks Bahr, LB, knee (dislocation)/out/8 Brandon Dart, DB, knee (torn ACL)/out/8 Courtney Richins, PR, knee (torn ACL)/out/7 Chris Christensen, WR, leg (broken fibula) out/7 Chuck Pine, DE, leg (broken tibia)/out/3 Andy Kassotis, TE, knee (scope Nov. 12)/out/8 Darnell Arceneaux, QB, concussion/out/1 Tony Dickamore, TE, foot (mid foot sprain)/doubtful/2 Nick Morgan, RB, knee/questionable/5 Richard Seals, DT, Achilles/questionable
RED ZONE REPORT
Utah Offense Times at or inside 20: 29 Touchdowns: 23 Field Goals: 4 Scoring percentage: 93% TD percentage: 79% Utah Defense Times opponent at or inside 20: 27 Touchdowns: 9 Field Goals: 8 Scoring Percentage: 63% TD percentage: 33%
LAST YEAR VS. BYU
Before a sell-out crowd of 45, 634, Utah lost to BYU by mere inches, 26-24, when a 32-yard field goal attempt by Ryan Kaneshiro bounced off the upright. Daniel Jones brought Utah within two with a dazzling 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with 2:41 remaining. The defense held, giving the Utes one last chance to win it. They advanced all the way to BYU's 15-yard line, setting up a potential game-winning field goal with 0:05 left. But Kaneshiro's kick hooked to the right at the last second, giving BYU the win.
MCBRIDE SAYS
"We're in a great position right now. Every year we want to play BYU for something that's meaningful. It's become a big game for both schools. For many years, BYU dominated so it was a big game for Utah but not BYU. Now that we've had success in the last six years, it's a big game for both schools. Playing BYU is why I came back here (to Utah). I love playing them ... We played well against New Mexico, so the kids feel good about themselves. The whole atmosphere around here is different. Strange things happen in college football?look at all the good teams that have gotten knocked off in the last two weeks."
UTES AND ESPN
The upcoming game at BYU brings Utah's total number of national or regional television appearances this year to six. It is the most network appearances ever by Utah in a season. Utah has played once on ESPN and twice on ESPN2, while Saturday's game will bring Utah's number of ESPN+Plus appearances to three. That game will be televised locally on KJZZ.
