Ute Football Team Will Open Season Against Utah State

Aug. 24, 2001

SALT LAKE CITY -

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The 2001 Utah football team will kick off its season on September 1 at 6:00 p.m. vs. Utah State in Rice-Eccles Stadium ... It is also USU's season opener ... Utah State is Utah's oldest rival. The series, which Utah leads 68-28-4, turned 100 last year (see Series Shorts) ... A crowd of around 40,000 is expected ... The Utah-USU game will be televised live by KJZZ. It will also be broadcast on KALL 910 (AM) radio and on the Internet (www.kall910.com).

BREAKING NEWS

Sophomore quarterback Lance Rice (6-2, 200) will start against the Aggies. He was declared winner of a heated battle with sophomore transfer Ryan Breska (6-4, 209) on the last day of the preseason camp (August 24). Rice played in the last four games of the 2000 season, starting three. He was 2-1 as the starter. ... Offensive guard Ed Ta'amu, originally handed a three-game suspension by Head Coach Ron McBride for his role in a July 4 altercation, will instead miss two games. He will also undergo anger management counseling and perform community service. Ta'amu was charged with a misdemeanor after hitting a man who threw illegal fireworks at him. The fireworks struck Ta'amu in the chest ... Center Steve McKane lost his appeal with the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility, ending his Ute career.

PRACTICE DETAILS

All Ute practices and scrimmages are closed to the general public, but open to the media. Practices are scheduled to run from 3:40-5:40 p.m., Monday-Thursday, but times change. Call the sports information office at 581-3511 to check on times.

INTERVIEW POLICIES

Player and coach interviews are conducted at the conclusion of practice. Liz Abel, the assistant athletics director for sports information, will staff practice. To arrange for interviews, please call Liz at 801-581-3511.

HEAD COACH RON MCBRIDE

Ron McBride has a 75-53 record in his 11 years as head Ute coach. He has the second most wins of any coach in Utah football history. McBride has won a share of two conference titles (1995 and 1999) and his teams have finished at .500 or better nine times, with eight winning seaons. He has taken the Utes to five bowl games and has a 2-3 bowl record. Utah's most recent bowl appearance was in 1999, when the Utes beat Fresno State 17-16 in the Las Vegas Bowl. McBride is 9-2 against Utah State.

SERIES SHORTS

The oldest rivalry in Utah football history turned 100 last year with 35-14 Ute win in Logan ... Utes lead the overall series 68-28-4 (47-17-4 in Salt Lake City) ... Utah has won 8 of the last 10 games ... Series' first game was in 1892 (won by USU, 12-0) ... Series has been continuous since 1900, with four exceptions: 1908 (not scheduled), 1911 (could not agree on the division of gate receipts), 1918 (World War I), 1943 (World War II).

GRIDBITS

The season-opener is Utah's only home game for awhile. Utah goes on the road for three weeks after its September 1 game vs. the Aggies ... All-time Ute record is 522-391-31 ... Utes are 240-128-10 in home games and 9-8 in Rice-Eccles Stadium (1998-on).

OFFENSIVE NOTES

> Senior wide receiver Cliff Russell, the fastest player ever at Utah (runs a 4.27 40), used his speed and 41 inch vertical jump to catch 37 balls last year, despite missing four games with a broken arm. He had 517 receiving yards and averaged 14.0 yards per catch as a junior.

> Second-team all-league running back Adam Tate will play halfback and fullback as a senior this fall. Tate (6-1, 230) averaged 73.3 yards per game rushing last year, third in the MWC. He had four 100-yard games, 7 TDs and averaged 4.1 yards per carry.

> As a redshirt freshman last year, Lance Rice (6-2, 200) played in four games and was 2-1 as the starter. Rice completed 49 percent of his passes (42-86), had 4 TDs and 3 interceptions.

DEFENSIVE NOTES

> Junior defensive lineman Garrett Smith (6-3, 285), a preseason all-conference pick, will play both tackle and 5-technique end. Smith led Utah with 10 sacks last year, tied for third in the MWC. He had 72 total tackles and 15 tackles for loss as a sophomore.

> Sophomore linebacker Jason Kaufusi (6-2, 249) was the 2000 MWC co-Freshman of the Year, despite missing two games with injury. Kaufusi led Utah with 16 tackles for loss and was second in sacks (8). He had 63 total tackles (7.0 tackles per game).

> Senior nose guard Ma'ake Kemoeatu (6-5, 315), an initial academic non-qualifier, was awarded a fourth-year of eligibility by the NCAA. Arguably the best nose guard in the league, Kemoeatu had 52 total tackles as a junior, including 9 tackles for loss and 4 sacks.

> Sophomore strong safety Arnold Parker (6-2, 214) could be the best safety in the league. Parker, who split his time between safety and cornerback last year, had 55 tackles, 8 tackles for loss and 4 sacks.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

> Oklahoma transfer Brian Lewis will handle the punting and kickoffs and is listed as a co-starter for field goals and PATs. Lewis sat out last year after transferring from OU, where he was a part-time starting punter from 1995-96. He came to Utah after serving an LDS church mission.

> Senior Ryan Kaneshiro is a strong possibility for short field goal situations. He started as a freshman and a junior and is listed as the co-starter right now with Lewis. Kaneshiro is 14 of 21 in career field goals and 62 of 64 in PATs.

OH BROTHER

Utah's starting brother team of Doug and Jason Kaufusi are already in the picture for postseason recognition. Doug, a senior offensive lineman and Utah's only returning first-team all-conference player, is a candidate for the Lombardi Award. He made the preliminary cut of 52 candidates back in May and is now one of 81 players named to the watch list. The Lombardi Award recognizes the top lineman or linebacker in the country. Jason, a sophomore linebacker/defensive lineman and the 2000 MWC co-Freshman of the Year, is one of 69 candidates named to the Butkus Award watch list. The Butkus Award is presented to the nation's top linebacker.

COACHING LOCATIONS

Utah's offensive coaching staff will man these positions: On the field will be running backs/receivers coach Vincent White and tight ends/offensive tackles coach Alex Gerke. In the box will be offensive coordinator Craig Ver Steeg, offensive guards/centers coach Don Eck and graduate assistants Jay Hill and Kevin Clune. The defensive coaches can be found here: On the field will be defensive coordinator Kyle Whittingham, defensive tackles/special teams coach Gary Andersen and cornerbacks coach Jugi Hogue. In the box will be defensive ends coach Steve Kaufusi and safeties coach Bill Busch.

INJURY REPORT

Player, Pos.   Injury/Status/Games MissedCliff Russell, WR   Knee sprain/questionableThomas Fortune, FB  Hamstring/questionable

RED ZONE REPORT (FINAL 2000)

Utah OffenseTimes at or inside 20: 34Touchdowns: 17Field Goals: 6Scoring percentage: 68%TD percentage: 50%Utah DefenseTimes opponent at or inside 20: 26Touchdowns: 11Field Goals: 9Scoring percentage: 77%TD percentage: 42%

USU PREVIEW

0-0 ... Aggies will play as an independent this year after placing second in final year of Big West football competition in 2000 ... 5-6 overall in 2000 ... return 16 starters and 33 lettermen ... senior tailback Emmett White (5-11,196) is team's top returning rusher (1,322 yards) and receiver (592 yards) ... Head Coach Mick Dennehy is 5-6 in one year at Utah State and 54-31 in eight years as a head coach.

THIS GAME LAST YEAR

Utah picked up its first win of the season after four losses, beating USU 35-14 on September 30. The Utes never trailed, although USU briefly tied the score at 14 apiece in the third quarter. Running back Adam Tate led Utah with 32 carries for 133 yards and three touchdowns. The Utes scored in every quarter and their 14 point third quarter put the game away. Defensively, Utah allowed just one touchdown and 282 yards of total offense. Six of Utah State's points came on field goals and the Aggies failed to score in the fourth quarter.

MCBRIDE SAYS

"Utah State is always a tough game for Utah because of the rivalry. It doesn't matter if we play them in the first game or the third game. It is a very important game for both teams.

"It's going to be interesting to see this team play its first game. Our offense has the potential to be very explosive and we have some exciting new players in the program. Our starting quarterback will be Lance Rice. He earned the job. It was a three man race, then a two man race, then a one man race.

"Everything we do from this point on is preparing for Utah State. We have a lot to do, but our practices will be arranged so that we can put a rested, healthy team on the field."

KAUFUSI, SMITH WIN PRESEASON NOTICE

Senior offensive tackle Doug Kaufusi and junior defensive lineman Garrett Smith were named to the 2001 preseason all-Mountain West Conference team at the MWC Football Media Preview, held in Las Vegas in late July. Kaufusi (6-6, 300) is Utah's only returning first-team all-conference pick and is a four-year starter. Smith (6-3, 285) made the honorable mention all-conference team as a sophomore last year after recording 72 tackles, 10 sacks and 15 tackles for loss.

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