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The University of Utah Athletics
Utah Football Team To Face Big Ten Foe Indiana
9/17/2001 12:00 AM | Football
Sept. 17, 2001
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After an unplanned 'bye' week, Utah (1-1, 0-0 MWC) plays at Indiana (0-1, 0-0 Big Ten) on Sat., Sept. 22 in Bloomington, Ind. ... Game time is 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, which is 3:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time ... Both Utah and Indiana postponed scheduled games on September 15: Utah at Air Force and Indiana vs. Kentucky ... Utah and Indiana have met just once before, in 1975 in Bloomington. Indiana won that game 31-7 ... The Utah-IU game will be televised live on KJZZ-TV ... The game will also be broadcast live on KALL 910 (AM) radio and on the Internet (www.kall910.com).CONFERENCE OPENER POSTPONED
The Utah-Air Force game, which was scheduled for September 15, will be made up on December 1 in Colorado Springs. Instead of opening the Mountain West Conference season against each other, the two teams will play in the final conference game of the year. The game time has yet to be determined, pending television arrangements.PRACTICE DETAILS
All Ute practices 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.LAST ACTION
Utah kept it close for most of the game with the No. 7 ranked Oregon Ducks in Eugene on September 8, but eventually fell 24-10 before a sold-out Autzen Stadium crowd. Utah tied the game at 10-10 six minutes into the second quarter, when Adam Tate bulled in from three yards out. Utah failed to score again, despite some long drives into Oregon territory. The Ute defense shut out the Ducks in the third quarter and allowed just one touchdown in the fourth in a fine effort against Oregon's highly touted offense. Utah's offense gained 373 yards, 104 from running back Dameon Hunter on a career day. Lance Rice was 21-of-39 for 170 passing yards and Cliff Russell had seven catches for 100 yards. Second-string QB Ryan Breska relieved Rice late in the fourth quarter and was 4-of-12 for 82 yards in his first college game.HEAD COACH RON MCBRIDE
Ron McBride has a 76-54 record in his 12th year 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 seasons. 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 0-0 against Indiana.MAC AND THE BIG TEN
Utah's 12th-year head coach Ron McBride has first hand knowledge of Big Ten football. He coached the offensive line at Wisconsin from 1983-84. As a head coach (all at Utah), McBride is 1-1 against Big Ten schools. He won at Minnesota in 1990, his first year as head Ute coach. Utah lost to Wisconsin in the 1996 Freedom Bowl.UTAH AGAINST THE BIG TEN
Utah football teams are 4-7 all-time against Big Ten football teams. Utah's record against Big Ten schools follows: Illinois (0-1), Indiana (0-1), Iowa (1-0), Minnesota (1-1), Ohio State (0-1), Northwestern (1-1), Wisconsin (1-2).SERIES SHORTS
Utah and Indiana have played just once, back in 1975, a 31-7 IU win in Bloomington.POSTPONED PAST
Four other times in its 109-year football history, Utah has had games either canceled or postponed. One game involved Utah State and three involved Hawaii. The Utes were to play Utah State on Thanksgiving Day in 1919, but the game was postponed for two days due to high winds in Salt Lake City. Newspapers reported that head Ute coach Thomas Fitzpatrick kicked a football toward the east end zone and the ball landed in the west end zone seats, at which point the decision to postpone the game was made. Utah beat the Aggies two days later, 10-0. Utah was scheduled to host Hawaii for Homecoming on Nov. 14, 1936, but the Rainbows could not depart the Islands due to a ship strike. Texas A&M filled in on one week's notice and beat Utah 20-7. In 1941-42, Utah was scheduled to play two games in Hawaii, the first on December 20, and the second (the Pineapple Bowl) on January 1. Both games were canceled due to the bombing of Pearl Harbor.GRIDBITS
Utah does not have any Indiana natives on its roster ... all-time Ute record is 523-392-31 ... Utes are 241-129-10 in home games, 10-8 in Rice-Eccles Stadium (1998-on) and 283-264-21 in road/neutral games.OFFENSIVE NOTES
> Senior wide receiver Cliff Russell (6-0, 185), the fastest player ever at Utah (runs a 4.27 40), has a team-high 12 receptions for 148 yards. Russell had 7 catches for 100 yards against Oregon.> It was his fourth career 100-yard game.
> Senior running back Dameon Hunter (5-11, 223) had a career-day at Oregon on September 15. Hunter rushed 25 times for 104 yards (4.2 ypc), his first-ever 100-yard game. He broke his previous career mark of 65 yards in the first half. Hunter is Utah's leading rusher through two games. He has 42 rushes for 164 yards (3.9 ypc), an average of 82.0 ypg.
> Junior college transfer Marty Johnson (5-11, 222) missed the Oregon game with bruised ribs suffered against Utah State on September 1. Johnson rushed for 95 yards and 1 TD and averaged 15.8 yards per carry against the Aggies. He was cleared to run (but not to be hit) on September 12. He is listed as questionable to play this week.
> Sophomore quarterback Lance Rice (6-2, 200) has started both games this year and is 1-1. Going back to his freshman year, he is 3-2 as the starter. Rice has completed 37 of 71 passes for 317 yards (158.5 ypg). He has one interception and no touchdowns. Against Oregon, he was 21 of 39 for 170 yards.
> Sophomore quarterback Ryan Breska (6-4, 209), who sat out last year after transferring from Purdue, got his first taste of college ball last week against Oregon. Breska entered the game in the fourth quarter and completed 4 of 12 passes for 82 yards. His long of 36 yards was to Cliff Russell.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
> It's safety first for the Utes, who have a pair of all-conference candidates roaming the backfield. Sophomore safeties Arnold Parker (6-2, 214) and Antwoine Sanders (6-3, 193) are second and third on Utah's tackle charts. Parker has 13 total tackles, 2 for loss, and Sanders has 12 tackles and 2 interceptions.> Utah's tackle leader is linebacker Sheldon Deckart (6-2, 239, Jr.), who plays rover. Deckart has 23 total tackles, 15 which came in a career game against Utah State. He ranks second in the MWC in tackles. Deckart also has 2 tackles for loss.
> Junior defensive lineman Garrett Smith (6-3, 285) started at tackle against Oregon after starting at base end the week prior. Smith totaled 6 tackles and 2 tackles for loss vs. Oregon. A preseason all-MWC pick, Smith leads Utah in tackles for loss (4). He is one of three Utes with a sack.
> Antwoine Sanders, a junior college transfer in his first year at Utah, was named the MWC defensive player of the week in his first NCAA game (vs. Utah State, Sept. 1). Playing at free safety, Sanders had 2 interceptions (returned for 56 yards), 3 pass breakups and 4 total tackles against the Aggies.
> Sophomore defensive end Josh Savage (6-4, 267) got his first start ever against Oregon and made the most of it. Savage recorded 7 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack and 2 pass breakups.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
> Senior Ryan Kaneshiro has taken all 6 of Utah's field goal attempts this year and is 4-6. He is 3-3 in PATs. Kaneshiro has a long field goal of 33 yards (vs. Utah State). He is 4-4 from 39 yards and in.> Brian Lewis booted a 75-yard punt vs. Oregon, which is tied for the sixth-longest punt in school history. It was the second-longest punt in Mountain West Conference history. Lewis has punted 11 times this season for 463 yards, an average of 42.1 ypg. He has dropped two punts inside the 20.
> Brian Lewis has handled all of the kickoffs this year. He has 8 kickoffs and 3 touchbacks.
> Freshman Morgan Scalley is averaging 9.6 yards per punt return. He is also on the No. 1 kick return team with D'Shaun Crockett.
RED ZONE REPORT
Utah OffenseTimes at or inside 20: 8Touchdowns: 3Field Goals: 4Scoring percentage: 88%TD percentage: 38%
Utah DefenseTimes opponent at or inside 20: 6Touchdowns: 3Field Goals: 3Scoring percentage: 100%TD percentage: 50%
HOOSIER PREVIEW
0-1 ... lost to North Carolina State 35-14 on September 6 ... postponed September 15 game with Kentucky ... offensive line featuring Craig Osika, A.C. Myler, Encoch DeMar and Anthony Oakley is the third-best unit in the country according to Phil Steele's 2001 College Football Annual ... offensive line helped IU lead Big Ten in rushing in 2000 (266.7 ypg) and allowed only nine sacks in 11 games ... senior Antwaan Randle El (5-10, 194) plays wide receiver, quarterback and punter and also returns punts ... Randle El has rushed for 2,968 yards and passed for 5,812 yards in his career ... Head Coach Cam Cameron is 13-32 in his fifth season at IU ... Cameron is 0-0 against Utah.MCBRIDE SAYS
"Postponing the Air Force game was the right thing to do. I'm glad we didn't play. It's an issue of respect. We'll make up the game at the end of the season ... Randle El is an awesome player. The guy is like a magician. He is a legitimate Heisman guy. They have a very good offensive line and good runners ... It will be a good experience for our guys to go back there and play. We're in a good position. We improved a lot against Oregon and this game will be the next step. We've had an extra three or four days to prepare for these guys, so I expect that to help."
'FOUR'!
Utah has a No. 4 starring on both sides of the ball and it's two different players: Running back Marty Johnson and free safety Antwoine Sanders have made an instant impact as junior college transfers. Johnson missed the Oregon game on September 15 due to a rib contusion incurred in the season opener against Utah State, but is a possibility to return by this Saturday. Against the Aggies, the junior walk-on from Butte JC rushed for a team-best 95 yards and 1 touchdown. Sanders was just as impressive in his debut, which resulted in MWC defensive player of the week honors. Against the Aggies, Sanders two interceptions (56 return yards), three pass breakups and five tackles.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.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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