Ute Football Team Has Bye This Week
10/28/2002 12:00 AM | Football
Oct. 28, 2002
SALT LAKE CITY -
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Utah (2-6, 0-4 MWC) has its second and final bye of the season this week ... Utah's next game is on Nov. 9 against UNLV (3-5, 1-2 MWC) in Salt Lake City ... Kickoff is 5 p.m. in Rice-Eccles Stadium ... The Rebels play Wyoming this Saturday ... With six losses, Utah cannot finish the season with a winning record or become eligible for a bowl game ... The Utah-UNLV game will be televised live by KJZZ-14 ... It will also be broadcast on KALL 910 (AM) radio and on the Internet (www.kall910.com).FAST FACT
Utah coach Ron McBride is 3-0 against UNLV. In those three games, the Utes have out-scored the Rebels by a whopping 132-44, for an average score of 44-15.BY THE BYE
At press time, Utah's practice schedule for the bye week looks like this: Monday-no practice; Tuesday-players watch film and run; Wednesday and Thursday-normal practice; Friday-"Scout Bowl."ON THE DEFENSE
As has been the case for nearly a decade, the Ute defense is the best in the conference. The Utes rank in the top two in the league in three of the four major defensive categories. They are No. 1 in rush defense (121.5 ypg) and total defense (336.0 ypg), and No. 2 in scoring defense (23.1 ppg). Utah ranks third in pass defense (214.5 ypg). Nationally, Utah ranks No. 31 in rush defense and No. 33 in total defense. Utah led the conference in scoring defense from 1998-2001 and in total defense for the past two years.LAST WEEK
A career day for three offensive players was not quite enough as Utah lost 42-35 in double overtime to New Mexico. Sophomore quarterback Brett Elliott completed 26 of 39 passes for 440 yards, the most by a Ute QB since 1996. Receivers Josh Lyman (147 yards) and Paris Jackson (138 yards) also notched career bests. After a high scoring first half, which saw Utah take a 28-21 halftime lead, neither Utah or UNM could produce much offensively in the second half until the Lobos tied the game with 0:46 left in regulation. Both teams scored a touchdown in the first overtime, with UNM tacking on the winner in the second OT. Utah enjoyed big advantages in total offense (529-402 yards) and time of possession (45:20-29:40), but three turnovers and two missed field goals hurt. Safety Antwoine Sanders had 10 tackles and linebacker Brooks Bahr had 4 tackles, a tackle for loss and 2 pass breakups to lead the defense.SERIES HISTORY
Only the last three games in this seven-game series have been conference games and Utah has won all of them (1999, '00, '01). Utah has won six straight after UNLV won the series opener back in 1979. Utah leads 6-1 and is 3-0 in Salt Lake City.GRIDBITS
Utah's game with New Mexico was the third overtime game in school history and the first double OT game. The other two overtime games were in 1998, when Utah lost to San Diego State 21-20 and beat UTEP 34-27 ... Utah is 0-4 this season in day games ... The Utes are 1-2 at home ... This is the first-time a Ron McBride-coached team has lost 6 straight ... Starting Ute defensive back Arnold Parker, a Las Vegas native (Cimarron HS), was the 1998 Nevada Player of the Year as a high school senior in 1998 ... All-time Ute record is 532-401-31. The Utes are 246-130-10 at home, 15-10 in Rice-Eccles Stadium (1998-on) and 286-270-22 in road/neutral games.INSIDE THE NUMBERS
After eight games, Utah and its opponents are exactly even in both total points (185) and touchdowns (23) ... Utah has converted 36% of its third down attempts, while its foes have converted 39% of their third down attempts ... Utah is holding the ball slightly longer each game than its opponents (30:23-29:37) ... Utah is averaging 34,484 spectators in three home games.COMMON FOES
Utah and UNLV have played two common foes this year: San Diego State and New Mexico. Utah is 0-2 against the duo, losing 36-17 to San Diego State and 42-35 in double overtime to UNM. Both games were on the road. UNLV went 0-2 against UNM and SDSU, losing 25-16 to New Mexico at home and 31-21 to SDSU on the road.HEAD COACH RON MCBRIDE
Ron McBride has an 85-63 record in his 13th 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 has nine winning seasons. He has taken the Utes to six bowl games and has a 3-3 bowl record. Utah capped last year's 8-4 season with a 10-6 win over USC in the Las Vegas Bowl on Christmas Day. McBride is 3-0 against UNLV.MAC IN LEAGUE PLAY
Ron McBride is 55-42 all-time in conference games. Since Utah joined the Mountain West Conference in 1999, McBride's conference mark is 12-13. All-time against current MWC members, he is 35-33. McBride's record breakdown vs. the MWC schools: Air Force (4-6), Brigham Young (5-7), Colorado State (4-6), New Mexico (8-5), San Diego State (5-5), UNLV (3-0), Wyoming (6-4).QUARTERBACKS' NOTEBOOK
> Sophomore Brett Elliott (6-3, 194) is 0-3 as the starter but has played well in all three games. Elliott is averaging 195.4 ypg in five total games (he saw limited action against Indiana and Air Force). He is averaging an impressive 325.7 ypg as a starter. Against New Mexico on Oct. 26, Elliott passed for 440 yards, the most by a Ute quarterback since Mike Fouts threw for 476 yards vs. Kansas. Including limited playing time against Indiana and Air Force, Elliott has played in five games. For the season, he has completed 75-130 passes (58%) for 977 yards. He has 6 TDs and 5 interceptions.> Brett Elliott made the Ute record books against New Mexico. His 440 passing yards is the eighth best game ever for a Ute QB (including ties) and he became just the seventh Ute QB ever to pass for 400 yards. His four touchdown passes ties him for third in the single-game records.
RUNNING BACKS' NOTEBOOK
> Juco transfer Brandon Warfield (6-0, 200, Jr.), who has played in the last five games after pulling out of a redshirt year when starter Marty Johnson was injured in the second game, has started the last three. He passed Johnson to become Utah's leading rusher after an 88-yard outing against New Mexico. Warfield's numbers: 113 rushes for 466 yards (94.1 ypc) and 5 touchdowns. He is averaging 77.7 ypg. He has two 100-yard games: 193 yards vs. Air Force on Sept. 28 and 111 yards vs. CSU on Oct. 19.> In league games only, Brandon Warfield ranks second in the MWC in rushing, averaging 109.0 ypg.
RECEIVERS' NOTEBOOK
> Senior Paris Jackson (6-3, 216) is Utah's leading receiver with 35 catches for 463 yards (13.2 ypr) and 4 TDs. He is averaging a team-best 57.9 ypg. Jackson extended his string of 100-yard and career-breaking games to three at New Mexico, when he had 138 receiving yards. Before that, he had 110 yards vs. SDSU on Oct. 12 and 128 yards vs. CSU on Oct. 19.> Senior receiver Josh Lyman (6-0, 197) ranks second on the team in receptions and receiving yards with 33 for 435 yards. He is averaging 13.2 ypr and 54.4 ypg. Lyman, who has 3 TD catches, has the longest reception of the year, a 73-yard TD grab against UNM. The only Ute receiver to start every game, Lyman can play both 'X' and 'Z'.
OFFENSIVE LINE NOTEBOOK
> Senior offensive lineman Jordan Gross (6-5, 306) made the preseason all-MWC team and is an All-America candidate. He was named to the honorable mention Midseason All-America team by CNNSI.com. The CNNSI.com team is one of seven polls officially recognized by the NCAA in honoring consensus All-Americans. Gross starts at left tackle but is equally adept at guard. He is on the "Watch List" for the Football Writers (FWAA) All-America team and the Rotary Lombardi Award.> Gross has 85 de-cleaters for an average of 10.6 per game. He had a career-high 20 de-cleaters vs. Air Force. Gross has not allowed a sack this year.
DEFENSIVE LINE NOTEBOOK
> Senior defensive tackle Garrett Smith (6-3, 297), a 2001 first-team all-MWC and 2002 preseason all-MWC defender, has started the last 41 games (includes 2 bowl games) for Utah. On the "Watch List" for the Outland Trophy and the Rotary Lombardi Award, Smith has 27 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 3 pass breakups this year.> Junior defensive end Jason Kaufusi (6-3, 250), a 2001 first-team all-MWC and 2002 preseason all-MWC defensive end, is Utah's leader in tackles for loss (7.5) and sacks (4) despite missing the New Mexico game with a concussion suffered against CSU. He has 28 total tackles, 2 pass breakups and 2 forced fumbles.
LINEBACKERS' NOTEBOOK
> Senior Sheldon Deckart (6-2, 240), Utah's third-leading tackler with 44, moved from rover to middle linebacker three games ago. Deckart, a 2001 first-team all-MWC linebacker and Utah's leading tackler as a junior, also has 5.5 TFL, 1 sack and 2 pass breakups. He was named to the preseason all-conference team and is on the "Watch List" for the Bronko Nagurski and Rotary Lombardi awards.DEFENSIVE BACKS' NOTEBOOK
> Strong safety Dave Revill (5-11, 203, Jr.) leads all Utes with 74 total tackles. He has 5.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 pass breakup and 1 fumble recovery. He had a career-best 15 tackles in back-to-back games against Michigan and Air Force. The one-time walk-on was named MWC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 23 after totaling 15 tackles, including a school record 14 solo tackles, against Michigan.> Junior free safety Antwoine Sanders (6-2, 200, Jr.), a preseason all-conference selection, has 49 tackles (second on the team), 2 tackles for loss, 1 interception (vs. USU) and 3 pass breakups.
SPECIAL TEAMS' NOTEBOOK
> Redshirt freshman kicker Bryan Borreson is 8-13 (62%) in field goals and 19-22 in PATs. His longest string of field goals without a miss was 8.> Senior punter Brian Lewis has 42 punts for 1,728 yards, an average of 41.1 yards per punt. Lewis has three punts of 60 yards or longer this year. He has placed 7 punts inside the 20.
> Bo Nagahi leads Utah with 8 kickoff returns for 220 yards (27.5 yards per return). He ranks first in the MWC in return average but does not have enough returns to figure in the NCAA rankings.
> Morgan Scalley is Utah's leader in punt returns with 18-201 yards (11.2 yards per return).
THIS GAME LAST YEAR
The Ute defense smothered a UNLV team that ranked fourth in the nation in rushing to lead Utah to a 42-14 win. UNLV, averaging 250 rushing yards per game, managed just 38 against Utah, which did not allow a defensive touchdown and gave up just 156 yards of total offense. Offensively, Lance Rice overcame two first half interceptions that were returned for touchdowns to direct six scoring drives. He threw two touchdown passes and caught another-a 10-yard pass from Dennis Smith. Michael Richardson caught two touchdown passes and Dameon Hunter rushed for 137 yards and a score. CR Dwinell had eight tackles, Lauvale Sape had two tackles for loss and Arnold Parker had a tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.MCBRIDE SAYS
"I've never been in this situation. The only thing I know is you cannot let the players float on you. You have to keep the pressure on them and keep pushing them to succeed. It's kind of like they're waiting around to see what bad thing is going to happen to them. We need to win to get over the hump."Brett Elliott is a very good quarterback. He is going to win a lot of football games here because he's creative, knows what to do and is very talented. He can throw the long ball and he can throw on the run. And, our receivers are doing a nice job catching it. All of the sudden now, we have an offense that can play and we're having problems on defense.
"I thought our pass defense was pretty good but I was shocked we gave up so much in the run game to New Mexico. That is not the kind of team we are. I didn't think they could run the ball and beat us. That's been the strength of our defense for the past five or six years.
"I don't have any answers now but we're certainly going to try and find them and turn this thing around. We'll give the players Monday off and watch film and run on Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday we will have a normal practice. Friday we'll run and then have the scout bowl, with all of the underclassmen."
