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The University of Utah Athletics
Ute Football Depth Chart Shaping Up After Second Scrimmage
8/17/2002 12:00 AM | Football
Aug. 17, 2002
SALT LAKE CITY -
After the second scrimmage of the preseason, held Saturday afternoon in Rice-Eccles Stadium, things are coming into focus for the Utah football team. Namely, the defense is as deep and talented as its annual billing, the backup quarterback slot is shaping up and the Utes can make field goals.
Once again, several defensive starters sat out or played very little. Even with all-league linebacker Sheldon Deckart and preseason all-league defensive back Arnold Parker watching from the sidelines, Utah's defense again controlled the line of scrimmage. Two other preseason all-conference candidates, free safety Antwoine Sanders and defensive end Jason Kaufusi saw limited time.
Their absence allowed players like junior college transfer Spencer Toone to grab the spotlight. Toone, a linebacker who has been gone two years on a Mormon mission, responded to the extra playing time with a sack, a safety and a fumble recovery.
Three quarterbacks took snaps for the offense. Lance Rice, who directed the first string offense, completed 2 of 3 passes for 11 yards. His other pass attempt was dropped. Brett Elliott got all the time with the No. 2 offense and was 1-4 for six yards. Elliott, who had been listed as the co-backup with Ryan Breska up until Wednesday night's scrimmage, has now edged ahead. However, the duo will continue to share time quarterbacking the No. 2 unit in practice.
Breska did not play in Saturday's scrimmage because offensive coordinator Craig Ver Steeg wanted to take a good look at Elliott, last year's scout team QB. Ver Steeg said, "Brett has moved ahead of Ryan, but Ryan is the No. 3 guy. He knew he wasn't going to play with the 'two's' today and Alex (Smith) is always going run the No. 3 offense."
Freshman Alex Smith again threw some nice looking passes for the No. 3 offense, although his numbers didn't necessarily show it. He was 1-5 for 26 yards.
The biggest cheers of the day erupted after Bryan Borreson easily made a 47-yard field goal on his first attempt. Borreson, who won the starting placekicking job in the spring, had planned to play for a junior college this year after the Utes Utah signed junior college kicker Ford Hall to a letter of intent. Hall made three of eight field goal attempts in Wednesday's scrimmage and strained a muscle in his right thigh. So Borreson opted to return to the U. campus and arrived Friday night. Saturday afternoon, he booted kicks of 47 and 42 yards and missed another 42-yarder.
Utah's runners again had some success against one of the nation's best run defenses. With starter Marty Johnson sitting out of his second straight scrimmage as a precautionary measure, backups J.R. Peroulis (3 carries, 18 yards) and Brandon Warfield (8 carries, 20 yards) worked with the No. 1 offense. Edwin Benton showed some nice moves in a 6-carry, 24-yard day and Joe Lomu rushed six times for 21 yards.
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