Meyer, Scalley, Kemoeatu To Attend MWC Football Preview

July 20, 2004

SALT LAKE CITY -

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UTES AT THE MWC MEDIA PREVIEW

Representing Utah at the Mountain West Conference Football Preview in Las Vegas, July 21-22, will be Head Coach Urban Meyer, senior defensive back Morgan Scalley and senior offensive guard Chris Kemoeatu. Meyer was named The Sporting News' National Coach of the Year in 2003 after leading Utah to a 10-2 record, the MWC Championship and a Liberty Bowl victory over Southern Mississippi. Scalley was a 2003 second-team all-MWC selection who was recently named to the Bronko Nagurski Watch List. The Bronko Nagurski award is given to the nation's top defensive player. Kemoeatu, a two-time honorable mention all-MWC choice, has been named to the Outland Trophy Watch List. The Outland Trophy is presented annually to the top interior college lineman.

PRESEASON HYPE

Utah's contingent at the 2004 MWC Football Preview will find itself facing much higher expectations than a year ago when the Utes were picked to finish fifth in the official preseason coach and media rankings. Also unlike last summer, when Utah was projected in the lower half of the conference by every preseason publication, the Utes are favored to defend their 2003 MWC championship by The Sporting News, Athlon, Lindy's and Phil Steele. Utah is also showing up in the national preseason rankings. The Utes, who finished the 2003 season ranked No. 21 in both the A.P. and coaches' polls, are ranked No. 11 by Phil Steele, No. 14 by ESPN.com, No. 16 by Athlon, No. 20 by Lindy's and No. 21 by The Sporting News.

MARKING MEYER

Urban Meyer is making his second appearance at the MWC Football Preview after the best debut head coaching season ever at Utah. He led the 2003 Utes to their first outright conference championship since 1957 and was named the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year and The Sporting News' National Coach of the Year. Utah's 10 wins tied the school record and Meyer became the first head coach in Utah history to be invited to (and win) a bowl game in his first year at the school. Utah's 10-2 record included a 6-1 mark against conference schools and a 2-0 sweep of the Pac-10 (California and Oregon).

2004 PRESEASON SCHEDUL

The Ute newcomers and veterans will report to preseason camp on Sunday, Aug. 8. The NCAA-required five-day acclimation period begins on Aug. 9, which is also the first day of practice. Double day practices will start on Aug. 14. Per NCAA rules, double day practices may be held only every other day. The team will not practice on Sundays. The Ute coaches will be on the field for two practices on Aug. 9, 10 and 11, overseeing a split team. On Aug. 9, the newcomers will practice in the morning and the returners in the afternoon. On Aug. 10-11, the "ones and threes" will be grouped for one practice session and the "twos and fours" for another. The two groups will join together for practice starting on Aug. 12. Classes at the U. begin on Aug. 25 and Utah's first game is Thursday, Sept. 2 vs. Texas A&M.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLPARK

For the second year, the Utah football team will hold most of its preseason practices at Ute Baseball Field rather than the McCarthey Practice Fields, in order to preserve the grass on the practice fields for the actual season. Some practices and scrimmages, to be determined, will be held at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

ESPN OPENE

Utah will open its 2004 season before a live national television audience on Sept. 2, when the Utes host Texas A&M in an ESPN broadcast from Rice-Eccles Stadium. Game time is 5:30 p.m. It is the second time Utah has played on national TV in a season-opener. Utah hosted Arizona in an ESPN2-televised game on Sept. 2, 2000.

SUPER SCHEDULE

The 2004 Utah football schedule is one of the best in school history. Three of Utah's four non-conference games are against BCS schools, with home games against Texas A&M and North Carolina and a road game at Arizona. Utah's conference home schedule is phenomenal as the Utes will host league powers Air Force, Colorado State and Brigham Young, as well as UNLV, in Rice-Eccles Stadium.

RETURNING ALL-MWC UTES

Senior wide receiver Paris Warren is Utah's lone returning first-team all-MWC selection. Second-team all-MWC returners who will vie for first-team honors this fall are senior defensive back Morgan Scalley, senior kick returner/defensive back Bo Nagahi and junior quarterback Alex Smith. Honorable mention all-league candidates from a year ago include senior offensive guard Chris Kemoeatu, junior defensive tackle Steve Fifita, sophomore wide receiver Steve Savoy and sophomore defensive back Eric Weddle.

PRESEASON HONORS

In their annual college football preseason picks, Athlon and College Football News named several Utes to their all-conference teams: Athlon: First Team-quarterback Alex Smith, wide receiver Paris Warren, defensive tackle Steve Fifita, defensive back Morgan Scalley and kick returner Bo Nagahi. Second Team-offensive lineman Chris Kemoeatu, defensive tackle Sione Pouha and defensive back Eric Weddle. College Football News: Smith, Warren, Kemoeatu, Nagahi, defensive end Marquess Ledbetter, Pouha and Scalley. Smith is cited as the MWC's best QB and Kemoeatu as its second-best offensive lineman. Nationally, CFN likes Kemoeatu as the 16th-best offensive lineman and Smith as the 19th-best quarterback.

WATCH LISTS

Utes Chris Kemoeatu, Morgan Scalley and Alex Smith have been nominated to preseason "watch lists." Kemoeatu, a senior offensive lineman, made the Outland Trophy Watch List. The Outland Trophy is presented annually to the top interior lineman in college football on either side of the ball. Former Utah offensive tackle Jordan Gross was a 2002 Outland Trophy finalist and the first offensive lineman taken in the 2003 NFL draft. Gross, picked No. 8 by Carolina, started for the Panthers in the 2004 Super Bowl. Senior free safety Scalley was selected to the Bronko Nagurski Watch List, which is a compilation of the best defensive players in college football regardless of position. Junior quarterback Smith made the cut for the Davey O'Brien Watch List. The Davey O'Brien award goes to the nation's top collegiate quarterback.

COACHING CHANGES

There were a few assistant coaching changes on the Hill in the off-season. Back after a one-year absence to coach the defensive line is Gary Andersen. Andersen, a Ute assistant from 1997-2002 and a former Ute letterman, will coach the defensive line. He was the head coach at Southern Utah in 2003. Andersen's return allowed second-year coach Kurt Barber to assume responsibility for the linebackers. Barber coached the defensive tackles a year ago. Two newcomers also joined the Ute staff in the spring: Chuck Heater came to the U. from Washington and will coach the cornerbacks and serve as the recruiting coordinator, and Keith Uperesa, formerly of USC and Snow College, is Utah's new tight ends coach. Other changes in duties involve second-year assistant John Hevesy, who will now coach the entire offensive line after coaching the tackles and tight ends in 2003, and Billy Gonzales, who adds special teams to his wide receiver coaching responsibilities.

FAN FEST

The fifth-annual Ute Fan Fest, sponsored by the Deseret Morning News, has been scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 28 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in Rice-Eccles Stadium. The Fan Fest is an interactive event in which all of Utah's 19 varsity athletics teams and coaches participate. Admission and parking are free to the public. Last year more than 2,000 Ute fans came out to meet their favorite teams at the Fan Fest.

PRE-CAMP NOTES

Thirty-four lettermen and 15 full or part-time starters return from last year's MWC championship Utah team ... The eight starters back on offense are: Makai Aalona, OL; Jesse Boone, OL; Chris Kemoeatu, OL; Travis LaTendresse, WR; Steve Savoy, WR; Alex Smith, QB; Tavo Tupola, OL and Paris Warren, WR ... Seven starters return for the defense: Corey Dodds, LB; Steve Fifita, DT; Marquess Ledbetter, DE; Sione Pouha, DT; Morgan Scalley, DB; Spencer Toone, LB and Eric Weddle, DB ... Starting kicker Bryan Borreson, punter Matt Kovacevich and long snapper Brady Parkhurst also return ... 25 new scholarship athletes will join the team and 23 redshirts from 2003 will get their first opportunity at game time ... All of Utah's practices and scrimmages will be open to the media but closed to the public. Interviews will be conducted at the conclusion of practice. During the preseason, this can be after either the morning or afternoon session. Assistant Athletics Director Liz Abel will attend the practices and facilitate interviews. A 24-hour advance notice is suggested for interview requests involving a specific athlete or coach. Please call Abel at 581-3511 to arrange interviews.

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