Football Plays USC Saturday in the Coliseum

10/21/2013 12:00 AM | Football

Oct. 21, 2013

Utah Athletics on Twitter
Utah Athletics on Facebook
Utah Athletics on YouTube
Utah Athletics on Instagram
Utah Athletics on Pinterest
Utah Athletics on Tumblr
Utah Athletics on ITunesU

SALT LAKE CITY--

Complete Release in PDF

Quotes from Coach Whittingham's Weekly Press Conference

> Utah (4-3, 1-3 Pac-12) plays USC (4-3, 1-2 Pac-12) in Los Angeles on Saturday. Kickoff is 1:00 p.m. PT in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks. Radio is ESPN700 AM. Satellite radio is Sirius 134/XM 192.

> The Utes are off to a 1-3 Pac-12 start this year after 0-4 beginnings in their first two seasons. Utah's win was against then No. 5 Stanford on Oct. 12 in Salt Lake City. Utah is 0-1 in Pac-12 road games, losing at Arizona last week.

> Utah is playing back-to-back road games for the first time this season.

> Utah and USC have played two common opponents. Utah split against Utah State (won 30-26) and Arizona (lost 35-14), while USC beat both USU (17-14) and Arizona (38-31).

> Utah's debut as a Pac-12 member was against USC in the Coliseum in 2011, a 23-14 loss. Trailing 17-14 with 11 seconds left in regulation, Utah had a chance to send the game into overtime, but Coleman Petersen's 41-yard field goal attempt was blocked and returned for a touchdown.

> Utah is 3-8 all-time against USC and just one of those wins--in the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl--has come since 1916. More on the series on page 2.

> USC has claimed 11 national championships, while Utah's best national finish was No. 2 (A.P.) in 2008. The Utes finished No. 4 in the A.P. poll in 2004.

> Ute linebacker Jared Norris was a high school teammate of USC quarterback Cody Kessler at Centennial High School in Bakersfield, Calif. Both are now sophomore starters. Norris is one of 33 Californians on Utah's roster. See "Cali Connections" on page 2 for more.

CALI CONNECTIONS

Utah has 33 Californians on its roster, including nine starters: quarterback Travis Wilson (San Clemente), receivers Dres Anderson (Riverside), Anthony Denham (Monterey Park) and Sean Fitzgerald (Mission Viejo), offensive tackle Siaosi Aiono (West Covina), defensive end/linebacker Trevor Reilly (Valley Center), linebacker Jared Norris (Bakersfield), cornerbacks Keith McGill (La Mirada) and Davion Orphey (Compton), and snapper Chase Dominguez (Orange) ... Utah coaches from California include head coach Kyle Whittingham--who lived in Glendora through eighth grade before his family moved to Provo, Utah--cornerbacks coach Sharrieff Shah (Los Angeles), and graduate assistants Nick Alaimalo (Carson) and Kelly Talavou (Santa Ana).

TWO MINUTE DRILL

Freshman placekicker Andy Philips was named to the ESPN.com and SI.com Midseason All-America teams after making his first 11 field goal attempts to lead the nation. Phillips saw his streak end last week when he made 1-of-3 field goals (all from 40 yards or longer) against Arizona ... Utah has had two Athlon Sports National Players of the Week this season: quarterback Travis Wilson vs. Brigham Young and defensive end Nate Orchard vs. Stanford ... The Utes have won two Pac-12 Player of the Week honors: Wilson against BYU and Phillips against Stanford ... The Utes are 3-9 overall against Pac-12 South division teams and 0-2 this season. Utah's win over then No. 5 Stanford on Oct. 12 improved its three-year record against the Pac-12 North to 5-5 ... Utah is 2-0 in day games and 2-3 in night games ... Utah won its only prior game on a grass surface this season against BYU in Provo, Utah ... Utah is outscoring its opponents in every quarter, led by a 25-point first half advantage (66-41) ... The Utes are 3-0 this season when they score first and when they lead at halftime ... Utah is 5-3 in games televised by the Pac-12 Networks in the two years of the network.

NATIONAL NOTABLES

Utah is tied for first in the nation in fewest fumbles lost with one ... Senior defensive end/linebacker Trevor Reilly is tied for the NCAA lead in fumble recoveries with three ... Junior Dres Anderson is tied for first in the country in receptions of 50 yards or longer with five, while the Utes rank third nationally with 10 plays of 50+ yards ... The Utes have won 49 consecutive games when leading at halftime, which is the second-longest streak in the country behind Oregon..

LEADERS OF THE PAC

Utah leads the Pac-12 in sacks (22) and sack average (3.14), ranking 11th in the nation ... Utah is tied for first in the league in red zone offense (91.7%, 22-24) and ranks 14th nationally ... Sophomore punter Tom Hackett leads the Pac-12 in punt average (43.8 yards), punts of 50+ yards (10) and punts inside the 20-yard line (17) ... Junior Dres Anderson leads the Pac-12 in yards per reception (20.03).

IN THE HUDDLE

Starting offensive linemen Jeremiah Poutasi, Jeremiah Tofaeono, Vyncent Jones, Junior Salt and Siaosi Aiono have played every offensive snap for the past five games ... Eight true freshmen have played: DE/LB Pita Taumoepenu, SN Chase Dominguez, DT Sam Tevi, LB Uaea Masina, DB Hipolito Corporan, TE Siale Fakailoatonga, WR Dominque Hatfield and RB Marcus Sanders-Williams. Dominguez is the only starter.

OUTSIDE THE LINES

The Kyle Whittingham radio show is Tuesday at 6 p.m. on ESPN700. It will be broadcast live from Harmon's City Creek and is free to the public ... Utah's marching band and spirit squads are making their second road trip of the season. They also went to Arizona last week.