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Coaches' Corner: Sharrieff Shah
12/22/2021 9:33 AM | Football
Utes mark 10 days out from Rose Bowl matchup with Ohio State
SALT LAKE CITY - It's Rose Bowl prep time for the Utes and Coaches' Corner is back with cornerbacks coach and special teams coordinator Sharrieff Shah giving a look at his position group, as well as what he's seen on film in preparation for Ohio State.
Making its first-ever appearance in the prestigious event, Utah will meet the Buckeyes in the 108th Rose Bowl Game presented by Capital One Venture X. Kickoff in Pasadena, California is set for 2 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MT on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022 with the matchup airing on ESPN.
On preparing his group to perform at the level shown lately…
"It's a combination of a few things. Having a fantastic defensive staff, [defensive coordinator] Morgan Scalley continues to put us in good positions. He understands that we've been thin [in the secondary]…we've prided ourselves for so many years in playing man coverage. When you only have a few guys out there, you can't play as much man coverage as you want to. Coach Scalley's awesome in recognizing that 'listen…let me put everybody in the best position to not only be successful, but have some sort of ability to endure long games, long seasons.' It's a credit to the kids, the coaching staff, just being able to keep them in a good mental state to recognize they're a lot tougher than they ever thought they were. It's hard to go through a season having and sustaining injury upon injury. But it happens, and the next man just has to get ready to go. But the ability to have some sustainability is due to a number of different folks and factors. I certainly can't take the credit myself. I'm just one of the folks blessed to be involved."
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On facing a strong wide receiver group and quarterback at Ohio State…
"When we found out that we were going to be facing Ohio State, everybody in the room got excited. To play good receivers is what we do all year long. We've played good receivers, we just don't happen to play all three of them at the same time. So this does present a unique challenge for us. But nobody backs away, we got more excited. You start to think 'what are the ways we're going to put our boys in positions to make plays. [Ohio State's] kids are talented. Nobody denies that. But you have to beat us for four long quarters. You continuously tell your kids you will give up a play, you may miss a tackle. Get up, have a short memory, and let's make the next play. That's been good for us the whole year, going into the Pac-12 Championship, going into every single practice, going up to the Rose Bowl—having a short memory and being able to make plays against people who are touted to be awesome, who are perceived to be the best. All of that is what you live for as a college football player playing in a Power Five conference. It's elite competition."
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On being part of a Rose Bowl and growing up in California…
"It's so special. This is the game I've watched since I fell in love with football as a little boy. Living in the shadows of both USC and UCLA, I love the Rose Bowl, I love the stadium. That's my favorite venue. It's incredibly special to be in this game. It's literally a dream come true. To do it now, under these circumstances with some of the things we've dealt with off the field, those spiritual motivators, it's been a blessing."
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On what stands out about Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud…
"Not only does he have a series of outstanding receivers to throw to, but his ball placement, I think, is his best attribute. His arm is efficient, it's not overly strong, but it's efficient. You want him to throw the long ball, the intermediate ball, the short ball that needs to be thrown with speed and zip, [he] can throw that. His ball placement is his best attribute, and that is what I think is most dangerous. You could have great coverage, and [Stroud] can put it just a few inches away from where you can get it. It makes it so hard. And that's what you watch when you watch all of the games that they've played this year. There have been very good defensive backs that have played each of these receivers to very good positions. But that ball placement has been tough. That's what you try to work on in practice—get even tighter, crowded, close on the receiver even more. That's what I keep harping on."
Previous Editions of Coaches' Corner
Nov. 16 - Andy Ludwig (OC/QBs) and Morgan Scalley (DC/safeties)
Nov. 2 - Jim Harding (OL) and Lewis Powell (DEs)
Oct. 26 - Sione Po'uha (DTs) and Freddie Whittingham (TEs)
Oct. 19 - Kiel McDonald (RBs) and Colton Swan (LBs)
Oct. 13 - Chad Bumphis (WRs) and Sharrieff Shah (CBs/Special Teams)
Oct. 5 - Jim Harding (OL) and Lewis Powell (DEs)
Sept. 22 - Sione Po'uha (DTs) and Freddie Whittingham (TEs)
Sept. 14 - Kiel McDonald (RBs) and Colton Swan (LBs)
Sept. 7 - Andy Ludwig (OC/QBs) and Morgan Scalley (DC/Safeties)
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Making its first-ever appearance in the prestigious event, Utah will meet the Buckeyes in the 108th Rose Bowl Game presented by Capital One Venture X. Kickoff in Pasadena, California is set for 2 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MT on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022 with the matchup airing on ESPN.
On preparing his group to perform at the level shown lately…
"It's a combination of a few things. Having a fantastic defensive staff, [defensive coordinator] Morgan Scalley continues to put us in good positions. He understands that we've been thin [in the secondary]…we've prided ourselves for so many years in playing man coverage. When you only have a few guys out there, you can't play as much man coverage as you want to. Coach Scalley's awesome in recognizing that 'listen…let me put everybody in the best position to not only be successful, but have some sort of ability to endure long games, long seasons.' It's a credit to the kids, the coaching staff, just being able to keep them in a good mental state to recognize they're a lot tougher than they ever thought they were. It's hard to go through a season having and sustaining injury upon injury. But it happens, and the next man just has to get ready to go. But the ability to have some sustainability is due to a number of different folks and factors. I certainly can't take the credit myself. I'm just one of the folks blessed to be involved."
Â
On facing a strong wide receiver group and quarterback at Ohio State…
"When we found out that we were going to be facing Ohio State, everybody in the room got excited. To play good receivers is what we do all year long. We've played good receivers, we just don't happen to play all three of them at the same time. So this does present a unique challenge for us. But nobody backs away, we got more excited. You start to think 'what are the ways we're going to put our boys in positions to make plays. [Ohio State's] kids are talented. Nobody denies that. But you have to beat us for four long quarters. You continuously tell your kids you will give up a play, you may miss a tackle. Get up, have a short memory, and let's make the next play. That's been good for us the whole year, going into the Pac-12 Championship, going into every single practice, going up to the Rose Bowl—having a short memory and being able to make plays against people who are touted to be awesome, who are perceived to be the best. All of that is what you live for as a college football player playing in a Power Five conference. It's elite competition."
Â
On being part of a Rose Bowl and growing up in California…
"It's so special. This is the game I've watched since I fell in love with football as a little boy. Living in the shadows of both USC and UCLA, I love the Rose Bowl, I love the stadium. That's my favorite venue. It's incredibly special to be in this game. It's literally a dream come true. To do it now, under these circumstances with some of the things we've dealt with off the field, those spiritual motivators, it's been a blessing."
Â
On what stands out about Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud…
"Not only does he have a series of outstanding receivers to throw to, but his ball placement, I think, is his best attribute. His arm is efficient, it's not overly strong, but it's efficient. You want him to throw the long ball, the intermediate ball, the short ball that needs to be thrown with speed and zip, [he] can throw that. His ball placement is his best attribute, and that is what I think is most dangerous. You could have great coverage, and [Stroud] can put it just a few inches away from where you can get it. It makes it so hard. And that's what you watch when you watch all of the games that they've played this year. There have been very good defensive backs that have played each of these receivers to very good positions. But that ball placement has been tough. That's what you try to work on in practice—get even tighter, crowded, close on the receiver even more. That's what I keep harping on."
Previous Editions of Coaches' Corner
Nov. 16 - Andy Ludwig (OC/QBs) and Morgan Scalley (DC/safeties)
Nov. 2 - Jim Harding (OL) and Lewis Powell (DEs)
Oct. 26 - Sione Po'uha (DTs) and Freddie Whittingham (TEs)
Oct. 19 - Kiel McDonald (RBs) and Colton Swan (LBs)
Oct. 13 - Chad Bumphis (WRs) and Sharrieff Shah (CBs/Special Teams)
Oct. 5 - Jim Harding (OL) and Lewis Powell (DEs)
Sept. 22 - Sione Po'uha (DTs) and Freddie Whittingham (TEs)
Sept. 14 - Kiel McDonald (RBs) and Colton Swan (LBs)
Sept. 7 - Andy Ludwig (OC/QBs) and Morgan Scalley (DC/Safeties)
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