Nice piece by Miller on Utah's Polynesian players. Used to be a strength for Arizona.
http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... c-12-surge" target="_blank
Also a nice piece on their special teams just below that. Also used to be a....never mind.
Utah
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TheCatInTheHat
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Mark Harlan Big XII Fine
If you didn't care to watch it, Utah had BYU penned deep in their end of the field with a lead and little time remaining Saturday night in SLC. From what I saw of a replay, a Utah DB was called for grabbing the arm of a BYU WR, which bailed them out. They were subsequently able to drive downfield for the game-winning FG. Their AD, Mark Harlan, went on a post-game rant about how bad the refs were, and how he regretted joining the Big XII. League Commish Brett Yormark then fined him $40K.
https://www.deseret.com/sports/2024/11/ ... rk-harlan/
For the record, I have no more use for BYU than Utah, but I'll provide my view of some context. During their years together in the WAC/MWC leagues, Utah witnessed the rise of BYU under Lavell Edwards to a national brand far eclipsing anything they'd ever done. After a head-to-head edge in the first 10 years of this mutual 49-year conference association, by the time they left for the Pac-12, Utah was 9 games under .500 against the Cougars and a second-class citizen in its own state. Then, in their 13 years in the Pac-12, Utah seemed delighted to "big-time" BYU 6 times, by scheduling a "bigger name" non-conference opponent and refusing to also play the Cougars. With their rise in fortunes under Kyle Whittingham coinciding with BYU's up-and-down circumstances, they went 6-1 in those games they did play. They clearly had switched places with BYU and could call the shots.
So now, in their very first year of resumed mandated conference play with BYU, they are crippled with injuries, while BYU is rolling. But the Utes improbably looked like they had the game won and could stick it to the Cougars and ruin their big dreams. And their fans were beside themselves with joy...until the fateful penalty and its aftermath. I'm sure there were some questionable calls, and some felt that the league wanted a BYU win to carry the Big XII banner nationally. But, from an outsider's perspective, it's interesting to see that other schools also have some of the kinds of situations we've experienced ("he touched the ball", etc.)
https://www.deseret.com/sports/2024/11/ ... rk-harlan/
For the record, I have no more use for BYU than Utah, but I'll provide my view of some context. During their years together in the WAC/MWC leagues, Utah witnessed the rise of BYU under Lavell Edwards to a national brand far eclipsing anything they'd ever done. After a head-to-head edge in the first 10 years of this mutual 49-year conference association, by the time they left for the Pac-12, Utah was 9 games under .500 against the Cougars and a second-class citizen in its own state. Then, in their 13 years in the Pac-12, Utah seemed delighted to "big-time" BYU 6 times, by scheduling a "bigger name" non-conference opponent and refusing to also play the Cougars. With their rise in fortunes under Kyle Whittingham coinciding with BYU's up-and-down circumstances, they went 6-1 in those games they did play. They clearly had switched places with BYU and could call the shots.
So now, in their very first year of resumed mandated conference play with BYU, they are crippled with injuries, while BYU is rolling. But the Utes improbably looked like they had the game won and could stick it to the Cougars and ruin their big dreams. And their fans were beside themselves with joy...until the fateful penalty and its aftermath. I'm sure there were some questionable calls, and some felt that the league wanted a BYU win to carry the Big XII banner nationally. But, from an outsider's perspective, it's interesting to see that other schools also have some of the kinds of situations we've experienced ("he touched the ball", etc.)
Re: Utah
I also have no use for either lame school. But watching a bit of that rivalry game last Saturday, and seeing the drama favor an undefeated BYU to end the game, I couldn't help but reflect on how quickly fortunes can flip from year to year.TheCatInTheHat wrote: ↑Mon Nov 11, 2024 2:43 pm ...I have no more use for BYU than Utah, but I'll provide my view of some context.
Preseason: Arizona, Utah, & USC ranked and looking down at their rivals coming off lackluster seasons
Week 12: Arizona, Utah, & USC are amidst losing seasons while rivals ASU & Colorado are 7-2, BYU is undefeated, and UCLA has turned it around after a 1-5 start
And I said, ‘That last thing is what you can't get...Nobody can get to that last thing. We keep on living in hopes of catching it once and for all.’ Jack Kerouac, On The Road