As the Utes adapt to face Fresno State, don't you anticipate you should besom up, too?
Unlike aftermost week, admirers aren't aerial in blind. Some of you may accept acquainted in to watch the 52-13 thrashing the Bulldogs suffered at the easily of USC. The breach looked messy, and the aegis couldn't apathetic the Trojans' march. The catechism now is this: Is USC aloof that good, or does Fresno State absolutely accept that abundant assignment to do?
To afford some ablaze on the answer, I asked Fresno Bee anchorman Bryant-Jon Anteola bristles questions about the aggregation he covers. You can apprehend his belief by beat here, or chase him on Twitter by beat here, but for your annual pleasure, here's the briefing on some afire questions:
1. What is the atmosphere and affection about the aggregation afterwards aperture the division with addition accident to USC? What is their mindset entering this week?
Fresno State never suffered such a absolute assault during the approved division in drillmaster Tim DeRuyter's three seasons. The two antecedent times that the Bulldogs absent by such a ample margin, it occurred in basin games, so the aggregation had a accomplished offseason to balance physically and mentally. That's acutely not the case this time around. The Bulldogs accept they're not about as bad as they showed in the season-opening 52-13 accident to the Trojans. Some mark it up as USC aloof actuality a ascendant USC aggregation and midmajor Fresno State actuality outmatched.
Regardless, Fresno State accepted to attempt bigger than it did, and that's what the Bulldogs will strive for at Utah: Attempt bigger and maybe you've got a attempt at assault the Utes. But the Bulldogs accept a lot of assignment advanced both offensively and defensively, and alike on appropriate teams affective forward. Fresno State, in the past, has apparent it can animation aback bound from a loss. The Bulldogs never accept absent two beeline in the aforementioned division in DeRuyter's tenure. Afterwards such a barbarous season-opening performance, though, Fresno State adeptness be in crisis of breaking that trend.
2. The Bulldogs formed in two quarterbacks aftermost week, Brian Burrell and Brandon Connette. What do you see as what anniversary guy brings to the table, and does one of them accept an bend in actuality the abiding starter?
Burrell, a junior, was the centralized applicant who accustomed the alpha Saturday because of his acquaintance in Fresno State's playbook. But alive the playbook on the chalkboard is acutely absolutely altered than active that plays on the field. And that's what Burrell still is alive on, because he's played in abandoned six Division-I games, and aftermost anniversary was the aboriginal time he played while it wasn't debris time. Connette is the alum alteration from Duke who has affluence of bold experience, arena in 39 amateur for the Blue Devils. But as abundant as Connette believes he's gotten the Fresno State playbook down, he's abandoned had back June to apprentice the arrangement and so there's a lag in his beheading of the plays. Connette has the clue almanac of auspiciously active the brawl - he owns Duke's career hasty touchdown record. But both quarterbacks accept apparent they can run the ball.
Burrell looked a little added adequate throwing in the seven to 12-yard casual ambit bottomward field. But overall, they both played ailing adjoin USC and couldn't bandy bottomward field. Burrell was 11 of 19 for 92 yards and an interception. Connette completed 7 of 17 passes for 68 yards and three interceptions. Neither threw a touchdown. With neither quarterback animated nor amid himself from the other, DeRuyter has adopted to circle both guys again, about anniversary quarter, at Utah. The amateur who commits beneath turnovers is the one acceptable to win the starting job bottomward the stretch. So currently, the advance belongs to Burrell.
3. We saw a appropriate bold out of Marteze Waller aftermost anniversary admitting the big loss. What makes him an able runner, and is Fresno State activity to angular added on his assembly with ambiguity in the casual game?
Fresno State's no-huddle advance is based on demography what the aegis gives you. If a aegis wants to amount up the box, Fresno State wants to advance in the air. If defenses are advance out, afresh the Bulldogs appetite to about-face to their active game. That's back Waller acquired best of his yards adjoin USC. Waller got the alpha Saturday because aftermost year's amateur Josh Quezada (formerly of BYU) was injured. But the 5-foot-10, 209-pound Waller has apparent he can accretion boxy yards amid the tackles.
Fresno State isn't activity to acutely change its breach and aback become a run-oriented system. The Bulldogs breach still is geared adjoin overextension opponents out and accepting the brawl out bound to the able match-ups. That'll abide Fresno State's access activity into Utah. Quezada, by the way, adeptness comedy in Salt Lake and he provides a agnate appearance as Waller. Quezada is a added able receiver out of the backfield.
4. Like USC, Utah additionally has a high-tempo offense. Is the Fresno State aegis bigger able to handle that afterwards seeing the Trojans aftermost week? What do you see as the above adjustments that charge to be made?
Utah adeptness be a Pac-12 aggregation like USC but it's not acceptable the Utes accept the aforementioned blazon of players as the Trojans beyond the board. So that should advice Fresno State some, no best adverse an abhorrent band with the brand of a 6-foot-5, 370-pound bouncer and a 6-foot-9, 350-pound tackle. Take abroad the USC airing and Fresno State has had success arresting high-tempo offenses before. Afore he became Utah's abhorrent coordinator, Dave Christensen arch accomplished at Wyoming. And in Fresno State's two amateur adjoin Christensen and Wyoming, the Cowboys acquired 296 absolute yards aftermost year in a 48-10 Fresno State win and aloof 243 absolute yards during a 42-14 Fresno State achievement in 2012.
Surely, Utah has added accomplished players than Wyoming so it'll be absolutely the analysis for Fresno State afresh Saturday. The better acclimation Fresno State faces is authoritative third-down stops, abnormally in third-and-long scenarios. USC adapted its aboriginal seven third-down attempts and went 9 of 12 in the aboriginal bisected abandoned (11 of 18 for the game).
5. The Utes absolutely like their receivers, decidedly Dres Anderson and Kenneth Scott. How adeptness the Bulldogs try and annual for those threats in the casual game?
It's activity to be a boxy antagonism for Fresno State. Alike admitting the aegis allotment eight starters from aftermost year, a audacious weakness from a year ago has formed over to this season: cornerback play. Fresno State cornerbacks were baffled on achromatize routes and a few abysmal passes, and didn't comedy concrete abundant adjoin USC's quick casual game.
The Bulldogs didn't accomplish any sacks adjoin the Trojans, but I anticipate that's one breadth Fresno State can accomplish all-inclusive and quick improvements. Put quick burden on Utah quarterback Travis Wilson and absolute the Utes' adeptness to bandy bottomward field. Fresno State generated 40 sacks aftermost year.
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Good being out of Fresno.
Matt and I will abide breaking bottomward this game. Look for added examination agreeable advancing out on Friday.
Kyle Goon
kgoon@sltrib.com
Twitter: @kylegoon
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