After a much needed bye week following their first loss of the season, the Utes are back in action. They welcome the California Golden Bears to Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
While some might have said this would be one of the easier games this season, that narrative has changed. Given the Utes’ offensive struggles and the amount of injuries the team has sustained, they’ll need to dig deep and find some rhythm offensively to get the job done.
Here are the keys to the game:
Open it up, get the offense moving
With so many of their offensive weapons sidelined due to injury at some point this season, scoring touchdowns and moving the chains has been anything but simple.
Over their last two games, the Utes have only scored 21 points total and seven of that was supplied by the defense on Karene Reid’s pick-six against UCLA.
Come hell or high water, it’s time to open it up. Try everything. Loads of play action, move the ball on the ground, and supply him with quick routes across the middle.
The play calling against Oregon State felt watered down and almost like they took a step back.
Limit the Cal run game
The Bears aren’t necessarily a run-first or super run-heavy offense as they’re pretty well balanced, but if the Utes can disrupt that balance and force them to try and win the game through the air, it’ll be tough to move the chains and put points on the board.
For the year, the Bears are averaging 5.1 yards per carry and 2.6 rushing touchdowns per game. In two of their three losses, the average was well below those numbers and the Bears struggled to put points on the board.
Just as they’ve done all season, the No. 3 rushing defense in the country needs to disrupt the Bears and force them to try and beat them through the air. Win the battle in the trenches, clog those lanes, and count on your elite defensive core to be as good as they’ve been all season.
Additionally, Cal is averaging roughly one interception per game. So if the Utes can halt the run game and force them to put the ball in the air, they can likely create some turnovers.
The receivers need to get involved
It’s a bit repetitive, but it’s a point that needs to be hammered home. Get the receivers the ball.
Through six games, the Bears defense has been solid against the run, but significantly struggled through the air.
In two of their three losses, they allowed 685 yards and 10 touchdowns. Obviously, they genuinely can’t stop aerial attacks and it’s been the primary cause of their 3-3 record.
On the flip side, the Utes have only passed for 789 yards total and four touchdowns through five games.
Despite the struggle, the offense simply has to attempt to move the ball through the air and live with whatever the result is. They’re more than capable if they’re given the fighter’s chance.
Get Mikey Matthews and Money Parks involved on routes across the middle. If you want to take shots down field let Devaughn Vele and Parks make some plays.
They're more than capable and pretty soon, Utah will find themselves against offenses that are winning in high-scoring and high-yardage shootouts.
Position Battles
Quarterback
Despite star quarterback Cam Rising being eager and ready to play, UteNation doesn’t expect him to see action this week.
A week ago, a stout Oregon State defense didn’t have any tape on Cal’s Fernando Mendoza and he put up 40 points on them. The week before that, Utah’s Nate Johnson was removed from the game at one point after struggling against that same defense. Bryson Barnes, if he’s able to play despite his injury scare, doesn’t provide much more confidence. This is a tie because Mendoza has to play one of the best defenses in the country on their home turf and this time around, there’s film on him.
Running Backs
Depending on whether Ja’Quinden Jackson can give it a go or not, Utah is in a world of hurt at this position regardless. Injury after injury has made a positional strength into a team nightmare. Safety Sione Vaki will likely need to see a lot more reps here this week than ever anticipated because Jaylon Glover can’t do this alone.
Wide Receivers
This is a position where Utah should have the edge, but they can’t get the ball. Cal’s group isn’t anything special, but they have the edge here.
Tight Ends
Cal’s Jack Endries is averaging 14.1 yards per catch. Usually by the halfway point Utah would have at least two tight ends well over this Endries’ season total of 170 yards, but Utah has forgotten how to get the ball to their tight ends, and Thomas Yassmin is in question this week after getting dinged up against Oregon State.
Offensive Line
Utah’s offensive line is both dinged up and they’ve also been committing momentum killing penalties that would have had no bearing on a good amount of bigger plays.
Defensive Line
Even though it’s been ravaged by injuries, Utah's defensive line continues to dominate opponents. However, with the loss of Logan Fano, the depth at end is about to be tested.
Linebackers
Cal’s defense is led by former Ute Xavier Carlton, who couldn’t seem to find his footing while he was at Utah. As a Ute, he was seen as an eventual defensive tackle for numerous reasons, but Cal has used him as a 270 pound outside linebacker.
Linebacker is Utah’s most stacked position. Led by Karene Reid and Lander Barton, this battle isn’t even close.
Secondary
Cal’s pass defense is 10th in the Pac-12 and 115th in the country. Therefore Utah needs to try and rely on throwing the football, something they seemed conflicted about against a similarly bad Oregon State pass defense.
Utah’s secondary has had their moments, but struggled against the Beavers.
Special Teams
Utah is armed with arguably the best punter in the country. Jack Bouwmeester’s field flipping ability is a valuable weapon. Now they just need to hope kicker Cole Becker is good to go after warmups.
