Fans Discuss On Twitter Which Utah Football Teams Were The Catalyst For Current Success
May 20, 2022, 3:38 PM
Head coach Kyle Whittingham (L) hands the championship trophy to wide receiver Britain Covey #18 as they celebrate the team's 38-10 victory over the Oregon Ducks to win the Pac-12 Conference championship game at Allegiant Stadium on December 3, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY- Utah football has been on the rise arguably for decades, but have you ever stopped to think about the catalyst for that success? We asked Utah football fans to Tweet us the teams or eras they felt like jump-started the Utes’ to their current status and got a lot of different answers. Here is what you all had to say:
I really liked last week's Friday 13th question, so let's do it again and create another article from your answers!
#Ute fans, which team do you think was the catalyst for @Utah_Football's current successes? There are a lot of good possible answers and I want them ⬇️ #GoUtes— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) May 20, 2022
The Lone Fassel Fan
While it is true the Jim Fassel era was overall very underwhelming in terms of wins and losses, the one thing it gave the Utes was hope for an explosive offense. Those teams knew how to put points on the board. The only problem was they didn’t know how to keep opposing team’s offenses off the board either. It feels weird to talk about bad Utah defenses, but they did exist in the ’80’s. These days the Utes are looking pretty good on offense and defense. Is it possible to draw a line from those offenses to Utah’s current offense? We’ll allow it.
Jim Fassel’s
— Ian Barton (@iantb85) May 20, 2022
1993? Fine By Me.
There are quite a few fans who voted for the 1993 team, not because they set the world on fire, but because kicker Chris Yergensen destroyed BYU’s with a game winning field goal. This dub for the Utes in Utah and BYU’s rivalry certainly could mark a changing of the guard with momentum swinging in the Utes’ favor. In many ways, getting consistent wins again against the Cougars could be argued as the beginning of Utah’s rise.
Chris Yergensen
— Daniel Olson (@dco206) May 20, 2022
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) May 20, 2022
In that same logic, you can say 1994 all began with a certain 52 yd Yergensen FG in the last game of the 1993 season… so could you say that Utah Football’s rise all began with that kick? There’s an argument to be made.
— 🇺🇦 My friends call me RJ 🇺🇦 💛💙 (@run_rj_run) May 20, 2022
More For ’94
You can’t have this conversation without talking about the 1994 Utah football team and head coach Ron McBride’s impact. After, years, and years, and years of mediocrity at best, the Utes finished the season ranked number ten in the AP Poll and number eight in the Coaches Poll with a 10-2 record. They also had big wins over three ranked opponents, number 12 Colorado State, number 20 BYU and number 15 Arizona in the Freedom Bowl.
There are many catalyst points along the way, but 1994 was HUGE. Utah discovered that they didn’t need to settle, and it was time to push for the top of the conference. Ute fans discovered that we could complete as well.
— 🇺🇦 My friends call me RJ 🇺🇦 💛💙 (@run_rj_run) May 20, 2022
Top 10 in 1994. Utah was bad for decades before then.
— Dean Graham (@DeanAGraham) May 20, 2022
It 100% started with McBride, in terms of lineage. Without McBride, I don't believe you have Fred, which I think could pull Kyle out of the equation as well.
That 1994(?) 10-2 team was one of my absolute favorites to watch. That was really where their identity started, IMO
— Dennis Robinson (@drob801) May 20, 2022
Taking It To A Heavy Weight
In 2001, the Utes earned a trip to the Las Vegas Bowl to take on a Pete Carroll led USC and beat them. Utah is known for having some moxie against teams that are slated as being better than them by a lot, this very well could be the first real game they encountered that put everyone on notice. The Utes are here. They are taking names, and they kicking butt.
They held USC to 2 yards rushing that game. That was awesome
— Eric Extreme Masker (@quinsthenn) May 20, 2022
2003 For Me, Please!
For many Ute fans switching the guard from McBride to this unknown at the time, young coach from Bowling Green is where the magic for Utah really started. Despite how you feel about Urban Meyer as a person, there is no denying he can build winners in college football (yes, we are making sure to be very specific about that) and the Utes in a lot of ways might be his crowing achievement. They were virtual nobodies in college football that are now flirting with being the new hot thing that everyone wants to be a part of.
2003. It all starts there imo.
— Skye Anastasion 🇺🇲🇺🇦 (@ElonMUSS) May 20, 2022
2003. I give McBride credit 4 setting the stage but there was a tangible excitement everyone felt when Urban arrived. Yes there were some seasons after that were rough but 2003 brought in belief that the Utes could be far greater than they had been and that belief is still there
— He/Him Mark (@saint4patriots) May 20, 2022
The turning point were the program really made the jump from good to great was the 2003 team. Took it to a whole new level from there on out.
— 👊🏽Lucky Punch Legend 👊🏽 (@MightyJoe54) May 20, 2022
It was definitely a turning point. As a student in 2000, I remember showing up to games just before kick and sitting down near the front of the student section. Fast forward to that Cal game and the stadium was packed. Completely different environment.
— Rafe Thompson (@rafethompson) May 20, 2022
The Utes Go Undefeated, Twice
On the more surprising side, only one fan mentioned Utah’s two undefeated seasons. Busting the Bowl Championship Series twice was a major accomplishment for tiny Utah. It put them on the map. It forced people to have to pay attention to them. Those two seasons in 2004 and 2008 most likely played the biggest factor in the Utes receiving their invite to the Pac-12 when conference expansion was happening.
Those seasons were huge for where Utah has ended up. No doubt.
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) May 20, 2022
2004. Without Urban, Whittingham doesn't become Utah's HC & learn how to run a winning program. That led to 2008, which was the catalyst for the Pac-12 invitation. That led to growing pains & eventually… 2022.
— The U Fan Cast (@TheUFanCast) May 20, 2022
Enter 2014 and 2015
Utah’s entrance into the Pac-12 wasn’t the smoothest. They had a pretty impressive inaugural season in 2011, but then things got hairy in 2012 and 2013. While there was frustration at the 5-7 finishes those two years since joining the Pac-12, it wasn’t like Utah wasn’t competitive. They just didn’t have enough horses to finish a season strong. In 2014 Utah took a major step forward and then elevated it again in 2015. Those two seasons were very key for the Utes to put the rest of the league on notice that they weren’t planning on being conference doormats year-in and year-out.
There are more obvious and significant ones (like 2004 and 2008 seasons), but I think the 2014 season as a whole is an underrated turning point. First time it felt like the recruiting caught up and they could genuinely compete week in and week out.
— jazzygiantyank (@jazzygiantyank1) May 20, 2022
Signing the Hallandale Trio was HUGE for Utah. No argument from me there.
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) May 20, 2022
Ohhhhh, forgot about sweeping the California schools that year. That was fun!
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) May 20, 2022
The '14 and '15 teams were really fun. Loved those guys!
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) May 20, 2022
The Hallandale Trio
This pick is very modern in Utah’s history, but quarterback Tyler Huntley, running back Zack Moss, and receiver Demari Simpkins leaving Florida to go to school in Utah was a game changer. They opened up a “pipeline” from Florida to Salt Lake City that the Utes are continuing to benefit from. It was a huge gamble for the three of them to be so far from home and yet it paid off.
Absolutely. They are a huge part of why Utah is where they are today.
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) May 20, 2022
The Fans Who Couldn’t Pick Just One
In fairness this was a hard question that really doesn’t have a wrong answer depending on your perspective and knowledge of Utah football history. End of the day it’s all connected and led up to this point for the Utes.
And yes, I cheated haha.
I'd have to think about P12 era. What was the key to current success? There was a lot of heavy lifting by a lot of players and coaches. But I'd probably pick when Huntley first got it going in 2018 b/c that's was the beginning of throw game ascendance— Justin Hansen (@justincraig40) May 20, 2022
The story of Utah Football is this.
1. Ron McBride- He created Utah football built a foundation that was more than chasing LaVell2. Urban Meyer- Drug our fan base (some kicking and screaming) to convince them what Utah could be.
3. Kyle for learning the lessons of both
— 🌹Mac MacInson🌹🇺🇦 (@MacSporkTwo) May 20, 2022
The One Fan Who Picked Themselves
Lets be real here, college athletics are largely successful (or not) because of you, the fan. If you don’t buy in, don’t care, and don’t show up it does have an affect. So kudos to you, good sir for recognizing the importance of you joining Mac’s Kids back in the day.
In that case, it definitely started when I joined Mac's Kids in 1993. pic.twitter.com/GNNnSLpkjm
— P. Cundick (@pcundick) May 20, 2022
