Utah Lost Control Of The Game, Conference Race In 23-10 Loss To Arizona
Sep 29, 2024, 9:12 AM | Updated: Sep 30, 2024, 1:31 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – In Utah’s 23-10 loss to Arizona, the issues that Kyle Whittingham previously forewarned would come back to back to bite them, did.
Those issues- red zone success, conversion down success rate, etc. ultimately cost the Utes their chance at their fifth win this season. With the loss, the Utes drop to 4-1, 1-1 on the season
"With a bye next week to get healthy – we’re looking at you Rising – the Utes begin the softest part of their schedule over the next three weeks."
– @PKKinahan https://t.co/gxTGpsmsEp
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 29, 2024
Since Cam Rising’s injury, Utah had fortunately escaped each of the previous three games with wins. However, the impact of his absence was quite clear tonight.
Utah’s red zone struggles grew too large tonight
Coming into the season, the Utes red zone offense ranked in the top five of the country over the previous five seasons combined.
Coming into the Arizona game though, they ranked in the 60s. After last night’s red zone failures, they’ll fall even further.
The steep dropoff in red zone production was ultimately the difference in last night’s game.
“We should have had 21 points in the first half and we just squandered those opportunities,” head coach Kyle Whittingham said in his post-game press conference.
The Utes started the game with two drives into the red zone. They netted 0 points and turned the ball over on downs to Arizona at the 11-yard line and 2-yard line.
Quarterback Isaac Wilson shared the same response when asked where the offense needs to improve.
“Converting those red zones,” he said. “I felt like we were driving the ball up and down the field the whole time, run game, pass game, but red zone.”
The Utes fell to the Wildcats, 23-10, for their first Big 12 loss in week five. 🏈#GoUtes #Big12FB #CFB https://t.co/aN4IKayY1N
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 29, 2024
Utah was able to move the ball pretty efficiently between the 20s. They went into the half with 219 total yards, with three trips to the red zone, but only 3 points to show for it.
“We’re looking at everything but it starts with me, we’ve got to have a better red zone package,” Whittingham stated. “The buck stops right here. If we don’t have a good enough arsenal of plays, enough creativity down there, then that’s something we’ve got to look at.”
The Utes simply have to figure out their red zone woes. Finishing 2-of-4 on red zone conversions and only 1-of-2 of those scores was a touchdown is simply not good enough for a team that wants to contend for a conference title.
“We will work long and hard at it, I can guarantee you that this bye week,” Whittingham said. “That’s our number one objective right now is red zone production.”
Concerning lack of success on 3rd and 4th down conversions
The Utes seemed to move the ball fairly effectively at times tonight. In fact, they were particularly good on 1st down as they averaged 6.3 yards to start each new set of downs.
However, on Utah’s conversion downs- 3rd and 4th, the offense continued to struggle.
The Utes actually finished 6-of-15 on 3rd down (40%), which is their best rate of the season. Unfortunately, they were also 0-of-4 on 4th down, all of which ended in Arizona territory including the two red zone trips.
“Execution, not going to blame players, but sometimes it goes down to being a little off with your timing or just a little off with your execution,” Whittingham said.
Red zone and conversion down work are considered vital aspects of preparation. Utah struggled with vanilla play calling times but then didn’t execute like they needed to when they tried different things.
All in all, Utah finished 6-of-19 (31.5%) on those conversion downs.
The Utes gave away control
Applicable in both the broader and narrow scope of Utah Football, the Utes were unable to take control.
In the more detailed version of last night’s game, Utah’s inability to gain control left fans deflated and uninspired until late in the game.
The raucous environment of late-night games at RES was noticeably absent for most of the night. That’s not their fault, there was little to get excited about.
The crowd was never fully invested in the game until Tao Johnson’s interception to start the 4th quarter. And even then, the raucous environment was short-lived.
In the grander scope of the season, the loss relinquishes Utah’s standing atop the Big 12 Conference. It gave way for others to gain favorable position in the title race.
There is a long way to go this season but they are now looking up at others in the standings, including rivals BYU and Colorado.
“I don’t want to paint the picture that the season is over,” Whittingham said. “We’ve got a good football team, a really good football team, we’ve just got to figure out some situational football.”
