This week brought to mind many memories for Utah Coach Jim Fassel, who spent almost six years at Stanford, where the Utes will be playing Saturday.
Fassel rates a 31-14 win at Oklahoma as one of his best Stanford recollections, along with a 43-31 win over Washington in 1982, when the Huskies were ranked No. 1 nationally.However, 1982 wasn't a great year all around for Fassel and the Stanford Cardinal. That was also the year that Cal beat Stanford on the final play of the game, when the Bears lateraled their way through the oncoming Stanford band to win, 25-20.
Fassel says he remembers trying to console Stanford Coach Paul Wiggins, who kicked a door in after the freak loss. Prior to that Fassel was in the coaches' booth in the press box, awaiting a bowl invitation.
"I was up in the booth and a guy from a bowl game was up there congratulating us in the last few seconds. All we had to do was beat Cal and we had the bowl bid. Then the last play happened, and I stood up and picked up my brief case. The guy from the bowl was gone by the time I turned around. He was nowhere to be seen."
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IMPERIAL DECISION: Ute wide receiver Tim Imperiali, a junior college transfer, had a big night in El Paso two weeks ago, with five catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns.
It was a night he nearly never saw. Frustrated by groin and hand injuries and playing time in the early season, the Fullerton J.C. transfer requested a week off to return home and mull over his situation. Upon talking with family members, he returned to Utah and starred in the win over UTEP.
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STAT LOOK: Quarterback Scott Mitchell is slowly climbing the stat ladder. This week he ranks 18th nationally in passing efficiency, up from 20th a week ago. But he's still only the fourth-best in the WAC in that area. He follows BYU's Ty Detmer (2), SDSU's Dan McGwire (12) and Hawaii's Garrett Gabriel (13). He is also behind Air Force's Dee Dowis, but Dowis doesn't have enough passes to qualify for national statistics.
Mitchell is also fourth in total offense nationally, the same as last week, but is trailing Detmer (2) and McGwire (3) on the leader board.
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ADD MITCHELL: Although Mitchell allows this year hasn't been what he had hoped for, he says he isn't ready to declare himself eligible for next year's NFL draft.
Mitchell, a junior, said at the season's start that he didn't want to talk about his professional prospects until the college season had ended. He hasn't changed his position.
"I don't even want to discuss that until the season's over," said Mitchell. "But right now I can't see myself leaving early."