After hiring a new assistant coach to fix a broken offense, after signing a handful of junior college transfers, after giving an audition to yet another quarterback, after spending the off-season in a rigorous conditioning program, after enduring 10 days of training camp in the tourist hotspot of Price . . . the University of Utah is finally ready for the 1991 football season - or Phase II of the Ron McBride Reconstruction Project.
The season opener is one week away, and here are the vital statistics: 15 starters return from last year's team, but not all of them return to jobs. For the fourth time in five years, the Utes finished with a losing record last season (4-7), but players and coaches are confident they are progressing.Here's a look at the prospects for the upcoming season:
Defense
A year ago, the Utes, desperate for help,
plugged three new junior college transfers
into the starting defensive lineup in fall
camp, alongside a handful of redshirt
freshmen and sophomores. That inexperience, combined with a new defensive scheme, should have spelled more trouble for the Utes' beleaguered defense; instead, they improved considerably. Ranked last (106th) in the nation in '89 in total defense, the Utes improved 25 places last season. They still gave up 403 yards and 31 points per game - but that was better than the 534 yards and 43 points of the previous year.
Credit Greg McMackin for much of the improvement. McMackin is a highly respected defensive coordintor (he has passed up similar job offers from SMU and the World League of American Football to stay with the Utes). He converted the Utes into a 5-2 defense, utilizing five defensive backs on a permanent basis, and corrected the Utes' glaring tackling problems. Today's Utes are considerably more physical. They can hit and make it stick, which is why they gave up only a couple of runs longer than 30 yards a year ago.
"We like guys who can run and have a nasty attitude," says McMackin. "We like the tough, blue-collar, hard-hitting mentality. This group is not going to back down from, or be intimidated by, anyone."
The Utes will be young again this season (only one senior in the defensive two-deep), but with a season of experience behind the veterans, plus the addition of at least one JC transfer to the lineup, the Utes should improve again this season.
McMackin, whose persistence and patience enabled him to sign star linebacker Anthony Davis away from name schools last year, outhustled the name programs again to sign another JC transfer of the Davis caliber. Reggie Alston, who originally signed with Miami but couldn't graduate in time to gain admission there, stepped into the Ute lineup almost immediately last spring, an out-of-shape, 230-pound free safety. This fall he's fitter and trimmer (down to 214 pounds).
The Utes signed two other top JC transfers - cornerback Sam Rhodes and linebacker Kelvin Lambert - but they didn't report until this fall and so far have been unable to crack the lineup.
"Last year we had to start new guys," says McMackin. "Now it's hard for them to come in and start right away because we have better athletes."
The Utes' best athlete is Davis. He had to play his way into shape last year and missed three games with injuries, but he still managed 59 unassisted tackles and 10 tackles for loss to earn first-team all-conference honors. He should be even better this year after completing an off-season training program.
Three sophomores - Sharrieff Shah, Mark Swanson and Cedric Crawford - join Alston and LaVon Edwards in the secondary. All are the tough, physical types - linebacker-DB crossbreeds. It remains to be seen if they can cover man to man.
The defensive line, once the Utes' biggest soft spot, is bigger and better. The 6-foot-5 Keith Embray, 6-6 Mike Lewis, 6-3 Jimmy Bellamy and 6-2 Dave Chaytors can all run and weigh 250 pounds or better. They should put more pressure on quarterbacks this season, and hold up in the trenches. Bellamy, a second-team all-conference pick last year with 10 sacks, was relentless in training camp.
Offense
Of all the things to go wrong in McBride's head coaching debut last season, who would have thought it would be the offensive line. The O-line, after all, was McBride's specialty. He had spent most of his 25 years as an assistant coach supervising offensive lines.
Last season the offensive line gave up 39 sacks in 11 games. The rushing game averaged just 2.9 yards per carry - or 85 yards per game - which ranked 103rd nationally. The Utes averaged just 19.5 points per game.
McBride flew to San Jose State mid-season to study the Spartan offense - the offense the Utes' pattern themselves after. He also decided to coach the line himself, as well as handle his head coaching duties. It meant long days.
"I don't think I can do this again," he said.
He won't. During the off-season McBride hired Rick Rasnick, San Jose State's offensive coordinator. Rasnick will call the plays, coach the running backs and tidy up the offensive scheme. Tim Davis will coach the line again, with help from graduate assistant Russ Bolinger, a former NFL lineman.
The line itself also has been overhauled. Mike DeHoog and Russ Dailey will be the only returning starters to start the opener. The other spots will be filled by transfers and redshirts - probably Tom McNit, Mark Barton and Brian Anderson.
"We're twice as strong as we were last year," says DeHoog. "We did take a lot of slack last year. We want a chance to make a name for ourselves."
Working behind a thin line made life rough for last year's dueling quarterbacks, Jason Woods and Mike Richmond, who split the starting job. Both are back, but both will be on the sideline. Frank Dolce, a 1989 JC All-American who redshirted last season, won the starting job in spring practice. His arm is adequate, and his feet will bring more mobility to the position.
The running backs will be mostly new, too. Coaches see Charlie Brown, who played sparingly as a freshman last year, as their primary ball carrier. Steve Abrams, the team's leading rusher last season, can play either fullback or tailback, and will. Brad Foster and Keith Williams also will see considerable action. Williams, a sophomore, has played sparingly during the past two years (he sat out last season as a Prop. 42 case and missed most of his senior year in high school with an injury), but he showed great promise in camp.
"He's the player I remembered," says McBride.
The Utes' strongest offensive position will be wide receiver. Bryan Rowley, who averaged a whopping 27.2 yards per catch last year, has impressed everyone, but remember the name Sean Hutson. Sean Williams is one of the team's most improved players. Vernon Shaver, a 1989 prep All-American, redshirted last year and missed training camp while serving a suspension, but his talent and speed are unquestioned. Meanwhile, the tight end spot is unsettled.
Conclusion: The Utes are still young, and the offense is new. A .500 season should be considered a great success.
*****
Utah's schedule
Aug. 31 Utah State
Sept. 7 at Oregon St.
Sept. 14 Air Force
Sept. 21 Oregon
Oct. 5 at Arizona St.
Oct. 12 at Wyoming
Oct. 19 Colorado St.
Oct. 26 San Diego St.
Nov. 2 at Hawaii
Nov. 9 New Mexico
Nov. 16 at Texas-El Paso
Nov. 23 at BYU