Just two weeks ago he was a fourth-string tight end, working hard in practice with nothing to show for it. The future wasn't looking too bright for Ute redshirt freshman Richard Seals.
Then last Saturday night, Seals suddenly found himself in the starting lineup against Kansas playing . . . defensive tackle. That's right, only 10 days after moving from offense to defense, Seals was starting against the 20th-ranked team in the nation.What's even more remarkable, Seals hadn't played defense in his entire life before two weeks ago. He began playing football in 10th grade and always played tight end.
"I enjoy it, I really do," said Seals. "But I know I've got a long way to go. I need to practice and practice and get better with my conditioning."
At 6-foot-2, 275 pounds, Seals is one of the strongest players on the team, one of a handful that can both bench press 500 pounds and squat 600 pounds. The Tuesday before the Fresno State game, coach Ron McBride suggested that Seals try a pass-rushing drill. His good friend C.J. Johnson, a fellow tight end who went to the same high school in Houston, warned him that he'd never come back to offense. Johnson was right.
Ute coaches were so impressed that Seals stayed with the defense and got in a few plays against Fresno State. Then last Monday morning he got the news.
"They said `You're starting against Kansas,' and I said `Whoa.' It was kind of shocking," said Seals. He ended up with seven tackles on the night, including one for a loss.
"He did real well," said fellow tackle Vince Tauanuu. "That was the first time he started a game and he did a lot of good things."
McBride is more than pleased with Seals' progress in such a short time.
"He's very good," said McBride. "He's a strong kid who's a most explosive guy. We really needed help on the defense, and he's come in and done a good job for us."
Seals still wouldn't mind going back to offense and following in the footsteps of his heroes, such as NFLer Keith Jackson. But if it were a choice between watching from the sidelines as a tight end or playing as a defensive tackle, it would be no contest. "I'll play defensive end . . . easily."
SKELETON CREW: Injuries have started to take their toll on the Utes, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Four defensive linemen who have started this year are likely to miss Saturday's game at UTEP. Jeff Kaufusi injured his knee in practice last week, while Chad Kauhaahaa and Ryan Akina injured knees during the Kansas game. Pene Talamaivao, who hasn't played since the SMU game, is also battling a knee injury.
In the defensive backfield, Calbert Beck missed most of the preseason and first three games with a hamstring injury, while Teneil Ethridge went out after two games with a head injury and will get a medical redshirt year. Last week cornerback Clarence Lawson left the game with a concussion, while safety Brandon Dart suffered a hip pointer. Beck, Lawson and Dart should all play this week.
"We've got kind of a skeleton crew on defense right now," said McBride. "You lose players during the year and that's just the way it is. Whoever steps in just has to play well."
The good news for the wounded Utes is that after the UTEP game, they get a bye next week to rest up and let those injuries heal.
STATS, ETC.: Mike Fouts' outstanding performance against Kansas earned him WAC Offensive Player honors for the second straight week and moved him up in the national rankings. Fouts is now No. 8 nationally in passing efficiency at 162.41 and third in the WAC behind BYU's Steve Sarkisian and San Diego State's Billy Blanton. Fouts is 12th nationally in total offense . . . Harold Lusk continues to lead the WAC in interceptions with four and is fifth in the nation . . . Rocky Henry is 13th in the nation in receptions per game with 6.5 and 34th in receiving yards with 84.5 per game . . . Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala is 38th in the nation in rushing with 95.4 yards per game. He's fifth in the WAC, but has carried the ball more than anyone else with 102 on the year.
. . . The Utes don't lead the WAC in any team categories, but are second in pass defense, kickoff returns, 3rd-down conversions and turnover margin . . . Perhaps it's a good omen that on this same week two years ago, Utah broke into the national rankings on their way to a final No. 8 ranking is USA Today/CNN and No. 10 in A.P.