Utah coach Kyle Whittingham says Utes didn't coach or play well in lopsided loss to Arizona

I thought we were ready to play, but I thought that as the game unfolded and toward the end, we didn’t finish it. – Kyle Whittingham

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah coach Kyle Whittingham delivered a blunt assessment after Saturday’s 42-10 loss to Arizona at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

“We weren’t very good,” he said. “Didn’t coach very well, didn’t play very well.”

The Utes (7-4, 4-4) fell out of the national rankings following their most lopsided setback since a 47-7 pounding by TCU on Nov. 6, 2010.

Simply put, it was not a senior day to savor.

Utah’s offense got off to a particularly slow start. The Utes’ first seven possessions told the story — five three-and-outs with an interception and a fumble surrounding the fourth punt. They didn’t even get a first down until the second quarter.

“We didn’t perform well. We played poorly,” said tight end Westlee Tonga. “That’s really the name of the game.”

Arizona capitalized on Utah’s sluggishness and jumped out to a 21-0 advantage. The Wildcats scored on touchdown runs by quarterback Anu Solomon (11 yards) and running back Nick Wilson (17 yards). Then came a 31-yard fumble return for a score by Dan Pettinato.

Although the Utes countered with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Travis Wilson to Tonga with seven seconds remaining in the half, it didn’t really turn the tide — nor did a 28-yard field goal by Andy Phillips that made it 21-10 with 5:14 to go in the third quarter.

Then came something that could have changed things, though — an 87-yard punt return for a TD by Kaelin Clay. It was called back by a penalty.

Momentum later switched sides as Arizona scored 21 points in less than two minutes early in the fourth quarter as a rout ensued. The Wildcats scored touchdowns on runs of 75 and 19 yards by Wilson, as well as off a 39-yard interception return by Tra’Mayne Bondurant — off of Utah backup Conner Manning with 9:58 left to play.

“We gave up 14 points on offense and scored 10,” Whittingham said. “That’s not a good recipe for winning games.”

Tonga noted that the margin for error in the Pac-12 is “razor thin” and that it has to be a team mentality with all 11 players on the field performing well.

Utah’s defense had its struggles, too. The Utes gave up a season-high 520 yards. Arizona’s Wilson finished with 218 yards rushing.

“I thought we were ready to play,” Whittingham said. “But I thought that as the game unfolded and toward the end, we didn’t finish it.”

The Utes now prepare to close out the regular season Saturday at Colorado (2-9, 0-8). They’ve already clinched bowl eligibility but can secure the program’s first winning Pac-12 campaign with a victory.

“You move forward,” Whittingham said. “You have to pick yourself up off the mat and regroup.”

EXTRA POINTS: Running back Devontae Booker ran for 142 yards, topping the century mark for the sixth time this season. His 1,255 yards rank fourth on Utah’s single-season record chart. ... Booker, Clay, Tonga and Kenneth Scott each had a team-high four receptions. ... Linebacker Jared Norris finished with a game-high 11 tackles, including two behind the line of scrimmage. ... Defensive ends Nate Orchard and Hunter Dimick recorded sacks. Orchard upped his school-record single-season total to 17 1/2. ... Linebacker Jason Fanaika made nine stops. ... Cornerback Dominique Hatfield had two pass breakups. ... Nickel back Justin Thomas had a fumble recovery. ... Blechen forced a fumble. ... Tom Hackett pinned five punts inside the 20. ... Phillips has now made 20 field goals in 2014, matching Joe Phillips (2009) for the second-most in a season by a Utah kicker.

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