‘It’s on me’: Morgan Scalley takes responsibility for Utes’ ‘embarrassing’ run D

Kansas State ran all over Utah on Saturday night.

Joe Jackson rushed for 293 yards and the Wildcats rushed for a school-record 472 yards in one of the most stunning offensive performances ever against a Morgan Scalley-coached defense.

Kansas State ran the same play over and over and the Utes couldn’t stop it.

“It was a power run game, just a basic power play and it was an ‘A gap’ power play where they started strong side and cut it back and we continually didn’t defend it the right way,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.

“We were out of square, we were losing gaps, and so obviously we didn’t do a good enough job as coaches of getting them ready to play, especially that particular play.

“But it was that one play that did the majority of the damage. They just ran it over and over and we just didn’t, didn’t do a good enough job as coaches, so that’s on me.”

While the Utes’ run defense was in the middle of the Big 12 pack entering the contest (143.2 yards per game), what unfolded on the field on Saturday bordered on unbelievable.

Kansas State had seven runs of 30-plus yards. The Wildcats scored five rushing touchdowns, including touchdown runs of 80 and 66 yards.

“Obviously not our best game on defense. There’s no real easy explanation to it. I mean we just did not play the run game in any way, shape or form with any consistency,” Whittingham said. “... It just wasn’t good and everything we could do wrong, we did.

“We didn’t fit the run gaps we’re supposed to. We didn’t tackle like we usually do. We weren’t as physical as we usually are in the front seven.”

If not for Utah’s offense keeping pace with Kansas State throughout the game, the Utes would have suffered their third loss.

During Utah’s remarkable 12-point comeback with seven minutes remaining, the defense finally did its part, with Tao Johnson jumpstarting the rally with a “pick-two” on Kansas State’s two-point conversion.

After quarterback Devon Dampier drove the Utes down the field to bring them within three, the Utes forced a three-and-out to give the ball back to the offense with 2:25 left.

Dampier led the Utes on a touchdown drive that featured him gaining 59 yards on fourth-and-1 to set up the go-ahead touchdown. With Utah up 51-47, senior linebacker Lander Barton sealed the game with an interception in his last game at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

“We got great kids that are fighters. I’m very pleased with how we ended the game,” defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley said. “The four-minute drill, getting a stop, you got that two-point conversion interception was huge. And then for Lander to end it.”

Overall, however, it was an embarrassing performance for the defense.

“Other than that, it was an embarrassment and credit really to their offensive staff. (Matt) Wells, heck of a job. And that happens in this profession. Unfortunately it happened right there. You got a thick chin, you got to bounce back. We got fighters. So I’m excited for this week,” Scalley said.

On Monday, Utah’s defensive coordinator and head-coach-in-waiting took responsibility for the Utes’ poor run defense.

“I did not do my best to get them ready. Obviously that will always be on me. Bottom line is we got to look at the film. We weren’t good enough gap fits, not good enough tackling, there’s a lot wrong and it’s on me,” Scalley said.

After what was surely a brutal film review Monday, Utah’s defense quickly turned the page to its regular-season finale against Kansas.

“We had a meeting. We had a conversation with the defense. We got punched in the mouth,” said linebacker Johnathan Hall, who was Utah’s highest-graded defensive player last week, according to Pro Football Focus.

“Now it’s time to get back up. Now we got to see what we can do. Now we got to see how we bounce back. I think we’ll bounce back very well.”

The Utes have won four straight games since a mid-October loss at BYU and have the opportunity to win 10 regular-season games for the first time since the 2019 season. Kansas, meanwhile, has lost two in a row. Bowl eligibility will be on the line for the 5-6 Jayhawks in the Black Friday contest (10 a.m. MST, ESPN).

While Kansas is ranked No. 11 in the Big 12 and No. 69 nationally in rushing yards per game (157.2), Kansas State entered last week’s game averaging just 137.8 rushing per game before rushing for over triple that against the Utes.

Daniel Hishaw Jr. (480 yards, four touchdowns) and Leshon Williams (456 yards, seven touchdowns) carry most of the rushing load for the Jayhawks, but dual-threat quarterback Jalon Daniels (370 yards, three touchdowns) is also a factor.

The Utes will be without starting defensive end John Henry Daley, who suffered a season-ending lower-leg injury in the Kansas State win.

“Well that productivity, it is tough to replace, but that’s why you recruit, that’s why you got depth. I was very pleased with Kash Dillon and what he did coming in, Lance Holtzclaw playing a little bit injured,” Scalley said.

Saturday’s embarrassing performance by Utah’s defense proved the Utes can’t overlook anyone, and after that game, Scalley’s unit is eager to make a statement in the season finale.

“I got no doubt that those guys will bounce back this week and they’re a prideful group and have a lot of competitiveness in them and so we’ll hopefully get that thing turned back around and where it should be for this week,” Whittingham said.

Hall, and the rest of Utah’s defense, are ready to wash the taste of Saturday’s disappointing performance out of their mouths and try to get to 10 wins on the season.

“Very important, man. Very important. We talked about it in a team meeting. We’re trying to come out this season with 10 wins,” Hall said.

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