Brad Rock: Were Ute kids just too young to know?

SAN DIEGO — Throughout the December recruiting period, Kyle Whittingham repeatedly pointed out his team is losing a fine but talented group of seniors. He made it clear he likes what he has coming back. Among the returnees: some kids who learned a lot on Monday.

So did Whittingham.

For example, what it feels like to lose a bowl game.

The Utes' first Holiday Bowl appearance ended up anything but festive. After leading 20-3 at halftime, they pulled a BYU, losing 31-20. A 20-0 lead wasn't enough for BYU in the regular season and a 17-point lead wasn't enough for the Utes on Monday.

"When we're in controlling the game at halftime, we win 98 percent of those," Whittingham said.

Everyone could take some blame and no one could take a bow. The Utes were nothing like the always-in-the-battle Utes. They were finished in the third quarter.

This was a team that turned in early on New Year's Eve. There was more rhythm from the traffic outside.

But nothing stood out more than freshmen making freshman mistakes.

Someday this group of Utah younger players will be good.

This day they looked like kids.

Blame?

Blame it on the stork.

It's the New Year.

They just arrived.

On a cold and rainy night, the Utes cast a cloud on their most successful conference season ever, not by losing to the best team in the Big Ten West, but by losing after having the game in hand.

"Momentum is a funny thing in football," Whittingham said. "Not a funny thing, but a powerful thing."

Plenty of seniors didn't show up, either — only some of them injured.

In the second half, the Utes had three speeds: slow, park and reverse. The drive chart went like this: interception, three-and-out, fumble, fumble, three-and-out, interception, three-and out, over on downs, fumble, and their best play of the half: an expiring clock.

Afterward, Whittingham herded his players to where the marching band was set to play "Utah Man." A few players half-heartedly pumped their arms along with the music, as did Whittingham.

"One thing after another," Whittingham said.

"That's why you got to play 60 minutes," said quarterback Jason Shelley. "We had a good 30, first 30, then a very sloppy 30 in the second half."

Although the Utes were favored by many, that was a fairly flimsy prediction. Not only were they coming off a listless loss to Washington in the conference title game, but Northwestern had won seven of its last eight games.

Utah had to deal with the loss of arguably its best four playmakers. Linebacker Chase Hansen, receiver Britain Covey, running back Zack Moss and quarterback Tyler Huntley were all iffy or declared out before kickoff. The Utes looked like a reunion band. Some of the faces looked familiar, others were just playing the music.

Turned out none of the injured played.

Throughout December, whenever the subject of a starting quarterback came up, Whittingham invoked the Fifth.

"To be determined," he said.

The outcome of the Holiday Bowl?

That was supposed to be set. Whittingham never loses these things, does he?

The bowl-time Utes are as practiced as the crowd-pleasing porpoises at SeaWorld.

Everyone plays his part.

In the first half, when Utah jumped ahead 20-3, it was hard to tell anyone was missing. The Utes overwhelmed Northwestern on both sides of the ball. They opened their first possession with Jaylen Dixon blazing in the direction of Long Beach. Though the pass was overthrown, the pattern was set. Dixon soon caught a 27-yard scoring pass. Yet it was true freshman Dixon and redshirt freshman Shelley who started the mudslide.

Shelley threw a pick to start the second half that opened the way for a Wildcat score. Utah got as far as the NU 6 before he had the ball stripped and recovered for an 82-yard score.

Just like that it was 20-17.

Dixon had the ball stripped and returned to the Utah 31.

"Just that one play, I had the ball in my hands," he said.

A Shelley pass was deflected for another pick. By the end of the third quarter, the final score was set.

Utah lost the takeaway race 6-1.

"When you're minus-5, which is the net result, you win almost never," Whittingham said.

Words of wisdom from someone who, in December, almost never loses.

from Deseret News http://bit.ly/2BSZVHv