(1) I'm with you. I don't point and laugh, but after spending hours and hours breaking down statistical comparisons between Utah, their opponents, and their opponents opponents, NCAA statistics and the statistics of opponents and opponents opponents, followed by reading everything I can on NFL draft projections and even going back to high school scouting reports on players - finishing up with watching film of them...If I see something that is stupid, I will point it out.
FYI for Utes, when I do statistical analysis of how good a unit is, I go to the third level of competition, looking at who your opponents played, and who your opponents opponents played. I do this in order to find if a unit's statistical ranking is justified. Having the #1 rushing offense would not mean much if someone had played 12 of the worst rushing defenses in the nation - nor would it mean anything if your opponents were 12 of the best rushing defenses after having played 11 of the worst rushing offenses.
When I see shutting down Air Force used as proof that your run defense is great, I guess I do point and laugh in a sense. When you look at how USAF accumlated that #5 rushing offense ranking (dropping 400 yards on terrible defenses), and take into consideration that they are a one trick option pony - and Utah has the speed to take away the corner, it would have been sad if you didn't shut them down. USAF is 117 out of 119 in passing offense, so it was probably a pretty safe bet that you could play man against them and bring in the safeties for run support.
Bama will not try to get the corner on Utah. You do not have the size or strength up front to play gap control defense, and if you start shooting the gap to overcome that deficiency, our OL is fast enough to reach block and we will run right by you.
Kruger may have been a freshman AA last year, but now he goes up against a first team AA who outweighs him by 70 pounds and is projected to be the #1 overall draft pick.
I just cannot see a scenario where this game is close.
