While the Utah offense has struggled to find its footing during Pac-12 Conference play under first-year offensive coordinator Troy Taylor, the defense seemed the likely landmark Utah could always come back to in order to orient itself.
After the way Arizona State physically pushed around the Utes defense on Saturday afternoon at Rice-Eccles Stadium, the Utes look like a completely lost team. ASU rushed for just 71 yards in last weekend’s upset win over Washington, but they carved through the Utes for 172 yards in the first half on their way to the most rushing yards against the Utes this season (205).
Saturday, the Sun Devils averaged 4.5 yards per carry with Demario Richard and Kalen Ballage combining for 168 yards and one touchdown on 32 carries. The Utes also had just one sack, their first sack since Sept. 22 at Arizona.
“It was just we didn’t do our assignments to the best of our abilities, that was it,” senior linebacker Kavika Luafatasaga said.
The Utes defense didn’t have its usual personnel. While starting defensive ends Kylie Fitts and Bradlee Anae both started, starting strong safety and last year’s leading tackler Chase Hansen was on the sidelines in street clothes, while starting linebacker Sunia Tauteoli did not play. Tauteoli, who came in with a team-high 42 tackles, had been unavailable to media earlier this week due to illness.
Safety Corrion Ballard and linebacker Donovan Thompson were both ejected in the third quarter for targeting.
“I hope so, I don’t know,” Whittingham said when asked if Hansen and Tauteoli would be availabile next week. “It’s going to be questionable whether or not they’re going to be able to go. Of course, we had the targeting guys that we’ll miss for next week. That penalty is a mystery to me. I’m still not sure how to coach it, but it’s what they’re calling.”
The Utes had held the Sun Devils to nine points on three field goals going into the final five minutes of the first half, but the Sun Devils took possession at their own 6-yard line and marched 94 yards in nine plays.
Richard started the drive when he seemingly got trapped for a loss, bounced outside, then sliced through the defense for a 25-yard gain. The next play, Ballage gashed the Utes for 35 yards. In the blink of an eye, the Sun Devils had muscled their way to the Utah 34. With 40 seconds left in the half, Richard bulled his way in from 1 yard out for the game’s first touchdown and a 16-0 lead.
The Utes defense spent 20 minutes, 25 seconds of the first half on the field.
The Sun Devils scored on their first possession of the second half to go up 23-3, and led 30-3 after a fourth-quarter defensive touchdown.