Evaluation: Utah’s enjoyable offense steals present in win vs. Arkansas

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It’s straightforward to image Utah offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven with a large grin within the sales space above the sphere at Rice-Eccles Stadium throughout many moments of the Utes’ 43-10 win over Arkansas on Saturday night time.

If Utah’s 66-14 victory over Idaho final week was the appetizer for what Ute followers can anticipate from their new offensive coordinator, the win over Arkansas was the principle course.

McGiven’s creativity began from the very first offensive snap.

Quarterback Devon Dampier took the snap and threw it 5 yards again to backup quarterback Byrd Ficklin, who chucked it deep throughout the sphere to Wayshawn Parker for a 36-yard acquire.

During an offensive assembly Friday, McGiven advised the opposite coaches that he was dialing up the double move.

“He was like, ‘I’m doing it,’ and all the coaches are like, ‘No, you’re not. No, you’re not,’” Dampier stated. “Then he came in our meeting this morning and was like, ‘We’re running it. If I say it, I’m about what I say.’

“He did it and Byrd’s got a crazy arm just to be able to get that out there. Wayshawn was like, ‘Byrd, you better throw me the ball. I’m going to catch it regardless,’ so I’m happy it all worked out. It was a very good momentum boost.”

That was only a warmup for what McGiven would present all through Saturday night time’s win.

Later in that first drive, Dampier threw it to Ficklin — a ahead move this time — for a acquire of 11.

McGiven was simply getting began.

There was a Ficklin handoff to Dampier, who pitched it again to Ficklin for a primary down.

“The handoff exchange pitch between Devon and Byrd was a pretty cool deal,” head coach Morgan Scalley stated. “It’s something we’ve been working on for a little bit, but if all of a sudden it doesn’t work, then it’s like, ‘Oh, you were too cute.’ But it worked, so hooray us.”

There had been a number of instances Dampier would take a number of steps ahead, faking like he was going to run the ball, solely to move proper earlier than he crossed the road of scrimmage.

Early within the second quarter with Utah up 13-3, McGiven determined to go for a two-point conversion after a landing, only for the heck of it. With the best way his offense was working, why not?

On the two-point conversion, lengthy snapper Logan Castor lined up a number of steps away from the place the 5 linemen and the backfield had been lined up. The snap was shoveled by Castor from the proper aspect to Mana Carvalho, who ran it in for 2 factors.

Utah rolled out extra distinctive formations, together with one which featured Dampier in shotgun with Daniel Bray, Ficklin and Parker all lined up parallel to one another throughout the 45-yard-line. Dampier motioned Ficklin, who looped again round to the backfield, and the handoff went to Bray for no acquire.

OK, so not each considered one of McGiven’s concepts went for a giant acquire, however for essentially the most half, he succeeded in calling a superb recreation to assist the Utes enhance to 2-0 on the season.

You needed to preserve your heads on a swivel whereas Utah was on offense. On almost each play, there was some type of movement or misdirection. That’s one thing Arkansas coach Ryan Silverfield had known as out earlier within the week, saying his gamers needed to play disciplined and belief their eyes and assignments, however in the long run, the Hogs acquired caught up within the Utes’ offensive whirlwind.

“I’ve said all along, the quarterbacks are like running backs,” Silverfield stated. “We didn’t do a good enough job tackling them and tackling them well and then they got us on some stuff where they’d run it, pull in and hit the dart pass quickly. It gives defenses fits.

“… The two quarterback system causes some headaches, obviously the double throw to start the game. We saw it coming but we just weren’t in good enough position to make the play on the ball.”

What’s this? A Utah offense that’s enjoyable to look at?

It’s enjoyable to play in, too.

“Mac G likes to have fun,” Dampier stated of McGiven. “I think if you could describe his offense, it’s fun. Especially having Byrd out there, I mean, it stresses the defense a lot. Just the fact that the defense has to try to guard all that, it’s just a fun offense to be in.”