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Show Thursday, October 19,2006 Game Guide 4 THE DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE Season Stats Rushing ^ • )• -+ Att. Yds. Avg. TD UNM-Ferguson 130 552 4.2 2 30 ,0 UNM-Epps 19 58 3.1 1 .12'--^ Utah-Poston 68 278 4.1 2 UlatvRatliff 50 198 4.0 0 Utah-Casteel 27 137 4.7 • « • - - • 34 21 0 Passing Cmp-AtHnt Yds. TD Effic. UNM-Porterie 23-48-1 (479) 304 2 110.7 Utah-Ratliff 100-194-7(515) 1164 11 113.4 Receiving Catches Yds. Avg. TD Long UNM-Brown 32 419 13.10 52 UNM-Smith Zfi 448 16.05 61 - Utah-Richards 29 314 10.84 38 Utah-Wilson 18 110 15.02 34 • Utah-Castee! 17 226 13.33 49 Utah-Hernandez 16 145 9.1 o 32 : Punting No. Avg. Long UNM-Scott 38 40.9 Utah-Sakoda 38 -13.7 75 _ Field goals FG made/Alt Jlocked : : : - 52 ) Long Blocked UNU-Byrd 11-14 52 Utah-Sakoda 3-9 .14 1 0 SAKODA PULLS DOUBLE-DUTY FOR UTES continued from Game Guide 3 U football fans in the MUSS section watch painfully as the team loses to Boise State 36-3 on Sept. 30. Ute fans have been taken on a roilercoaster ride this season with a series of unpredictable wins and losses. Ute fans call for change L ast weekend against the Wyoming Cowboys, when the U's hopes of an undefeated conference record were dying to the beat of a 31-0 shellacking, a chant started from Ute fans. It began as a dull and ominous toll, but as it reached more ears, it started to snowball into a roaring chorus, with more than the majority of U fans joining in. The chant? FI-RE LUD-WIG, clap-clap, clap-clap-clap, FI-RE LUD-WIG. The chorus of jeers refers to Utah's offensive coordinator, Andy Ludwig, who came to the U two seasons ago after holding the same position at Oregon. Ludwig's play-calling thus far has been skeptical, if not laughable, and has caused many Ute fans to pursue their suicide of choice. Evan Orton, a sophomore in prepharmacy, is one of the many fans who are disappointed with the Ute's play calling. "It's just ridiculous. I could tell you exactly where the play is going to go at any given time. It's like LOBOS RELYING ON FRESHMAN QUARTERBACK continued from Game Guide 3 elusive. New Mexico, which has been superb on the road this season, has struggled to win at home. The Lobos were embarrassed by lowly Portland State in a 10-point loss in the first week of the season, and have won only one game in Albu- Ludwig is playing Candyland, and everyone else is playing Scattergories. CODY T-»^T r, T-» TT-,^ The level of BRUNNER thinking and creativity just isn't there," Orton said. Well, that's one opinion. Let's check in with Iver Olsen, a junior studying materials science and engineering. "I don't think things have been clicking right. It seems like when we're on, we're on, but when we're off, we are terribly off," Olsen said. "The offense looked good against TCU, but with Wyoming, it just seemed like we were predictable." Olsen makes a pretty fair point. Wyoming may as well have set up camp in the Utah huddle because it knew exactly where the Utes wanted to go with the bah1 in any given situation. The U offense was held to an abysmal 144 total yards and failed to mount any kind of scoring drive until the end of the game. The Casteel and Richards are great retotal was sig- ceivers, so why not give them more nificantly be- opportunities to make plays?" low the sea- Despite what fans think, coach son average of Whittingham stays behind Ludwig 319.3 yards per and his play calling. game. "I've got a lot of faith in Andy Adam His- Ludwig and what he does. People cock, a fresh- say play calling and this and that. man engineering major, prefers an Those are the same plays we led the Mountain West Conference alternate take on the situation. "He has been doing a terrible job with and were nth in the nation the entire season. Urban Meyer (in total offense) last year," Whitpretty well handed him an offense tingham said. "I don't believe it is on a silver platter, but Ludwig ap- play selection. We've got to be betparently doesn't like to win, so he ter executing what is called." went with his own crap," Hiscock Cough...bulls***...cough. Whew, said. sorry, I had something caught in Comparing this season with the my throat. magical season of 2004 may be a Seriously, where do you draw bit unfair, but deal with it—be- the line for what your players are cause once the Utes busted the accountable for? We have good BCS, expectations should have players. There is only so much risen above merely winning the they can do, though. Mountain West. Now we just need somebody "It just seems like we don't with a clever scheme to step in and take as many chances downfield," throw a little flavor in the offense... sophomore Colt Niemann said. AND THROW THE DAMNED "How many deep passes have they BALL DOWNFIELD. thrown this year? Not very many. c.brunner@chronicle.utah.edu in there and it's his first start, you querque smce. Redshirt freshman Donovan never know what to expect, but we Porterie, who completed 13 of didn't turn the ball over a lot and 27 passes for 168 yards with one he managed the game well." Porterie will likely be counting touchdown and one interception against UNLV, will make his first on junior wide receiver Travis career start in front of a home Brown to have a big night against crowd. Lobo fans can only hope Utah's defense. Brown leads the that Porterie has the same kind Lobos and ranks fifth in the conof success that fellow freshman ference with 32 catches, and has a Karsten Sween had against the knack for making plays when his team needs him most. Utes in Laramie. "I thought Donovan played well The Lobos, who have struggled for his first start," said Long of Por- running the ball all season long, terie's performance against UNLV. hope that their physical offen"Whenever you put a freshman sive line will be able to establish themselves against Utah's defensive front. UNM ranks 103rd in the country in rushing offense, as the Lobos have little depth behind sophomore Rodney Ferguson, who ranks second in the conference in rushing. The New Mexico defense will be led by junior safety Tyson Ditmore and sophomore cornerback DeAndre Wright. Ditmore is the secondary's resident hard-hitter, and Wright leads the team with three interceptions on the season. t.quinn@ chronicle.utah.edu UTES FACE LOBOS ON THE ROAD urday game after a Saturday 2004 campaign, the Lobos loss, it's on you for a long had won two straight in detime," Ute cornerback Brice cisive and dramatic fashion. McCain said. "The faster you In 2002, Ron McBride's last play, the faster you get it out year at the helm, the Lobos of your system." overcame a two-touchdown continued from Game Guide I The team was in similar first-half deficit to eventusee (tonight)." shape for much of last sea- ally prevail over the Utes, Following last week's son, experiencing severe 42-35 in double overtime. porous performance, the highs and lows depending The following season, New grumblings of discontent on the week, eventually fin- Mexico broke up a five-game have grown louder campus- ishing 7-5 and just fourth in Utah winning streak at Riceand city-wide. People have the Mountain West Confer- Eccles, torching the Utes for charged that the team has ence. That result won't be 407 rushing yards in a stunshown a lack of passion in its acceptable this season, and ning 47-35 Lobo victory. It's three losses—a criticism the the Utes expect to buck their safe to say, despite the Lobos' struggles this year, that recent habits tonight. players don't take lightly. Of course, that was the "We've just got to come to- tonight's showdown won't be same story after the Boise gether and make sure we're taken lightly on either side. State game, and the team re- playing with passion and "We just need to play Utah sponded. The Utes will use doing everything we can," ball. In the losses we've that as further motivation as Hernandez said. "We have had we haven't played Utah they look to once again turn to protect the football—that ball—no passion, nothing," things around in what has was an issue last year and it's McCain said. "If you've been a common trend over been an issue this year." bought into the system, it the last two seasons. The Even before last year's should be natural to go out short week, once again, gives meeting, the Lobos had there and have fun, and we them the opportunity to been a dangerous foe for practice better and play betpush aside a nasty loss and the Utes in recent years. Be- ter when we have fun." move forward. fore Utah came out victoric.betlamy@ "When you've got a Sat- ous during its undefeated chronicte.utah.edu 1320 i:. 200 S. 582-5700 White (Cucumber (j\rrn Yogurt Ment, Sauce. I'resh something like that, so it's finally semi-being realized, so it's awesome," Sakoda said. Sakoda is one of only eight underclassmen in contention for the award. Winning an award like this would unquestionably get Sakoda a lot of looks from NFL scouts when the soon-to-be 20-year-old gets into his senior season of football at the U. Sakoda knows the NFL is a long shot, but it still remains a dream for the U punter. . If Sakoda keeps doing what he has been doing, his chance might not be as far off as he thinks. Still, dreams of the NFL are still a possible light at the end of the tunnel for Sakoda, who was performing both placekicking and punting duties just two years ago for Branham High in San Jose, Calif. Sakoda also played three years of varsity baseball for the Bruins, during which time he helped his school take home the league title in 2004. The U punter/place-kicker, who was also an Academic all-MWC selection last year, cites a national kicking competition as the reason he was recognized, which ultimately helped him make the decision to walk on to the U. Sakoda made the U football team as a walk-on, but bis skills quickly made him worthy of a football scholarship. It is clear that Sakoda's handling of both duties makes him an unconventional kicker, and the rest of the football team has yet to treat him as anything but a vital part of the team. The fact that Sakoda scores points and constantly puts the defense in good position makes it hard for anyone to treat him otherwise. "You can only have so good of a game if you're doing one or the other, but if you can do both (punting and kicking), you get to really shine," Sakoda said. "I think our kicking team gets a lot of respect, and I live with an O-lineman and a quarterback, so that helps, too." t.pizza@ chronicle.utah.edu HV r1 Mountain Sports Network & ESPN Game Plan OCTOBER 19 Utah @ New Mexico 5O* JUMBO BUFFALO WINGS From one hour before kick-off to one hour after the Utah football game. Dine in only. Moyznvelhi 7 a in n t a e s a n d & let;i Onions. ELEOW Cheese |