OCR Text |
Show www.daHyutahchronicle.com SPORTS Saturda Friday 5 Thursday, November 13,2008 Football Men's Hoops Swimming Cross Country BYU@ Utah Utah@ San Diego State Southwest Baptist @ Utah Utah@ UNLV Utah@ NCAA Mountain Regional Championships 7:30 PM Crimson Court 5:00 PMPT 2:00 PM Huntsman Center 2:00 PMPT All Day, Fort Collins, Cob. Volleyball 'Sly' an energetic piece of Ute defense Plafl ter said. Over 'the past three seasons, folks with knowledge of Utah football have come to know the 6-foot2-inch, 224-lb. linebacker from Las Vegas simply as "Sly." Utah's No. 10 shares his given Christopher Kamrani name with famed cartoon cat, SylASST. SPORTS EDITOR vester of the "Looney Toons." "I think that's where people got Going back as far as his memory will serve him, Stevenson Sylvester Sly," he said. "I guess they liked it has always had a surplus of nick- and just ran with it." Nicknames aside, there is nothnames. At an early age, his family dubbed ing stealthy about the linebacker's him "Stevie." After arriving at the play on the field. U, defensive coordinator Gary AnSylvester, No. 2 in tackles on a dersen called him "Slappy." heralded Utah defense, is known "That's Coach A's nickname for for being one of the most athletic, me, but I have no idea why," Sylves- versatile players on defense. "Sly has earned his respect on the field because of his big hits, because of his playmaking ability," Andersen said. "And he's learned to have great work ethic. Even more so than any night Height/Weight: we're playing." 64001-2,224IHS The junior in communication Major: has a keen ability to sense moods, Communications and if the mood surrounding his Favorite Meal: football team isn't Food what he expects, he lets the whole crew know what's Favorite Type of Music: on his mind. R&B "I just try to make people feel Favorite artist: not down," Sylvester said. "It helps Musiq Soulchild when you get a flight couple yells in, a couple laughs, you listen to music and make fun of something. It turns the whole day different." The "rover" linebacker was a starter off and on during his first two years at the U, but has emerged this year as one of the faces of the program and a centerpiece for the No. 11-ranked defense in the country. His constant grin and chill attitude helps, but opponents see a different side of the kid from Sin City once the ball is snapped. Sly started eight games last season as a sophomore and managed to come in No. 2 on the team in tackles with 86 total and tackles for loss with 10. His freshman year was the same song and dance in terms of success. Starting three games' as a true fresh- man, Sylvester had 23 tackles, a forced fumble and an interception returned for a touchdown against Utah State. That 2005 season was one to remember for Sly. Not for the fact that he made his collegiate debut or the fact that Utah won a bowl game, but because he had the opportunity to learn from players such as Eric Weddle, who is now a defensive back with the NFL's San Diego Chargers. "I got a lot of help from Weddle," he said. "He helped me with the reads and taught me how to study. He was one of the first guys to teach me stuff. All those veterans that were here were very helpful to me." Moving back even earlier than 2005, Sylvester has always been one step ahead of the curve. Whether it was playing the saxophone for five years or starring in football, baseball, soccer and basketball, he has always had the drive to be the best. "Really, basketball was my main thing, but I don't know why because I wasn't that good at it," he said. "But my junior year of high school, I made a couple plays in football and it just took off from there." Starting every game so far this season for his 10-0 Utes, Sly has been a main cog in this team's success on the defensive side of the ball. He has led the Utes in tackles against Michigan, Colorado State and most recently, TCU. For Sylvester, the three See STEVENSEN Page 6 TYLER COBB/IheDaily Utah Owitkle MEN'S BASKETBALL VOLLEYBALL Starters Kepkay, Green Rotation helps Utah roll to come off the bench Paige Fieldsted STAFF WRITER Marco Villano I just like that." The decision is based on the fact that STAFF WRITER Kepkay and Green will be able to bring Runnin' Utes head coach Jim Boylen is some energy onto the floor coming off the in his second year at the U. bench. The Utes won't have anyone unDuring his years as an assistant in the der 6-feet-3-inches in the starting lineup, NBA, Boylen had players such as Sam Cas- which will give opponents a tough time sell and Mario Elie who came off the bench from the get-go. to make major contributions. Boylen ad"I think it's a way for us to be the most opted the idea and is using it this season effective, to use our depth and to have the with two players whom most would ex- best chemistry and the best possible chance pect to be starters. to win at the end of the game," Boylen said Just like then-senior guard Johnnie Bry- "When you play 12, two-possession games, ant's role last season, senior point guard I think it makes a lot of sense." Tyler Kepkay will be coming off the bench Kepkay and Green don't have any probfor the Runnin' Utes this season. Also lem with coming off the bench, it's about coming off the bench will be three-year being a team and racking up wins. starting forward Shaun Green. "It's a cool thing that coach asked me "When I was with Tom Izzo (Michigan to do it," Kepkay said. "I like it because it State head coach), we talked a lot about gives me a chance to see what's going on having guys off the bench that were ready in the game a couple of minutes before I to play and give you a lift," Boylen said. "Kepkay did that and Shaun did that and See BASKETBALL Page 6 RUNNIN' UTES ROSTER Name Height/Weight Position YR. LMfeHce Borha 7 W/205 j i **Cfflon Brown •6-57205 ""*"*• Guard Japan Cyphers j r 6'57185 Guard/Forward Guard LifcaDrca -70 "• 6'57205 slaun Green ^ ;J. 6'87220 /.£ Forward ; Morgan Grim - 6'87220 ' i - Forward; ; _ 6^.17180 "j.; : Christines Guard : Tylermepkay Guard j •:6J37185 ^ 7©"/?fi«; %i Lukellevill Center Josh iharp 617185 S Forward Tre Stnith 5§07i65yj Guard I Jace|Tavita 6^7190 $ Guard/Forwardi 6flQ72] 5 Kimljllie Forward S r JasoipVashburn 7 O72Vo Center j | Jonainon Downie Forward 6'87225 ISR. SO. SR. JR. SR. SO. FR. SR. SR. FR. SO. FR. JR. FR. SR. 1 1 t ' 1' Anyone who has watched a Utah women's volleyball game this season has noticed the almost constant flow of players going in and out of the game. With all the substitutions, it might look as thought head coach Beth Launiere can't decide who she wants to play, but there is a method behind all the madness. Since late September, the Utes have been running a 6-2 offense, which is the cause of all the substitutions. "There were two or three rotations that we had a really small block and we needed to be able to put up a bigger block, especially late in the game and a 6-2 allowed us to do that," Launiere said. In the 6-2 offense, the setter never plays on the front row, instead, a right-side hitter is inserted when the position rotates to the front row. The offense allows for six different hitters to get time on the front row, while two separate setters run the team from the back row, hence the 6-2 name. Although Launiere said she prefers the 5-1 offense, where the setter position plays all the way around, the 6-2 seems to be working well for the Utes, who have gone 13-1 with their only loss against No. 7 Oregon, since switching. "With the 5-1 you just have one setter for your hitters to connect with and get comfortable playing with," Launiere said. "The 6-2 has been working for us though because we have really stepped up our passing, we've been able to get the ball to the middles and blocking tons more balls." The biggest change in the 5-1 for Utah is the block. Without the shorter setters on the front row, the Utes are able to put up a stronger block in the middle and on the right side. "The 6-2 makes us huge," said Emillie Toone. "Our block is so much stronger with it." Not, only does the rotation benefit the block, but also gives more hitters the chance to contribute and makes the offense that much more powerful. THIEN SOK/Tht Daily UtchChmnidt Lori Baird has had success in the 6-2 offense the Utes have been using since September. "I really like the 6-2, the block is really big and it gives us a lot more options on offense," said right hitter Chelsey Sandberg. With the 6-2 offense, Utah can also keep three hitters on the front row at all time, which makes it difficult for the opponent to block. "You always have three hitters coming at you and if we execute it right, it is difficult for opponents to stop," Launiere said. Besides benefiting both the offense and defense, running a 6-2 also allows more players to see court time. "You only have depth if you build it by playing people," Launiere said. "The more experience these girls get, the better." Utah will be looking to continue putting'the 6-2 offense to good use as it faces BYU on Friday and rounds out its Mountain West Conference schedule with games against Wyoming and Colorado State next week. pfieldsted@ chronicle.utah.edu Volleyball Standings Overall Conference Win Loss Win Loss 19 5 11 2 20 3 11 2 19 6 9 5 19 8 8 6 14 12 7 6 12 11 5 8 8 15 5 8 4 17 ,3 9 5 20 0 12 |