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Show rp. Monday, December! December 15,2008 Monday, 5, *. _ DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE The www.doilyutahchroniclexom University of Utah's Independent Student Voice Since 1890 Vol.118 No. 75 ©2008 SUGAR BOWL GUIDE Can the lies measure up? TYLER COB8/ft? A)il/(/(fl.li0iroJi<"r/f The No. 4 Utes are ready to face college football powerhouse No. 6 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Utah is preparing for its second BCS bowl in five years just as it has prepared all season long. b Speed, size factor in bowl game •-•'•V- Christopher Kamrani ASST. SPORTS EDITOR With an undefeated season on the books, three Mountain West Conference season awards in hand and $e, second Bowl. Championship Series ; berth in four years, what else does Utah need to accomplish? Perhaps an impressive performance in uncharted territory against one of college football's most storied programs in this year's Sugar Bowl. The No. 6 Utes are ready to march into the Big Easy against the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide, a 12-1 team •G that owned the top spot in-college football for five impressive weeks during the season. As a heavy underdog (currently 10.5 points), Utah has no fear of Nick Saban and his' powerful, smash- I mouth style of play, but UTAH vs. Friday, Jan. 2,2009 Kickoffat6p.m.MST the matchup with the Tide is arguably the biggest and most important to date. "The team hasn't been classifying any of these games as the biggest games," said wide receiver Freddie Brown. "Whether it LABAMA Superdome New Orleans, Louisiana TV FOX RADIO KALL 700 The Zone was Michigan, Oregon State, TCU or BYU, we haven't been categorizing those games, but we realize that this is a huge game and that we're just going to take the same approach that we have the first 12 weeks that we've played." Whether the team admits it or not, the showdown with Alabama will prove the strength and legitimacy the smaller, non-BCS conference schools brought to the table—as Utah did in 2004 and Boise State so famously did against Oklahoma in 2006. See SUGAR Page 11 Smith brings in-your-face energy Christopher Kamrani in 10 years and had more than 1,500 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns as a senior. As hard as it seems to make the transition from What makes Sean Smith tick? offense to defense, it was simple for Smith. When asking the team, you get identical answers "For myself, it was just knowing and learning the alongside polar-opposite responses. defense in and out," Smith said. "I just know what Fellow defensive back Robert Johnson calls him I had to do and I had to learn, along with the rest a role model while defensive tackle Greg New- of the guys, what we were doing. Once I was able man calls Smith one of his best friends and dubbed to master the defense, I said, 'OK, I can kinda be Utah's most zestful player a goofball. Sean now and play how I want to play and not be "There are some plays where the entire defense so technical.'" will be tired and Sean will have energy for some Despite making the transition in college, most reason," Johnson said. "He showed me how to carry national experts acknowledge Smith's potential to myself around Utah." play at the next level. Smith's performance in his The 6-foot-3, 214-lb. junior cornerback out of junior year speaks volumes of his potential to play Pasadena, Calif., is the textbook illustration of what in the NFL. a highly talented, yet brash football player is. He leads the team in interceptions withfiveand "It's just his personality/' Newman said. "He's pass breakups with eight, and is No. 7 on the team just a fun person to be around." in total tackles with 40. It is Smith's athleticism, The All-Mountain West Conference first-teamer length and instincts that have allowed him to tranhas made immense strides, playing as both a run- scend which side of the ball he plays on. That carning back and a wide receiver since arriving at the ries over onto the defensive stat sheet game in and U in 2005 when he spent his freshman season as a game out. redshirt. In Utah's 40-7 win against Wyoming on Oct. 11, THIEN SOK/Jhe Daily UtehChrctiidt Smith was originally recruited to come play for Smith returned an interception for a touchdown on Utah as a running back out of high school. As an the Cowboys' first drive and another in the second Sean Smith exchanges words with BYU receiver Austin Collie early in Utah's 48-24 win over the Cougars. Smith said Collie all-conference, all-state and high school Ail-Amerwas his biggest test before facing Alabama wideout Julio ican, Smith led Blair High School to its best record See SMITH Page 6 ASST. SPORTS EDITOR 3-0 Jones. -y ; •- '.*: ; * > • SPORTS: Nick SPORTS: A lot of film study, and game preparation goes into making Utah 7-0 in bowl games. Page3 ; • : ; \\ Pappas provides a : student's guide to getting to and staying in the Big Easy. : Page6 !? .-'"' N E W S : Budget cuts, construction, Obama and thieves— review the top U news stories of t h e s e m e s t e r Page 9 ',.."•"• ••$ |
