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Show www.dailyutahchronicle.corn UPCOMING SPORTS EVENTS 5 SPORTS Wednesday January 15, 2014 FOOTBALL THURSDAY: Men's Basketball Utah vs. USC 8 p.m. Huntsman Center FRIDAY: Women's Basketball Utah @Washington 7 p.m. Seattle, Wash. Gymnastics Utah @ California 7p.m. Berkeley, Calif NCAA TOP 25 GYMNASTICS RANK 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 TEAM Oklahoma Alabama Florida Utah UCLA Nebraska Michigan Georgia Arkansas Boise St. Stanford Illinois-Champaign Denver Oregon St. Rutgers Kentucky Auburn Ohio St. Arizona Kent St. Central Michigan BYU Minnesota Michigan St. GYMNASTICS Utes to focus on mentality Griffin Adams ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Most often in team sports, the word "balance" is used to describe a squad that has a good mixture of athletes. In gymnastics, having balance is taken more literally, particularly on beam. A season ago, the Red Rocks realized the hard way just how difficult this event can be for even the best of gymnasts. Because of the struggles on beam in 2013, the team paid it extra attention during preseason training. After one meet, reviews are somewhat mixed about where Utah is in regards to being an elite beam team. "I feel like this year has gone better," said co-head coach Megan Marsden. "It started with our training in the preseason. The team as a whole made a commitment to up their standards and up their approach by approaching things with more purpose and intent." In the Red Rocks' opener last Saturday, no falls occurred on the apparatus, though multiple gymnasts had balance checks as Utah tallied a 49.075 on the event. "I think it went OK," said senior Mary Beth Lofgren. "We weren't thrilled with the outcome, but I think it was a step forward in the right direction. If we can build off of that, things will go well [this season]." Lofgren attributed some of the problems to not being aggressive enough. "We were definitely a little tentative," she said. "We were holding back a little bit instead of going all out, so hopefully that improves through the season. It will just take See GYMNASTICS page 8 BRENT LIBERTY/The Daily Utah Chronicle The Utah offensive line lets UCLA slip in during a game last season at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Jim Harding joins Utah staff Ryan McDonald SPORTS EDITOR The shuffling around of the Utah coaching staff continued Tuesday when Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham announced that former Wyoming co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, Jim Harding, will lead the Utes' offensive line. Reports had circulated earlier in the week that Dan Finn, who had coached the line for the past two seasons, had been relieved of his duties. A season ago, the Utah offensive line struggled mightily at times despite boasting players such as Jeremiah Poutasi and Jeremiah Tofaeono, who many saw as elite talents. Dave Christensen, the Utes' new offensive coordinator who was hired in December, is very familiar with Harding. Harding was a graduate assistant at Missouri from 2002-2004 when Christensen led the Tigers' offense. Over the past five seasons, he has been an assistant at Wyo- ming while Christensen served as the head coach. In 2013, Harding was the Cowboys' co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. He played collegiately at Toledo from 1997-2000, where Christensen was the offensive coordiSee FOOTBALL page 8 THE GREAT DEBATE -1 Will Petrino succeed in Louisville return? New coach a setback, not an asset Unethical past impedes success *th Charlie Strong's jump to Texas in the rear view mirror, Louisville decided to move forward — or backward — by hiring new head coach Bobby Petrino. Petrino coached at Louisville from 2003-2006 where he turned the program into a well-known team on the national stage. In his four years, he won an outstanding 41 games while only losing nine. He took Louisville to a bowl game each of those seasons, including the 2007 FedEx Orange Bowl victory over Wake Forest. After his short stint in the NFL after the 2006-2007 season, he returned to college football at Arkansas, where he was once again able to turn a program around, and become a SEC championship contender. 2008 saw his only losing season at Arkansas, going 5-7 and missing out on a bowl game for the first time in his coaching career. The following season, things started to look up for Petrino and the Razorbacks with the team rebounding to a 8-5 record, including their return to a bowl game. In 2010, Arkansas generated wins that were more up to Bobby Petrino's standards as they won io games and reached the Sugar Bowl. Not only were they winning, but they were picking up quality wins with victories against three AP Top 25 ranked opponents — LSU, Mississippi State and South Carolina. The next season was more of the same with the team winning II games and winning the Cotton Bowl against a ranked Kansas State squad. After the run of a few successful seasons, Petrino was still making national headlines, but not for the reasons he would like. He was fired as the coach of Arkansas — for university reasons, to put it nicely. Luckily for him, he was not out of coaching for long. He was hired ow is success defined in college football? Is it winning national chamDAVIS pionships, conference championships or maybe just winning a BUNTING bowl game? This is the question that needs to be answered before determinStaff Writer ing whether or not Bobby Petrino will be successful during his world. second tenure as the head football Since Petrino was introduced coach at Louisville. as head coach on Jan. 9, he has For those who don't know already pulled a scholarship offer the story of Petrino, here's from the No. 2 fullback prospect, the abridged version. Daniel Gresham. Pulling scholarship offers from recruits is not He was a successful head coach at a variety of schools, something new for Petrino, as he his last job being at Arkansas. was heavily criticized while at ArIn April 2012, Petrino was involved kansas for the same practice. He in a scandal in which he crashed could get away with something a motorcycle. To make matters like that at Arkansas where being worse, his lady friend, believed to in the SEC and having a decent be his mistress, was riding on the coach pretty much guarantees motorcycle with him. Once word of you highly-touted prospects. his infidelity blew up in the media, But Louisville is not a big-name he was relieved of his duties and football program. They've had was temporarily jobless. a couple of good years under He took the 2012 season off and Strong and with future pro disappeared into obscurity, until he quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was hired at Western Kentucky as leading the charge, but both are the head coach for 2013. gone now Not only that, but Despite the scandal, Petrino the Cardinals are moving to the has proven time and time again ACC this year and will now be in that he can win, and win big, at recruiting battles against the likes different programs. However, the of Florida State and Miami. These circumstances this time around are battles will be nearly impossible significantly different. with Petrino's track record of Although Louisville was a sucwalking out on teams. Petrino has cessful program under Charlie left Louisville once already for Strong, I just don't see Petrino the Atlanta Falcons, then turned having that same level of success. around and ditched that team During his tenure at Arkansas, he by leaving a note for his players. did win a Cotton Bowl and make an How professional. appearance in the Sugar Bowl, but There's no doubt Petrino will BCS bowls will be harder to come win games at Louisville, but his deby this time around. meanor and past will prevent him Players want to win, and while from fielding a team that is capable Petrino's resume would say he can to compete for conference titles do just that, players also want to and lucrative bowl spots. have a coach they can trust. The And he has no one to blame scandal proved that Petrino is not but himself. the most trustworthy person in the d.bunting@chronicle.utah.edu H StaffWriter after only a one-year hiatus from coaching at Western Kentucky for the 2013 season. Thanks to an 8-4 record there and the departure of Strong, his old team came calling and lured Petrino to come back to Louisville. It was shocking to hear about Louisville's move, as many would think they are taking a large gamble on Petrino. However, while most people will look at the negative aspects he brings to the program, I think we should look at how he is a proven winner. He has produced many wins at multiple programs and taken relatively unknown teams and turned them into respectable, sometimes perennial, powerhouses. He has a way about him and how he prepares for football games that produces victories. At the end of the day, isn't that all the university and students want to see? Obviously, the athletic director for Louisville will need to be cautious moving forward, but he must see this as an opportunity to win. With Petrino comes potential trouble, but that is worth the risk if it means success. It may take a year or two for Louisville to adjust to Petrino's system and make up for key player departures, but coaches experience the "rebuilding" phase all the time. If given a chance, Petrino will produce wins for Louisville's football program. VS • i.smith@chronicle.utah.edu Vote on who won this week D www.dailyutahchronicle.com |