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Show `I definitely learned F rom that one' I BY TALON CHAPPELL /STAFF WRITER PHOTO BY CHRIS AYERS rap game. These two words have ruined many a college football season and have crushed the dreams of millions of players hoping to call themselves conference or national champions. For the Utes, the next step in their comeback season is to not fall victim to the dreaded trap game. After a hard-fought, impressive victory against Michigan in Ann Arbor that saw takeaways, great special teams and a long weather delay, the Utes will welcome the Washington State Cougars to Rice-Eccles Stadium before they travel to the Rose Bowl Stadium to take on ui.Pac-12 South favorite UCLA. " Therein lies the trap the Utes must avoid. Washington State is coming off of an extremely disappointing 38-31 home loss to second-ranked Oregon. The Cougars' air-raid offense, schemed by head coach Mike Leach led by quarterback Connor Halliday, threw for 436 yards and four touchdowns. But the Cougars were unable to stop Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota, who threw for 329 yards and five touchdowns on the day. On Monday, Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham talked about the Washington State game and made it clear that while they haven't gotten off to a great start, the Cougars are a scary team to face. "First of all, very prolific on offense," Whittingham said of Washington State. "They're averaging nearly 500 yards a game throwing the I football, which is tremendous. Halliday is an exceptional quarterback. e really did some good things against us last year, and they took he Ducks right down to the wire. I know they're sitting at 1-3, but they're dangerous. They have weapons, and they're a very good IOW ootball_tea tah playe valiant defense against Michigan.That said, they were playing against a pro-style offense that focused on running the ball, and the Wolverines did not have fantastic playmakers at 1011. receiver other than Devin Funchess, who had four receptions for 82 yards. Washington State, however, will come into Salt Lake City and do what they've done the past three seasons: throw, throw and throw some more. Junior defensive end Jason Fanaika said pressuring the quarterback will be the focus of this week's practice, as well as the defensive goal during the game. "We need to get pressure on the quarterback and give ourselves the opportunity that we'll need so that our secondary can make plays on the ball," Fanaika said. "That pressure is going to be key this week, especially knowing how much they throw the ball. Their quarterback makes a lot of good reads. If the big play's not there, he will drop it off to his running back." On the other side of the ball, sophomore offensive tackle J.J. Dielman said that keeping junior quarterback Travis Wilson safe will be the primary factor to keep the offense playing the way it has been. "What I noticed is that Washington State's front got after the quarterback. We've got to focus on protecting our quarterback," Dielman said. "As an offense, we're going to have to score a lot of points, especially because of the league we're in, so we have to protect him." Wilson knows the importance of beating the Cougars on Homecoming night and will not take them lightly after the 49-37 defeat they handed the Utes last year in Pullman, Wash. "It's great to be 3-0, but our next goal is to be 4-0. That should be the mindset for everyone on this team," Wilson said. "I think everyone is focused, and everyone is going to prepare the way we need to for this game. We're definitely not going to take this game lightly at all. Everyone has got to be on the same page and the same mindset as any other week." • The Utes will host the Washington State Cougars this .....440 Saturday, Sept. 27, at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. MT. tchappell@chronicle.utah.edu e .. p @TalonChappell tV 8 BY RYAN MILLER /ASST. SPORTS EDITOR PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MICHIGAN DAILY 0 n Monday, Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said his team made it out of Michigan without a lot of bumps and bruises. His quarterback might not agree. Two days after Ute quarterback Travis Wilson's terrifying collision and fall that left him lying face-first on the Michigan Stadium turf, the marks were still clearly evident. Wilson's face was full of scrapes, bruises and stitches — battle scars from the hit that left Utah fans holding their collective breath. "I think that's the worst hit I've had so far," Wilson said. "Something I got be aware of and smarter about" Wilson missed the end of the first half of Saturday's 26-10 victory after trying to hurdle a Wolverine defender, getting hit, then flipping before landing face-first and sliding on the turf. "I saw a couple replays of it, and it didn't look too pretty:' Wilson said. "Definitely not the smartest decision on my part, but at the same time I'll do whatever it takes to push myself" Wilson's helmet got taken out in the collision, and blood was immediately visible. The quarterback, who missed the end of last season with a concussion and a pre-existing injury to an intracranial artery, was shaken from the collision and took his time to get off the field. Offensive lineman J.J. Dielman said it was really tough to watch his quarterback get hurt, adding that it was his job to protect him. Two people in the Michigan Stadium stands on Saturday felt that same protective feeling towards Wilson, but they call him "son," not "teammate." Wilson's parents watched from the stands as their son got bent into the shape of a scorpion. "Mom was definitely a little shaken up and scared," Wilson said. "I hate to put them through that kind of worry and everything, but I'm just happy I'm okay and happy nothing serious happened." After receiving stitches, Wilson returned to the game to start the second half and immediately led Utah on a five-play, 67-yard touchdown drive that put the Utes up 20-10. Wilson later showed he was suffering no ill effects of the scary tumble by barreling through Michigan defenders for a first down run. "During the game it didn't really affect me at all," Wilson said. "I had a whole bunch of adrenaline going, so at that point it wasn't something I was worried about." Wilson has a reputation for going airborne ever since his first game as a Ute back in 2012. In the opening game of his freshman season, Wilson hurdled a hapless Northern Colorado defender for his first touchdown in a Utah jersey. It's that special athletic ability that makes Wilson so dangerous, but he admits he has to pick his spots better. "I definitely got to be smarter about situations like that, and I definitely learned from that one," Wilson said. Utah doesn't comment on specific injuries unless they are season-ending, so no official report was given on Wilson's condition, but Whittingham said he is planning on having his starting quarterback for Saturday's game against Washington State. "He'll be playing this week," Whittingham said. "He's a tough kid. He'll be the first one to tell you he needs to use better judgment in some cases, but he's a tremendous competitor and exceptionally tough and very smart. He just didn't use the best judgment on that one isolated play." Even bruised, scraped and bloodied, the Ute quarterback will return to battle with his teammates on Saturday. r.miller@chronicle.utah.edu @millerjryan 412A. '44It Alr _ .. |