OCR Text |
Show KEEPING A POSITIVE PITCH BY IAN SMITH /STAFF WRITER t's not common for freshmen to come in and make an immediate impact, but Utah freshman Andre Jackson has done exactly that. And against good competition, as Jackson had his most successful series last weekend in the Pac-12/Big 12 Challenge. It didn't come easy for Jackson, though. After not getting a chance at the plate against Kansas State, Jackson stumbled against Kansas, going 0 for 2. He returned to the plate in the next game against the Cowboys and had his best outing of the season. Jackson led the Utes at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance, which included two RBI's, Utah's only two runs on the day. He would score a run in Utah's game against Oklahoma after going 1-for-3 the next day. "He did a nice job': Ute head coach Bill Kinneberg said. "He had some key hits for us and he also played very good defense for us:" Kinneberg said it was good for Jackson to get his "feet wet" at this point in the season so that the early-season action prepares him for the long campaign ahead. Pitching still a positive for Utah Kinneberg changed the starting pitching lineup in preparation for last weekend's challenge, and looking at the scores and the team's overall record, questions arise. Despite the recent slump, Kinneberg said that he is sticking to the pitching lineup he has in place for the upcoming weekend series against Nicholls State. Junior Dalton Carroll was placed into the starting rotation and Kinneberg said that he played well, even though he had a few hiccups early on in the game he started. "We feel very good about that switch," he said. "Dalton needs to get better at the start of the game:" Kinneberg went on to praise senior Brock Duke for his relieving duties in Sunday's game against Oklahoma. Duke was the second-day starter before Carroll was put into that role. Losses fuel the Utes It's no secret that Utah has struggled in close games for the last two seasons. These types of contests are not unusual for the Utes, but getting victories in those close games can be hard to come by. Sophomore Dallas Carroll said that the team simply has to perform better in the later innings in order to produce more wins. "They do hurt a little bit more [losing close games];' Carroll said. "At the same time, knowing that we need to fix that one little thing to make it go our way, makes the team move forward ... understanding that we need to get better in the late innings:' Kinneberg said that while he is disappointed about the wins not coming yet, he feels good about the roles the players are in at the moment. He also said that he is happy to see what some of his players are capable of after such a tough weekend. With just two weekends of competition played, the team feels confident it can eventually put together a full game. "We just need a breakthrough and play a complete nine innings': Kinneberg said. i.smith@chronicle.utah.edu @ISmithAtTheU UTES HIT THEIR WAY TO 200TH WIN BY BROCK JENSEN /STAFF WRITER enter fielder and captain Kate Dickman has continued to make the most of her senior season. She has extended her hitting streak to 15 games and is the clear leader of this Ute softball team. Dickman has a batting average of .479 so far this season, and there's no sign of it slowing down anytime soon. Additionally, she is second on the team in total runs scored with 14 and has a team high of 23 hits. Dickman has recorded four doubles and two triples, also adding two home runs thus far in the young season. "I feel really comfortable and confident [at the plater Dickman said. "I just feel that I'm seeing the ball really wer While it is still early, Dickman and the rest of the team could not have asked for a better performance to start the season. Dickman also contributed some of her hitting success to the confidence she has in the other hitters on the team. "I have my team behind me that I know can get the job C ti done if I'm not able to': Dickman said. Coach Hogue hits a milestone Utah head coach Amy Hogue recorded a coaching milestone over the tournament last weekend. Hogue, who is referred to by her players as "Coach A': won her 200th game as the Utah coach. Hogue is in her eighth season as the head coach of the Utes, and she really has the team heading in the right direction early this season. Despite the milestone, Hogue was very quick to push the accomplishment off to the side. "Yeah that's cool, but I never recorded a single hit in any of those games," Hogue responded when asked about the milestone. "If you've been at a program long enough, you'll get that many wins." Hogue has led her team to some quality wins in 2015, most recently a top-10 victory over Tennessee last weekend. The athletes love playing for Hogue and the way she coaches in games. "I like how she doesn't yell," freshman pitcher Miranda Viramontes said. "Coming from a yeller, it didn't work well for me at all. It helps us not to get as frazzled over something:' Awards for Donovan Freshman pitcher Katie Donovan has amped up the Utah pitching rotation this season and the rest of the conference is starting to take notice. After going 2-0 last week, highlighted by tossing a no-hitter against Nevada, Donovan was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week. To follow up that impressive performance, the freshman decided to go the distance in her next start, allowing just four hits in Utah's upset win over the Vols. bjensen@chronicle.utah.edu @brockjensen02 • ailyutahchronicle.co 8 { THECHRONY I NEWS I OPINION I ARTS I SPORTS I TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2015 } the great DEBATE ...which Ute at NFL Combine will contribute immediately? KIM BRENNEISEN hile Kaelin Clay did not perform his best at the NFL Combine, he will have the best rookie season out of all players coming from the U. I won't sugarcoat it, Clay did not perform well at the Combine. He posted a time of 4:51 in the 40-yard dash, an event he was hoping to shine in. But even Clay tweeted that while he was disappointed in his time, this is not the end. Clay also finished low in the bench press, and the vertical and broad jumps. But how high he jumps or how much he can lift does not have any impact on the way he can play football. If he can do what he did for Utah, he can excel with the best of the best. In the Pac-12 last season, Clay received first-team All-American and first-team All-Pac-12 honors as a return man, and all of these accomplishments were just in his lone season representing the Utes. He W will easily be able to adapt to the professional level based on his previous adjustments, going from the junior college level to the Pac-12 level. There are not too many great punt returners in the NFL, with the exceptions of Devin Hester and Jacoby Jones, but Clay can add some versatility to this group. He can specialize in returns and even if he does not do this, he can still be just as effective as a wide receiver. As a receiver for the Utes, he averaged 12.2 yards per catch and had a total of 523 yards for the entire season. He will definitely transfer his collegiate-level success to the pros. Also, it is important to note that he only played one season for Utah. All of his stats and assessments are based on that one year. While other players from Utah certainly have the potential and determination to become great players in the NFL, Clay will make the most immediate impact. Clay will have to overcome the fact that he is a rookie — lately it seems like the only rookies that capture people's attention are quarterbacks, and more so in this draft compared to last year's. But at the end of the season, Clay will have more of the spotlight and he has more to gain. T he answer is Nate Orchard — plain and simple. There's no doubt in my mind that other former Utes who participated in the NFL Combine could play significant roles for NFL teams, but not quite the way Orchard can. Orchard has the ability to make an immediate impact for any team's defensive unit, and it showed during his time at Utah. He was a three-year starter here at the U and one of the key players in the Utah defense. That was especially true this last season. Orchard and the rest of the defensive front made their presence known and helped inspire the phrase "Sack Lake City:' Orchard mainly lined up at defensive end during his time as a Ute, but he is already showing some versatility by getting some reps at outside linebacker. His main strength is his talent as a pass rusher, but he is also showing an ability to play pass-coverage. This versatility is a characteristic NFL teams value heavily. Someone like Orchard in the defense allows flexibility in the play calling because he is capable of doing almost anything. The variety of skills Orchard offers can pay an immediate return for an NFL team. He has the size to be an NFL player and good speed He is the type of guy who is determined to not let anyone else be better than he is, and the NFL's interest in other wide receivers and punt returners is just one more thing to motivate him. Clay did not get to play Division-I football for the majority of his collegiate career, but when he did play, he made the most of it. That is why he will make the most out of playing his first season in the NFL. k.brenneisen@chronicle.utah.edu @kbrenneisen for a big man. He ran a 4.80 in the most over-hyped and analyzed event at the Combine — the 40-yard dash. The event is overrated, but it showed one thing — the guy can move. It seems NFL teams are always looking to add to their pass rush. Teams want athletes who can find ways to disrupt things up front and get to the quarterback. This is the area where Orchard is at his best. He recorded 18.5 sacks during his final year at Utah and had 21 tackles for loss. Yeah, it's definitely safe to say he harassed opposing quarterbacks. NFL teams also value durability, yet another plus for Orchard. He played in all 50 games during his four-year career at Utah without missing a single contest. Though it is not the end-all decision for teams when selecting players, injury history does play a role in the drafting process. His ability to stay healthy makes teams confident they are getting a sure bet. That's the ultimate reason why I believe Orchard will make the most immediate impact of any of the former Utes. He does not come in with any significant red flags, and could be considered a safe and solid pick. Orchard has the ability to become an immediate starter for an NFL team, and thanks to his speed, versatility and durability, he will contribute from day one at the next level. bjensen@chronicle.utah.edu @brockjensen02 9 |