Will Utah Struggle in Expansion Big 12 Since Pac-12 Football Was So Bad? | Realignment Adjustments

JT wher Sil locked on UT we talk a lot about how Utah has won two pack 12 championships in the last three years we also talk a lot about whether or not the Pack 12 was good at football they National pundits and Big 12 homers that would say the Pack 12 just wasn't as good as the ACC the Big 12 the Big 10 the SEC if the statement is Utah will not win the Big 12 because it's a step up in football how do Utah fans react I think it's a ridiculous statement frankly because when you look at what this Utah team has done they've beaten some of the best teams in the country with Cam rising at quarterback because look we can talk about Pack 12 Big 12 whatever it is all I know is when Utah beat Oregon back in 2021 where was that ducks team ranked inside the top five and then when they beat him the first time they tumbled back to 10 or in the top 10 Utah beat him there it was the same thing when they played USC back in 20122 both those times Utah beat the Trojans they were ranked inside the top 10 if Oregon breaks through that first year and they win the Pack 12 I don't think people are talking about oh the pack 12's down because who would just won Oregon one of the biggest brands if you USC had beaten Utah the second time when they played in 22 and they win the Pack 12 well then it's like well that's Caleb Williams this this is USC football back under Lincoln Riley has had a lot of success then I don't think we're we're saying the same thing too and I'll also add this because everyone talks about oh the Pack 12 soft all the things of that why was Utah able to be successful versus those finesse teams not Oregon as much but more so USC because they played a physical brand of football I mean this is a Utah team where what's the ultimate Mark of like physicality too and like how it's going to translate is how are these guys project to the NFL right like are you just taking advantage of weaker competition and your guys aren't as good or do NFL teams see the value in them well just last year Utah had a defensive end drafted in the third round and they had an offensive lineman drafted in the fourth round year before that same thing with an offensive lineman too right so this is a Utah team and there's tons of Utah talent in the NFL like all around on this team too so this is n just a oh Utah is just beating up on weak competition and then their guys don't go on to do anything Utah has constantly guys that are going on to the NFL producing at the next level and also Utah had a top five run defense last year so they are physical they've been able to take advantage and do a good job week in and week out because they just been better than who they've been playing and yes the Big 12 might be there maybe a couple better like rushing offenses sure this Utah defensive line is incredibly deep these are line ERS were going to be playing in the NFL Utah's ready for the challenge and the Pack 12 was still a physical conference to if you want to say it was maybe a little less physical because of the quarterback play sure but this is a Utah team with their run defense with the way their offensive line their identity is established they are not soft they are not a finessed team they're ready for the challenge in this league and obviously a lot of people think so too because pretty much every ranking I see in the preseason thinks this Utah team is going to win the Big 12 so therefore I'm not the only one who thinks they're more than up to the task physically Roco Beck Garrett green uh KJ Jefferson are good quarterbacks good they are not shadur Sanders they are not in the caliber of a Jaylen Daniels they're not at the a Noah faf level and and that's that's the depth of the Big 12 of the quarterback position this year there are eight guys nine guys likecoin Finn MC Player of the Year who plays for Baylor now could be a game-changing guy that wins them five six games and sneaks up on a couple of teams is Utah ready for that level of depth at the quarterback position that the Big 12 is going to offer you and granted a couple of those names are guys are coming over from the Pack 12 ABS they're definitely ready I mean just last year Utah had to take on Caleb Williams sh War Sanders you already mentioned Bo Nicks and Michael pennick so and especially Nicks penck like literally all of those guys like where did Nicks go 12th or whatever like all top 15 picks the three guys I mentioned and then shador will be one this year too I think shador is the best and faf is the other one right and yeah faf ended up and he beat Utah like credit to him like that too but Utah's used to facing guys like that and Utah they had so many injuries and they game even particular like they had injuries last year and then look at the Arizona game you literally see their three best defenders route Arizona still probably beats Utah that game if those Defenders play but like to act like Utah can't hang with and they won't be fine and also like the difference in being home in a way we see it every year in college football where Utah gets that Arizona team at home and that Arizona team what are they going to do take a step back because they don't have all the talent that they had last year with a lot of those guys either leaving for the NFL and then the rest of them ended up transferring out too so this a Utah team that's used to facing off against some of the best quarterbacks in college football they are ready for the challenge that comes in the Big 12 and as I mentioned too the only game I look at where I'm like oh this is going to be tough for Utah in terms of that quarterback matchup to me is the shador Sanders one because I think he's the best quarterback they're going to play on their schedule that's a road game too obviously stage is good I don't Alan Bowman isn't anywhere near the caliber of the quarterbacks that we've discussed so far in my opinion so yes Roco Beck solid KJ Jefferson too but in Beck's case Utah gets him at home and in Jefferson's case I I think this Utah team is ready to take on a quarterback of his talents because simply put they've just played better quarterbacks several times these guys and I didn't mention Anthony Richardson this defense took on Anthony Richardson a few years ago too now he beat up on him but also that was I think a lot had to do with the Florida climate and Utah not being ready for that because that Utah's worst tackling performance I've ever seen so it's the worst tackling performance I'd ever seen that makes it an outlier what's the common tradeit in that well it was in Florida and those guys are not used to playing in Florida just like last year's Florida team comes out to Salt Lake City and they look abysmal when Utah travels out to Florida this year that will be all the way in late November with the humidity like that will not be as much of a factor and no offense KJ Jefferson he's not Anthony Richardson so I think Utah is more than ready for the quarterbacks they're going to be facing off against this fall if someone points last year at the Northwestern game and says huh yeah we're all picking Utah number one of the conference they lost to Northwestern in a bowl game who went through just a wild college football season themselves and Utah put up seven points what's the rebuttal to that B I just don't care about Bull games that's the thing I'm not talking about like me my perspective I'm talking about when we are talking about a successful brand in the sport right now I think bow success does not matter at all because of who opts out because of who leaves because of everything that happened Utah's top wide receiver didn't play in that game Utah had two offensive linemen if I'm correct not playing that game too they had both of their NFL safeties who were drafted inside the top five rounds dep part for the draft so literally Utah for having good players being good defensively finishing the regular season eight and4 despite all those injuries had several guys missed the bow game too even in an already injury riddled season I just don't think you can look at a blll game as an indicator for Success because also if we look at that bowl game like like we're doing right now Utah's gonna have a new quarterback in Utah will have I mean their top three pass catchers will probably be entirely different and they're also proven Commodities right Damen Alford averaged 19 yards a catch last year over 600 yards at Syracuse Dorian singer over a thousand yard receiver Brant keithy said two separate seasons over 600 yards receiving as well so all those guys completely different McKai Bernard came back in the blll game that was his first game back coming off an injury that he' missed pretty much the entire season so now he's going to be back in fresh for this year you also look at that offensive line that will be revamped instead instead of having makeshift guys who haven't started all season then getting thrown out there because you have a couple other dudes who opted out and you're trying to patch it together too and the Utah defense same thing where you had a lot of those guys getting their first opportunity and start we're not talking about is this Utah defense the very first game going to look better than Northwestern I mean I think they'll look pretty good because they're going against Southern Utah but this is a group that is settled in Utah has two pack 12 championships in the last few seasons Utah even last year in injury rid season went eight and4 because that is the version of Utah that we've seen when their guys are playing in the regular season I just don't think we can take bll game success into consideration too much especially for a team like Utah because it's not the same team that was there in the regular season when you look at the losses that are there I'm not saying that bull games don't completely matter but I think when you're projecting Utah's success like and being like well they lost in the bll game well if you look at how different the roster is going to be that to me is just not a good indicator and once again Utah's picked to win the Big 12 so that bull Lo to Northwestern and Las Vegas obvious it obviously doesn't haunt them too much JD what so lock on UTS well done always fun appreciate anybody who's wondering that out there about the bowl game they're not wondering anymore you told you you you ate no crumbs as the kid say I had some demons to exercise so I appreciate you letting me get those get those out late tonight if you are a locked on Big 12 listener follow JT wiers Hill on social media and follow And subscribe to lockon Utes and thank you for making these two shows your first list in every single day come back tomorrow even more football and the Big 12 preview is out as well as we bring you the around the conference Around the Horn J you weren't there but I represented Utah and I represented them well Around the Horn across the Big 12 preview for 2024 this has been always will 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