Prediction time for BYU, Utah, Utah State


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SALT LAKE CITY — That time of year has come around again, when the reader of these words can gain incredible insight and financial windfalls.

Only a fool would actually believe it. But here they are anyway, predictions for the 2014 football season for BYU, Utah and Utah State.

Utah

Without question, this year’s version of the Utes is substantially improved over last year. And actually, this is the best team Utah has had since joining the Pac-12 four years ago.

So what does it all mean?

Considering Utah’s brutal schedule, the best talent in years may not translate to anything better than the 5-7 seasons the program has endured the past two campaigns. But for career purposes of the coaching staff, another losing season — and therefore, three in a row — may dictate wholesale changes.

Before worrying about the future, however, let’s focus on the present. This team is good enough to win six games and thus ease the pressure on everybody associated with the program.

To finish at least at .500, the Utes must take care of the gimmies. Those would be Idaho State, Fresno State and Colorado.

From there, the other candidates are Michigan, Washington State and Arizona. Not coincidentally, none of these six teams are ranked in the Associated Press preseason Top 25. Stumbling against any of the six teams means the Utes will have to beat a team that will likely be ranked at the time they play or winning at Oregon State (also currently unranked), which features senior star Sean Mannion at quarterback.

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As bad as the Utes looked through the heart of last season, the Utes were 4-2 with a healthy Travis Wilson at quarterback. With more weapons this year and Wilson back in form, Utah will have a representative Pac-12 offense.

Defensively, as usually is the case, the Utes should at least be respectable. But they desperately need to have big-play capability at the linebacker position and create more turnovers.

Remember, the key phrase here is “good enough.” Utah should be good enough to go 6-6, with 7-5 as best case.

BYU

The Cougars don’t have many question marks, largely because their talent level is far superior to many teams on the schedule. Anything short of eight wins will have to be considered a bitter disappointment.

For the returning starters and newcomers expected to make impacts, the difference between a good and great season rests with Taysom Hill. The junior quarterback must improve upon his mediocre 52 percent completion rate last season.

But will he?

From a purely athletic standpoint, Hill should be an outstanding quarterback. He is a dynamic athlete, possessing some of the best raw skills in the college game.

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But the quarterback position isn’t a decathlon. In any system, including the one coached by BYU offensive coordinator Robert Anae, passing precision and accuracy are necessities.

Hill faces two significant challenges this season: First, show that he wants to pass rather than run at the first sign of trouble; second, have passing success against the better teams on the schedule.

A great runner, Hill was too quick to rely on his feet last season. The incoming class of supposedly great receivers has to be utilized.

As he proved last season, Hill can use his arm to light up the likes of Middle Tennessee State and Houston, but it’s been a different story against strong teams. In BYU’s five losses, Hill completed only 45 percent of his passes and had four touchdowns to go along with five interceptions.

Hill needs to show he’s improved right at the start. If he does, BYU will go 10-2. If not, it’s another sub par eight-win season.

Utah State

USU fans should sell out all six home games as a way to show their appreciation for Chuckie Keeton choosing to attend the Logan school. It’s been that much of a treat to watch the senior quarterback play.

If Keeton can stay healthy and play up to his ability, he will go down in history as one of the all-time great Aggies. To get there, he’s got to engineer wins over the big-name teams that dot the schedule.

While it may seem unfair, especially considering the pathetic state of USU football in years past, Matt Wells’ team will be judged on the outcomes of games against Tennessee, BYU and Boise State. It is assumed the Aggies will plow through most of the Mountain West schedule like they did last season after a freshman quarterback replaced an injured Keeton.

The state of Utah’s best player is healthy now, and he's ready to burst on the national scene. College football fans across the country will know Keeton’s story by December.

If the Aggies win at Tennessee to start the season, they are going 12-1 in the regular season.

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