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SALT LAKE CITY — Only one day away from Utah's season opener against Utah State and the question remains, what will the offense look like?
Since Dennis Erickson was hired the hype has been building about how explosive the offense can be.
It was interesting looking through the number from when Coach Erickson was at Arizona State from 2007-2011.
What impact will Erickson have?
The Sun Devils worst passing year with Erickson at the helm was 2009 where they completed 18 throws/game for only 215 yards. That is still 25 yards more than the Utes averaged in 2012.
I wonder what 25 yards more in 2012 means per game in the win/loss ratio? Against Utah State, perhaps instead of going 2/17 on third downs it becomes 5/17 which still is not great, but it may mean a win and a bowl game.
- Passing: 26/40 316 yds 2 TDs
- Rushing: 32 carries 129 yds 1.8 TDs
- Total: 73 plays, 445 yards, 6 yds/play
- Passing: 23/38 286 yds 1.9 TDs
- Rushing: 34 carries 139 yds 1.6 TDs
- Total: 73 plays/game, 425 yds, 5.8 yds/play
- Passing: 18/34 215 yds 1.4 TDs
- Rushing: 31 carries 119 yds 1.2 TDs
- Total: 66 plays, 334 yds, 5 yds/play
- Passing: 19/32 262 yds 1.4 TDs
- Rushing: 30 carries 89 yds .6 TDs
- Total: 63 plays, 309 yds, 4.9 yds/play
- Passing: 20/32 262 yds 2.1 TDs
- Rushing: 42 carries 137 yds 1.4 TDs
- Total: 75 plays, 399 yds, 5.3 avg
- Passing: 18/29 190 yds 1.3 TDs
- Rushing: 37 carries 133 yds 1.4 TDs
- Total: 66 plays, 324 yds, 4.9 avg
In his best year statistical years at Arizona State, 2007 and 2011 respectively, the Sun Devils averaged 73 and 75 plays/game. In 2007, Erickson had Rudy Carpenter who threw most of the passes. The Sun Devils averaged 262 yards/game with 2 TD's. Carpenter also threw 25 TD's and had 10 interceptions.
Would Utah fans be okay with seeing a stat line of 20/32, 262 yards, and two touchdowns from Travis Wilson?
Looking deeper into the stats of 2007, Arizona State had a stable of running backs in Keegan Herring, Dimitri Nance, and Ryan Torain. All three had over 100 carries for the year and each had at least five touchdowns.
Realizing the hypothetical situation, what could Erickson do with Travis Wilson and a stable of running backs in Utah in 2013?
Would Utah fans be happy with an offense that featured a quarterback who threw for 25 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and finished the year with over 3200 yards? Does Travis Wilson have that in him?
Do the Utes have a stable of running backs that can carry the ball over 100 times in a season? Can Kelvin York, Bubba Poole, and Lucky Radley/Karl Williams do that?
Of course this is a hypothetical question and only time will tell with how Travis Wilson and Dennis Erickson figure each other out in game situations but if they can come close to this positive improvement, we just might be talking about a win Thursday night and down the road a bowl game for the Utah Utes.
