Slow starts, explosive 2nd quarters: What's up with Utah's offense?

SALT LAKE CITY — If you wait long enough — and lately it hasn't been that long — Utah's coaches and players will get asked a question about their slow starts in games this season.

The repeated questions are merited and relevant to the state of the program, but it's nothing that is catching the football team by surprise — they know. The film review and just being a part of the game are enough for anyone involved to know the offense has to start faster.

An acknowledgment of the problem is the first step, but until Utah jumps out to a faster start it will remain a constant theme to the 2022 season.

Utah's offense has only scored 14 points in the first quarter through their first three games of the season; but fortunately for the concerned parties, Utah's defense has done its job and only allowed 14 points — a wash on the scoreboard. It hasn't been a problem so far ... at least not yet.

"I don't think it's crisis mode right now or time to panic," Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said. "It's just been a couple games where we haven't started like we wanted to.

"We had a drop in the first drive Saturday night where if you catch that ball, who knows what happens — we're off and running. But it'd be ideal to start better than that on offense, and that's something that we're going to make a few adjustments in practice this week to try to get a little more — jumpstart — early and see if we get it corrected."

Offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig said there have been "multiple factors" that have led to Utah's slow starts, including a lack of execution, the play-calls haven't worked at times, and the opposing defense is making it hard early for the offense — "the enemy gets a vote, as well, so they have some things to do with it," Ludwig said.

It's been a problem, and the Utes are working on it, but nobody seems to be concerned just yet. Outside of its Week 1 opponent, a slow start is hardly an issue, though it's not one the team wants to get comfortable with now that the conference slate begins.

Whatever the reason for the slow start — and it's been different every game this season — Utah exacts its revenge in the second quarter, where it's a completely different offense. In its three games this season, Utah has scored 65 combined points in the second quarter and have held opposing teams to just 7 points.

Once again, the last two opponents are a large reason for Utah's ability to flip the switch, but it's all in how the team plays, too. In the first quarter, the offense has appeared sluggish in one moment or rushed in another; or the entire offense is just out of sync with no fluidity or finesse to the game.

And then like the flip of a switch, Utah is unstoppable on offense, with a diverse playbook where all members of the team become dangerous weapons against a defense that is left reeling.

So why the sudden change?

Some on the roster chalk it up to momentum — big plays that spark a resurgence — while others see the team simply regrouping and adjusting their focus. Ludwig called it the "poise and composure" of his offense to not let early mistakes alter the game plan.

"It would have been really easy to get real flustered and frustrated and have things start going real bad," Ludwig said. "But the guys just stuck together and started making plays — playing catch and protecting the passer — and good things happen."

On Saturday, the offense seemed to change when receiver Solomon Enis caught a 15-yard pass from Cam Rising on a third-and-4 down early in the second quarter. The catch opened up multiple plays that got Utah into San Diego State territory an a drive that was capped off with a 30-yard touchdown from Rising to tight end Brant Kuithe.

"A big play can spark you," Whittingham said. "If somebody makes a play and moves the chains, and away you go. That very well could have been it."

"This is huge for us, like for momentum wise," added freshman running back Jaylon Glover. "When we make a big play, it's like, OK, it's time to go, you know, and it's just like a domino effect. Like coach Lud says: It's not about the plays, it's about the players, and we've got some really talented players on this team. So when Solo kicked us off, it just gave us all a boost, and you see what happened on Saturday."

So Utah should dial up a big play to spark the offense in the first quarter? If only the game were that easy.

Whittingham and Ludwig both said the offense will make adjustments this week in practice, but expecting a momentum-shifting play to occur in the opening minutes of a game is not always easy to plan for — or at least plan on it working 100% of the time.

The playbook remains the same, it's on the players to execute.

"We just need to come out a lot faster, but obviously everyone knows that," Glover said. "But when we were rolling, I don't think a lot of teams in the country can stop us."

"We want to play great for four quarters," Ludwig said. "And again, we're going to address it with some of the things we're doing in practice, start practice a little bit faster. And I know the one thing our players do: They respond to challenges."

Related topics