( "Y?" A Cartoon by Troy Johnson )The level of outrage varies among Cougar Nation. The most charitable of Cougars are brushing it off, explaining it away casually; the most cynical prophesying the most dire of outcomes for this season. Never mind this has become a pattern of the Mendenhall era with 5 of the last 7 seasons starting 1-2. This year the preseason hype reached Biblical proportions.
It's normal for most college football teams prior to game one to be confident, positive, and optimistic. But when you're the Cougars, there are at least two major followings with their own brand of zeal: Cougar Nation, and Cougar Snipers. Cougar Nation with visions of National Championships dancing in their heads and Cougar Snipers, in position, ready to fire at the first toe stub.
Cougar Snipers will claim they saw this coming and assure the disillusioned Cougar Nation that they should have known such exposure was eminent. But only the most reckless prognosticators of either camp would have predicted the Cougars, particularly their highly touted offense, would have plummeted to this level. Which brings up the classic position battle: Were the Utes this good, or the Cougars this bad?
Yes.
Through three games the Cougars have played three halves. Utah, among Ole Miss and Texas, proved most opportunistic to punish the Cougars for their half game efforts. Whatever happens hereafter for the Cougars, the Utes clearly WON this game. Any team who loses this profoundly can surely point to themselves for blame, but give Utah its just due. They were superior when it counted. And what counted this game was the second half.
Which leaves the fair question: "Were the tables turned, and BYU won so decisively, would the Utes blame it on their own poor play, or credit the Y for their superior play that day?" Time may tell.
Troy Johnson
