Utah Vs UCLA: An Explosion Of Special Teams
In every Utah Vs UCLA preview you come across, you are going to get opinions on the powerhouse Bruins going against the never-say-die Utes. Hopefully in those previews they analyze the Special Teams match-up between both teams because this game will not only be a battle of offenses versus defenses, it will be a battle of field position that starts when the ball is kicked away .
Punt Returning Is Winning
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Utah has some fire power in their punt return game. The human highlight reel known as wide receiver Kaelin Clay is the only non-FCS Division 1 football player that has 3 touchdowns on punt returns. It helps that he is 3rd in the nation averaging 26.1 yards per return and 3rd in total return yards with 209. This guy has moves and can change direction in the drop of a hat and if he gets to the outside, forget about out it, he is gone. If anything, Clay could save Utah as they are doing a respectable job on their offense, but for all intensive purposes, they have only scored 1 offensive touchdown in each of the last two games.
Clay changes that up as he is one of the Utes biggest threats. Sure it is a total team effort, as he would not be able to get all of his production without his team’s help, especially in blocking situations, but to be able to have a guy like him consistently make plays in between the offense and defense is something special. He thinks so…
Get A Kick (Return) Out Of This Guy!
Sep 25, 2014; Tempe, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive back Ishmael Adams (1) intercepts the ball and returns it for a touchdown in the second quarter against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Bruin fans know this guy, but so should Utah fans, because every time the Utes kickoff (or even punt) defensive back Ishmael Adams is going to give them a hard time. In the last game against Arizona State, Adams racked up 201 return yards in a game where he gave UCLA excellent field position over and over, so much that he cramped up in the middle of the game and Mossi Johnson had to replace him. No matter, the job was done and those 201 yards against ASU skyrocketed him into the fifth overall spot for kick return yards as he has 339 yards on the year.
Adams also had a 110-yard kickoff return for a touchdown (which came after he had a 95-yard interception ran back for a touchdown) which got him attention as one of the most deadly special teams players in the country. Currently, he is 12th in the nation averaging 28.4 yards per return. He is also tied for second with ten other players with one touchdown on a return. Needless to say, he is in very limited company.
As for the mid-game cramping, expect the coaching staff to have him well stretched and hydrated before the game at the Rose Bowl where it is expected to reach 100*F. Go get ’em Ish!
Total Team Effort
When it comes time to kick or punt the ball away, both of these teams will be ready. Both Clay and Adams will have a target on their front, back and sides as Utah and UCLA will try to limit their respective opposition. Both teams go against their own guy every day, so preparing for the special teams attack will not be handled lightly. With the probability that each of these players will score, or at the very least get their team into great field position, this can turn into a wild, wacky game really fast.
Is it Saturday yet?