Is Utah Football Being Disrespected In 2023? One Media Personality Thinks So
Jul 26, 2023, 2:26 PM
SALT LAKE CITY – Just under a week from being picked to finish third at Pac-12 at Media Day, Utah football is getting some love from one media personality. This begs the question though, are the Utes being disrespected ahead of the 2023 football season?
Always College Football’s Greg McElroy thinks so and he lays out his reasoning in a video posted on Twitter.
McElroy goes on to dismiss concerns over quarterback Cam Rising’s ability to be prepared for the season as not a great reason to give the Utes their respect, while also noting doubting Utah’s ability to be tough is usually a mistake. Just ask USC.
What's with the disrespect for @Utah_Football?@GregMcElroy is taking the OVER on 8.5 wins for the Utes in 2023 😤#GoUtes | #Utah pic.twitter.com/kRkx1BmTQX
— Always College Football (@AlwaysCFB) July 26, 2023
Should Utah Be Getting More Love Ahead Of 2023 Football Season?
Utah is the two-time defending Pac-12 Champion and returns most of the same team that’s gotten them there the past two seasons, yet they were picked behind USC and Washington in the 2023 Pac-12 Media Poll last week.
McElroy points out how strange it is that a team that returns the same talent that won both championships convincingly (38-10 in 2021 against Oregon and 47-24 against USC in 2022) wouldn’t get the benefit of the doubt in 2023.
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“Have you ever in your life seen a team that’s won back-to-back Pac-12 Championships that is being so disrespected,” McElroy mused before turning the conversation toward Rising’s health.
Is Cam Rising’s Health Really That In Question?
“Why are people so concerned about where Utah’s quarterback situation is at,” McElroy continued. “Like, oh, Cam Rising might not be ready. Y’all, he’s going to be ready. I’m just not concerned about Cam Rising’s ‘inability’ to prepare for the season. He’s going to be. I really believe that.”
Rising certainly didn’t seem too concerned about where he is at in his recovery process from an ACL tear he sustained in the Rose Bowl against Penn State at Pac-12 Media Day last week. He’s also expressed more or less the same sentiment with various outlets since about February or March.
.@crising7 is ready to prove the doubters wrong 💯#Pac12FB x @Utah_Football pic.twitter.com/uSfcTMhial
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) July 21, 2023
Is there room for something to go wrong to change that? Sure. It’s always possible, but McElroy does pose a point that if the guy with the injury says he’s going to be ready, why are the rest of us doubting him?
Utah Will Be A ‘Tough Team’ Again In 2023
Finally, McElroy gets into Utah’s reputation as a “tough team”. Regardless of where Rising is at, McElroy believes the Utes have what it takes to out-physical just about anyone they come in contact with and doubting 2023 will be any different is probably a mistake.
“I’m also never going to doubt Utah’s physicality,” McElroy said. “What won the Pac-12 last year? Just being tougher than USC. Flat out tougher. When I watched Utah’s spring game, their quarterbacks were live. Quarterbacks were getting tackled to the ground in their spring game. That’s who Kyle Whittingham is.”
“They can think whatever they want and just find out come this season.” 😤@crising7 shares his thoughts on the media poll votes.#Pac12FB | @76 pic.twitter.com/BTVixV3ENt
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) July 21, 2023
With all of that said, McElroy has the Utes at 9-3 for the 2023 college football season in their worst-case scenario before telling everyone to “be prepared to eat your crow”. So what do you think? Let us know in the comments.
Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for KSLsports.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads: @BodkinKSLsports
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