alt=Brad RockSALT LAKE CITY — Vince Lombardi is often credited with saying “fatigue makes cowards of us all,” but others attribute it to Gen. George S. Patton.
Whoever said it was right.
If not cowards, exhaustion surely turns people into easy targets.
As the Utah-BYU season opener nears, the dissecting continues. Yes, fatigue is part of it. This year there has been more media dissecting than usual. That’s because it’s the season’s first game, so the standard weeklong buildup doesn’t apply. Prior to the 2015 Las Vegas Bowl, there were 2 1/2 weeks of hype. But this year’s monthlong march has been like the run-up to the Bicentennial.
Short or long, the 123-year-old rivalry is still in business. Emotion always plays a big part. So does speed and scheme. But nothing will be more relevant than depth — the antidote to fatigue.
Stars make plays, but the team with the deepest bench almost always wins.
Former Utah coach Jim Fassel once said his starters could play with power conference teams, but depth was the big difference. Oops. His 1986 team lost 64-6 at Ohio State, which began with a 21-0 first quarter deficit.
Every unit got whacked — first, second and third.
Still, there are many games in which an inferior team hangs tough throughout the first half, but gets blown out thereafter. Starters get tired and reserves get tested.
Thursday’s game could be decided by someone sitting near the cooling fans.
“Oh, definitely,” Utah receiver Britain Covey said. “You look at the top 10 teams by the end of the year, and the reason why they’re in the top 10 is depth. You look at any team that’s ever been in the playoffs, and the reason they’re there is because of depth. You’ve got some teams ... that have starters that are just as good, but they don’t have depth. So that’s going to be a key for us this year.”
The issue has already come up for the Utes. Anticipated starting linebacker Manny Bowen retired on the first day of camp, but backup Devin Lloyd is an imposing replacement at 6-foot-3, 235 pounds. Jason Shelley ably piloted the Utes last year after starting quarterback Tyler Huntley was injured. Armand Shyne — now at Texas Tech — replaced injured running back Zack Moss in the season’s second half. This year, four-star running back Jordan Wilmore is getting high marks if Moss can’t play.
That kind of backup is the goal of every team, and it should be a significant factor in Utah’s favor next week. Utah’s 2017 recruiting class was No. 33 nationally, BYU’s No. 66. The Utes’ 2018 class, per 24/7 Sports, was ranked 33rd nationally; BYU’s was 78th. This year’s recruiting class for Utah was No. 42; BYU’s 81st.
No wonder Kyle Whittingham’s mantra is “next man up.”
“Anyone could go down (to injury) in this game,” receiver Samson Nacua said. “Tomorrow’s not (merely) given to us. You can feel good, but that one injury could come and end your season. So the second string’s always got to be ready. They have big-time roles, especially in the Pac-12. You’re playing really good teams and the season is really long and physical. So if a man goes down, you gotta be the next man up and ready to play.”
Sometimes the formula doesn’t work. Second-team players and depth didn’t keep the Utes from nearly blowing a 35-0 lead in the 2015 Las Vegas Bowl. But even in games when it comes down to a final play — as it tends to do when it’s Utah vs. BYU — the fresher and deeper team has a distinct advantage.
“I think it’s a key in this game, because something’s bound to happen,” Covey said. “Especially receivers, because if you have fresh legs, you can send three guys on a ‘go’ route and just walk out of bounds and have three new guys come right in.”
Energy and strength take precedence.
Fatigue takes a vacation.