Big-play Brooks sparks Utes

Click photo to enlarge

WYOMING at UTAH Utah running back Eddie Wide III runs the ball during second half play. Utah woke up in the second half and beat Wyoming 22-10 Saturday, 10/31/09 after trailing 10-3 at the half.

• «
• 1
• 2
• »

Jereme Brooks hadn't exactly disappeared during the first half of Utah's 2009 football season. But the junior receiver was definitely quieter.

Three catches here. Two catches there. Six yards against Air Force. Twenty eight yards against Oregon. It just didn't seem befitting for one of Utah's most dangerous big-play weapons.

But that all changed Saturday night.

Brooks and freshman quarterback Jordan Wynn locked in early. And Brooks got loose both deep and wide, providing some serious sparks in Utah's 45-14 victory over New Mexico at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Brooks wound up catching just six passes, but they were good for a career-high 135 yards and a touchdown. He ran for another score on a 29-yard reverse, capping what was easily his best game in a Utah uniform.

"David Reed's our go-to guy. There's no secret about that," Ute coach Kyle Whittingham said. "But Jereme's the next guy up. He's a talented guy and he's having a nice year."

Brooks was spectacular Saturday. Wynn found him over the middle with lots of open space around him late in the first quarter. Brooks' legs did the rest in what wound up a 69-yard touchdown that gave Utah a 7-0 lead.

"He bit and Jordan threw a perfect pass," Brooks said of his vanquished defender.

Brooks' other big moment came midway through the third quarter. DeVonte Christopher took a first-down, direct snap at the Lobo 29. Brooks, sprinting from the right side, took the reverse

"The call came at the right time," said Brooks, "and it worked out perfectly."

Brooks' success Saturday really kind of summed up the Utah offense under Wynn as a whole: Spread the ball around and don't be afraid to be ball around.

Seven Ute receivers caught passes from Wynn. And, yes, Reed got his: six receptions in a 65-yard night.

"At this point, the playbook is wide open," said Whittingham.

Certainly, that had a lot to do with Wynn's confidence and ability to throw downfield -- which was the biggest knock on his quarterbacking predecessor, Terrance Cain. But it also has much to do with getting the ball into the hands of Utah's playmakers.

And Utah's biggest playmaker Saturday night was Jereme Brooks.