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Provo
Utah quarterback Jordan Wynn shuffled to his left, waited, looked downfield and fired.
The pass sailed so high and far that BYU cornerback Corby Eason totally misjudged it.
You could say that was an easy mistake, considering what everyone had seen from Wynn this season.
This was different, though. The ball went over Eason's head and into the arms of Utah's Dres Anderson, who turned the catch into a 59-yard touchdown early in the third quarter.
"His arm is all right," Anderson confirmed.
If any questions remained about Wynn's shoulder, they were answered right then and there, as that play launched the Utes toward a 54-10 victory Saturday night at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Wynn is understandably tired of this subject, but he acknowledged, "If there was a pass that signified that, I'd say that was one of them."
So ended the September struggles, frustrations and inefficiency of Utah's offense.
Amazing, how one throw can change so many perceptions.
Offensive coordinator Norm Chow may know what he's doing.
Wynn just might be capable of winning Pac-12 football games.
Sure, the Ute offense owes considerable thanks to the defense and special teams for a big chunk of those 54 points. Running back John White did all of Utah's damage in the fourth quarter of a game that resembled Utah's 67-point outburst at Iowa State last October, when all kinds of scoring methods converged.
Yet Wynn and his receivers did their share at a critical time, delivering touchdowns on consecutive possessions before and after halftime. "You saw the capabilities of the playmakers that we have on this team," said Wynn, who passed for 239 yards in three quarters.
During a halftime ceremony, when BYU honored its former All-America tight ends and others who played the signature position in the offense that Chow helped develop in Provo. Legendary coach LaVell Edwards said it would be "appropriate" if a tight end delivered the winning touchdown.
Actually, that had already happened.
Ute freshman Jake Murphy had not caught a pass in Utah's first two games, but he suddenly emerged on Utah's last drive of the first half. Listed as a tight end/fullback, Murphy made a 5-yard reception that converted a third-down play, then caught a 16-yarder. After a short completion to Dallin Rogers, another tight end, Wynn found Murphy alone down the left sideline for a 30-yard touchdown and a 14-10 halftime lead.
Murphy "did the things he'd been doing in practice," said Ute coach Kyle Whittingham.
Until that moment, the Utes had scored only two offensive touchdowns (both against USC) since early in the second quarter of the season opener against Montana State.
At last, Chow's offense was showing signs of life.
And there was more to come. The Utes received the second-half kickoff, going the same direction. They quickly reached the north end zone with Wynn's pass to Anderson.
Those two TD passes were timely, and not just because the Utes were trailing BYU late in the second quarter. Chow's homecoming - actually, his third appearance as an opposing coach at LaVell Edwards Stadium, following his visits with USC and UCLA - came during a reunion of many of the Cougar tight ends he utilized in his scheme.
They recognize what Chow did for them, and they were worried about how he might exploit their old team.
"He's one of the great minds of the game," Gordon Hudson said. "Any time Norm's involved in anything, you've got to be ready. I'm concerned."
Byron Rex added, "You've got to be fearful."
For good reason, as it turned out.