This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Dave Schramm isn't coming to Utah to visit old friends. It's not a Park City ski trip with his son. He's here on business.
"Going back to play a really good football team in a hostile environment with a very young football team," said the Fresno State offensive coordinator, who served in the same capacity at Utah, in addition to coaching running backs, quarterbacks and tight ends from 2005 to 2011.
If he gets emotional, it will be because his Bulldog offense either again becomes the well-oiled machine it has been in Schramm's first two years at Fresno, or it sputters like it did during a 52-13 pounding at USC.
Not because of the Salt Lake sunsets.
One wild card is that while Fresno State amassed a paltry 317 total yards against the Trojans (to USC's 701), that may have served as a dress rehearsal for their two leading men.
Schramm expects marked improvement from junior quarterback Brian Burrell and senior Duke transfer Brandon Connette, who traded off quarters in combining to go 18-for-36 for 160 yards and four interceptions.
Neither appear to be the second coming of Derek Carr — now starting for the Oakland Raiders — but Utah has spent its week preparing for anything and everything, said Utah defensive coordinator (and former Schramm co-worker) Kalani Sitake.
"I know Coach Schramm, he'll have those guys ready," Sitake said. "He'll have them ready to run the offense, and I think we'll get their best shot."
Fresno head coach Tim DeRuyter said in Monday that junior running back Marteze Waller has earned himself another likely start after rushing for 97 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, but Schramm said Josh Quezada may also return to the fold after being held out for precautionary reasons against USC.
Quezada, a 217-pound bruiser who transferred from BYU in 2012, rushed for 807 yards on 155 carries last season and caught 51 passes for 290 more. Utah will need to prove it was a fluke that they allowed Idaho State's top two ball carriers to rush for 193 yards on 34 carries.
On the other side of the ball, the Utes will try to exploit a defense that was a sieve in Week One, but which features eight return starters and some preseason all-conference types.
"I don't see a lot of weak points," said Utah offensive coordinator Dave Christensen. "I've played against them the last two years [as Wyoming's head coach]. They're solid, well-coached, and their scheme is difficult to exploit."
Christensen said Fresno's pass rush can force a quarterback to make bad decisions, and the key for Utah will be to block well and establish a running game.
DeRuyter expects Christensen to spread out the Bulldogs defense and try to beat them with "really skilled athletes." As Fresno Bee writer Bryant-Jon Anteola pointed out Thursday, Christensen's offense was no great shakes against Fresno State when he was at Wyoming, totaling just 539 yards in the last two games.
DeRuyter also believes that Utah uses a distinct game plan for backup quarterback Kendal Thompson, whom Christensen said will likely play again Saturday after starting the second half against the Bengals.
But the Utes' roster bears the hallmarks of a team that has been in the Power 5 for a few years now, DeRuyter said, and that's bad news for them.
Fresno State "ran into a real buzzsaw of a team" against USC, he said and it's going to take their best effort to avoid a similar result in Salt Lake.
Twitter • @matthew_piper —
Fresno State at Utah
O At Rice-Eccles Stadium
Kickoff • Saturday, 1 p.m.
TV • Pac-12 Network
Radio • ESPN 700
Records • Utah (1-0); Fresno State (0-1)
Series history • Utah leads 5-4
Last meeting • Dec. 18, 1999, Las Vegas Bowl; Utah 17, Fresno St. 16
About the Utes • Utah pummeled Idaho State 56-14 in the opener, compiling 589 total yards and getting punt and kickoff returns for touchdowns from senior Kaelin Clay. … Three of Utah's six scoring drives took less than a minute. … Kicker Andy Phillips is a new father to a baby boy.
About the Bulldogs • Fresno State was a game away from being BCS-bound last season, upset by San Jose State on a prolific performance from quarterback David Fales. … After losing quarterback Derek Carr and a handful of other offensive starters, the Bulldogs had trouble moving the ball consistently in the opener at USC, when they were beat 52-13.