Like, from the neck up.

That's because the Yellow Jackets have become expert at tormenting foes with a zone-blitz defensive scheme that will require the Utes to be smart enough to make a lot of quick and synchronized reads if they're going to avoid becoming another victim of a top-15 defense that already has shut down the likes of Auburn and Miami.

"It's a huge challenge," offensive tackle Jason Boone said. "It's definitely the best defensive line we've gone against all year."

Three-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference defensive end Eric Henderson leads the group, which has been the key to the Yellow Jackets ranking 10th in the nation by allowing just 296 yards per game - and only 98 yards per game on the ground.

By mastering a dizzying array of stunts up front and brilliantly choreographing blitzes with the linebackers and safeties, the Yellow Jackets have forced 19 interceptions, made 34 sacks, and held their last seven opponents to an average of 14.8 points per game. Sheer bulk won't matter if the Utes are too confused to know where to find the guys they're supposed to block.

"We've seen pieces of their zone pressure scheme throughout the season, but they have it all," offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig said. "Wyoming ran some zone pressure, Arizona ran some zone pressure, Colorado State ran some zone pressure. Each team kind of did what they did. These guys, they do it all, and they do it all very fast."

The zone-blitz scheme aims to bewilder quarterbacks and offensive linemen by dropping defensive linemen into pass coverage while also sending linebackers or safeties on a blitz - but always from different places and angles.

"They're fast and they disguise things very well," offensive tackle Tavo Tupola said.

The Yellow Jackets typically rush just five men, the Utes said - that's not an overwhelming number compared to some wild schemes - but manage to do plenty of damage by keeping opponents from guessing who's going where. Center Jesse Boone said he has seen the Tech defensive tackles run stunts on film that he didn't think defensive tackles could manage.

"It's not about the amount of guys they bring," quarterback Brett Ratliff said. "It's what the line does, with slants and the directions they go, and where they bring the backers from. It's just hard to pick up sometimes and to figure out where they're going to bring their guys. They disguise it pretty well."

The Utes have shown they can handle a lot, though.

With only one exception - right guard Robert Conley replaced Eric Pettit as the starter midway through the season - the offensive line has been unchanged throughout the entire season, even while Tupola has battled nagging injuries. Boone was a first-team All-Mountain West Conference selection, and has led a unit that played a pivotal role in helping the Utes lead the league by averaging 466 yards per game.

"They are a massive offensive line," Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey said. "It's going to be a challenge for us to match up physically with the Utah team."

Is it any wonder?

With four of their five starters weighing more than 300 pounds, the Utes almost dwarf the Tech defensive linemen. On average, the Utes are an inch taller and more than 25 pounds heavier, meaning that if they can just keep track of where those Yellow Jackets are coming from, they figure to stand a pretty good chance of containing them.

"Our line is going to do a good job," Ratliff said, "just picking up different blitzes and protecting me and letting me pick apart their secondary. That's the biggest part of what's going to happen."

mcl@sltrib.com

The Utah Front Line

No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Year

78 Tavo Tupola LT 6-3 300 Jr.

74 David Dirkmaat LG 6-7 310 Sr.

79 Jesse Boone C 6-5 305 Sr.

66 Robert Conley RG 6-1 317 Fr.

69 Jason Boone RT 6-4 290 So.