Monson: Utah proves tougher than any adversity and Arizona

Tucson, Ariz. • On a late Friday night dominated by an omnipresent Star Wars theme in the stands here, Utah did what it could to get on the good side of the Force where it mattered most — down on the field — against Arizona’s Wildcats, and, from here on out, we’ll punt the geeky references to the film and its culture to a place where they belong — in a game column far, far away.

Although, you gotta admit, Yoda quotes — “Do, or do not, there is no try” and “Fear leads to anger … anger leads to hate … hate leads to suffering” — are always a pleasure. Leave them behind, we will.

A promise, that is.

OK, OK. Focus.

What it all meant for the Utes was this: They had to continue the offensive firepower demonstrated against lesser foes thus far this season and put up the kind of resistance necessary to slow athletic Arizona quarterback Brandon Dawkins. This was the league opener for both teams, a chance to establish against better competition how good or not so good they really are.

Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley had proved in earlier firsts for him — his first start and his first road start — that he was a cool dude, having thrown for a billion yards and run for a bunch, too. And now, in his first Pac-12 start on the road, he found a way to continue his success — for the first quarter and a half, when, suddenly, he suffered his first injury.

He was sacked hard and left the game with a bad shoulder. Up to that point in the game, Huntley had a quarterback rating of 217. And then, he was gone. The man Huntley had supplanted as the Utes starter, Troy Williams, came off the bench to reclaim the offensive helm.

And find a way to help win the game, 30-24.

Williams, a senior, was deeply disappointed when Huntley, his friend, beat him for the job before the season started. But he kept his mouth shut and kept working. And Friday night, under less-than-ideal circumstances, he got his chance. It was rickety and rusty, at times, but, taking over with a 10-3 Utah lead, he completed half his passes, throwing for 131 yards.

It was just enough.

Kyle Whittingham and his players would take victory any way they could against a South division opponent, including five Arizona turnovers. A 1-0 start in league, no matter how difficult, sounded fine to them.

To achieve the reward, Utah’s defense had to slow the run, its primary goal every week, a goal it often accomplishes, but that was even more primary against a Wildcats offense, led by Dawkins, that specializes in and gains large chunks of yardage on the ground.

Arizona ended up with 200 rushing yards.

The Utes continued on an unusual course for them in their own running attack, which had been bent around to being too dependent on Huntley. Plainly, for most of this game, that was not an option.

Zack Moss did get 73 yards.

Darren Carrington II showed, once again, the importance of his arrival at Utah as Whittingham’s beneficiary. He caught 4 balls for 76 yards, and drew a significant interference call, but many others joined him, creating a problem Arizona could not completely solve.

At the end, aided by a pick-6 by Javelin Guidry, and a blocked field goal, the Utes bobbed up and down on the field like JiffyPop kernels on a hot stove, obviously concerned for Huntley, but pleased with their win. Why wouldn’t they be? Down that starting quarterback, having weathered adversity, including their own mistakes — fumbles, botched snaps on punts, blown defensive assignments, penalties, and the like, they still achieved victory — on the road, against a team they’ve struggled to beat in the past.

Friday night swept clean-and-crisp play to the side and relied on toughness and fortitude. The Utes did what was necessary, without any real comeliness.

With a bye coming next, they now have two weeks to examine and embrace an undefeated record, and to understand how far additional hard, conscientious work could take them, no matter who guides the offensive attack. They seem to get what Yoda meant about the do-or-do-not-there-is-no-try thing. They do.

GORDON MONSON hosts “The Big Show” with Spence Checketts weekdays from 3-7 p.m. on 97.5 FM and 1280 AM The Zone.