2004 In Review 126 2005 UTAH FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE • WWW.UTAHUTES.COM 2004 UTES MAKE HISTORY ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE UTES 2004 UTAH NATIONAL HONORS Coach of the Year: Urban Meyer Urban Meyer, Head Coach Offensive Player of the Year: Alex Smith MWC Coach of the Year Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Morgan Scalley Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Home Depot National Coach of the Year First-Team Woody Hayes’ National Coach of the Year QB Alex Smith, Jr. Pro Football Weekly National Coach of the Year WR Steve Savoy, So. Maxwell George Munger Award OL Chris Kemoeatu, Sr. DL Steve Fifita, Jr. Alex Smith, QB, Jr. DL Sione Pouha, Sr. Heisman Finalist (fourth in the voting) DB Morgan Scalley, Sr. The Sporting News National Player of the Year Sports Illustrated National Player of the Year Second-Team Cingular Wireless/ABC Sports All-American (first team) WR Paris Warren, Sr. SI.com All-American (first team) RB Marty Johnson, Sr. CoSIDA Football Academic All-American of the Year OL Jesse Boone, Jr. Davey O’Brien Finalist DB Eric Weddle, So. Walter Camp Player of the Year Finalist Honorable Mention Chris Kemoeatu, OL, Sr. OL Makai Aalona, Sr. Sione Pouha was a first-team all- Cingular Wireless/ABC Sports All-American (first team) RB Quinton Ganther, Jr. MWC defensive tackle in 2004. SI.com All-American (first team) LB Tommy Hackenbruck, Sr. P Matt Kovacevich, Sr. Morgan Scalley, DB, Sr. LB Spencer Toone, Jr. SI.com All-American (second team) CoSIDA Academic All-American (first team) Anson Mount Scholar-Athlete of the Year 2004 UTAH MWC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK Bronko Nagurski National Player of the Week Sept. 6 Alex Smith, offense Pat Tillman Award (East-West Shrine Game honor) Sept. 27 Alex Smith, offense; Ryan Smith, defense Oct. 18 Alex Smith, offense Steve Savoy, WR, So. Nov. 1 Alex Smith, offense SI.com All-American (second team) Nov. 8 Alex Smith, offense; Morgan Scalley, defense The Sporting News All-American (honorable mention) Nov. 15 Alex Smith, offense Nov. 22 Steve Savoy, offense Ryan Smith, DB, Fr. The Sporting News Freshman All-American (second team) Spencer Toone, LB, Jr. CoSIDA Academic All-District VIII first team POSTSEASON ALL-STAR GAMES Gridiron Classic 2005 TOSTITIOS FIESTA BOWL AWARDS Paris Warren, WR Co-Offensive Most Valuable Player East-West Shrine Game Alex Smith, QB (29-37-328 yards, 0 INT, 4 TD) Morgan Scalley, DB Paris Warren, WR (15-198, 2 TD) Chris Kemoeatu, OL Paris Warren, WR Defensive Most Valuable Player Steve Fifita, DT (5 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack Las Vegas All-America Classic Tommy Hackenbruck, LB Jonathan Fanene, DL Hula Bowl Steve Fifita was Tommy Hackenbruck played in the Las Vegas All-America Classic. Marty Johnson, RB chosen as the Chris Kemoeatu, OL Fiesta Bowl Sione Pouha, DL Defensive MVP. Morgan Scalley, DB 2005 UTAH FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE • WWW.UTAHUTES.COM 127 2004 UTES MAKE HISTORY rumble in the Rockies was Among the more notable school leading the charge, Utah became the felt all over the country marks to topple last season: most wins first school to win back-to-back outright (12), best start (12-0), most consecutive MWC championships by cruising to in 2004 when the Utah A weeks in the A.P. (16) and Coaches’ (17) a 7-0 league record last fall. The Utes football team shook up college polls, most consecutive weeks in the top led the MWC in scoring offense (45.3), football. 10 (nine in both polls) and highest scor- total offense (499.8), pass efficiency ing average (45.3 ppg). offense (173.5) and defense (108.9), Junior quarterback Smith, a Heisman turnover margin (1.25), kickoff returns The Utes, under second-year head Trophy finalist, was The Sporting News (26.2), field goals (7-7), red zone offense coach Urban Meyer, erupted for a 12-0 and Sports Illustrated National Player (92.5%) and defense (65.6%), third down record, a No. 4 national ranking and a of the Year. In January, Smith decided to conversions (52.3) and first downs (305). victory over Big East champion Pitts- skip his senior year and enter the NFL Ute players also received the MWC’s burgh in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. All draft, where he became the first No. 1 top awards. Smith was named the MWC eyes were on Utah from mid-October on, draft pick in school history—going to the Offensive Player of the Year, while when the Utes broke into the initial Bowl San Francisco ‘49ers. senior free safety Morgan Scalley was Championship Series standings at No. 7. Meyer, who accepted a position at voted co-Defensive Player of the Year. To become the first school from a Florida before coaching his final game at Both were unanimous first-team choices. non-BCS conference to play in one of Utah (the Fiesta Bowl), won four nation- Joining Smith and Scalley on the all- the four “majors,” the Utes had to finish al coach of the year awards on his way MWC first team were offensive lineman the season ranked in the top six in the out—raising his total to five in his two Chris Kemoeatu, receiver Steve Savoy BCS tabulations. Under the direction of years at Utah. His 2004 national coach of and defensive linemen Sione Pouha and quarterback Alex Smith, Utah’s first-ever the year awards included: FWAA/Eddie Steve Fifita. All were first-time first- Heisman Trophy finalist, that’s exactly Robinson, Woody Hayes, Home Depot teamers. Kemoeatu and Smith were what happened. History was made on and Pro Football Weekly. In 2003, he named to the Cingular Wireless/ABC Jan. 1, 2005, in Tempe, Ariz., when the was named The Sporting News National Sports (formerly FWAA), SI.com and BCS Bustin’ Utes beat Pittsburgh 35-7 to Coach of the Year. Meyer also went two- Pro Football Weekly All-America first conclude a perfect season. for-two in Mountain West Conference teams. Scalley was a second-team SI.com Fittingly, Utah’s road to the Fiesta championships and MWC Coach of the All-American and Savoy was named to Bowl began with a rout of a BCS team. Year awards. The Sporting News’ All-America second Ranked in the top 20 in the preseason Utah became the most dominant team team. Ryan Smith was a TSN Fresh- polls, Utah humbled Big 12 power in the Mountain West Conference under man All-American (second team). In Texas A&M, 41-21, on Sept. 2 in Salt Meyer. With the fiery young head coach the classroom, Smith and Scalley made Lake City. A week later, the Utes earned the ESPN The Magazine (CoSIDA) another BCS stripe, pummeling Ari- Academic All-America first team—the zona 23-6 in Tucson. The rout—and the only time Utah has placed two members route—were on. on the team in a single year. Smith was Utah plotted its entire course without selected as the NCAA Football Academic benefit of a map as its trip to the Tostitos All-American of the Year. Fiesta Bowl was unprecedented for a But one doesn’t need Smith’s smarts school from a non-BCS conference. Utah to know that Utah’s 2004 football season broke the BCS barrier by winning all of will become a page in NCAA football its games—most by enormous margins. history. Here’s a game-by-game look at The 12-0 Utes beat their 2004 opposi- the best season ever at Utah. tion by 26 points per game. In going 4-0 Sept. 2 vs. Texas A&M—Alex Smith against BCS competition, Utah’s average passed for three touchdowns and rushed for victory margin was 24 points per game. two to lead Utah to a 41-21 mauling of Texas It would have been even more had the A&M. A standing room-only crowd of 45,419 Utes not kneeled inside the 5-yard line and an ESPN national television audience saw with downs remaining in a 46-16 win Smith complete 21 of 29 passes for a career- high 359 yards and rush for another 76 yards. over North Carolina. Sept. 11 vs. Arizona—Utah exploded for Utah’s final regular season rank- 17 first quarter points and the defense did the ings in the Associated Press (No. 4) and rest in a 23-6 Utah win in Tucson. The Utes ESPN-USA Today Coaches (No. 5) were forced four turnovers—two inside the red the best in school history. Its No. 6 final zone—and made a critical goal line stand as BCS ranking (calculated before the bowl the first half wound down. Arizona’s scores games were played) is the best ever for Junior quarterback Alex Smith, a National Player of the came on two field goals. Year and Heisman Trophy Finalist, was the driving force an at-large school. behind the best season in Utah football history. 128 2005 UTAH FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE • WWW.UTAHUTES.COM 2004 UTES MAKE HISTORY 260 yards and rushed led 31-7 at the half and 14 of Wyoming’s for 84. Freshman cor- points came in the last minute against the Ute nerback Ryan Smith reserves. came up huge with 10 Nov. 20 vs. Brigham Young—Utah shook tackles, an intercep- off bitter rival Brigham Young in the second tion and pass breakup half and beat the Cougars 52-21 to finish an in the end zone and 11-0 regular season. Receiver Steve Savoy two forced fumbles. rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns and Oct.