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1999 Utah Season in Review
Utes clinch share of title with victory over rival BYU; will face Fresno State in Las Vegas Bowl.
Dec. 13, 1999 In the preseason, with its starting lineup intact, the University of Utah football team set some lofty preseason goals: win the inaugural Mountain West Conference championship and play in a post-season bowl game. Reach those goals they did, although the 1999 Utes needed to dig deep into their lineup and their hearts to do so. The Utes opened the season with an impressive 27-7 road victory at Washington State, a game in which starting quarterback Darnell Arceneaux threw for 249 yards and a touchdown and starting wide receiver Chris Christensen caught 10 passes for 144 yards and a score. By the season finale at arch rival BYU, both of those opening game stars stood on the sidelines, victims to injury. In their place, backup quarterback T.D. Croshaw led Utah to a 20-17 win over the Top-20 ranked Cougars by throwing for 228 yards and two touchdowns and a stable of Ute receivers blew past BYU’s secondary. In between games one and 11, the Utes played an interesting game of win and lose. They would win a game, lose a big player and find a new hero. The WSU win started the season off on a good foot and kicked off three straight wins for the Utes, who pounced on Utah State for a 38-18 win in Salt Lake City and followed that with a 52-14 romp over a surprising UNLV team that had just one loss at the time in Las Vegas. At 3-0 and fresh off an impressive win in Sam Boyd Stadium, Ute players, coaches and fans began dreaming of an EA SPORTS Las Vegas Bowl bid. That dream was shattered a week later, when Utah was upset, 26-20, at Boise State. Star running back Mike Anderson, who would finish the season as a first-team all-Mountain West pick, left the game on crutches with a foot injury. Also knocked out of the game with a foot injury was Arceneaux. This time the backups couldn’t get the job done. Utah was down, for sure, but not out. Despite the fact that Anderson would miss the next game, the Utes once again went on a three game winning spree toppling Louisiana-Monroe (42-0), Air Force (21-15) and San Diego State (38-16). The Air Force win was particularly notable, as it was played in sub-zero temperatures in a driving snow storm in Colorado Springs, Colo. Croshaw started the game at quarterback in place of an ill Arceneaux, but the sharp passing QB couldn't rally the Utes in the poor conditions. Arceneaux shrugged off his sickness and stepped in to lead Utah to a 21-15 victory before a national television audience, after Utah trailed at the half 3-0. Junior Steve Smith, who would become one of the nation’s most exciting and productive offensive players, scored all three of Utah's touchdowns - two on pass receptions from Arceneaux and one on a 61-yard punt return. Defensively, Utah gave up yards, but stiffened up at the goal line. Jay Hill picked off his fifth interception of the year to end one Air Force drive and Kimball Christianson had a team-high 17 tackles. Smith and Christianson were named MWC special teams and defensive players of the week, respectively. Utah showed heart again the next week against San Diego State, when it broke open a close game with just three minutes left and left the Aztecs shattered - their conference titles shot. John Frank, who would later be named the MWC Defensive Player of the Year, forced a fumble that was recovered by freshman Garrett Smith in the end zone. The TD gave Utah an insurmountable 31-15 lead, but the Utes weren't through. Mike Anderson, who rushed for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns, added an insurance score with a minute left on a 32-yard run. With the string of victories, Utah seemed bound for the Mountain West Conference title and a post-season bowl game appearance. But, the Utes counted their cards too soon, stumbling against MWC rivals Colorado State (31-24) and Wyoming (43-29). With two conference losses staring them down, Utah's goals began to crumble. Worse yet, the loss to the Cowboys devastated Utah on the field as well, when they knocked Arceneaux unconscious on a sack. He suffered a serious concussion that ended his season - or so it appeared at the time. Croshaw again stepped in as Utah’s starting quarterback, this time against New Mexico, and looked every bit the part of a full-time starter. Against the Lobos, Croshaw passed for 182 yards and four touchdowns in the Utes’ 52-7 victory. Suddenly, Utah was back in the race. Lying in wait was a 5-1 BYU team in Provo that would clinch the MWC title with a win over Utah. That’s all the motivation it took for a team battered and down, but not beaten. Andre Dyson picked off two interceptions, including the game-saver on BYU’s last drive, to preserve a 20-17 victory for Utah and get the red spilling out of the stands. It was the fourth straight win in Cougar Stadium for Utah and gave Head Coach Ron McBride his 70th career win (all at Utah). The Utes clinched a share of the conference title with the win and turned their eyes toward a bowl game. With the title and an 8-3 record (their best regular season finish since 1996) clinched in their hands the Utes were faced with a waiting game. They anxiously watched as Colorado State and Wyoming played their final games a week later, as both were also in the title hunt. The Rams won, earning a share of the crown with Utah and BYU, but the Pokes were slaughtered at San Diego State. With three bowls opening up for the MWC, Utah got its wish - a bid to the EA SPORTS Las Vegas Bowl. Utah racked up some impressive individual awards in the process of a great team effort. Defensive lineman John Frank led the way, earning MWC Defensive Player of the Year. Utah placed five athletes on the Mountain West all-conference first team. On offense, running back Mike Anderson and offensive guard Luis Park were honored, while Frank and linebacker Kautai Olevao represented Utah defensively and Steve Smith was the first-team specialist. Making the second team were Smith, this time as a receiver, and defensive backs Jay Hill and Andre Dyson. Utes set loads of single season and career records on their way to the program’s fifth bowl in the 1990s. Anderson, a senior, set the new Utah record for average yards rushing per game in a career (102.4 ypg) breaking a 17-year-old mark of 96.62 held by Carl Monroe (1981-82). Anderson's 2,150 rushing yards is seventh all-time at Utah and the most ever by a two-year player. He is just one of eight Utes ever to rush for 2000 yards, including his career-best of 204 yards against New Mexico. Frank, who led the MWC in sacks with 13 (89 yards) and was second in tackles for loss with 20 (112 yards), set five Utah records: most career sacks (27), most tackles for loss (29), most career yards in sacks (177), tackles for loss (133) and most single season tackles for loss yards (112). Junior college transfer Smith set the Utah records for most yards on punt returns in a season (495 yards), most punt returns for a touchdown in a game (2) and most punt returns for a touchdown in a season (3, tie). The junior led the MWC and finished fifth in the nation in punt returns with a 17.1 yard-per-game average. Smith's two punt returns for touchdowns (70 and 52 yards) against New Mexico tied the NCAA record.
RECORD BREAKERS
FRANK IS MWC’S TOP DEFENDER
ALL-CONFERENCE UTES
GRIDBITS
MIKE ANDERSON
JOHN FRANK
STEVE SMITH RED ZONE REPORT
Utah Offense
Times at or inside 20: 31
Touchdowns: 24
Field Goals: 5
Scoring percentage: 94%
TD percentage: 77%
Utah Defense
Times opponent at or inside 20: 31
Touchdowns: 10
Field Goals: 9
Scoring Percentage: 61%
TD percentage: 32%
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