I'm sure someone else has already thought of this, but it hit me as I listened to Coach Sitake's comments on "the call". I wonder how big of an impact that call had on the Ute defenders for the rest of that game winning drive? Kalani said, after the game, that Utah's dbs had been doing that all game long - holding BYU's wrs. I haven't gone back to look at the film on that final drive and compare it to the aggressiveness of the Ute dbs for the rest of the game, but it got me wondering - was BYU able to march down the field on that final drive because the Ute dbs realized that the refs were finally watching them and they would get called for holding?
Yes, "the call" gave BYU a first down, but that didn't win the game for BYU. BYU still had to march down the field and get into field goal range and Ferrin still had to make the FG. But maybe the impact of the holding call was bigger than just a first down. Maybe the Ute dbs realized that they couldn't hold our wrs on that final drive? What would the game have been like and what would the final score have been if the refs were calling those holds earlier in the game?
Coulda woulda shouldas. Interesting how the offense just "came alive" after that holding call. In the end. It doesn't matter. BYU won. Scoreboard.
On a final note: I don't like Kuithe, but I'm sorry for him that he got hurt and it sounds like a season ending injury. I don't like anyone getting seriously hurt. I hope the best for him in his recovery. I hope that BYU injuries aren't serious and that we haven't lost anyone long-term. I heard that our OL got banged up, but haven't seen anything official or any lists, yet.