Micah Bernard says Utah's red zone efficiency needs improvement after Arizona loss

Utes running back see a big problem going into the bye week

Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

Utah suffered its first loss of the season in a 23-10 defeat against Arizona at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday night. The game highlighted significant execution issues for the Utes, particularly in the red zone, which was a recurring theme throughout the game. Despite being able to move the ball effectively between the 20-yard lines, Utah struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities.

Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham didn’t hold back when assessing the team’s performance, saying, “We were horrible, awful in the red zone.” This inefficiency was evident on Utah’s first two drives, both of which ended in failures deep in Arizona territory. The first drive resulted in a turnover on downs after Mike Mitchell was stopped for a loss on fourth and 1 at the Arizona 10-yard line. On the next drive, freshman quarterback Isaac Wilson had a pass broken up on fourth and goal from the 2-yard line.

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In total, the Utes went 0-for-4 on fourth-down conversions and managed only 10 points in four trips to the red zone. Utah running back Micah Bernard expressed frustration with the team’s performance, emphasizing that the red zone should be a primary focus moving forward.

“We’re just not executing well enough,” said Bernard. “Red zone should be the focus for us. It’s unacceptable for us.”

Despite outgaining Arizona 280-to-197 through the air, Utah failed to convert those opportunities into points as efficiently as the Wildcats. The only bright spot for the Utes was an 80-yard touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter, but they managed just 65 total yards on their other six second-half possessions. Utah’s inability to execute in crucial moments proved costly, with Isaac Wilson, in his third start, showing flashes but unable to lead a consistent offense in the absence of injured starter Cam Rising.