Utah Utes football: Utes think pressure is all theirs

Does new Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez need to win his first game with the Wolverines, who were upset by Appalachian State in last year's opener? Is there any extra pressure for him to get off to a successful start and prevail in Saturday's debut against the Utes?

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham doesn't think so.

"Like I've said a thousand times, one game does not make or break your season. Coach Rodriguez is going to get it done there," Whittingham said. "The bottom line is he'll get it done in time. There's no question in my mind about that. He's done it everywhere he's been. He's a great football coach."

Rodriguez is entering his first year at Michigan after seven seasons at West Virginia, where he guided his alma mater to national prominence and a 60-26 record.

The move to Michigan, where he replaces Lloyd Carr, hasn't been completely smooth — on or off the field. Installing a new scheme at the storied program will take time. So much so, in fact, that Rodriguez acknowledged he'd like to have another month to prepare for the upcoming season. He knows his players, however, are eager to go.

Rodriguez admits he's a bit worried about what his first Michigan team completely understands about the newly installed schemes. There are so many situations to recall, he added.

"It's like we have 105 freshmen," Rodriguez said. "That being said, I feel comfortable with what we've prepared so far. I know it'll continue to get better and better. I think our guys will react well."

Utah expects nothing less.

"I think their scheme is extremely sound," defensive coordinator Gary Andersen said. "And the kids that they are going to have running around on the football field are on scholarship to the University of Michigan. They are going to be good football players."

Rodriguez likes what he's seen, thus far, from the Wolverines — despite not having an experienced quarterback. Freshman Steven Threet and sophomore Nick Sheridan have yet to appear in a game and are locked in a deadlock for the starting job.

"I still have a lot of question marks coming into the game Saturday, particularly because we have so many guys playing for the first time. But the guys have put in a lot of hard work," Rodriguez said. "I think everybody in the program is ready to go against another opponent. We know what the challenge is in front of us and hopefully we'll be ready."

With three returning starters on offense and seven on defense, Rodriguez's first Michigan team is loaded with question marks.

"We've just got to run our systems, compete and see what happens," he said.

Utah is taking a similar approach. With so many variables, Whittingham said the Utes will open the game with a "very generic broad-based game plan" and fine-tune it as the game progresses.

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