Utah Football: I Don’t Get How We’re Using Travis Wilson

After a tremendous start, Travis Wilson’s role has been strange to say the least.  Maybe we just aren’t in situations we plan to use him.  Maybe they go away from him after a few plays that lack success.  But whatever it is, I don’t think we’re doing him any real favors right now.

As it is, Travis is either going to run the ball or maybe a flea flicker for a bomb.  And because of that we’re not having any success with him.

So what to do?

We need Travis to run a few normal plays, fake the option and then throw a crossing route.  Just something that will 1. catch the defense off guard and 2. make them respect that aspect of his game so we can have more success with the wildcat.  And if he can’t do that maybe it’s a bad idea to be running him out there.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a big Travis Wilson fan and I think the kid has tremendous upside. But he also a bit raw and maybe he just isn’t ready for Pac-12 prime time.  And there wouldn’t be anything wrong with that.  I just think we need to make a decision on what we’re doing with him.  Either commit to Travis a bit more or move away from him, because I don’t think this in-between is really helping him.

But let me conclude by saying that after the BYU game, the use of Mr. Wilson is my only complaint about Brian Johnson’s playcalling.  I didn’t like the game he called at USU but so much went wrong, its hard to know who to blame.  But against BYU, with Jon Hays and no John White, he called a solid game.  The Utes kept the ball on the field.  We didn’t turn it over and even without a great running game, we did enough.  If Brian can keep that going, we will have success.

And I think a more defined roll for Travis Wilson will help that.