Family Men

A couple of positive examples set by ProUtes this week:

As a husband, father and player I'm embarrassed to be associated with the NFL right now!
— Eric Weddle (@weddlesbeard) September 11, 2014

Weddle was also a guest on the Grantland NFL podcast with Robert Mays and Bill Barnwell. Over on CBS Sports, a pair of former ProUtes were profiled:

What a story: Ex-Raven quit football to donate kidney to ex-Steeler younger brother http://t.co/2Ev47rHSzT pic.twitter.com/pDREl3hUeO
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 18, 2014

Down the Sideline

Matt Asiata raced down the sideline instead of standing on it in week two. Adrian Peterson missed the game due to a charge of child abuse, allowing Asiata to fill in as the feature back. He found tough sledding against Sealver Siliga and the New England front, rushing 13 times for only 36 yards, an average of 2.8 ypc with a long of 7 yards. Asiata was more effective as a receiver out of the backfield, taking this pass in the flat 25 yards for a score. He had five catches for 48 yards, good for third on the team, and managed Minnesota's only score. It wasn't a good day for QB Matt Cassel, the former Patriot, as he threw 4 interceptions. Cassel also fumbled, but Asiata was there to recover it. For being Johnny-on-the-spot, the ProUte of the Week goes to Matt Asiata.

Stiff Arm

Paul Kruger is the ProUte of the Week, on the strength of his two sacks, but Steve Smith, Sr. had the Play of the Day on the strength of his stiff arm!

3rd & 14 was the key number for both players; Kruger's first sack came in the red zone, forcing Pittsburgh to settle for a field goal on 4th & 18. Smith's statement also came on 3rd & 14, as he drifted behind the coverage. Do defensive backs not realize that Flacco can bomb it? Smith the savvy veteran realizes it and made the play, stiff-arming Adam Jones to the ground along the way! He finished with 7 catches for 118 yards and a TD in his first game in Baltimore.

Ben Roethlisberger is not an easy take down, but Kruger got to him twice. The second time was in the third quarter, on 3rd & 11. Roethlisberger lost the ball, and, by the time he recovered it, Kruger covered him. The Steelers were forced to punt on 4th & 24. Kruger had five tackles to go with his two sacks and wins the first award of 2014.

Andre and Dyson

That's Andre Miller and Kevin Dyson, not to be confused with Andre Dyson! Two of my favorite ProUtes of all time were inducted into the Crimson Club Hall of Fame over the weekend. Miller is still playing in the NBA, but he is already a Hall of Famer. Dyson is a vice principal and athletic director for a high school in Tennessee, where he continues to do radio work for the Titans. Joining Dyson and Miller in the 2014 Class are Elaine Elliott, Kim Turner, Sandy Woolsey, Amy Kofoed, and members of the 1964 Liberty Bowl football team. Read more

Wild West

ProUtes made all sorts of noise in the AFC West training camps this year. Alex Smith held out and got the contract extension he wanted in Kansas City. Meanwhile Sean Smith was dropped to the second unit. Tenny Palepoi made the cut in San Diego, where the 53 man roster was a little light on defensive linemen. There wasn't enough room for Joe Kruger, however; he was cut by the Eagles as well as the Chargers. Over in Oakland they kept Tony Bergstrom and Keith McGill, but undrafted free agents Jake Murphy and Karl Williams were let go.

Miami is down to two ProUtes this season, with the departures of R.J. Stanford (cut by Cincinnati) and Paul Soliai (signed with Atlanta); Sam Brenner is back on the practice squad. Sealver Siliga secured a spot in New England, but L.T. Tuipulotu did not. Trevor Reilly will be the lone representative on the New York Jets after Caleb Schlauderaff was waived and Tevita Finau was sent back to the practice squad. Buffalo placed Stevenson Sylvester on injured reserve.

Tevita Stevens is on the practice squad in Washington, and Anthony Denham is on Houston's.    

Deep Pockets

Zane Beadles changed NFL teams, but he hasn't changed his allegiance to the University of Utah. He signed a five-year, $30 million contract with Jacksonville, and he's using his new found wealth to give back to his alma mater. Beadles is donating $750,000 towards a sports medicine center and a scholarship for an offensive lineman. It's been a banner year for football donations, and Zane's tops them all! Beadles and his deep pockets will be expected to create deep pockets for Jacksonville's rookie QB Blake Bortles!

Seventh Inning Stretch

C.J. Cron, David Freese, and Albert Pujols each hit a home run in the seventh inning in Saturday's game against the Astros. Freese struck first, bringing Cron in to score. Pujols went next, and Cron closed it out with his own three-run blast. Houston took a 5-1 lead in the third on a Chris Carter grand slam, but L.A. rallied to score eight runs in the seventh inning on their way to an 11-5 victory. The Angels won 6-1 on Sunday, finishing a four game sweep of the Astros. L.A. has won their last 10 at home and sit 3.5 games behind Oakland in the AL West.

Pair of Aces

As reported via Matthew Piper's blog on The Salt Lake Tribune, two Utah pitchers were selected in the 2014 MLB Draft. Mitch Watrous went to the San Diego Padres in the eighth round, and Nick Green was picked by the Kansas City Royals in the tenth round. Both players are former walk-ons for the Utes.

That's Andre

Read this profile of Andre Miller on Grantland.com, as well as this commentary on game 4 between the Wizards and the Pacers in the USA Today.

Senior Moment

Smith's pic on twitter.

Steve Smith had a painful separation from the Carolina Panthers. In order to separate himself from the other receiver named Smith on his new team he added Senior to his jersey. It's fitting for him, as it honors his son and marks the latter stages of his career.

When Baltimore meets rival Pittsburgh this year Smith, Sr. may find Brice McCain covering him. Like Smith, McCain signed with an AFC North team after being released by a team in the South (Houston).

One free agent left the AFC East (Miami) for the NFC South (Atlanta), but Paul Soliai won't see Steve Smith or Jordan Gross when he squares off against the Panthers. Zane Beadles, another lineman, moved to Florida and the AFC South (Jacksonville) from the AFC West (Denver).

Value Picks

Keith McGill and Trevor Reilly were both drafted later than projected, in the 4th and 7th rounds respectively, making them value picks in the 2014 NFL Draft. The Oakland Raiders used their second pick in the fourth round, #116 overall, on McGill. The big corner had a second day grade, but was still on the board on day three due to off the field concerns. He will join Tony Bergstrom in Oakland.

Reilly slipped all the way to #233, the last of twelve picks for the New York Jets. He has accrued some extra years and injuries, but anyone who has seen him play knows he is a difference maker. The lack of bowl game coverage may have been the difference in how many people did see Utah play last season.

Four more Utes signed free agent offers: Karl Williams and Jake Murphy with Oakland (benefit of PAC-12 coverage, perhaps?), Tenny Palepoi with San Diego, and Anthony Denham with Houston.

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

C.J. Cron didn't have a long stay in Salt Lake. Right after hitting 3-5 with a two-run homer in a 14-5 win over the Reno Aces on May 2nd, Cron was called up to Los Angeles. He made the most of his major league debut the very next day, belting an RBI single off the first pitch he saw. Cron added a double and another RBI single for the winning run as the Angels beat the Rangers, 5-3. 

Professor Passed

Andre Miller has passed the first round of the playoffs! For the first time in his career, the Professor has passed the test! He helped the young Wizards win the first game against the Bulls, and they helped him get beyond round one!

Seattle's Second

The Seattle Storm of the WNBA used their second round pick to select Michelle Plouffe. Seattle drafted UConn's Bria Hartley with the 7th pick and Plouffe 19th overall. Stanford's Chiney Ogwumike was the first player chosen by the Connecticut Sun. Plouffe is the first Ute to be drafted since Morgan Warburton, a Utah assistant coach, in 2009. BYU's Jennifer Hamson was also drafted in the second round by the LA Sparks, although she has indicated she will return to school to play volleyball in the fall.   

Bee Ballin'

C.J. Cron is back in Salt Lake with the Bees! He has worked his way up through the Angels' organization to AAA, and in the process he's found his way back to the same ballpark (new name) where he played for Utah. In an opening weekend four-game homestand, Cron had five hits and five RBIs. He's hit three doubles on those five hits, and one of them brought in three of his five RBIs.

Gross Out

Jordan Gross announced his retirement from the NFL today.  He goes out on top - of the NFC South. Gross also went to his third Pro Bowl as an alternate. After finishing his current contract, the 33-year-old Gross decided it was the right time to hang it up. A starter ever since his was drafted eighth overall in 2003, he finishes his career with 167 starts, a franchise record.

Gross concludes his pro career at the same time that five Utes attempted to begin theirs at the NFL Combine. Trevor Reilly figures to be the first Utah player taken in the draft this May, but, having undergone a post-season knee surgery, wasn't able to run at the Combine. He did 26 reps on the bench press, which was sixth among linebackers (and five more than Jadeveon Clowney, by comparison). Tenny Palepoi's 31 reps placed him 15th among all participants. Anthony Denham went to the combine as a tight end, a position change for the receiver (like John Madsen). Jake Murphy was second among the tight ends in the 20-yard shuttle, with a time of 4.27 seconds. Murphy did the 3-cone drill in 7.18 seconds, the fourth-best time at his position. He also did more reps on the bench (24) than Clowney (21). His broken wrist must have healed up nicely!

The player who has impressed the most has been corner Keith McGill. He was second in the broad jump (10' 9") and tied for third in the vertical jump (39"). McGill ran the 40 in 4.51 seconds. His biggest measurements are simply his physique: 6' 3", 211 lbs., with 33 and 1/4 inch arms. Following the success of Seattle's defensive backs in winning the Super Bowl, McGill's draft stock has risen. He helped it in the Senior Bowl, where he had an interception. None of these players will be picked #8 like Jordan Gross, but they should aspire to make a team and play 11 years like he has.

First Action

Andre Miller saw his first action in 2014 after being traded to Washington. He played 16 minutes and scored five points in a victory over New Orleans. Miller provides veteran depth and leadership behind young starters John Wall and Bradley Beal. Washington wasn't getting enough production from Eric Maynor, who was sent to Philadelphia along with two second round picks. The Wizards also parted ways with Jan Vesely, the #6 pick in the 2011 draft, sending the forward to Denver.

The move reunites Miller with three former teammates: Al Harrington, Nene (out six weeks with an injury), and Martell Webster. He shouldn't have much friction with his new coach, since Randy Wittman was his coach in Cleveland his first two seasons. Miller could end his career with the same coach he started with.

Andrew Bogut saw his first action in 20 days, as he returned from a shoulder injury. He played 29 minutes and scored 4 points in a victory over Detroit today. Golden State is currently in sixth place in the West; Washington is fifth in the East. If Andre and Andrew meet in the playoffs this year it won't be in the first round!

2013 Postseason

Alex Smith passed for 378 yards and 4 touchdowns, both franchise records, as Kansas City lost at Indianapolis, 45-44. The Colts came back from a 28-point deficit to win, making Smith the only QB to throw 4 TDs and no INTs but lose in the playoffs. He did lose a fumble on a Robert Mathis strip-sack. Playing without an injured Jamaal Charles, Smith was second on the team in rushing with 57 yards on 8 carries. Sean Smith had a tackle, three assists, and a PDef. Kansas City's defense had three interceptions and a fumble recovery, yet Indy won despite the 4-1 turnover margin. Another fumble bounced right to Andrew Luck, who plunged in for a touchdown in the 4th quarter.

The other AFC West team playing on wild card weekend fared better, as the Chargers beat the Bengals, 27-10. Eric Weddle had three tackles, three assists, and a PDef in the road victory. Philip Rivers only threw for 128 yards and one touchdown, but he played error-free ball, unlike Andy Dalton. Dalton tallied 334 yards passing, 1 TD, and 2 INTs (plus a lost fumble). Cincinnati could not overcome a 4-0 margin in turnovers.

In the second round, New England played host to Indianapolis. To prepare for the speed of Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton, the Patriots signed Reggie Dunn to their practice squad. Hilton had more than 100 yards receiving in the game, but he only caught four passes and did not score. Luck threw 4 more interceptions, and this time there was no comeback. New England bludgeoned Indy, with LeGarrette Blount amassing 166 yards and 4 TDs rushing. Stevan Ridley also scored twice, and New England won easily, 43-22. Sealver Siliga contributed one tackle and two assists on defense.

San Diego got another crack at Denver, but this time Mike McCoy didn't outfox John Fox, his former employer. The Broncos built a 17-0 lead before an injury in the defensive backfield opened things up for Rivers. He completed two TDs of 16 yards apiece to rookie Keenan Allen in the 4th quarter, but a Knowshown Moreno TD run kept the final margin at seven. Denver 24, San Diego 17. No six-seed upsetting the one-seed this postseason. Zane Beadles and the Broncos advanced, while Eric Weddle (3 tackles and 2 assists) and the hard-pressing Chargers did not.

That left only two ProUtes playing opposite one another in the AFC Championship: Siliga and Beadles. Other outlets will tell you about Brady and Manning, but this one is all about the big boys in the trenches. Denver's offense totaled more than 500 yards and didn't surrender a sack. The Broncos only punted once. Siliga had five tackles, but this game was all Denver.

The only NFC playoff game to feature any ProUtes was a disappointment, as San Francisco knocked out Carolina, 23-10. Steve Smith scored on a 31-yard pass in the second quarter to give the Panthers a 7-6 lead, but, after adding a field goal, Carolina didn't score in the second half. Smith also caught a 28-yard pass in the first quarter, as he totaled 74 yards on 4 catches. Star Lotulelei made 3 tackles and 3 assists, but Jordan Gross and the O-line allowed two sacks.

Gross is at the end of his contract, and has said that may have been his final game in a Panthers uniform. If he continues to play it will be in Carolina, but he will consider retirement. He will get at least one more game in a Pro Bowl uniform, as he was named a replacement for 49er Joe Staley. Alex Smith, who is also at the end of his contract, was tabbed to replace Tom Brady. So there will be more ProUtes in the Pro Bowl (3) than the Super Bowl (1).

DNP

One wouldn't think there are many firsts left in Andre Miller's extended career, but he got one against Philadelphia last week: his first did not play - coach's decision. Miller didn't take it sitting down, confronting his coach on the sideline. As a result he was suspended two games for conduct detrimental to the team. The suspension was later rescinded, but Miller remained away from the team on personal leave. He was allowed to return to the team on Monday, but missed practice that day and a game the next day. Miller was well regarded by former coach George Karl, but saw his minutes reduced for three games before being dropped from the rotation entirely by new coach Brian Shaw. It would not appear that Miller will finish his career in Denver after all. There is some speculation that he could be traded to Golden State, where he would reunite with Andre Iguodala. He would also be on the same team as Andrew Bogut, which would be ideal for Utah fans!