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

Super Kruger

Paul Kruger has had some big games in the Super Dome: first the Sugar Bowl victory in 2009 that launched his pro career, and now a Super Bowl victory that will assure him a big contract in free agency. Kruger had 3 tackles (one for a loss) and 2 sacks on the NFL's biggest stage. Both of his sacks came in the red zone and helped limit the 49ers to field goals. He won't get a deal as large as QB Joe Flacco's, but he earned a big pay increase after leading Baltimore in sacks. He had 9 in the regular season and half that amount in the playoffs.

Kruger's two sacks of Kaepernick were not enough to bring Alex Smith into the game, unfortunately. In 2005, Alex and the Utes rolled over Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl as Flacco watched from the sideline. In 2013 the positions were reversed, with Alex relegated to San Francisco's sideline. He will likely be traded this off-season after what had been the best year of his career.

Ma'ake Kemoeatu was out of the league for a year but came back at the right time and with the right team. He had one tackle in the Super Bowl, becoming the second Kemoeatu brother to get a ring. Maybe next year Chris will return to the NFL as well.

David Reed caught a touchdown pass in the Sugar Bowl but wasn't as involved in the Super Bowl. He played on special teams, as he has since he was activated in November. He won't get his kick returning duties back after the performance Jacoby Jones has had in that role and may be looking for another team that could use his services.

Congratulations to Paul Kruger, Ma'ake Kemoeatu, and David Reed on being Super Bowl champs!

Dogpile

Paul Kruger and Zane Beadles fought for a fumbled football and Kruger came away with it. The Ravens upset the Broncos in the longest and coldest playoff game in quite some time, 38-35 in double overtime. Kruger had three tackles and two quarterback hits to go with his fumble recovery. He has been a bear in the playoffs: he had two and a half sacks and a strip of Andrew Luck in last week's win. Kurt Kragthorpe wrote a nice piece about Kruger emerging at the right time - both the playoffs as well as impending free agency - for the Salt Lake Tribune.

Kruger's compadre Ma'ake Kemoeatu also had three tackles against Denver; receiver David Reed has no catches thus far in the playoffs.

Direct Snap

Once again Weddle took a direct snap and successfully executed a fake punt. Last time it didn't surprise Utah fans, but this time it shouldn't have surprised anybody. Don't the Raiders watch game film? If they watch the film from week 17 they will see Weddle making eight tackles and getting behind his blockers for a 6 yard gain and a first down. We're going to direct snap the ProUte of the Week Award to Weddle; we trust he knows what to do with it.

Lining up across from Weddle and the Chargers defense was Tony Bergstrom, making his first start for the Raiders. San Diego beat Oakland, 24-21.

Ma'ake Kemoeatu and Paul Kruger both sacked former TCU quarterback Andy Dalton; Kemoeatu also had 4 tackles, while Kruger had one tackle and one pass deflection. David Reed also caught 3 passes for 44 yards, but Cincinnati got past Baltimore, 23-17. Both teams are headed to the playoffs, so there wasn't much at stake in this meeting.

Ten Pin

Eric Weddle made ten takedowns, but Steve Smith got by him for a diving touchdown. That made the score 31-0 in favor of Carolina; the Panthers would go on to win 31-7. Carolina and San Diego both stand at 5-9 for the season, which will not extend into the playoffs for these two teams. Smith had 6 catches for 57 yards and a rush for 15 more. He takes home the ProUte of the Week Award for Week 15.

Zane Beadles and got the better of Ma'ake Kemoeatu and Paul Kruger as Denver defeated Baltimore, 34-17. David Reed caught two passes for 22 yards in his first action for the Ravens this season.

Ma'ake the Play

This could end up being our Play of the Year: Ma'ake Kemoeatu forces the fumble and Paul Kruger recovers it! It may not have been a big return on the play, but that is some excellent teamwork by the ProUtes! Kemoeatu had 2 tackles and a PDef to go with his FF, while Kruger had 7 tackles and 1.5 sacks in addition to the FR. Kruger is the ProUte of the Week, but big Ma'ake made the big play!

Eric Weddle had 5 tackles, 2 PDef, and converted a fake punt. On 4th-and-2 from their own 28 the Chargers put the ball in Weddle's hands with a direct snap. He ran around the end for a 4 yard gain and a first down. No surprise to Utah fans who recall Weddle's success running the Wildcat in college, but it must have caught Washington off guard!

Steve Smith caught 7 passes for 109 yards as Carolina beat division-leading Atlanta, 30-20. The Associated Press reported:

It was all Carolina in the first half, beginning with the coin toss.

The Panthers hadn’t won a coin flip all year until Sunday, causing team captain Jordan Gross to exalt at midfield by thrusting both arms into the air. Including overtime, the Panthers were 0-13 on coin flips.

“I’ve never seen people cheering so loud for a coin toss,” Gross said with a laugh.
 

Team Effort

Eric Weddle couldn't keep Eric Decker out of the end zone on this play, but he did have 6 tackles (one for loss) and a PDef against the Broncos. He also fielded a punt, which, like most of the kick returners in this game, he muffed. He recovered his drop, unlike Denver's Bolden or Holliday. The game was a tale of two halves, as Denver turned it over repeatedly in the first half and San Diego returned the favor in the second half.

Zane Beadles was on the winning side, as Denver came back from a 24-0 halftime deficit to win the game, 35-24. Denver didn't dominate by piling up the yards, but Beadles and the line were flawless in pass protection, allowing no sacks of Peyton Manning despite having to abandon the run (57 yards) to come back. Pass protection was ultimately the difference in the game, as Rivers was sacked four times, threw four interceptions, and lost two fumbles. Both quarterbacks threw pick sixes, but Manning was the more efficient quarterback because he had better protection in the pocket. Weddle did more individually in this game, but Beadles did more to help his team win. For that reason Zane Beadles is the ProUte of the Week.

Honorable Mention: Ma'ake Kemoeatu had five tackles for Baltimore's depleted defense in a narrow defeat of Dallas, and Sean Smith had 5 tackles and a PDef in a close victory over the Rams.

Heavy Weight Bout

Not even an open cut on the bridge of his nose could rattle Alex Smith as he drove his team down the field for the game-clinching touchdown. Smith got cut when he scrambled down field ("just like he did in college" according to one commentator) for a gain that was nullified by a holding penalty. Smith took a forearm to the face at the end of his slide, but no flag was thrown for targeting his head. He was cut on the play, but he wasn't flustered. With blood running down his nose Alex lined up and methodically moved his team into scoring position. He hit Vernon Davis with another touchdown pass, and that was game. Alex Smith knows how to roll with the punches, so taking the ProUte of the Week Award away from him isn't going to be easy!

There were some heavy weights who gave it a shot: Ma'ake Kemoeatu, Paul Soliai, and Sione Pouha all recorded a PDef this week. Sean Smith had two, but he's a cornerback. These three are defensive tackles, and they all notched a PDef in the same week! Pouha had the best overall performance in his return to action, with two tackles, a sack, and the PDef.

Steve Smith needed only 3 receptions to get 104 yards, with his longest being good for 66 yards.

Eric Weddle wasn't the only ProUte safety wearing #32 in San Diego on Sunday. Robert Johnson got the start again for Tennessee. He struggled to cover the tight end in the end zone, but he did record three tackles for a loss (four total). Weddle had three tackles and an interception of Jake Locker's errant pass.

Remember Me?

Sione and Keite Pouha have donated $50,000 to the Invest in Excellence campaign, and the alumni locker room in the new football facility will be named for Pouha in gratitude. Memorial Day weekend is a fine time for an announcement like this! New OC Brian Johnson and his fiancée Ashley Chapman also donated $50,000 to the campaign earlier this month.

In free agent news, a Kemoeatu has re-signed with his former team. Remember Ma'ake? Apparently the Ravens do, as they have signed the defensive lineman who didn't play in 2011. Too bad he won't be able to line up against his brother Chris in the annual Ravens-Steelers grudge matches; Chris has not signed with another team since being released by the Steelers. Zane Taylor has signed with the Colts after being released by the Eagles.

Hat's Off

Congratulations to Jordan Gross, who was selected as a starter for the Pro Bowl! That is quite an accomplishment given the major injury that ended his season a year ago and the difficult season the Panthers' offense has endured. It's a testament to the respect he's earned in the league. Gross hasn't been in contention for the ProUte of the Week award as a result of his team's play, but he's the only ProUte to be selected for the Pro Bowl. This marks the second time Gross has been selected (2008).

4x4x4

Week 13 in the NFL was a tough one. Six ProUtes played tough defense in tough losses. Naming the ProUte of the Week is a tough call as a result. Do we recognize Sione Pouha's individual effort leading the Jets with 8 tackles in a 45-3 loss to the Patriots? Or do we go with the overall team effort Miami got from Koa Misi, Sean Smith, and Paul Soliai (4 tackles apiece) in a 13-10 loss to Cleveland?

Eight tackles is a rare feat for an interior lineman like Pouha, but the Patriots broke the century mark in rushing yards and had two rushing TDs. The Dolphins held Peyton Hillis and the Browns to 52 yards rushing and no scores on the ground. If not for Chad Henne's 3 INTs and a blocked FG in the first quarter Miami could have come away with a win. Mark Sanchez also threw 3 INTs for New York, but that was forcing the ball downfield under duress.

Pouha tallied as many tackles as Misi and Soliai combined, but throw in Smith's tackles and the 4x4x4 gets the job done. This marks the second time this season Miami's trio has shared the award. Eric Weddle (6 tackles) and Ma'ake Kemoeatu (5 tackles) were also in the running.

Tales of Beadles the Guard

ProUte honors go to a rookie for the second time in as many weeks. Zane Beadles and the Broncos offensive line allowed only one sack in 57 pass attempts, allowing quarterback Kyle Orton to throw for a career-high 476 yards. Against a pass rush that includes perennial Pro Bowlers Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis (who combined for 6 sacks in their first two games) that is truly a commendable performance.

Beadles played tackle at Utah, but the Broncos drafted him to be a guard. Injuries to the line moved him back out to tackle, where the rookie is holding his own. Zane is versatile enough to play either position and intelligent enough to move in to center if need be.

The Broncos didn't get the W, but Beadles gets the award over fellow O-line #68 Chris Kemoeatu (387 total yards, 201 rushing, 0 sacks), Ma'ake Kemoeatu (5 tackles), and Eric Weddle (6 tackles).

In other news, Quinton Ganther was released by the Seattle Seahawks to make room on the roster for former Denver wideout Brandon Stokely. Perhaps Ganther will follow LenDale White yet again and team up with Beadles in Denver!

Make Room for Ma'ake

Ma'ake Kemoeatu has a lot on his plate, even for a 345 lb. self-described "big fat guy." He's trying to come back from an Achilles tendon injury that kept him off the field last season, and he's doing it with a new team that's transitioning to a 3-4 front. According to this article on redskins.com Kemoeatu could be the first nose tackle in the proud history of the Hogs. Albert Haynesworth doesn't want the job, so make room for Ma'ake!

Free Agent Moves

The Carolina Panthers parted ways with one of their defensive linemen yesterday. I'm talking about ProUte Ma'ake Kemoeatu here, not Julius Peppers. The latter is leaving Carolina for Chicago as a free agent, but the former was released yesterday along with quarterback Jake Delhomme. Kemoeatu ruptured his Achilles tendon during the first 30 minutes of training camp last summer and complications have required multiple surgeries, the Charlotte Observer reports. Kemoeatu is a casualty of injury as much as salary cap changes this upcoming season.

Spring training has already opened for the upcoming MLB season, and ProUte Chris Shelton is in camp with the Houston Astros. Shelton signed a $500,000 Minor league contract in December. He had a tremendous spring camp with Seattle in 2009, and now he has a chance to show Houston what he can bring to the Astros.

Phil Glover

With Utah playing Louisville at home this weekend I have been recalling the game the two teams played in 1998. It was the inaugural game for Rice-Eccles Stadium and I was there in the brand new stands. Utah had a terrific game that night, beating Louisville 45-22. Future NFL players on that Utah squad included rb Mike Anderson, cb Andre Dyson, de John Frank, lb Phil Glover, dt Ma'ake Kemoeatu, and wr Clifford Russell. It was a talented team and Dyson had two interceptions in the game, but the player who really stood out to me was Phil Glover. A Butkus Award candidate, Glover had incredible range as a linebacker. He was all over the field, using his 4.48 40 speed and team-best 38 inch vertical leap to harass the Louisville offense. He made a definite impression on me as a college player, but what has he done professionally?

Glover was drafted by the Tennessee Titans, a team with a strong track record of drafting Utah players (they also drafted Andre Dyson). A seventh round pick, Glover was a member of the Titans team that came up just short of tying St. Louis in the Super Bowl when fellow ProUte Kevin Dyson was tackled at the one yard line. Following that season Glover was assigned to the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe; he then went on to have a notable career in Arena Football, winning individual accolades and team honors along the way. In this picture Glover (#31) and Brian Johnson hoist the trophy after winning Arena Bowl XXI in 2007. Glover was named Ironman of the Game.

This week ProUtes salutes Phil Glover, a dominant linebacker from Las Vegas, and looks forward to watching Stevenson Sylvester, another linebacker with great range from Las Vegas, get his shot at having a memorable game against Louisville!

Steve Smith's shoulder

First Ma'ake Kemoeatu's Achilles tendon, now Steve Smith's shoulder. Keep an eye on Jordan Gross, because at this rate he's the next former Ute/current Panther on the injury watch list. All-Pro WR Steve Smith injured his shoulder in a padless practice collision. ESPN.com reports that Smith, who was expected to miss the entire preseason, has already returned to practice. There's no tougher receiver in the game today than Steve Smith!

The Deepest Cut

Last week was a tough one for former Utes. On the first day of training camp defensive tackle Ma'ake Kemoeatu of the Carolina Panthers tore his Achilles tendon (an injury with which this blogger is all too familiar). Kemoeatu will have surgery and hopes to return for the last month of the season. Wide receiver Bradon Godfrey was cut by the Atlanta Falcons, and Chris Shelton was sent back down to the Tacoma Rainiers.