Utah shuts down USM

By By Tony Krausz/assistant sports editor
January 1, 2004
MEMPHIS, Tenn. Fittingly, it was University of Utah free safety Morgan Scalley who put the finishing touches on the 45th annual Liberty Bowl on Wednesday.
The Utes junior defensive back tallied the final touchdown, returning a fumble 74 yards, in his team's 17-0 win over the University of Southern Mississippi (9-4) at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.
Defense ruled the New Year's Eve contest between the Conference USA champion Golden Eagles and the Mountain West champion Utes.
The two squads posted just 23 first downs and combined for a paltry 441 yards of offense.
Utah shutout a USM offense, that scored an average of 35.3 points over its last six games, for the first time since Nov. 2, 1995, against Tennessee.
The Eagles mustered just 118 rushing yards and 144 passing yards, as the Utes recorded five sacks and made 10 tackles for a loss.
For its part, the USM defense kept Utah's offense, which averaged 29.7 points and 387.8 yards for the season, in check.
The Eagles limited the Utes to just 12 first downs and allowed only 228 yards of offense in the loss.
USM recorded three sacks of Utah quarterback Alex Smith, who went 8-for-19 for 124 yards with one interception.
Defense took center stage from the start of the game, and no defenders grabbed the spotlight more than Utah's and defensive tackle Lewis Powell.
With USM facing third-and-seven from its 30-yard line, Scalley smashed into a scrambling Almond, as the Eagles quarterback cocked back to throw the ball.
The hit knocked the ball loose from Almond's grip, and Powell jumped on the ball to give Utah's offense life on USM's 17-yard line.
Utes wide receiver Steve Savoy took a reverse, pitch-back on the first play down to the Eagles' five-yard line.
Utah running back Brandon Warfield, who rushed for 91 yards on 27 carries, finished the drive on the following play scoring from five yard out for a 7-0 lead, with 4:41 left in the first half.
The Utes' two-play, 17-yard scoring drive was the lone bright spot for the offenses of both teams in the opening half.
USM was held to four first downs and 64 yards over the game's opening 30 minutes, and Utah mustered just six first downs and 77 yards.
The special team units of the Eagles and the Utes didn't fair much better than the offensive squads.
USM kicker Darren McCaleb missed a 47-yard field goal attempted with 9:40 left in the opening quarter.
Utah kicker Bryan Borreson never got a chance to attempt a field goal, after lining up for a 29-yard attempt with 10:39 to play in the half.
Utes long snapper Brady Parkhurst's snap skidded off the ground and through the hands of Utah's holder. Borreson picked up the loose ball, but he was taken down at the Eagles' 29-yard line.
Eagles linebacker Rod Davis and defensive end Ronald Jones also made big plays to help keep the Utes' point total down in the opening half.
Davis, who finished the game with 15 tackles and three tackles for a loss, recorded the first of two sacks for USM midway through the first quarter. The senior linebacker broke through the middle of Utah's offensive line to take Smith down for a five loss during the Utes' second offensive series of the game.
Jones took down Smith with about four minutes left in the first quarter for a six-yard loss during Utah's third series of the game.
The Utes added the only other offensive score of the game with 3:24 left in the contest.
Borreson connected on a 19-yard field goal to give the Utes a late 10-0 advantage.