By Rick Bennett, Special to the Deseret News
The Catzz were unable to overcome a slow start, losing to the Green Bay Bombers 47-37. Playing next to Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, Utah couldn't use cold weather as an excuse for its poor start.
Green Bay jumped to a 28-2 lead before the Catzz realized they were playing a football game.
"In the first half, we just kept giving up one big play every series,'' Vince Tauanuu, Utah's defensive coordinator, said. "When we quit giving up the big play, we got back in the game.''
At one stretch of the second quarter, Green Bay's Jay McDonagh, the league leader in passing yards, threw four completions in a row-three for touchdowns to take a 28-2 lead.
Junior Tagaloa served as Utah's spark plug to get the Catzz back into contention with two excellent kickoff returns. Tagaloa's first return was for 26 yards, and with a 3-yard penalty added on, Utah had first and 10 at the Green Bay 16. Three plays later, Utah's Mike Borich connected with Pokey Eckford, who broke two tackles, and rambled into the endzone for the Catzz first touchdown.
Following another Green Bay score, Tagaloa returned the ensuing kickoff 51 yards for a touchdown. Greg Hooks ran in the 2-point conversion to help Utah cut the Bombers lead in half 34-17, at the half.
Joe Borich led Utah to three scores in the third quarter, to cut Green Bay's lead to 41-37. But inexperience on the offensive line led to four sacks, killing Utah's momentum in the fourth quarter. "We had two new guys on the offensive line, at left tackle and at center,'' Tauanuu said.
With injuries to nine of Utah's 16 starters, bad health is not limited to Catzz players. Tauanuu and Lee Leslie filled in for head coach Gordon Hudson, who was recovering from a kidney ailment and did not make the trip.
Utah benefitted from the return of Nick McDaniel and Artis Jackson, who have missed games due to injury. The two anchored the defensive backfield in the second half and helped Utah get back in the game.
Overall, Tauanuu was pleased with his team's effort. "This is the best we've played in four weeks,'' he said.
Utah Catzz 2 15 20 0 37
Green Bay Bombers 14 20 7 6 47
First Quarter
GB-12:53-Chris Perry 4 yd pass from Jay McDonagh, Bryan Mader PAT 7-0
UT- 7:39-Doug Beach 26 yd field goal 7-2
GB- 4:16-Heath Garland 5 yd pass from McDonagh, Mader PAT 14-2
Second Quarter
GB-11:51-Perry 4 yd pass from McDonagh, Mader PAT 21-2
GB- 3:58-Perry 2 yd pass from McDonagh, Mader PAT 28-2
UT- 2:31-Pokey Eckford 16 yd pass from Paul Shoemaker, Beach PAT 28-9
GB- 1:21-Garland 31 yd pass from McDonagh, Mader PAT failed 34-9
UT- 0:59-Junior Tagaloa 55 yd kickoff return, Greg Hooks run 34-17
Third Quarter
UT- 9:01-Terrance Keehan 6 yd pass from Joe Borich, run failed 34-23
GB-8:07-Perry 29 yd pass from McDonagh, Mader PAT 41-30
UT-4:49-Eckford 1 yd run, Beach PAT 41-30
UT-1:00-Mike Burke 35 yd pass from Borich, Beach PAT 41-37
Fourth Quarter
GB-12:49-Garland 8 yd pass from McDonagh, Mader PAT failed 47-37
Team Stats Green Bay Utah
First Downs 14 7
Rushing 5 0
Passing 8 6
Penalty 1 1
Rushing Attempts 15 12
Yards Rushing 65 29
Net Passing Yards 180 124
Passes Attempted 27 22
Passes Completed 18 10
Had Intercepted 0 1
Total Offensive Plays 42 34
Total Net Yards 245 153
Fumbles: Number-Lost 3-3 0-0
Penalties: Number-Lost 4-13 8-35
Missed Field Goal Returns 2-60 1-41
Kickoff Returns: No.-Yards 6-72 7-161
3rd Down Conversions 2-5 1-7
4th Down Conversions 0-0 1-3
Sacks by: Number-Yards 5-36 1-8
Interception Returns: 1-4 0-0
Possession Time NA NA
Individual Stats
Rushing-G-Derrick Sanders 3-22, Willie High 5-20, McDonagh 3-10,
Perry 1-12, Randy Smith 3-1;
U-Derek Black 5-13, Eckford 5-7-1, Borich 2-9
Receiving-G-Garland 8-101-3, Perry 7-67-4, High 3-12;
U-Burke 3-47-1, Keehan 3-18-1, Black 2-18, Hooks 1-25, Eckford 1-16-1
Passing-G-McDonagh 18-27-180-7-0;
U-Borich 5-10-78-2-1, Shoemaker 5-12-46-1-0
Field Goals-G-Mader 0-2 missed 45, 50;
U-Beach 1-3 made 26 missed 53, 63
PATS-G-Mader 5-7;
U-Beach 3-3
Kickoff Returns-G-Smith 3-55, High 2-17, Ryan Kremar 1-0;
U-Junior Tagaloa 3-99, Eckford 2-35, Hooks 1-18, Sione Ma'He 1-9
Missed Field Goal Returns-G-Smith 1-44, Perry 1-16;
U-Eckford 1-41
Interceptions-G-Smith 1-4
Tackles-G-Banda 2, Reese 3, Coackley 7, Hanley 8, Blohm 4, Hobbins 1,
Konop 3, Rice 7, Shaheed 4, Smith 3, Kremar 2;
U-Keehan 2, McDaniel 2, Tagaloa 7, Alexander 3, Hudson 3,
Black 1, Tauanuu 6, Siliga 2, Fonoti 1, Burke 1,
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