Phil Steele has his mid-season all-conference list out. Not surprisingly, there are no BYU players on the first team (perhaps that can change by the end of the season) as the rolls are dominated by TCU, Utah, Air Force, and San Diego St. There are, however, five players on the second team and a few more on the third team. Overall, with 8 players listed, BYU represented 9% of the total players (0% of 1st team, 18% of 2nd team, 9% of 3rd team).
Mid-Season MWC 2nd Team
RB, JJ DiLuigi
FB, Brian Kariya
OT, Matt Reynolds
CB, Andrew Rich
LB, Jordan Pendleton
Mid-Season MWC 3rd Team
OG, Jason Speredon
OG, Braden Hansen
PK, Mitch Payne
The rest of the conference is as follows:
TCU 19 (39% of 1st team)
Utah 17 (29% of 1st team)
AFA 12 (11% of 1st team)
SDSU 11 (14% of 1st team)
CSU 8
WYO 5
UNLV 4
UNM 4
Showing posts with label Brian Kariya. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brian Kariya. Show all posts
Monday, October 25, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
A Mid-Season Diagnosis
Washington 1986. Hawaii 1989. Oregon, Hawaii, Texas A&M 1990. Florida State 1991. 2000 pre-Doman. Hawaii 2001. 2002. 2003. 2004. Utah, TCU 2008. TCU 2009.
What is the common thread in all of these? That you were there until the end. You didn't leave the stadium early. You didn't turn off the TV. You stood by the Cougars until the end. That is what true fans do. They support their team in good and bad. That is a defining characteristic of BYU fans. We believe. We stay until the end. No matter the score. No matter the time. The team doesn't stop competing (I can only think of two exceptions--CSU and Boise in 2003) and we don't stop supporting.
But, that doesn't mean that we don't have opinions, or dissect every move of the players and coaches, or think we might have some insight into what is really going on. I am no different.
Here is my somewhat-stream-of-consciousness take on a few pieces of our current situation:
Jamie Hill--Hill was not a scapegoat. Bronco is not one to be reactionary. The fact that Hill was released means to me that there were significant underlying reasons, and that if anything, Bronco probably waited longer than he should have.
Coaching Matters--What Bronco did to the defense in a few days between Utah State and SDSU, was stunning. Most BYU fans were bemoaning the fact that we had no talent on D. Then the first quarter of the SDSU game happened and it hasn't stopped. The same players, minus a few of the better ones to injury, have performed admirably. One can only imagine that the same transformation could be performed on offense. The talent level is not the problem.
Hot Seat--Robert Anae has to be on the hot seat. I like him. He frustrates me at times--frequently this season--but I hope he succeeds. I want him to find the solutions and get the ship righted. But, if he cannot do it, Bronco will need to find someone who can.
Leadership Vacancy--Bronco has stated a couple of times that this team is short on leaders... and he is looking for someone to step up. I would suggest that this is a problem that is actually inherent in the approach to this season. Bronco has only named two captains, leaving two other traditional spots unfilled. There were two opportunities to provide a mantle of leadership to a couple of his seniors. Perhaps they were not ready--a mantle allows a player to step up and grow into the role and responsibility. It allows the players around him to respect and follow that leader without thinking that the player is trying to be presumptuous. How was Jake supposed to be a leader early in the season? He wasn't the starter. Bronco had not expressed confidence in him, so how were the other players supposed to feel? BYU of all places is a place where players know how to lead and how to follow. They understand mantles. How many times have these players followed a district leader, zone leader, bishop, EQP, etc that was given a mantle? A "calling" to team captain, might have been, and still could be a good recipe for leadership success. Vic So'oto? Bryan Kariya? Brian Logan? These guys should be captains. Give them the mantle and let them run with it.
Starters--Failing to name a starter at QB and TE, has left these positions in somewhat of a tailspin. QB has been on the mend after an injury mercifully ended the spiral. TE is still out of control. A coach needs to pick a starter and then let him play. Should he lose the job, there are others waiting to step up. If they are all the same, go with the gut. Failing to name a starter cuts reps, leadership ability, confidence, and chemistry.
Reps Impact--Linked closely to the failure to name a starter is the impact that has on repetitions for those players. I promised some numbers in this first analysis since I've been back. Here it is (if not exact, it is at least illustrative). If a typical opposing player gets 100 reps, here is how this shakes out for the BYU QBs, TEs, WRs.
100: Typical player reps (for example)
80: BYU practices are roughly 20% shorter than most opponents practices
72: Assume 10 percent of those reps (early season) were lost to time spent installing two distinct offenses
36: Reps are split between the two QBs, leaving them with 36 each--WR's only get 36 reps with each QB
7: With 5 TE's splitting time, each only gets 20% of those 36 reps with each QB
What is the result? Our QB, a true freshman, is (was) only getting 36% of the reps of the opponent's QB. Our WR's were only getting 36% of the reps with their QB as opposing WRs were getting with their QB. Compounding that, our TE's--all rookies--are (were) only getting 7.2% as many reps each as players from opposing teams! At that rate the season will be over before any of our TE's get the same number of reps as opposing players get in Fall Camp!!! And these are players that needed to get more reps than opposing players due to inexperience! The WR's and QB's three games into the season were barely where others were at the end of fall camp. This has been course-corrected for Heaps and his WR's, but the TEs are still a mess, and unless someone gets named a starter soon, is unlikely to improve.
Drops--Are you following the chain here? 64% fewer reps for our QBs and WRs than the competition might shed light on some of our drops here. The drops this season have been unprecedented. Doubtless some portion of them must be a systematic failure such as above. Likely there are others too. I would hope to see more accountability for receivers dropping passes--critical first downs, touchdowns, third down conversions, easy dumps, fades, across the middles and everything in between. It was reduced in the TCU game but still remained an issue--hard not to improve considering how glaring this was. I wish I had tracked the actual number of drops in those first few games. I think we would have seen a significant number of drives ended and points missed due directly to dropped passes--enough so that it could have been the difference in the season so far.
The Long Ball--Between the dropped passes (seemingly one or more per series in the first 5 games) and the decision to have Heaps throw it deep on nearly 1 in 3 plays in those first few games, can explain nearly all of the offensive ineptitude. Anyone who ever succeeded at intramural football knows that the long ball is hardly ever completed and yet is so tempting that many do it anyway, to the detriment of their t-shirt dreams. BYU was essentially throwing 2 plays away (a drop and a long ball), leaving us with one real crack at a first down, and ensuring 3 and out repeatedly. It is good to see we have moved away from this, but perhaps we have mistaken failures of the long ball for failures of the passing game and need to reinstate the mid range game.
Running Personnel--Our running game has improved significantly since the UW game. However, there are still far too many instances of Kariya trying to take it around the end on third and short or DiLuigi trying to go up the middle in the same situation. Enough to make you want to pull your hair out. Use the personnel to their strengths.
Coaches Giving Up--In many of the early games, the coaches elected to punt from inside the 40 yard line. They opted to kick field goals when touchdowns were needed if there was any hope of winning. As an anxious fan, it was exasperating. It felt as if the coaches were giving up--going for the moral victory. When coaches are doing that, what are the players supposed to do? The fake field goal was a turning point. It showed that the coaches had not given up. BYU is going to need much more of that mentality from its coaches if it wants that message to rub off on the players.
So there you have it.
What is the common thread in all of these? That you were there until the end. You didn't leave the stadium early. You didn't turn off the TV. You stood by the Cougars until the end. That is what true fans do. They support their team in good and bad. That is a defining characteristic of BYU fans. We believe. We stay until the end. No matter the score. No matter the time. The team doesn't stop competing (I can only think of two exceptions--CSU and Boise in 2003) and we don't stop supporting.
But, that doesn't mean that we don't have opinions, or dissect every move of the players and coaches, or think we might have some insight into what is really going on. I am no different.
Here is my somewhat-stream-of-consciousness take on a few pieces of our current situation:
Jamie Hill--Hill was not a scapegoat. Bronco is not one to be reactionary. The fact that Hill was released means to me that there were significant underlying reasons, and that if anything, Bronco probably waited longer than he should have.
Coaching Matters--What Bronco did to the defense in a few days between Utah State and SDSU, was stunning. Most BYU fans were bemoaning the fact that we had no talent on D. Then the first quarter of the SDSU game happened and it hasn't stopped. The same players, minus a few of the better ones to injury, have performed admirably. One can only imagine that the same transformation could be performed on offense. The talent level is not the problem.
Hot Seat--Robert Anae has to be on the hot seat. I like him. He frustrates me at times--frequently this season--but I hope he succeeds. I want him to find the solutions and get the ship righted. But, if he cannot do it, Bronco will need to find someone who can.
Leadership Vacancy--Bronco has stated a couple of times that this team is short on leaders... and he is looking for someone to step up. I would suggest that this is a problem that is actually inherent in the approach to this season. Bronco has only named two captains, leaving two other traditional spots unfilled. There were two opportunities to provide a mantle of leadership to a couple of his seniors. Perhaps they were not ready--a mantle allows a player to step up and grow into the role and responsibility. It allows the players around him to respect and follow that leader without thinking that the player is trying to be presumptuous. How was Jake supposed to be a leader early in the season? He wasn't the starter. Bronco had not expressed confidence in him, so how were the other players supposed to feel? BYU of all places is a place where players know how to lead and how to follow. They understand mantles. How many times have these players followed a district leader, zone leader, bishop, EQP, etc that was given a mantle? A "calling" to team captain, might have been, and still could be a good recipe for leadership success. Vic So'oto? Bryan Kariya? Brian Logan? These guys should be captains. Give them the mantle and let them run with it.
Starters--Failing to name a starter at QB and TE, has left these positions in somewhat of a tailspin. QB has been on the mend after an injury mercifully ended the spiral. TE is still out of control. A coach needs to pick a starter and then let him play. Should he lose the job, there are others waiting to step up. If they are all the same, go with the gut. Failing to name a starter cuts reps, leadership ability, confidence, and chemistry.
Reps Impact--Linked closely to the failure to name a starter is the impact that has on repetitions for those players. I promised some numbers in this first analysis since I've been back. Here it is (if not exact, it is at least illustrative). If a typical opposing player gets 100 reps, here is how this shakes out for the BYU QBs, TEs, WRs.
100: Typical player reps (for example)
80: BYU practices are roughly 20% shorter than most opponents practices
72: Assume 10 percent of those reps (early season) were lost to time spent installing two distinct offenses
36: Reps are split between the two QBs, leaving them with 36 each--WR's only get 36 reps with each QB
7: With 5 TE's splitting time, each only gets 20% of those 36 reps with each QB
What is the result? Our QB, a true freshman, is (was) only getting 36% of the reps of the opponent's QB. Our WR's were only getting 36% of the reps with their QB as opposing WRs were getting with their QB. Compounding that, our TE's--all rookies--are (were) only getting 7.2% as many reps each as players from opposing teams! At that rate the season will be over before any of our TE's get the same number of reps as opposing players get in Fall Camp!!! And these are players that needed to get more reps than opposing players due to inexperience! The WR's and QB's three games into the season were barely where others were at the end of fall camp. This has been course-corrected for Heaps and his WR's, but the TEs are still a mess, and unless someone gets named a starter soon, is unlikely to improve.
Drops--Are you following the chain here? 64% fewer reps for our QBs and WRs than the competition might shed light on some of our drops here. The drops this season have been unprecedented. Doubtless some portion of them must be a systematic failure such as above. Likely there are others too. I would hope to see more accountability for receivers dropping passes--critical first downs, touchdowns, third down conversions, easy dumps, fades, across the middles and everything in between. It was reduced in the TCU game but still remained an issue--hard not to improve considering how glaring this was. I wish I had tracked the actual number of drops in those first few games. I think we would have seen a significant number of drives ended and points missed due directly to dropped passes--enough so that it could have been the difference in the season so far.
The Long Ball--Between the dropped passes (seemingly one or more per series in the first 5 games) and the decision to have Heaps throw it deep on nearly 1 in 3 plays in those first few games, can explain nearly all of the offensive ineptitude. Anyone who ever succeeded at intramural football knows that the long ball is hardly ever completed and yet is so tempting that many do it anyway, to the detriment of their t-shirt dreams. BYU was essentially throwing 2 plays away (a drop and a long ball), leaving us with one real crack at a first down, and ensuring 3 and out repeatedly. It is good to see we have moved away from this, but perhaps we have mistaken failures of the long ball for failures of the passing game and need to reinstate the mid range game.
Running Personnel--Our running game has improved significantly since the UW game. However, there are still far too many instances of Kariya trying to take it around the end on third and short or DiLuigi trying to go up the middle in the same situation. Enough to make you want to pull your hair out. Use the personnel to their strengths.
Coaches Giving Up--In many of the early games, the coaches elected to punt from inside the 40 yard line. They opted to kick field goals when touchdowns were needed if there was any hope of winning. As an anxious fan, it was exasperating. It felt as if the coaches were giving up--going for the moral victory. When coaches are doing that, what are the players supposed to do? The fake field goal was a turning point. It showed that the coaches had not given up. BYU is going to need much more of that mentality from its coaches if it wants that message to rub off on the players.
So there you have it.
Friday, November 20, 2009
What to Watch for Against Air Force
At 7-4, Air Force will become only the third team BYU has faced this season that currently has a winning record (TCU at 10-0 and Oklahoma at 6-4 are the others; Wyoming and Florida State are 5-5). This very well may be the second or third most difficult game of the year. The Academy held TCU to 20 points and only lost by 3 (20-17). They took Utah to overtime before losing (23-16). They also went into overtime with a good Navy team (8-3) before giving up another close one. The Cadets mean business and they are desperate to break through into the top tier of the MWC. They will come not only with talent, but with motivation. Despite having Air Force’s number for the last several years, it is going to take everything the Cougars have to pull this one out. Saturday will be a good one.
What to watch for…
• Will BYU’s offensive line be able to open up running lanes on the smaller Falcon D line? The first two series should be an indicator of how this game will go. The running game from BYU will be essential to winning this game. The size could become more of a factor as the game wears on and Air Force’s lighter line begins to tire.
• Will Unga be able to go? And, if not, will Kariya and DiLuigi be up to the task of filling in for him. Last week, without Unga in the game, the running game suffered. That won’t cut it this week.
• Can the Cougar front 7 continue to contain the run? For most of the season, the specialty of the defense has been limiting opponents running games. That will be key this week, as Air Force is fourth in the country in rushing offense (and 118th in passing).
• How much will the team miss Terrance Hooks in the middle? Will Shawn Doman be able to hold it down solo? Will Shane Hunter be able to spell him sufficiently to be effective? Defending the wishbone option will require all players to know their assignments, and a lack of experience could cost the Cougars.
• Will Dennis Pitta get the big game that he needs to solidify his status as Mackey finalist? He has historically had a big game against the Falcons, but opponents are much more aware of him this season. With 7 catches, 85+ yards, and a TD, Pitta would likely be in.
• What impact will the weather have? Friday night has a 20% chance of rain. On Saturday there is a 30% chance of snow. Highs are forecast to be 44 degrees. The team has been doing some practicing outdoors this week, ostensibly in preparation for Saturday’s conditions. A wet field might favor a passing game, but a cold precipitation would swing in favor of a running game. In any case, should rain/snow arrive before or during the game, expect the field to be sloppy.
• Can the team come out of this game without any significant health losses going into the rivalry game with Utah? Last year, Air Force’s chop blocks and low hits took a toll on Dennis Pitta specifically, as he was only a limping shell of himself in the Utah game (and played anyway) and was worse than a non-factor as he probably hurt the team by playing.
• Will more records fall? Last week, Hall moved into second in touchdowns, Pitta second in receptions. By the numbers this week…
o 1 victory for Hall to break a tie with Ty Detmer for all time wins
o 11 catches for Pitta to tie Austin Collie for all time most receptions
o 20 yards for Harvey Unga to become the all time leading rusher in program history
o 105 yards for Unga to move into third in all-purpose yards
o 165 yards needed by Pitta to pass Margin Hooks as the third leading receiver all time (Collie, Drage)
o 203 yards needed by Max Hall to become second all time in total offense
o 359 yards needed by Hall to become second all time in passing yards
How do I see this playing out? BYU got a wake-up call last week against New Mexico and will put in some extra effort this week in preparation and game planning. The Falcons will have the Cougars attention and there will not be any problem with losing focus. Hall and his fellow seniors know they only have two games left and will make the most of this one, having fun, playing relaxed, and showing a good first half. The defense will play well enough to give the Cougars a small lead at half-time. The second half will likely have AFA gaining some momentum out of the gate to make it look like a game, only to begin to tire going into the 4th quarter and BYU pulling out a two score win. BYU 34, Air Force 24.
Leave your own predictions in the comments below...
What to watch for…
• Will BYU’s offensive line be able to open up running lanes on the smaller Falcon D line? The first two series should be an indicator of how this game will go. The running game from BYU will be essential to winning this game. The size could become more of a factor as the game wears on and Air Force’s lighter line begins to tire.
• Will Unga be able to go? And, if not, will Kariya and DiLuigi be up to the task of filling in for him. Last week, without Unga in the game, the running game suffered. That won’t cut it this week.
• Can the Cougar front 7 continue to contain the run? For most of the season, the specialty of the defense has been limiting opponents running games. That will be key this week, as Air Force is fourth in the country in rushing offense (and 118th in passing).
• How much will the team miss Terrance Hooks in the middle? Will Shawn Doman be able to hold it down solo? Will Shane Hunter be able to spell him sufficiently to be effective? Defending the wishbone option will require all players to know their assignments, and a lack of experience could cost the Cougars.
• Will Dennis Pitta get the big game that he needs to solidify his status as Mackey finalist? He has historically had a big game against the Falcons, but opponents are much more aware of him this season. With 7 catches, 85+ yards, and a TD, Pitta would likely be in.
• What impact will the weather have? Friday night has a 20% chance of rain. On Saturday there is a 30% chance of snow. Highs are forecast to be 44 degrees. The team has been doing some practicing outdoors this week, ostensibly in preparation for Saturday’s conditions. A wet field might favor a passing game, but a cold precipitation would swing in favor of a running game. In any case, should rain/snow arrive before or during the game, expect the field to be sloppy.
• Can the team come out of this game without any significant health losses going into the rivalry game with Utah? Last year, Air Force’s chop blocks and low hits took a toll on Dennis Pitta specifically, as he was only a limping shell of himself in the Utah game (and played anyway) and was worse than a non-factor as he probably hurt the team by playing.
• Will more records fall? Last week, Hall moved into second in touchdowns, Pitta second in receptions. By the numbers this week…
o 1 victory for Hall to break a tie with Ty Detmer for all time wins
o 11 catches for Pitta to tie Austin Collie for all time most receptions
o 20 yards for Harvey Unga to become the all time leading rusher in program history
o 105 yards for Unga to move into third in all-purpose yards
o 165 yards needed by Pitta to pass Margin Hooks as the third leading receiver all time (Collie, Drage)
o 203 yards needed by Max Hall to become second all time in total offense
o 359 yards needed by Hall to become second all time in passing yards
How do I see this playing out? BYU got a wake-up call last week against New Mexico and will put in some extra effort this week in preparation and game planning. The Falcons will have the Cougars attention and there will not be any problem with losing focus. Hall and his fellow seniors know they only have two games left and will make the most of this one, having fun, playing relaxed, and showing a good first half. The defense will play well enough to give the Cougars a small lead at half-time. The second half will likely have AFA gaining some momentum out of the gate to make it look like a game, only to begin to tire going into the 4th quarter and BYU pulling out a two score win. BYU 34, Air Force 24.
Leave your own predictions in the comments below...
Thursday, November 5, 2009
What to Watch for Against Wyoming
Given what happened in the TCU game, it could be argued that this has been a great time for a bye week or that it was terrible timing. But in either case, being focused back on the field this week will be great not only for the team, but also for the fans. Let’s be honest, even though last week was likely the most productive week many of us have had since early August, two weeks in a row of such productivity and people would begin to expect that kind of performance week in and week out… what do they think this is—the SEC?
On to the game. Wyoming is coming off of a confidence building performance against Utah. It is still hard to tell just how good Utah is, but in any case, Wyoming managed to lead for three quarters, so they can’t be far behind. They have been improving nearly every week and we all remember their first half against Texas. Their freshman quarterback, Austyn Carta-Samuels, is mobile and has been a spark for the offense and now has a number of games under his belt (becoming the starter in game 4). Their defense is very similar to the 3-3-4 that BYU runs and has been efficient. With a couple of days extra for BYU to prepare, the bye week may have been pretty good timing in any case.
A few things to watch for:
• Which team will show up? Will it be a team on a mission, ready to take out an opponent early, and vindicate its futility of two weeks ago? Or will it be a team that has been put in its place, and is now scrapping with its peers for the conference leftovers? The half time score may tell us all we need to know.
• Will BYU finally resolve to disrupt an opponent’s quarterback? It seems the last few games, BYU’s defensive philosophy has been to dare an opponent’s average to below-average quarterback to play like an All-American, and has decided that it is only a fair dare if they give him at least seven seconds to prove it. And we know how that has turned out. Pressure good. No pressure, bad. Another lack of pressure first two quarters and Wyoming will be very much in this game at the half.
• How much will the return of McKay Jacobsen impact the game? Jacobsen would have been a great asset in the TCU game, and hopefully will be able to contribute fully on Saturday and help stretch a field that has seemed increasingly crowded in his absence.
• Can the secondary (or the defense as a whole for that matter) limit the big plays? In the TCU game, it was really only 3-4 big plays that determined the outcome of the game. But it was 3-4 plays. Can the defense keep that to one or less?
• Will the team succeed on its first drive of the second half? There has been a disturbing trend this season to squander offensive opportunities to open the second half. Coming out of the locker room with a score, will either put a dominating game out of reach quickly, or will help take control of a close game taking some pressure off of our defense and placing it on their offense—either way, has a clear impact on the direction of the game. Failing to score in that situation achieves just the opposite for the other team.
• Will the running game be more than adequate? In both of the last two games, the running game as been OK. Adequate. Serviceable. A nice distraction from the passing game. But it has not been reliable or able to make a big play when it was needed. Three or so yards per run is not going to do it. Harvey, JJ, Bryan, and Manase need a big game. Let’s hope they bring it.
• Will we finally see a non-offensive touchdown? It has been way too long. When was the last one—Tulane? I miss David Nixon.
• Weather. You can’t mention Laramie in November without discussing the weather. You can’t play a football game in Laramie in November without being impacted by the weather. Perhaps it will be the wind, or some sleeper snow, but at the minimum there will be the cold. Good luck Cougs.
Wyoming is playing good football right now. They are probably the fourth or fifth best team in the conference right now (battling for those honors with Air Force and San Diego State). BYU has a game on its hands, but should be the better team. I think BYU comes out focused and plays a good first half, but finds itself only up by a small margin (3-10 points) at the half, due to inspired play by Wyoming as opposed to poor play by BYU. The blue and white come out in the second half and take that opening drive the distance. Finally. Then pull away. The cold weather and some wind impacts the passing game and the Cougars run the ball out in the fourth quarter, while Wyoming gets some points it should not have been given. Final score: BYU 37 Wyoming 24.
What else are you watching for? How do you see the game playing out? Reactions? Leave your thoughts and predictions in the comments below…
On to the game. Wyoming is coming off of a confidence building performance against Utah. It is still hard to tell just how good Utah is, but in any case, Wyoming managed to lead for three quarters, so they can’t be far behind. They have been improving nearly every week and we all remember their first half against Texas. Their freshman quarterback, Austyn Carta-Samuels, is mobile and has been a spark for the offense and now has a number of games under his belt (becoming the starter in game 4). Their defense is very similar to the 3-3-4 that BYU runs and has been efficient. With a couple of days extra for BYU to prepare, the bye week may have been pretty good timing in any case.
A few things to watch for:
• Which team will show up? Will it be a team on a mission, ready to take out an opponent early, and vindicate its futility of two weeks ago? Or will it be a team that has been put in its place, and is now scrapping with its peers for the conference leftovers? The half time score may tell us all we need to know.
• Will BYU finally resolve to disrupt an opponent’s quarterback? It seems the last few games, BYU’s defensive philosophy has been to dare an opponent’s average to below-average quarterback to play like an All-American, and has decided that it is only a fair dare if they give him at least seven seconds to prove it. And we know how that has turned out. Pressure good. No pressure, bad. Another lack of pressure first two quarters and Wyoming will be very much in this game at the half.
• How much will the return of McKay Jacobsen impact the game? Jacobsen would have been a great asset in the TCU game, and hopefully will be able to contribute fully on Saturday and help stretch a field that has seemed increasingly crowded in his absence.
• Can the secondary (or the defense as a whole for that matter) limit the big plays? In the TCU game, it was really only 3-4 big plays that determined the outcome of the game. But it was 3-4 plays. Can the defense keep that to one or less?
• Will the team succeed on its first drive of the second half? There has been a disturbing trend this season to squander offensive opportunities to open the second half. Coming out of the locker room with a score, will either put a dominating game out of reach quickly, or will help take control of a close game taking some pressure off of our defense and placing it on their offense—either way, has a clear impact on the direction of the game. Failing to score in that situation achieves just the opposite for the other team.
• Will the running game be more than adequate? In both of the last two games, the running game as been OK. Adequate. Serviceable. A nice distraction from the passing game. But it has not been reliable or able to make a big play when it was needed. Three or so yards per run is not going to do it. Harvey, JJ, Bryan, and Manase need a big game. Let’s hope they bring it.
• Will we finally see a non-offensive touchdown? It has been way too long. When was the last one—Tulane? I miss David Nixon.
• Weather. You can’t mention Laramie in November without discussing the weather. You can’t play a football game in Laramie in November without being impacted by the weather. Perhaps it will be the wind, or some sleeper snow, but at the minimum there will be the cold. Good luck Cougs.
Wyoming is playing good football right now. They are probably the fourth or fifth best team in the conference right now (battling for those honors with Air Force and San Diego State). BYU has a game on its hands, but should be the better team. I think BYU comes out focused and plays a good first half, but finds itself only up by a small margin (3-10 points) at the half, due to inspired play by Wyoming as opposed to poor play by BYU. The blue and white come out in the second half and take that opening drive the distance. Finally. Then pull away. The cold weather and some wind impacts the passing game and the Cougars run the ball out in the fourth quarter, while Wyoming gets some points it should not have been given. Final score: BYU 37 Wyoming 24.
What else are you watching for? How do you see the game playing out? Reactions? Leave your thoughts and predictions in the comments below…
Monday, September 14, 2009
What We Learned in the Tulane Game
Prior to the Tulane game, I wrote that weekly improvement was going to be the key to a successful season this year for the Cougars (something we didn’t see last year), and then essentially offered a checklist of areas of improvement to watch for in that game. And, if improvement from game one to game two is any indication, it looks like it may indeed turn out to be a special season. What follows is a checklist review of the areas specified prior to the game and how the team performed relative to each.
- One Game at a Time Mentality—Check. The team was ready for this game and appeared focused on the task at hand, rather than looking ahead to FSU.
- Running Game Improvement—Check. After only gaining a net of 28 yards on the ground last week against OU, the team rolled out 206 yards this week. While Harvey Unga did play sparingly in the first quarter (3 carries for 17 yards), the improvement in the running game was primarily at the hands (or legs) or JJ DiLuigi and Brian Kariya. DiLuigi had 71 yards on 12 carries (5.9 yd/car) and Kariya had 63 yards on 12 carries (5.3 yd/car). For DiLuigi, this was a coming out party of sorts, and fans have been hoping to see this kind of a performance from him since his arrival in Provo two years ago. For Kariya, it was a validation of his performance last week. In both cases, it assures coaches and fans that the running back position should be deep enough to last the season.
- O Line Protection—Check. No sacks were given up. Hall had plenty of time. The running lanes were huge. Great game by the O Line. With Braden Hansen going down with a knee early in the game, however, depth could become an issue.
- Ball Distribution—Check. Hall put the ball into 12 receivers hands (as opposed to 7 last week), and five of those were outside receivers (only two last week). A full 50% of his passes were caught by the receivers accounting for 60% of the yardage (only 32% last week).
- Punt Return Improvement—TBD. There were no punt returns in the game.
- Quarterback Pressure—Check. The Cougar D recorded two sacks on Tulane’s first drive setting a tone that would last for the entire game.
- Points—Check. They needed to hold Tulane to two touchdowns or less to maintain defensive respect nationally and came through with flying colors.
- Field Goals—Unsatisfactory. This is really an issue of placekicking in general… PAT’s, FG’s and kickoffs. Although Payne did hit his first field goal in five tries, he missed a subsequent point after. He also kicked another kickoff out of bounds. After replacing Payne, Stephenson did the same thing. The good news is they had got a lot of practice at both PAT’s and kickoffs.
- Penalties—Check. Only 5 penalties for 47 yards. None of them were critical. And, considering the number of new players that were able to enter the game late, they played a very clean game.
- Turnovers—Check. Hall threw one pick, but the defense was able to take two of its own, along with two fumbles. The turnover margin is now +1 for the season (+0.5/game), and much closer to the team’s 2006 high water mark set at an average of +1.08/game. Turnovers were key to the final score of this one, as each of Tulane’s turnovers led to BYU scores.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
What We Learned in the Oklahoma Game
I was lucky enough to attend this one (making sure to gather a few extra game programs on the way out of the stadium), and then after some celebration pizza, returned home late Saturday night and proceeded to watch the entire game again on DVR. It was almost as good the second time.
After each game this season, I will post a weekly game recap along the lines of “what we learned in the fill-in-the-blank game”. There are already dozens of media outlets that will cover the game itself, so I will try to provide something that is unique and interesting (understanding that those reading this have likely already scoured the Internet trying to satiate their post-game thirst). Finally, given that this is the first game, and against such a quality opponent, there was a lot to learn.
1. Classy Fans—The Oklahoma fans were classy. In my conversations with them, I found them to be thoughtful, knowledgeable, and gracious. Before, during, and after the game, not a single four letter word was aimed my way… or my mother’s. As we were leaving the stadium, many OU fans reached out to congratulate us on the victory and a game well won. Having attended several Cougar non-conference road games over the last several years and been treated in just about every manner by opposing fans (at Arizona being the worst), this was refreshing and commendable. I can only hope that opposing fans are treated in a similar manner by the Cougar faithful.
2. De Facto BCS Game—This was a de facto BCS game for BYU. Nicest stadium in the world. Prime time ESPN. 75,000 Fans. Top 3 Opponent. Big Payout (only about $1.5M for BYU—compared to $9M for a non-AQ in a BCS game—but it didn’t have to be split with anyone else in the conference, so it is effectively about the same if not better).
3. Max Hall—Despite a few times looking a bit nervous as the stadium’s high definition cameras and big screen captured his eyes at the line, Max played a gutsy game, shedding the monkey from his back and redeeming himself completely from the last season’s forgettable ending.
4. This Isn’t Last Year’s Defense—the defense was the difference in this game and may end up being the biggest story of the year for this team. Across the board they were quicker, more assignment sound, and better able to disguise their formations. Not once did OU’s supposed superior “athleticism” appear to be a factor against the BYU defense. There were a number of defensive standouts:
6. Chambers is Improved--With the caveat that he didn’t get a lot of playing time last season, when O’Neil Chambers did play last season he looked somewhat sluggish and hesitant. That is not the case this season as he appears confident and quick. Look for him to become a key part of the offense as the season progresses.
7. Pitta Is Back—After playing injured in the last few games last season, he appears fully healed and back to his clutch form. Future opponents be warned.
8. The Kariya Surprise—Brian Kariya, former walk-on, filled in admirably at running back for the injured two-time thousand-yarder Harvey Unga, and should be able to provide adequate shoulders to retain some of the load upon Unga’s return.
9. Kicking Game Questions—The punting game with freshman Riley Stephenson appears to be in good hands, however issues around place kicking and kickoffs that originally surfaced during fall camp almost prevented the victory. A missed field goal. Short kickoffs. A crucial kickoff going out of bounds. Hopefully Mitch Payne will be able to step it up and perform at a higher level, or this deficiency may end up costing BYU at least one game this year.
10. Upon Further Review—In a game filled with penalties on both sides, the refs seemed surprisingly balanced. However, there were three key penalties that appeared questionable in the single replay provided in the stadium. After watching them again several times at home, here is my take:
So now with game one in the books, the question remains as to how the pollsters will handle this one… The Wall Street Journal put BYU 5th in their poll over the weekend. The AP and Coaches poll will come out on Tuesday. Keeping in mind that polls don’t mean much at this point in the season, I expect them to land between 8 and 11.
Lastly, the team will now once again find itself in the media spotlight and in opponents’ sights—how it handles that pressure will determine the remainder of the season. Hopefully lessons were learned last year that will help the team avoid a similar fate, remaining focused on one game at a time and enjoying the journey.
What else did we learn? Post a comment and share your thoughts...
After each game this season, I will post a weekly game recap along the lines of “what we learned in the fill-in-the-blank game”. There are already dozens of media outlets that will cover the game itself, so I will try to provide something that is unique and interesting (understanding that those reading this have likely already scoured the Internet trying to satiate their post-game thirst). Finally, given that this is the first game, and against such a quality opponent, there was a lot to learn.
1. Classy Fans—The Oklahoma fans were classy. In my conversations with them, I found them to be thoughtful, knowledgeable, and gracious. Before, during, and after the game, not a single four letter word was aimed my way… or my mother’s. As we were leaving the stadium, many OU fans reached out to congratulate us on the victory and a game well won. Having attended several Cougar non-conference road games over the last several years and been treated in just about every manner by opposing fans (at Arizona being the worst), this was refreshing and commendable. I can only hope that opposing fans are treated in a similar manner by the Cougar faithful.
2. De Facto BCS Game—This was a de facto BCS game for BYU. Nicest stadium in the world. Prime time ESPN. 75,000 Fans. Top 3 Opponent. Big Payout (only about $1.5M for BYU—compared to $9M for a non-AQ in a BCS game—but it didn’t have to be split with anyone else in the conference, so it is effectively about the same if not better).
3. Max Hall—Despite a few times looking a bit nervous as the stadium’s high definition cameras and big screen captured his eyes at the line, Max played a gutsy game, shedding the monkey from his back and redeeming himself completely from the last season’s forgettable ending.
4. This Isn’t Last Year’s Defense—the defense was the difference in this game and may end up being the biggest story of the year for this team. Across the board they were quicker, more assignment sound, and better able to disguise their formations. Not once did OU’s supposed superior “athleticism” appear to be a factor against the BYU defense. There were a number of defensive standouts:
- Jamie Hill—In his first game with full defensive play calling responsibilities, he came through with flying colors—calling the right plays, mixing up the alignments, and confusing the OU offense.
- New Positions—There may have been 8 starters back on defense from last year’s underperforming bunch, but several of them were in new positions—corners moved to safeties, safeties to linebackers, linebackers to ends, and ends to tackles. All of this added up to increased speed and the right people in the right spots.
- Secondary—Brian Logan and Brandon Bradley were able to effectively lock down the outside, staying step for step with the OU wideouts, while Scott Johnson and Andrew Rich did the same in the middle.
- Jordan Pendleton—Seemed to be all over the field. After bulking up somewhat and converting to outside linebacker from safety in the offseason, he seemed to be in on the action in several key plays and will be a handful for opposing teams all sesason.
5. Preparation—The team seemed to be well prepared for just about everything from handling the noise in the arena with silent snap counts (several players said that the piped-in noise in the practice facility was louder) to having a go ahead fourth down play ready to roll without hesitation. Kudos to the coaches.
6. Chambers is Improved--With the caveat that he didn’t get a lot of playing time last season, when O’Neil Chambers did play last season he looked somewhat sluggish and hesitant. That is not the case this season as he appears confident and quick. Look for him to become a key part of the offense as the season progresses.
7. Pitta Is Back—After playing injured in the last few games last season, he appears fully healed and back to his clutch form. Future opponents be warned.
8. The Kariya Surprise—Brian Kariya, former walk-on, filled in admirably at running back for the injured two-time thousand-yarder Harvey Unga, and should be able to provide adequate shoulders to retain some of the load upon Unga’s return.
9. Kicking Game Questions—The punting game with freshman Riley Stephenson appears to be in good hands, however issues around place kicking and kickoffs that originally surfaced during fall camp almost prevented the victory. A missed field goal. Short kickoffs. A crucial kickoff going out of bounds. Hopefully Mitch Payne will be able to step it up and perform at a higher level, or this deficiency may end up costing BYU at least one game this year.
10. Upon Further Review—In a game filled with penalties on both sides, the refs seemed surprisingly balanced. However, there were three key penalties that appeared questionable in the single replay provided in the stadium. After watching them again several times at home, here is my take:
- Late Hit Out of Bounds—After seeing it from another angle, this looked reasonable, if not clear-cut. Good call.
- Pass Interference on BYU in End Zone—The replays on TV only reaffirmed my belief that this was a clean play on the ball. Perhaps even a textbook play. However, it would have been difficult for the referees to have seen the angles that TV provided. Poor but understandable call.
- Pass Interference on OU in End Zone—I questioned this one at the time, thinking we caught a break and that George should have made the catch. While I still think George should have caught the ball, it looks like he was pushed in the back just before the ball’s arrival. Good call.
11. Weekend Spin—Despite ESPN’s continuous coverage of Sam Bradford’s status drowning out the story of BYU’s performance, anyone who watched the game knows that this was a game that BYU earned. They were step for step with OU if not ahead. After a missed field goal, a fumbled punt return at the 30 yard line, and a fumble into the end zone, OU was lucky not to be down 17-0 at the end of the first half, WITH Bradford in the game.
So now with game one in the books, the question remains as to how the pollsters will handle this one… The Wall Street Journal put BYU 5th in their poll over the weekend. The AP and Coaches poll will come out on Tuesday. Keeping in mind that polls don’t mean much at this point in the season, I expect them to land between 8 and 11.
Lastly, the team will now once again find itself in the media spotlight and in opponents’ sights—how it handles that pressure will determine the remainder of the season. Hopefully lessons were learned last year that will help the team avoid a similar fate, remaining focused on one game at a time and enjoying the journey.
What else did we learn? Post a comment and share your thoughts...
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