The 2011 BYU Tight End Dilemma

By Nate Crain

It’s not easy to replace the NCAA all-time leader in career yards for a tight end. After the 2009 football season when Dennis Pitta graduated and got drafted by the Baltimore Ravens the BYU football coaches learned that lesson first hand. When a team loses a great player, the next step is to identify amongst its personnel who has the talent and capacity to take over the tradition of excellence and in ideal circumstances you already have a player identified who has been groomed for the position in advance.


In BYU’s case, Pitta’s primary backup in both 2008 and 2009, Andrew George, also graduated after the 2009 season. The 3rd string tight end in 2008, Kaneakua Friel, left for his mission following that season. The 3rd string tight end in 2009, Braden Brown, was switched to offensive tackle a position better suited to his talents. This turnover in personnel left the proverbial “cupboard” bare of experienced playmakers at the tight end position.

BYU had recruited five freshmen on its roster to vie for Pitta’s coveted role of star tight end for the 2010 season. It’s unclear whether it was anticipated that all five would be competing simultaneously as freshmen. The missionary program at BYU makes planning several years in advance a logistical nightmare. Four of the tight ends in 2010 who got playing time were returned missionaries, whereas one player graduated from high school and then redshirted. It’s highly probable that all of them preferred starting their eligibility after Pitta and George graduated. Regardless, it’s not generally prudent to have five players in the same eligibility year in the same position group.

The Previous 5-Year Tight End Production

BYU fans are accustomed to over achieving tight ends. The previous 5 seasons (2005-2009) of lightly recruited tight ends produced Jonny Harline and Pitta. Pitta averaged 908 yards and 6.33 touchdowns per season from 2007-09. His predecessor, Harline, averaged 894 yards and 8.5 touchdowns from 2005-06. Even the backup tight ends Daniel Coats and Andrew George were receiving threats and more productive than most teams starting tight ends during those years.

As a side note, if BYU had played its games on a bigger network (i.e. not on “the Mountain”- the Mountain West Conference channel) Harline would likely have been the runaway winner of the 2006 Mackey Award. His 12 TDs and 935 yards were 3 times as many touchdowns and 371 more yards than that year’s award winner. Despite having eye popping stats for a TE, he wasn’t even a finalist for the award. The reason for his omission, in my opinion, was that only Mountain West Conference fans ever saw him play. Those were the dark ages of BYU football where only certain states and cable packages could tune into games.

The Challenges in 2010

The 2010 season result of having nobody groomed to take over for Pitta was that BYU was forced to play a merry-go-round combination of five freshmen tight ends, which proved to be disastrous to the overall production of the tight end position. The tight ends were inconsistent throughout the season and made mistakes in blocking assignments, dropped passes, fumbled, and were generally unproductive as a whole. This level of performance was foreseeable based on the lack of experience of all the tight ends.

Compounding the issue of transitioning from Pitta to tight end “by committee” was BYU’s commitment to play quarterback “by committee” at the start of the 2010 season, which dictated both the quality and quantity of throws that the tight ends received. In games 2, 3, and 4 of the 2010 season, the tight ends had only two catches as a group. This lack of production was a combination of the tight ends being ineffective and the offense not having found an identity at that stage of the season.

Here’s a breakdown of the 2010 season stats for the freshmen tight end committee:

RECEIVING        GP   No. Yds  Avg   TD   Long   Avg/G
Devin Mahina        12    11   118   10.7   0       22         9.8
Marcus Mathews    8     8    136   17      0       32         17
Mike Muehlmann    13   6      96   16      0       26        7.4
Richard Wilson       12   5      61   12.2    0      25         5.1
Austin Holt            12    4      40   10       0      17         3.3

For comparisons sake, all 5 tight ends combined had 451 yards in 2010 and 0 TDs, whereas Pitta and George had 1,237 yards and 13 TDs combined in 2009 and 1,302 yards and 12 TDs in 2008. What is disconcerting about the 2010 group is the lack of production as red (blue) zone targets.

2011 Outlook

Rather than rehash the ineptitude and mistakes of the 2010 TE group, let’s look ahead to 2011. There is usually a leap in improvement between players’ freshman and sophomore seasons particularly with the lure of playing time that is awarded to the hardest worker.

The outlook for the 2011 season has 5 sophomores competing for playing time. Of the 5 sophomores, only 4 were on last year’s team: Devin Mahina, Marcus Mathews, Richard Wilson, and Austin Holt. Mike Muehlmann, the other freshman tight end, moved to defensive line and was replaced by Kaneakua Friel who returned from an LDS mission prior to spring ball.

Mahina has a 6’6” 236 frame with room to add some weight and is the favorite to become the starter at least this year. Last year, he played in 12 games, starting 5, and had 11 receptions for 118 yards. Mahina has the biggest body of the TEs to both block and throw the ball to. He’ll need to work on his route running and hands to consistently see the field. He runs well for his size, but not as well as Wilson, Mathews, or Friel. However, he appears to have all the tools to be a decent playmaker in BYU’s offense.

Mathews at 6’5” 200 played in 8 games last year with 8 catches for 136 yards. He appears to have some trouble gaining weight, as he didn’t fill out at all on his mission and during the 8 months prior to last season. If he can hold enough weight on his frame, he has the size and receiving ability to be an elite receiving TE. To be a complete TE, however, he will need to work on his blocking and holding onto the football. He had some issues with ball security last year based on the way he held the ball after the catch. If he fails to bulk up, he’ll likely play both TE and be flexed out as a receiver on a limited basis. The official BYU roster has him listed as a WR/TE, which probably means the coaches are concerned about his weight as a TE.

Wilson at 6’2” 233 is the smallest of the TEs, but is probably the most gifted receiver of all the TEs (with Friel being the closest competitor). He was heavily recruited with offers from Miami, LSU, Tennessee, and others out of high school. Despite his immense receiving talent, he hasn’t shown a strong commitment to blocking and must get more physical. Injuries have also slowed his progress down in getting additional playing time. Since he is the smallest target of the tight ends, he will need to create consistent separation to get open to beat out the others. Wilson was in the coach’s “doghouse” for unknown reasons a big portion of last year, but that coach has now moved on. That may equate to more receiving opportunities. He may be used this season as primarily a third down receiving target as he can be quite a mismatch as a receiver.

Holt is 6’4” 245 pounds and the best fundamental blocker of the group and works hard in the weight room. For his blocking ability alone he’ll get playing time. He was highly recruited out of HS with offers from Florida, Oregon and other schools. He played in 12 games a year ago, starting 2, and had 4 catches for 40 yards. The concern with him is speed. Will he be able to get separation on his routes? His talent is very high to become a complete tight end, so he has a good chance to push his way into the two deep for the next three seasons.

Friel is a dark horse candidate at TE, since he wasn’t on the team last year and just got back from his mission in 2011. At 6’5” 235, Friel redshirted 2007 and played in 8 games in 2008 (one start) where he was mentored by George and Pitta before serving a mission. His experience was blocking as he didn’t make a catch in 2008, although he is an excellent athlete with a 35”+ vertical who runs extremely well for his size (4.54 40). He is cross trained at fullback, so he may get some time there too. He is just coming off a mission and an injury in spring ball, so he is little behind the learning curve. At the same time, he may be the best athlete of all the tight ends and already has two years in the program, so he has a chance to be the best combination of blocker-receiver of all the tight ends. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him as the starter by the end of the season.

Redshirt Considerations

Logistically, there are 5 tight ends all sophomores that are competing for playing time. If the group stays intact, the program will have déjà vu after the 2013 season. Thus, at least one tight end will need to redshirt to be the main man in 2014. Wilson and Friel have already burned their redshirt years, so the redshirt will need to be one of the other three. Mathews appears to need the most time in the weight room, whereas both Mahina and Holt have the excellent frames to be very good all-around tight ends. It would be prudent to redshirt two of three and save two experienced tight ends for 2014.

Final Thoughts

Although last year’s tight end group played inconsistently and was overall much less productive than in year’s past, there is reason for optimism. BYU invested heavily into last year’s group with the hope that it would pay dividends starting this year through 2013. Freshmen don’t generally get accelerated learning courses of real playing time, so this group should be able to build off last year’s performance and make strides to make tight end the focal point of BYU’s offense once again. The cream should rise to the top. Going into 2012, I expect that BYU fans will once again be talking about the next great BYU tight end with two more years of eligibility.

Video of BYU Pro Day

Here is a link showing players doing drills for scouts at BYU's pro day. It includes most of the players' 40's, several of the shuttle runs, passing routes/catches (and drops), and some TE blocking. Hall, Pitta, George, and Tonga occupy most of the footage, but Jorgensen and others are shown as well.

BYU Pro Day and NFL Draft Projections

Seven players from BYU’s 2009 team and two from previous teams, worked out in front of 20 NFL scouts on Wednseday as part of BYU’s pro day on campus. You can read the official BYU press release and check out photos here.

Dennis Pitta, Manase Tonga, and Max Hall were among 300 or so players invited to work out for scouts at last month’s invite only NFL combine, and took the chance at the Pro Day to build on what they had already accomplished. Jan Jorgensen, Shawn Doman, Andrew George, and Tevita Hola were the other players from the 2009 team to get a shot at impressing someone enough to get picked up either through the draft or as a free agent. A couple of semi-surprises from those that didn’t participate—Matt Bauman (who was just named recipient of an NCAA graduate scholarship), Coleby Clausen, Brett Denney, and RJ Willing—although perhaps they have already assessed their chances and decided to move on.

Jonny Harline and Curtis Brown represented the 2006 team at the workout, both of them determined to give it one last best shot before moving on. Good for them. Both have been busy of late, as Harline’s rock band membership has been well-publicized and Brown has been working as a pharmaceutical sales rep.

So how did everyone do and what is the current draft forecast? Let’s look at them in order likely draft status. There are numerous draft services, but I tried to use a mix of selective and comprehensive (see links at end of article for sources and commentary):

Dennis Pitta
Pitta had a fantastic combine performance already and so he used the Pro day to show off his skills blocking and catching. At the combine he ran a 4.63 in the 40 (third among TE’s), did 27 reps of 225 lbs (second), 6.72 seconds in the 3 cone drill (first), 4.17 seconds in the 20 yd shuttle (first), and 11.53 seconds in the 60 yard shuttle (first), 9.5’ broad jump (tied for fifth), and 34” vertical jump (tied for seventh). Here is where various services project him:

ESPN: position rank 6, overall 80 (mid third round)
Scouts, Inc : grade 77
Walterfootball.com: position rank 7, draft round 3-4
NFLdraftscout.com: position rank 4, overall 76, draft round 2-3

Max Hall
Hall had a rather so-so combine performance and was looking to improve his 40 time in particular. He clocked 4.84 at the combine, but turned in a 4.72 at BYU’s pro day (same as Tim Tebow), a significant improvement. His other combine scores: 32” vertical jump (seventh among QB’s), 7.07 seconds on the 3 cone drill (tied for sixth), 4.35 seconds on the 20 yard shuttle (sixth) and did not rank in the other drills. He demonstrated his accuracy today as he showed the scouts that he can make all the throws, and is trying to overcome his size (at 6’1”, 209 he is smaller than most NFL teams would like) and get a shot at an NFL roster. Max is likely to be a late rounder or a free agent pick up.

ESPN: position rank 19, overall n/a
Scouts Inc: grade 30
Walterfootball.com: position rank 15, draft round 6-7
NFLdraftscout.com: position rank 15, overall 277, draft round 7-FA

Manase Tonga
Not many NFL teams use a true fullback anymore (or colleges for that matter), but with that in mind, Tonga has elite skills at a position that is not necessarily in high demand, although teams that use a fullback are paying close attention. At the combine, Tonga’s performance with thrown in with all of the running backs, so only his bench of 19 reps at 225 (tied for eighth) ranked among the top scores, but he also turned in a 4.85 second 40. He tried to improve on those measurements again at Pro Day, but he has not yet talked about his performance.

ESPN: position rank 3, overall n/a
Scouts Inc: grade 41
Walterfootball.com: position rank 3, draft round 6-7
NFLdraftscout.com: position rank 7, overall 300, draft round 7-FA

Jan Jorgensen
Jorgensen had really only one shot to impress the scouts and wasn’t satisfied with his performance. He ran a 4.9 second 40 and put up 29 reps on of 225. He is hoping to get a shot at a roster via free agency, where his football skills will come through.

ESPN: position rank 33, overall n/a
Scouts Inc: 30
Walterfootball.com: not ranked
NFLdraftscout.com: position rank 34, overall 409

Andrew George
George played in the shadow of Pitta for most of his time at BYU, and also used pro day as his only shot to show scouts what he can do. He ran a 4.7 second 40, and spent time showing off his hands on the other end of Hall’s arm. He is likely hoping for a shot via free agency.

ESPN: not rated
Scouts Inc: not rated
Walterfootball.com: not rated
NFLdraftscout.com: position rank 31, overall 590

Shawn Doman
Doman had a solid career at BYU and no doubt used the pro day to put his best foot forward on a childhood dream of playing in the NFL. He will likely be a long shot via free agency.

ESPN: not rated
Scouts Inc: not rated
Walterfootball.com: not rated
NFLdraftscout.com: position rank 182, overall 999

Tevita Hola
Tevita is in a similar situation as Shawn Doman and his NFL dreams will hinge on a long shot at free agency.

ESPN: not rated
Scouts Inc: not rated
Walterfootball.com: not rated
NFLdraftscout.com: not rated

A few other BYU seniors have shown up on scout boards, despite not working out, and although are unlikely to get picked up, could get a shot via free agency.

Coleby Clausen
ESPN: position rank 38, overall n/a
Scouts Inc: grade 30

Brett Denney
NFLdraftscout.com: position rank 55, overall 618

Matt Bauman
NFLdraftscout.com: position rank 35, overall 999

Terrence Hooks
NFLdraftscout.com: position rank 156, overall 999

So, with the NFL draft coming up on April 22-24, it looks like Pitta is a lock to get drafted. Hall and Tonga are hopeful on the draft and locks on free agency. Jorgensen and George have the best possibilities of a free agency pick up.

Sources:
1. ESPN-- ESPN Draft Tracker
2. Official NFL Scouting Combine-- NFL Combine Top Performers
3. CBS/NFLdraftscout.com-- CBS Sports / NFL Draft Tracker
4. Walterfootball.com-- walterfootball.com/draft2010

Key Offseason Dates to Remember

Here are a few key 2010 dates for Cougar football fans to keep in mind as the offseason gets into full swing…

January 23 – East West Shrine Game (Orlando, FL)
Max Hall, Dennis Pitta, and Jan Jorgensen will play in the 85th East West Shrine game that kicks off at 3pm EST and will be televised on ESPN2.

Feb 3 - Signing Day
The Class of 2010 will finally fax in their forms in the morning, allowing coaches to finally comment on them. Watch for BYU to hold a press conference touting this top 20 recruiting class in the stadium Cougar Room sometime late morning or early afternoon.

Feb 24-Mar 2 – NFL Scouting Combine
Max Hall, Dennis Pitta, and Manase Tonga have been invited to participate in this year’s event.

Early March – BYU Pro Day
NFL scouts will descend on campus for one day for the departing seniors to show off their skills in advance of the draft. Hall, Pitta and Tonga, will have the option to try to better any of their scores from the combine, while other seniors such as Andrew George, RJ Willing, Colby Clausen, Matt Bauman, Scott Johnson, Brett Denney, and Sam Doman will be given their one and only shot to impress the observers and try to land a free agent spot. [If you know when this is being held, please share, and I’ll update the list…]

March 15 - Spring Practice Begins
This is the much anticipated debut of several members of the Class of 2010 that have already enrolled in school to ensure participation in spring ball, including Jake Heaps (QB), Ross Apo (WR), Kyle Van Noy (LB), and Josh Quezada (RB). This will also be the first appearances of the Class of 2007 return missionary freshmen Devin Mahina (TE), Famika Anae (OL), and Marcus Matthews (WR). The story of spring ball will be the battle for starting quarterback with Riley Nelson (Jr) returning, James Lark (Fr), and Heaps all vying for the spot.

April 10 - Blue and White Spring Game
After not playing last year due to stadium field upgrades (although that is debatable given how the field performed this year), the game is back on the schedule, and likely to be appreciated more than in the past. Significant interest will also be generated by the QB lineup.

April 22-24 - NFL Draft
For the first time ever, the NFL draft will begin by holding the first round in prime time on a Thursday night. Selections will commence at 7:30pm ET. The second and third rounds will be held on Friday, April 23 beginning at 6:30pm ET. Rounds 4-7 will be on Saturday April 24 beginning at 10am ET. Of the BYU players that have entered the draft, only Pitta has a realistic shot at Friday, with most of the other players hoping to hear their names called in late rounds on Saturday. Watch for a number of free agent contracts to be signed by the undrafted.

Early August – Fall Practice Begins
I have been unable to track down the exact date for this. If you have it, please pass it along to the rest of us. This will be the first official gathering of the remainder of the class of 2010 (non-early enrollees) and the other return missionaries with the returning players from the 2009 team. With numerous high profile and talented newcomers, a number of key position openings, and a wealth of returning talent, this should be an exciting fall camp.

September 4 – Season Begins (non-conf games)
September 4 – Washington (home)
September 18 – Florida State (road)
September 25 – Nevada (home)
October 1 – Utah State (road)

Additional Thoughts from the Vegas Bowl

A few additional thoughts on the game with Oregon State in the Vegas Bowl:

• Manase Tonga actually looked quicker than ever picking up a couple of big gains and outrunning would-be tacklers on a couple of plays for perhaps the first time of the season.

• BYU defense also looked fast (just as it did against Oklahoma). The Cougs were actually running down OSU’s speedsters from behind on a number of plays.

• Scott Johnson’s big hit in the fourth quarter on the BYU sideline brought out a yellow salute from the refs. It was an incredible play, but also a hard one for the officials not to flag, given how it looked to them. From Sam Boyd, I was both happy with the play and accepting of the penalty as it seemed legitimate. After watching the replay, however, it is apparent that there was no “helmet to helmet” contact and Johnson made contact with the receiver’s shoulder. Despite this, however, I do not fault the referees as they could not have seen this without the added benefit of camera angles available only to television viewers.

• Unga’s fumble at the end of the game seemed to be caused by the ground. Fans in the stands were sure that it was going to be overturned and the ball returned to the Cougars. The television replays however, show a much muddier picture as it would have been hard to tell either way. Without undisputed video evidence, the referees upheld the call on the field.

• At the end of the first half, with the wind at their backs, McKay Jacobsen seemingly got out of bounds with 2-3 seconds remaining, yet the clock ticked off and the half was over and there would be no field goal attempt. The only plausible explanation is that he was marked down for forward progress (but did the whistle blow?). However, unfortunately for OSU, it ended up being rather irrelevant to the outcome.

• The wind was impressive and made this one of the colder games that I have ever attended, despite temperatures only in the 30’s. The stadium lights were swaying back and forth 5-6 feet. Escaped post-game confetti was swirling in the North end zone.

• The field size flag roll-out prior to the game was able to feature 40-50 foot high wind blown billows, creating one of the more stunning flag displays I have ever witnessed. Those responsible to hold it at the edges were being whipped and dragged like rodeo cowboys.

• Much was made of OSU's two 6 yard punts on Sports Center.  What the TV and the 30 second spot didn't point out is that both of those punts (and the second in particular) were shanked hard to the right.  The cameras in profile view made it look like the wind blew the ball back, but visible from my seats at the north end of the east stands was that the ball came on a beeline directly toward me and likely would not have been more than 10-15 yards had the wind not been blowing.  Perhaps the wind was a factor in causing the punter to adjust his usual routine and shank the kick?  Maybe.

• In watching the game again, I noticed a great display of senior leadership from Dennis Pitta, that I imagine most viewers (live and TV) missed. On BYU’s first touchdown drive, near the goal line, one of BYU’s offensive linemen was jawing and pushing with an OSU player after the play. Pitta rushed in, grabbed the BYU player , got up in his grill (no doubt yelling at him for risking a penalty in such a critical situation) and then pushed him away. The player didn’t do it again, and BYU avoided a penalty that might have changed the outcome of the game.

• While always good for viewership to play on ESPN, the commentary was seemingly uninspired.  Not a complaint, but rather an observation.  The Sports Leader sent an A team to Vegas--Mark May, Rece Davis, Lou Holtz--to cover one of the the best games before New Year's.  I am sure that there are a number of opinions on this one, but I felt like they were a bit short on new material (didn't do their homework?), and missed some key observations.  In the second half, with BYU dominating, it seemed that they spent most of their time talking about why and how OSU players were better than they were showing, defending them in the face of a poor performance.  All of this is professional, and I would hope that they would do the same for any team on the losing end of a bowl game; however, it seemed that they could have been more forthcoming in their credit of BYU's role in OSU's disappointing performance.  Not that it wasn't mentioned, but seemed a side note.

What We Learned in the Las Vegas Bowl Against Oregon State

What a game the Cougars put together. They came out with the A game that was seen against Oklahoma, Tulane, and Wyoming earlier this year—an A game that would keep the Cougars in contention with any team in the country. There are a number of interesting things to note coming out of the game. First we will recap what we were watching for (original outlook from last week in italics) then list a few other items of note in a follow up post.

What to Watch For on the Field:
• Max at his best. When Max is having fun and relaxed he is at his best and nearly unstoppable. When he feels pressure and weight of expectations, he tends to play tight, force things, and generally play at a lower level. Watch for him to come out playing loose as he got the monkey off his back by beating Utah and solidified his place as a successful Cougar QB. The rest now is bonus.

Max played a nearly flawless game. He was loose and it showed. He took some of the hardest hits of the season and stepped up to the line for the next play. There was one decleating hit on him in particular that would have taken most other QBs out of the game. He said after the game that he was more beat up after this game than any other game since his first—at UCLAin 2007. What a way to go out.

• Watch for the BYU seniors to have big games. There are several seniors (Hall, Unga, Pitta, Andrew George and Jan Jorgensen) on the team with aspirations to make an NFL squad next year. This will be the first time they have appeared on ESPN (a true national audience) since the Tulane game and it is their chance to impress. [Unga is only a junior].

All of these seniors, and Manase Tonga, had great games and likely improved their national standing. Hall was already discussed above. Unga (71 yds rushing, 15 yds receiving, TD) repeatedly carried defenders with him and several times picked up an extra 4-5 yards after the first hit. Tonga was particularly impressive (5 carries for 42 yards, 2 catches for 19 yards, 2 TDs) in what was easily his best game of the season, as he was effective not only as a lead blocker but with the ball as well. George (4 catches, 46 yds) and Pitta (5 catches, 45 yds, TD) consistently made clutch catches, impressing not only fans but also the ESPN talking heads. Jorgensen had a complete game, anchoring an effective defensive front, getting a key third down bat-down, and even had a 6 yard carry at the end of the game. Watch for all of these players to work hard going into this spring’s NFL draft. I believe that Pitta, Tonga, and Unga have the best shot at being drafted, with Hall, George, and Jorgensen likely getting a shot through free agency.

• Stop the run and limit the pass. The BYU defense has been decent at stopping the run this season. They will have their hands full with Jaquizz Rogers—a speedy, shifty, short but powerful back. There is a chance that they are able contain him. But, can they contain the run and limit the pass at the same time? This season, when focusing on the run, they Cougs have tended to give up on the pass completely. BYU will need big games from its ends and blitzing linebackers to keep Canfield on the run (an accurate passer, but slow of foot).

The BYU defensive game plan was nearly perfect. Not completely unexpectedly, the Cougars were able to contain the running game, holding OSU to 88 yards, but more impressively, they held the passing game in check as well—not through pressure as much as solid down-field coverage. I don’t recall a game where more BYU defenders were able to break up or knock down a pass.

• Will OSU get pressure on Hall? OSU’s defense is not known for its front line, and has been inconsistent with the pass rush. BYU’s offensive line should be able to keep them at bay. If they don’t, it will mean trouble for the Cougs.

The O line was able to give Hall just enough time. He was hit at the end of several plays, but never lost his rhythm.

• McKay Jacobsen has declared himself 100% for the first time perhaps all season. Watch for him to have a breakout game. The receiving corps has not had a significant impact this season, and the focus of the defense will likely be on the tight ends, leaving McKay open to make a difference.

Apparently, OSU didn’t get the memo about covering the BYU tight ends, and both Pitta and George had big games. Jacobsen was relatively quiet (2 catches, 27 yards). As far as him contributing, the large lead mitigated the number of passing downs, and thus his performance. I imagine that there is no one complaining there.

• BYU’s secondary. James Rogers, is the leading receiver for OSU and will be several steps faster than any of BYU’s DB’s. If the front seven is unable to force Canfield to throw off balance or hurried, no doubt the Beavers will be gunning for the long ball, just as Utah did. The only difference is that Sean Canfield is much more accurate and seasoned than Jordan Wynn and where Wynn consistently overthrew his open receivers downfield, Canfield will hit them. Bradley, Logan, Rich, and Johnson will need to be up to the challenge.

Challenge resoundingly met. If I had a game ball to give away, I would give it to the secondary. They played their best game of the year. Perhaps I overestimated Canfield’s accuracy, but in any case, BYU’s last line of defense was incredible bringing big hits, breakups, and sure tackles. Good news for Cougar fans is that 3 of these 4 will be back again next season (Johnson is a senior).

• Limit turnovers. OSU is known for holding on to the ball. BYU has been spotty, but improved over the course of the season. It will be important for BYU to limit the turnovers. A minus one might be overcomeable, but should they have a minus 2 or more it will be difficult to win.

The reverse of this was also applicable for OSU as they ended up with the minus one in turnovers and were never able to fully overcome that deficit. Despite 5 turnovers overall, 3 for OSU (two fumbles and a pick) and 2 for BYU (two fumbles), while the game was still in question OSU had two critical turnovers, while both of BYU’s (Unga fumble near the red zone and Tonga on an onside kick) came after the game had already been decided and essentially only kept the score from becoming ridiculous.

I think the BYU offense will be successful with both the run and the pass. Max will play as relaxed as he has in several games executing the passing game flawlessly. This will open the door for Unga to have a good game as well. The BYU defense will have its hands full in both the running and passing game. It might very well come down to possessions and turnovers. I predict a high scoring affair with BYU winning in the end. BYU 38 OSU 31.

I saw BYU having success on offense, but I didn’t see BYU’s defense having the success they did to limit OSU.  It could have easily been worse than the 44-20 final score.

What to Watch for Against Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl

With three weeks since the last game, the storylines of this game have been covered multiple times each by the local Oregon, Utah, and Vegas media. The national media have picked up on the highlights. The commentating crew (an A team from ESPN) will likely mention each of these again as well during the course of the game. But here is a brief summary of the storylines:

Game Storyline Recap

• Bronco vs. his alma mater. When BYU last played Oregon State, in 1986, Bronco was a linebacker for OSU as they defeated BYU in Provo 10-7.
• Cousin connection. Havey Unga has two Unga cousins (twins Kevin and Devin) that play for the Beavers—both are linebackers and primarily see the field on special teams.
• LDS connection.  There are 8 LDS players on the Beavers squad according to DL Sioeli Nau.  Four of them are RMs (the two Unga brothers, Nau, and linebacker Walker Vave).
• Shawn Doman, BYU linebacker, is from Oregon and was first recruited by Oregon State and coach Mike Riley.
• The story of two good senior quarterbacks—Max Hall and Sean Canfield
• Mental Preparation. OSU’s will need to be able to get up for the game after missing out on a Rose Bowl bid and PAC-10 championship by 4 points against their rival Oregon in the last game of the season.
• Ranked teams. First time the Vegas Bowl has paired two ranked teams, #14 BYU (14th BCS, 15th AP, 14th USA Today) and #18 Oregon State (18th BCS, 16th AP, 20th USA Today). BYU is the highest ranked team ever to appear in the game.
• The point spread. OSU is a 2.5 point favorite, despite being lower ranked.
• Mountain West vs. the PAC 10. BYU is 2-2 in the Vegas Bowl vs. the Pac 10. They are 5-3 in the last three seasons. The Cougs went 2-1 last season (beating UCLA and Washington, losing to Arizona). They were 2-1 in 2007 (beating UCLA and Arizona, and losing at UCLA). They were 1-1 in 2006 losing to Arizona and beating Oregon). With TCU and Boise paired together in a cowardly move by the BCS, this game will be the highest profile matchup of AQ BCS vs. non-AQ BCS. The eyes of America will be watching.
• Hall’s last game as a Cougar, going out as winningest quarterback in BYU history.  Also looking to put his Utah post game comments behind him.
• Dennis Pitta, a consensus All-American, was snubbed by the Mackey Award—how will he respond?  He needs just two catches to pass Louisville's Ibn Green (1996-99) for most career receptions by a tight end in NCAA history.
• The Rodgers brothers, James (Jr) and Jacquizz (So), at 5 foot 7 and 5 foot 6, this talented brother duo lead in receiving and rushing, respectively, for OSU. One of the storylines has been the influence of their father, who is currently in a prison near Houston Texas.  They have been able to overcome tremendous odds to succeed as they have and should be acknowledged for their triumph both on and off the field. 

What to Watch For on the Field:

• Max at his best. When Max is having fun and relaxed he is at his best and nearly unstoppable. When he feels pressure and weight of expectations, he tends to play tight, force things, and generally play at a lower level. Watch for him to come out playing loose as he got the monkey off his back by beating Utah and solidified his place as a successful Cougar QB. The rest now is bonus.
• Watch for the BYU seniors to have big games. There are several seniors (Hall, Unga, Pitta, Manase Tonga, Andrew George and Jan Jorgensen) on the team with aspirations to make an NFL squad next year. This will be the first time they have appeared on ESPN (a true national audience) since the Tulane game and it is their chance to impress. [Unga is actually a junior, but is likely to declare himself eligible for the draft after the season and forego his senior year.]
• Stop the run and limit the pass. The BYU defense has been decent at stopping the run this season. They will have their hands full with Jacquizz Rodgers—a speedy, shifty, short but powerful back. There is a chance that they are able contain him. But, can they contain the run and limit the pass at the same time? This season, when focusing on the run, they Cougs have tended to give up on the pass completely. BYU will need big games from its ends and blitzing linebackers to keep Canfield on the run (an accurate passer, but slow of foot).
• Will OSU get pressure on Hall? OSU’s defense is not known for its front line, and has been inconsistent with the pass rush. BYU’s offensive line should be able to keep them at bay. If they don’t, it will mean trouble for the Cougs.
• McKay Jacobsen has declared himself 100% for the first time perhaps all season. Watch for him to have a breakout game. The receiving corps has not had a significant impact this season, and the focus of the defense will likely be on the tight ends, leaving McKay open to make a difference.
• BYU’s secondary. James Rodgers, is the leading receiver for OSU and will be several steps faster than any of BYU’s DB’s. If the front seven are unable to force Canfield to throw off balance or hurried, no doubt the Beavers will be gunning for the long ball, just as Utah did. The only difference is that Sean Canfield is much more accurate and seasoned than Jordan Wynn and where Wynn consistently overthrew his open receivers downfield, Canfield will hit them. Bradley, Logan, Rich, and Johnson will need to be up to the challenge.
• Limit turnovers. OSU is known for holding on to the ball. BYU has been spotty, but improved over the course of the season. It will be important for BYU to limit the turnovers. A minus one might be overcomeable, but should they have a minus 2 or more it will be difficult to win.

I am at the airport now on my way to Las Vegas. I’m looking forward to a good game. I think the BYU offense will be successful with both the run and the pass. I believe that Max will play as relaxed as he has in several games executing the passing game flawlessly. This will open the door for Unga to have a good game as well. The BYU defense, however, will have its hands full with both OSU's running and passing game. It might very well come down to number of possessions and turnovers. I predict a high scoring affair with BYU winning in the end. BYU 38 OSU 31.

Leave your thoughts and predictions below…

Why Pitta Was Passed Over

By now you know that Aaron Hernandez of Florida was awarded the Mackey Award for the country's best tight end.  Dennis Pitta has publically said the right things, that he doesn't really care and that it was an honor just to be considered.  But, he likely feels somewhat disappointed, as fans surely do.

Here is a bit from the press release:

"The Nassau County Sports Commission has announced Aaron Hernandez of Florida as the 2009 John Mackey Award recipient. The Southeastern conference junior recorded 59 receptions for 739 yards and four touchdowns while leading Florida to the 2009 Allstate Sugar Bowl. Hernandez becomes the second junior to ever receive the John Mackey Award.

Hernandez was named first team All SEC in 2009. He also tied the single game Florida record for receptions by a tight end with eight in the 2009 SEC Championship game. Hernandez, who is well known for his blocking ability and receiving prowess has totaled 102 receptions, 1,271 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in his three year career with Florida."

In contrast to that, Pitta had 57 rec, 784 yards, 7 TDs  (in one less game than Hernandez) and 216 catches, 2,856 yards, and 20 TDs in his career (more than double Hernandez).

I like most, expected Pitta to be named the winner.  His nearly unanimous selection as an All-American first teamer confirms this.  However, it is interesting to note a few circumstances that likley contributed to him being overlooked...

NFL Bias--In scouring the John Mackey award website throughout the season in preparation for other articles, I couldn't help but notice that there was a heavy emphasis on NFL performance and success of previous winners.  This makes some sense, as they hope to gain prestige and donations from former winners.  My initial reaction was that this would be a disadvantage to Pitta, and although I thought he would be able to overcome it, in the end I think it hurt him.  Not that I don't think that Pitta can or will succeed in the NFL, he just doesn't look like an NFL first round draft pick to the rest of the country, and more importantly to the voters (see below). 

Florida Love--With Tim Tebow appearing an unlikey repeat Heisman winner, this was an opportunity for voters to recognize the Gator program in another way.

SEC Love--No SEC tight end has received the award previously, so this was a chance for the award to link itself to the bright stage lights of the SEC. 

Voter Slant--The Heisman Trophy is careful to have a representative national vote.  This award has 12 voters--seven of which are slanted toward the SEC or Florida.  The other five are based either in the midwest or northeast.  Not a single tie west of the Mississippi.  Even if they tried to be unbiased, they likely saw few if any BYU football games after Oklahoma.

Bruce Feldman — ESPN (SEC contract)
Marc C. Connolly — ESPN (SEC contract)
Lee Corso — ESPN College GameDay (SEC contract)
Tom Dienhart — Yahoo! Sports/Rivals.com (midwest)
Keith Jackson — Former NFL tight end (3 years with Miami Dolphins)
Jerry Mackey — Committee Chairman (based in NY)
Sean McDonough — ABC Sports (northeast, BCS broadcaster, indirect contract with SEC)
Phil Steele — Phil Steele’s College Football Preview (based in midwest, put Pitta on 3rd team AA)
Tim Stratton — Inaugural John Mackey Award Recipient (played at Purdue)
Spencer Tillman — CBS Sports (SEC contract)
Dick Weiss — NY Daily News (primarily covers men's baksetball, based in NY)
Kellen Winslow — NFL Hall of Fame tight end (University of Miami, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

I don't know how these awards are regulated or certified, but it seems that if college football wants to recognize them as legit, or at least as what they claim to be (for the best players at respective positions in the country), then the selection committe or voting members should reflect a more national perspective.

Pitta a Finalist

I am sitting here at the SLC International where the RSL fans are creating quite the energy.  But, just wanted to post that Pitta was named a finalist for the Mackey Award with Dorin Dickinson (Sr. Pitt) and Aaron Hernandez (Jr, Florida) earlier this morning.

What We Learned in the Air Force Game

Saturday was perhaps the most solid performance of the season for the Cougs. They played an inspired game against a quality opponent in an Air Force team that had taken two ranked teams into overtime and lost to another by only three points. They boasted the number one pass defense in the country. None of that mattered as BYU dominated from the opening drive. Last week I wrote:

“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… BYU 34, Air Force 24.”

They did exactly that, playing with more emotion and fire than in any game since Oklahoma. BYU’s seniors, recognizing the fleeting nature of their remaining opportunities to play the game, made it a point this week to focus on emotion (for the first time in the Bronco Mendenhall era?) and wanted to play fired up. It showed, as they looked almost unstoppable at times. It also showed that “execution” combined with emotion is a potent combination. Here’s to hoping they can duplicate that recipe two more times this season (and against TCU in the next).

What we learned…

• Will BYU’s offensive line be able to open up running lanes on the smaller Falcon D line? Yes, but…. In a rare change-up, the offense came out on the opening drive passing all the way down the field and continued to primarily pass on the second as well. The running game was almost an afterthought. When they did go to the run, it was effective, but the run game was much more limited than in previous years against AFA.

• Will Unga be able to go? Unga played and looked good. He primarily took his reps in the first half and then was “managed,” as Bronco put it, appropriately in the second half. He had a number of pounding tackle breaking runs and even several rare open field bursts into the secondary, but it was on a 4 yard push into the pile that he passed Curtis Brown to become the all-time rushing leader.

• Can the Cougar front 7 continue to contain the run? Yes. Convincingly. It wasn’t until late in the game, when the outcome was no longer in question that AFA was able to string together a drive or two on the ground.

• How much will the team miss Terrance Hooks in the middle? The team seemed to miss Hooks more from a camaraderie standpoint than from a contribution standpoint. Several players were sporting “47” in Sharpie art on the bicep. Doman and Hunter both played well filling in, with Doman doing more of what he has already done this season and Hunter getting more opportunities for the first time.

• Will Dennis Pitta get the big game that he needs to solidify his status as Mackey finalist? Definitely. I predicted that he would need 7 catches, 85+ yards, and a TD, to guarantee a finalist spot. He surpassed that across the board with 9 catches for 111 yards and 2 TDs in what was easily his best performance of the season so far. The finalists were announced this morning and they are Pitta, Hernandez and Dickinson.

• What impact will the weather have? Surprisingly little. Despite the wind, forecasted snow, and low temperatures, the weather didn’t seem to have much impact on the game.

• Can the team come out of this game without any significant health losses going into the rivalry game with Utah? Mission accomplished. There were a few guys that had to be attended to during the course of the game, but nothing serious enough to carry over into next week (at least as far as the team is talking about).

• Will the records finally fall? Many did. Hall is now second to Ty Detmer in just about every quarterback category and leads him in number of wins. Unga leads in rushing and can still get scoring and all-purpose yards before the season ends. Pitta closed in on Collie’s reception mark (needs 2 more to tie) and third in receiving yards (where he will likely finish).

In the books…
o 1 victory for Hall to break a tie with Ty Detmer for all time wins
o 20 yards for Harvey Unga to become the all time leading rusher in program history (67 rushing)
o 203 yards needed by Max Hall to become second all time in total offense (371 total)
o 359 yards needed by Hall to become second all time in passing yards (377 passing)

Almost achieved…
o 105 yards for Unga to move into third in all-purpose yards (only 79)
o 11 catches for Pitta to tie Collie for all time most receptions (9)
o 165 yards needed by Pitta to pass Margin Hooks as the third leading receiver all time (111)

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...

Dennis Pitta Remains Mackey Award Front Runner

With week 11 in the books, the Nassau County Sports Commission, released its list of 8 semi-finalists for the Mackey Award given to the nation’s top tight end. Despite stringing together a number of quiet games over the past couple of weeks, Dennis Pitta is still very much in the mix, and must be considered at least a favorite to be included in the list of three finalists to be released on Monday, Nov 23. A big game against Air Force (9 catches, 113 yards last year) could be what puts him over the top.

As we have been following this race on this site, it is worth mentioning that of the eight semi-finalists, three had appeared in my front runner list, two as contenders, and three as darkhorses (see www.byucougs.com/2009/10/pittas-march-toward-mackey-award.html).

Here is how they stack up:

name, yr, school (record)        G   rec   yds  TD  rec/g   yds/r  yds/g
Dennis Pitta, Sr, BYU (8-2)       10    45   624    5    4.50    13.9    62.4
Cody Slate, Sr, Marshall (5-5)   10    50   607    4    5.00    12.1    60.7
Aaron Hernandez, Jr, Fl (10-0)  10    46   571    2    4.60   12.4     57.1
Dorin Dickerson, Sr, Pitt (9-1)   10    43   496   10   4.30    11.5    49.6
Ed Dickson, Sr, Oregon (8-2)    10    37   488    5   3.70    13.2     48.8
Anthony McCoy, Sr, USC (7-3)   8     17   382   1    2.13    22.5     47.8
Kyle Rudolph, So, ND (6-4)        9     33   364   3    3.67    11.0     40.4
Tony Moeaki, Sr, Iowa (9-2)      7     26   302   4    3.71    11.6     43.1

This is a great group of tight ends and it will be difficult for the commission to narrow this field down to just three. All of them except Aaron Hernandez have been named Mackey Tight End of the Week at least once, with Pitta (3—2009, 2008x2), Slate (3—2009x2, 2007), and Moeaki (2—2009, 2007) with multiple recognitions. I am going to go ahead and take a crack at narrowing this down (prior to this weekend’s pivotal games)…

First we will eliminate the last three on this list. McCoy only has 17 catches (though a high 22.5 yds/catch average) and USC has suffered a few embarrassing losses of late. Rudolph is only a sophomore and is a notch below the other five in stats; Notre Dame is also in a funk. Moeaki has only played in 7 games so far, and Iowa’s season has also lost a bit of its early luster, which would have helped his cause.

We will call the first five, then, the front runners and can make a case for each of them.
Dennis Pitta leads in yards and yards/game. He is tied for second in TDs and right at the top (third) in receptions. He has been named TE of the week 3 times and voters will remember his clutch 4th down catch against Oklahoma.

Cody Slate has also been named TEOW 3 times, including twice this season. He leads in catches and is right in the mix in yards and TDs. His liability is his team’s 5-5 record in CUSA.

Aaron Hernandez is right near the top in just about every category and is a key player on the number one team in the country. With only two touchdowns this season and also being a junior, it is somewhat easier to find reasons to leave him off the list of final three.

Dorin Dickerson immediately stands out for his 10 touchdowns. His yards and receptions are also comparable. However, he racked up 4 of those TDs against Yougstown St and Buffalo. With Pitt enjoying a breakout year, he has been the beneficiary of some additional media love.

Ed Dickson has quietly been a big part of Oregon’s comeback this season. His yards and touchdowns have been on par with this group, although his number of receptions lags just a bit.

Narrowing the field of five-I think that Hernandez will be the first one left off the list of five for the reasons mentioned above. Of the remaining four, it will depend somewhat on this weekend’s performance. Pitta has less to prove and with at least an average game, will likely be in; a big game could solidify his finalist status. For Slate (due to 5-5 record) and Dickson (late bloomer), I believe that it will come down to their game this weekend vs. SMU and Arizona, respectively. Dickerson has a bye, but could slip in should neither of the other two impress. But should they both have big games, either Pitta or Dickerson could find themselves without a chair when the music stops on Monday.

Prediction:
Dennis Pitta (big game against Air Force, make-up for not including him as a finalist last year)
Cody Slate (high NFL potential, big game over SMU)
Ed Dickson (will have a chance to impress vs AZ, while Dickinson has bye. Also, was initially listed as a front runner in this column, so he gets the nod)

On the other hand, a few minutes on the website of the award and it is obvious that they are big on NFL potential and validation, and at the end of the day, that may be the unspoken, but final, criteria. In that scenario, where stats don’t matter, how will Pitta Stack up? Feel free to share your thoughts…

This Week's Assault on the Record Books

The fact that Max Hall is only one win away from tying Ty Detmer for the most wins as a starting quarterback in BYU history (with 29) has been well-publicized elsewhere. What has not been mentioned much is that Unga is likely to become the all-time leading rusher this week. Pitta is also making a move. As fans, it should be viewed as both a tribute to these players themselves as well as to the coaching staff. It should also be viewed as an outcome beyond what was thought possible just a couple of years ago. Remember 2004 and the missed field goals against New Mexico (and Boise) that ensured a third straight losing season? What would you have thought if someone told you that the next starting quarterback would get more wins than any other in BYU history? That the current running back (Curtis Brown) would eventually become the all-time leader in rushing yards and that the one after that would break his record? These are good times indeed, and yet with prospects for an even brighter future, it has been easy for fans to get distracted by the glare. Here’s a small effort toward appreciating the present.

Here is the latest on Max, Harvey, and Dennis’ assault on the BYU career records:

Against TCU and Wyoming—
• Hall passed John Beck (79) for third in touchdowns with 82
• Unga passed Jamal Lewis for second all time rushing with 3,151
• Pitta moved into fifth in total receiving yards with 2,620, passing Phil Odle (65-67)

Likely to Happen Against New Mexico
• 71 yards--Unga should become the all-time leading rusher, passing Curtis Brown
• 2 TDs--Hall will move into second place with Jim McMahon in passing TDs
• 15 yards, 4 catches--Pitta will move into fourth and second in receiving yards and receptions, respectively, overtaking Matt Bellini in both categories (2,635 yards on 204 catches)

What We Learned in the San Diego State Game

In a game that played out much closer than most expected, the Cougars put San Diego State behind them with an offense that played just below its UNLV performance (best of the season) and a defense that was barely better than its Florida State performance (worst of the season).

Last week I wrote:
“BYU will come out focused and meet SDSU’s preparation with preparation and execution. After a tight first quarter and a close first half, BYU pulls away in the third quarter and plays the subs in the fourth. Records fall, experience is gained, and the Cougars can finally focus on TCU.”

That was a reasonably accurate assessment of the first half, although in the second half the Cougs didn’t really pull away until the fourth quarter. Hall and Pitta did make their move up the record charts, and the team learned some lessons that will hopefully wake them up for this week’s game.   Here is a review of what we watched for in this game:

• Health—Success. Despite several players fighting a flu bug, and not playing at 100%, there were no major injuries.

• Box Score Victory—Draw. The score was closer than it needed to be as BYU didn’t cover the spread, however, given the number of losses in the top 25 this week, it didn’t really matter.

• Another Clean Game—Offense yes, Defense no. As mentioned last week, it would take a combination of several significant mistakes—key turnovers, meaningful penalties, blown coverages, special teams meltdowns, etc—for BYU to lose this game. And as the offense held up its share of the bargain, the defense alone was not able to make enough mistakes to lose the game. That said, there were some blown coverages and 1 or 2 meaningful penalties. There were a few questionable penalties as well—as I was in attendance at the game, I have not had a chance to review most of the calls, but several seemed suspect at the time (as well as 2-3 obvious no-calls) and Bronco seems to agree, having submitted at least two calls to the league for review.

• Max Protection—Max played a great game. There were a few moments where he felt the pressure and was able to escape. He ended up with 14 runs for 47 yards, and had another 42 yarder called back on a penalty.

• Scott Johnson—Played. There was some question as to whether he would play and how that would impact the game. Johnson played and had a key tackle and interception at the goal line.

• Eenie, meenie, minie, moe, to which receiver will Hall throw? All of them. Despite 346 passing yards, as has become common this season, no single receiver filled the stat sheets, but it was Andrew George, Dennis Pitta and JJ DiLuigi that came up with the big plays when they were needed.

• Secondary Impact Games—OU close loss. TCU big win. The stage is set for another top 10 battle this Saturday in Provo, complete with Game Day on hand. I find it interesting to note that BYU had already been in discussions with ESPN regarding Game Day for several days prior to Sunday’s announcement. It is likely hard not to overlook a game when you are already making plans predicated on victory. I wonder how that impacted the team or staff, if at all (and to the extent they were aware of it—at the very least I imagine Bronco was).

• Player Records—Done. Hall passed McMahon for third place in passing and total offense. Pitta passed college-football-hall-of-famer Gordon Hudson to become all-time leader for receiving yards by a tight end, as well as moved into third place for receptions and sixth for yards among all BYU receivers.

A few other items of note:

• Overall seemingly poor officiating—inconsistency, long delays, late calls, non calls, questionable calls.

• Hall looked great on his feet, but at some point is going to pay a price for that

• In a curious decision by the coaches, the defense only sent three rushers for most of the game, giving SDSU QB Lindley enough time to throw that he looked like an All-American.

• Several of the big plays given up by the defense were not a matter of defenders being out of position or even beat really, but rather was an issue of how the defender played the receiver at the point of reception—often seemingly not even aware the ball was coming, only to make a tackle after a catch that could/should have been denied.

• As it was my first time in Qualcomm Stadium, my first impression was the vast emptiness of the seats. Otherwise, it was nice, with reasonable parking and easy access to the various levels.

• The running game seemed to lack a bit of creativity and impact, but was likely hampered by the loss of Manase Tonga’s lead blocking skills. It was also curious to see JJ DiLuigi given the ball on two critical short down plays, where a power runner (or at least someone that can push through the first tackler) would seem to be more suited.

• The kick returners seem to have adopted a new practice of going half speed until the blockers have committed to the defenders—it didn’t seem especially effective and was rather frustrating to watch. Anyone have any insights as to what was going on there?

What to Watch for Against San Diego State

Coming off of the most complete game of the season, it will be hard for the Cougars not to regress somewhat, at least statistically (611 yards is hard to live up to), while at the same time trying to string together back-to-back complete games. San Diego State is going to put a better defense on the field than UNLV did, although the SDSU offense is likely inferior to what BYU faced last week. With that in mind, the outcome of the game is not as much in question as to how it is achieved. Here are a few things to watch for as you assess the “how” on Saturday afternoon:

• Health—Aside from winning the game, the number one goal for the team in this game is to come out with everyone at full strength for next week’s match with what will be a top 10 TCU team (if they win on Saturday). Should BYU get a big lead, watch for the bench to be cleared sooner than later.

• Box Score Victory—Just as last week, no one not wearing BYU blue is going to be watching this game and thus the team needs to look good in the box score as well for voters that will make decisions based on what they find. To do that, the spread is 17.5 and needs to be covered at a minimum. Holding SDSU to under 20 points would also contribute to that perception.

• Another Clean Game—It would take a combination of significant mistakes—several key turnovers, meaningful penalties, blown coverages, special teams meltdowns, etc—for BYU to lose this game. But, aside from playing well enough to win, the team needs to prove its own identity to itself, that it really is the team that showed up last week, and building confidence in consistently clean play.

• Max Protection—SDSU has had a bye week to prepare for this game and on top of that, Rocky Long has historically been successful at limiting BYU’s offense. Watch for SDSU to try to disrupt the passing game with stunts and blitzes in an attempt to keep Max from getting into a rhythm. If Max Hall is constantly throwing on the run, getting flushed from the pocket, or dropped for a loss, then it will be working for the Aztecs. But should Max get into a groove early and the passing game and running game get off to a good start in the first quarter, it is going to be a long afternoon for the hometown team.

• Scott Johnson—The senior free safety is the quarterback of the defense making coverage calls and making sure everyone is on the same page. Due to his experience and knowledge, he has been likened to another coach on the field. He is coming off of a two pick game (his first two), but also tweaked his ankle and will be a game time decision. The last game he missed was with Florida State, and we know how that one turned out. Hopefully he is good to go, but if not, watch to see how the defense performs in his absence.

• Eenie, meenie, minie, moe, to which receiver will Hall throw? Jacobsen is still out, so who will fill in for his production from the wideout spot? Last week it was freshman Brett Thompson with a big game. The week before it was junior Luke Ashworth. Will they repeat? Will Hafoka or Chambers come up big? Since these are all capable options, the SDSU defense has no more idea of who it will be than fans do—a positive factor for the benefitting receiver.

• Secondary Impact Games—As you change the channels during commercials, a few games outcomes that will impact BYU this week are Oklahoma/Texas and TCU/Colorado State. An Oklahoma win would help to recall BYU’s opening game performance to the collective national memory. A TCU win is needed to ensure that BYU faces its second top 10 ranked opponent next week in Provo, and provide the game with more luster to capture some additional national attention.

• Player Records—Hall , Pitta, and Unga will continue their assault on the career record books--watch for Dennis Pitta and Max Hall in particular to move up this week.

     o Max Hall—with 8 yards passing and 37 of total offense, Hall will move into third place all-time in both of those categories, passing Jim McMahon and trailing only Ty Detmer and John Beck.

     o Dennis Pitta—with 14 yards receiving, Pitta will pass Gordon Hudson to become the all-time leader in receiving yards among tight ends, at the same time he will move into sixth place among all receivers. With 78 yards, he will pass Phil Odle for fifth place. Pitta, already the all-time leader in receptions by a tight end, will pass Margin Hooks and move into third place among all receivers with 2 receptions this week, trailing only Austin Collie and Matt Bellini.

I think the team will come out focused and meet SDSU’s preparation with preparation and execution. After a tight first quarter and a close first half, BYU pulls away in the third quarter and plays the subs in the fourth. Records fall, experience is gained, and the Cougars can finally focus on TCU.  BYU 45 SDSU 17.

What else should be watched for?  What is your prediciton? 

What We Learned in the UNLV Game

After perhaps the most complete game of the year against perhaps the worst team played against so far, it is time to assess where improvement was made. Last week I wrote:

“UNLV will come out swinging in the first half, play a good game, but will be outmatched by BYU’s talent. The Cougar offense will cut down on the turnovers (but likely still have at least one) and get into the end zone more than last week as they pull away in the second half. BYU ends up winning big and Sanford is out of a job before Monday. BYU 52, UNLV 13.”

I was essentially short a kickoff return TD for each team and only premature on the formality of Sanford’s resignation/dismissal, but otherwise, was pretty close in what I thought at the time was a rather gutsy call. Here is the outcome of the things to watch for:

• A Clean Game—BYU played its cleanest game of the year. Zero turnovers. Eight of eleven on third downs. Relatively few penalties. Not only was it clean, but the level of play was maintained for all four quarters, as the team scored a touchdown in all four for the first time this season.

• Health and Concussions—There were no serious injuries, although Scott Johnson left the game with a sprained ankle, and Manase Tonga suffered a knee injury. Both players status remains in question for the game with San Diego St. The absence of five players on special teams primarily due to injury was a likely contributor to the UNLV kickoff TD.

• More than Cover the Spread—Check. The spread was 16.5. The MOV was 38.

• Rushing and Total Offense—The box score victory was also secured as the offense and defense seemed to be clicking on all cylinders. Harvey Unga (20 carries, 149 yds, 3 TD) continued to improve and had his best game of the season, including a 52 yard TD, the longest Cougar rushing TD since 2006. Overall the team had 611 yards of total offense (320 passing, 291 rushing), well above the 500 or so total needed to solidify the win on paper.

• Filling in for McKay Jacobsen—Due to the lopsided nature of the game and the success of the running game, the receivers were never really tested. That said, Hafoka and Ashworth were relatively quiet with 1 and 2 catches each. It was Brett Thompson that stood out with 52 yards on only 2 catches, with a 46 yarder on a beautiful cut into a wide open post.

• Dennis Pitta Encore—Pitta had a solid, if unspectacular game with 2 catches for 60 yards and one touchdown (Andrew George also had a great game from the TE spot going for 61 yards on 3 catches). Pitta continues to lead all tight ends nationally in receptions (28) and yards (399); he is third in touchdowns (4).

• Mike Sanford’s Final Game—UNLV never appeared to give up (and so Sanford will likely coach again this weekend against Utah), but they did not deliver the job-saving performance that was needed. After five years, it is apparent that Sanford has not been able to turn the program around and no doubt the UNLV athletic director is already compiling a short list of replacement targets.

A couple of other notes from this game:

• In the second half, Max Hall threw a pass to Andrew George on the left side of the field that was overthrown and uncatchable. I realized as I watched that and thought about how long it had been since that had happened, how rare it was to see him overthrow someone, and that it has become easy to take his accuracy for granted.

• It was good to see Hall finally break his streak of interceptions.

• The rankings appear on the surface to not have given the Cougars any love, but in reality they gained a significant number of votes in each of the polls.

• O'Neil Chambers' 97 yard kickoff return was a long time in waiting, and as he has guaranteed a TD return, almost made good on his promise.

• The kicking game was much improved over the beginning of the season, as several kickoffs went into the endzone, and all of the PATs and the long field goal sailed through the uprights without any drama. Surprisingly, it was the punting in this game that was below par.

• The defense came through with a big game (aside from giving up the 75 yard TD pass), and managed three game changing interceptions—Pendleton’s in particular was an incredibly athletic and on-the-ball move to make the catch and stay in bounds.

• Manase Tonga, prior to getting injured looked better than he has all season, a positive sign that he is working hard and regaining his playing shape. He actually had a nice run in the second half where he outran several linebackers, something I didn’t think I would see him do this season.

What to Watch for Against UNLV

Saturday night’s game against UNLV will be the third of four games that could be considered “trap games” for the BYU football team (you could possibly argue that the Florida State game actually fell into that category as well, making this the fifth of six) where there is very little for the Cougars to gain and yet significant benefit that will accrue to the opponent should they pull off the upset. Considering UNLV’s performance last week, and that Coach Mike Sanford is literally fighting for his career this weekend, watch for UNLV to come out with their A game, as they find themselves in a similar scenario to Florida State prior to the Seminoles playing the Cougars. This will be their chance to right the ship, prove the doubters wrong, turn the season around, and save their general. Or it will be the last hurrah. Here are a few things to keep an eye on as you watch this drama unfold on Saturday night:


• A Clean Game—BYU can give the ball up as they have been doing and still come away with a victory. However, as turnovers and mistakes have been a focus in practice this week, the team needs to come out and play a clean game in order to show that it is improving and ready to take on TCU in two weeks.

• Health and Concussions—The team needs to avoid injuries, as several key players have gone down in recent weeks. In particular, concussions has become a recurring problem this season (can anyone remember a season that featured more head injuries?). There were two last week as Steven Thomas and Tucker Lamb both were knocked out in special teams play—neither will play this week. In addition, we lost Matt Bauman in the Oklahoma game and Scott Johnson in the Tulane game both to concussions. Four players in five games is staring to border on a serious issue. Will the team avoid a concussion this week?

• More than Cover the Spread—As this is a prime time game on the Mtn, the voters will not be watching and will only see the box score when all is said and done. In order to continue to move up the rankings, BYU needs to beat the teams it is supposed to and in a manner that is expected (whether fair or not). That means covering the spread at a minimum which is 16.5.

• Rushing and Total Offense—Harvey Unga looked quick and effective last week. Can he keep it up this week? UNLV gave up 559 yards rushing and 773 total yards to a winless Nevada team last week. Watch for Harvey and the other backs to exploit this and for BYU to go over 500 yards. Again whether fair or not, 773 is the number in the backs of all of the box score viewers minds…

• Filling in for McKay Jacobsen—after missing last week’s game with a hamstring injured while stretching in warm-ups, it was determined earlier this week that it is more serious than expected and Jacobsen will be out 4-6 weeks recovering. Ashworth filled in nicely last week. Hafoka seemed to be in the dog house after fumbling the first catch of the game. Watch for both of these receivers to have good games as the offense gets rolling.

• Dennis Pitta Encore—After his biggest game of the year last week and being named the John Mackey Award Tight End of the Week, Pitta could take advantage of the spotlight by adding to his stats and overall frontrunner status this week against a soft UNLV defense.

• Mike Sanford’s Final Game—Should UNLV get down early and give up on their head coach as they did last week, this will likely be Sanford’s last game in Sam Boyd Stadium. In order to keep his job, the Rebels don’t have to win the game, but they need to play hard from beginning to end. Anything less and Sanford might as well begin dusting off his golf clubs.

I think UNLV will come out swinging in the first half, play a good game, but will be outmatched by BYU’s talent. The Cougar offense will cut down on the turnovers (but likely still have at least one) and get into the end zone more than last week as they pull away in the second half. BYU ends up winning big and Sanford is out of a job before Monday. BYU 52, UNLV 13.

How do you see it playing out?  Post your own take and prediction below.

Pitta Solidifies Frontrunner Status--Week 5 Update

Dennis Pitta (5 catches, 83 yards, 2 TD) was named the John Mackey Tight End of the Week for week 5, collecting the honor for the third time (after being named twice last year). He is the sixth player to have received the weekly award at least three times (last year’s winner Chase Coffman of Missouri also had won the weekly award three times). Last week I gave an update on the race for the Mackey Award and profiled five players that I consider the frontrunners, five contenders, and five dark horses (you can read that article at http://www.byucougs.com/2009/10/pittas-march-toward-mackey-award.html). Here is an update on the five frontrunners after week 5:


Player, Class, School           G    Rec   Yds  TD   rec/g   yds/rec  yds/g
Dennis Pitta, Sr, BYU          5     26     339   3    5.20     13.0      67.8
Ed Dickson, Sr, Oregon       5    22     309   4    4.40     14.0       61.8
Cody Slate, Sr, Marshall      5     26     289   2    5.20     11.1      57.8
Garrett Graham, Sr, Wisc   5     23     268   4    4.60     11.7      53.6
Jamie McCoy, Sr, TA&M      4     18     209   0    4.50     11.6      52.3

McCoy seems to be slipping behind the top four who are all very close at this point, and Pitta strengthened his frontrunner status this week as he is now leading in receptions (tied with Marshall’s Slate), total yards, and yards per game (although he trails Erik Highsmith of North Carolina who averages 72.5 yards/game).

An offical mid-season watch list will be released by the Nassau County Sports Commission on Monday, Oct 19.

Pitta's March toward the Mackey Award

Prior to the season, several Cougars were named to national award watch lists. A quick start to the season focused that lens on Max Hall in particular, who came in a consensus third, fourth, or fifth in Heisman forecasts by national pundits through the second week of the season. However now that we are entering week 5, it seems that Dennis Pitta has the only legitimate shot at a national award this year, but with his two primary competitors out for the season (Arizona’s Rob Gronkowski and Oklahoma’s Jermaine Gresham) he may very well be the frontrunner for the John Mackey Award given to the “best collegiate tight end” each year by the Nassau County Sports Commission. It is still very early, but here is how the competition breaks out so far, and the players to keep your eye on:

Frontrunners
These are upperclassmen playing on winning teams that were nominated to the preseason watch list and are in the top 10 in receiving yards per game.

Player, Class, School              G   Rec   Yds  TD   rec/g  yds/rec  yds/g
Dennis Pitta, Sr, BYU             4    21    256    1     5.25   12.2       64.0
Jamie McCoy, Sr, Tx A&M      3    13    169    0     4.33   13.0      56.3
Ed Dickson, Sr, Oregon          4    15    206    3     3.75   13.7      51.5
Cody Slate, Sr, Marshall         4    17    201    2     4.25   11.8      50.3
Garrett Graham, Sr, Wis        4    16    200    4     4.00    12.5     50.0

Dennis Pitta leads the nation in tight end receptions, while Garrett Graham leads in touchdowns by a tight end. Dennis Pitta and Cody Slate were were consensus top 5 tight ends in preseason fantasy football rankings (along with Gresham, Gronkowski, and Arkansas’ DJ Williams), with Garret Graham usually showing up in the top 10. Cody Slate and Ed Dickson were named 2009 Mackey Player of the Week for week 1 and week 4 respectively. Dennis Pitta was twice named Mackey Player of the Week in 2008.

Contenders
These are nominees on the preseason watch list that are either playing on teams with losing records or are underclassmen, as well as un-nominated players that are in the top 10 in yards per game or receptions.

Player, Class, School          G    Rec Yds  TD rec/g   yds/rec  yds/g
Erik Highsmith, Fr, N Car   3    16   279   2    5.33   17.4      93.0
Jason Harmon, Sr, Fl Atl     3    16   197   0    5.33   12.3      65.7
Riar Geer, Sr, Colorado      4    21   232   1    5.25   11.0      58.0
Kyle Rudolph, So, ND          4    17   214   2    4.25   12.6      53.5
Aaron Hernandez, Jr, Fla    4    15   198   2    3.75   13.2      49.5

Erik Highsmith is only a freshman and is the backup to the injured Zack Pianalto (Jr, North Carolina, who was named the Mackey Player of the Week in week two) and leads the nation in receiving yards by a tight end, yards/reception, and yards per game, all while only playing in three games. Jason Harmon was not nominated in the preseason but is second in the country in yards per game. Riar Greer is tied with Dennis Pitta for most receptions, but plays on team with a losing record. Kyle Rudolph was nominated preseason, and named Mackey Player of the Week in week three, but is only a sophomore. Aaron Henandez was also nominated preseason, but is just outside the top 10 in receiving yard per game at number 11.

Darkhorses
These are players that were nominated to the preseason watch list and are ranked in the top 25 in receiving yards per game.

Player, Class, School             G   Rec  Yds   TD   rec/g   yds/rec  yds/g
Tony Moeaki, Sr, Iowa          2    11     87     1    5.50      7.9      43.5
Anthony McCoy, Sr, USC       4     7     160     0    1.75     22.9     40.0
Weslye Saunders, Jr, S Car   4    14    156     0    3.50     11.1     39.0
Dorin Dickerson, Sr, Pitt       4    17    155     4    4.25      9.1      38.8
Jeffery Anderson, Jr, UAB     5    12    179     3    2.40    14.9      35.8

Because they already have somewhat of a spotlight on them by virtue of being named in the pre-season, with a couple of big games and/or special seasons for their respective teams, these players could move into contender status.

Records within Reach vs. Florida State

Several players on this year’s team are quickly moving up the program’s all-time records charts. In particular Max Hall, Dennis Pitta, and Harvey Unga were already in the top 10 in several career categories as the season began, and now, with two games under their belts, have begun their statistical assault on the players that have gone before. I will provide a regular (although likely not weekly) update on the status of each, where they stand and what type of performance would be needed in that week’s game to move them up a notch. (The original assessment of each of player, as well as national award nominations, was posed on August 12, 2009 and can be found at the following link: http://www.byucougs.com/2009/08/records-should-fall.html)


Summary of Records within Reach vs. Florida State:
• Max Hall could reach #4 in total offense (needs 238 yards)
• Max Hall could reach #4 in TD passes (1 to tie, 2 for sole possession)
• Dennis Pitta could reach #9 in receiving yards (14 yards for #9, 158 yards for #8)
• Dennis Pitta could reach #2 in tight end receiving yards (158 yards)
• Dennis Pitta could reach #5 in receptions (8 catches)
• Harvey Unga could reach #6 in rushing yards (107 for #6, 122 for #5)
• Harvey Unga could reach #9 in all-purpose yards (60 yards)
• Harvey Unga could reach #3 in TDs (needs 3)

Max Hall
• #4 Passing Yards (began season #7, needs 1,093 to become #3)—With 329 and 309 passing yards in weeks 1 and 2 respectively, Hall moved into 4th place all time, passing Kevin Feterik, John Walsh, and Robbie Bosco. He needs 1,093 yards to pass Jim McMahon for #3 all-time.

• #5 Total Offense (began season #6, needs 238 yards to become #4)—Passed Robbie Bosco to move into 5th place all time. With 238 yards, will pass Steve Young for 4th place all-time.

• #6 Touchdown Passes (began season #6, needs 1 TD pass to become #4)—After throwing for 4 touchdowns already this season, Hall needs just 1 to tie with John Walsh and Robbie Bosco, and 2 to move into sole possession of 4th place.

Dennis Pitta
• #10 Receiving Yards (began season #11, needs 14 yards to become #9)—With 137 receiving yards so far, Pitta has passed Mike Chronister (1976-78) to reach #10. With another 14 yards, he will pass Glen Kozlowski for #9. Chris Smith is #8, 158 yards ahead.

• #3 Tight End Receiving Yards (began season #3, needs 158 to reach #2)—With another 158 yards, he will pass Chris Smith for #2 all-time in BYU’s storied tight end tradition.

• #6 Receptions (began season #8, needs 8 catches to move into #5)—Pitta passed Eric Drage and Reno Mahe during the Oklahoma game. With 8 more receptions, he will pass Gordon Hudson for #5.

Harvey Unga
• #7 Rushing Yards (began season #8, needs 107 yards to become #6 and 122 to become #5)—Despite not playing in game one and only getting three carries for 17 yards in game two (due to a hamstring injury), Unga passed John Ogden (1964-66) for 7th place all-time. He is expected to be full speed this week and with 107 yards he passes Pete Van Valkenberg (1970-72) for #6, and with 122 passes Luke Staley for #5.

• #10 All Purpose Yards (began season #10, needs 60 yards to become #9)—Will pass Reno Mahe with 60 yards, to become #9.

• #7 Scoring (began season #7, needs 24 points to reach #6)—Still needs 24 points to catch Curtis Brown at #6.

• #4 Touchdowns (began season #4, needs 3 to reach #3)—With 3 touchdowns, will catch Lakei Heimuli for #3 all-time.