A status check of BYU football 2010

As a BYU fan I have my complaints about how this season is progressing but I am not willing to throw in the towell. There are many games left to play, and therefore there is time to improve.

The one factor conistently missed by most fans is a consideration of the teams BYU has played in their first three games this season. All three teams have been good or great. There has yet to be an automatic win on the schedule, and outside of CSU and New Mexico, BYU will probably not be favored to win their remaining games.

The first game which was against Washington brought a team with probably the same talent level as the cougars to town but still has a second year head coach. How did the team fare against these huskies. They won.

Game #2 took a very young team to the Air Force Academy. The cadets have an identity on offense, veteran players who execute it, and a coaching staff that is established. The cadets were also very motivated, with the game played on 9/11. Also with the entire offseason the Air Force Coaching staff and players were able to prepare for BYU knowing that they had a gimme game which required little preparation as their first game.

All of these factors, in favor of Air Force, combined to take down a young BYU squad playing their first road game of the year. One only needs to look at the score from the AF and Oklahoma game this past weekend to know that the Fly boys are very good.

Game #3 required a cross country flight into a hostile Doak Cambell stadium to face the Seminoles. BYU still reeling from the loss at Air Force, tried to play against a hungry and well coached athletic team. The game pitted two teams with similar athletes but much different experience levels.

BYU lost this game because of a lack of an identity on Offense. The seminoles feasted on the inexperience of a Freshman Quaterback using knowledge from Defensive Coordinator Mark Stoops. His name is familiar to BYU fans, from his days working at Arizona in the same capacity. He faced the cougars three times while winning two of the games. Knowing BYU's schemes and how to stunt and frustrate a young QB became the difference in the second half of the ballgame.

BYU is rebuilding. This much is sure. The team will be fine around midseason whwn the record should be 3 wins and 3 losses. (USU win, UNR loss, SDSU win)

The record for the remaining games should be 4 wins and two losses. The losses TCU and UTAH.

The final record than should stand at 7 and 4 with a chance for a possible bowl bid assuming the team remains at 4th place in the MWC.

This years squad is young and green. Two things it is not is unathletic, and unskilled. Hold your head high and root for the boys in blue. Go cougs!!

The BYU conference deal

The BYU rumors are flying everywhere around the internet. I thought that the Salt Lake area papers would have most of the news, but I have been surprised at the National Intrigue in this whole affair. Everyone is reporting on facts that have not been released By the Cougars, and I have read them all. Here then is a run down of the collective details.

BYU is seeking for more National exposure. LDS Church exposure and not BCS exposure is the purpose of the TV deals. Dick Harmon and Greg Wrubel have written about this and Tom Holmoe was quoted on Thursday as saying such.http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700058675/BYU-football-Y-ponders-options-to-bolster-national-profile.

BYU desires to have the rights to broadcast their respective games, and to use BYUtv (and its 60 million homes).

BYU seeks more money in TV broadcast rights. www.deepshadesofblue.com reports that ESPN has offered 1 million dollars a game to broadcast 4 home games a year. Other sites list the number to be closer to 2 million. ESPN would help the scheduling of top notch teams for the four games, which is where the announced games with Texas come into play.

The WAC would take in the Olympic sports for Conference play and help with the scheduling of four to six games a year. This may become 6 if the conference is left with six football institutions. Utah State has been the biggest supporter of the cougars in making this transition. In fact USU turned down the MWC invite they were extended, before FSU and UNR received invites.

The WCC conference has also invited the cougars to have the Olympic sports play in their conference. The biggest drawback is that this conference would help the Basketball team stay relevant, but does not participate in three sports. Women's Softball and Swimming and Diving. Men's Volleyball has its own league as does Gymnastics.

It has been reported that the MWC and the CUSA are trying to form a super league with the champion receiving an automatic bid to the BCS. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/os-college-football-expansion-20100819,0,4134695.story

If the Cougars follow through with the WAC, look for the conference to add UC Davis, UT San Antonio, UTEP and Montana. The conference will most likely lose La Tech to the CUSA.

The new WAC would then include the following teams. Hawaii, UTEP, BYU, Idaho, Utah State, UT San Antonio, Sacramento State, Cal Poly, Texas State,UC Davis, San Jose State, New Mexico State, and Montana. Those in bold most likely to join, those not have lesser chance in my opinion.

For Basketball scheduling purposes: UT San Antonio and UTEP are 1 set of travel partners. San Jose State and UC Davis are #2, Idaho and Montana are #3, Hawaii and NMSU are #4, and USU and BYU are # 5.

BYU will not likely have greater access to the BCS, but there is an outside chance that the ESPN connection could net them a top ten invite, instead of #14 and higher eligible status.

BYU 35 USU 17.

A tough game on the schedule this week. It is not a gimmee by any stretch.
Utah State will be tougher to beat than most think, but the cougars will win.
BYU 35 USU 17.
BYU
NO INT's for Hall and 3 Touch Downs
3 TD's for Unga (2 runs, 1 catch, 120 yards)
2 TD's for Pitta (100 yards)
2 Picks for the D (1 Johnson, 1 Rich)
3 sacks (2 Denney, 1 Jorgensen)

USU
Rushing 150 yards(over 100 yards for Durbin and 2 TD's)
Passing 220 yards

Finally BYU has provided an online resource to learn about the 2009 Football team. Here is the link.
http://www.byucougars.com/Filing.jsp?ID=12520

D-Linemen

Defensive Linemen from the roster for 2009

Steven Fisher(?)
Tevita Hola(He or Denney Will be the other starter on the line)
Jan Jorgenesen ( will start at DE)
Rockey Kalamafoni(?)
Matt Peterson(Fr.)
Matt Putnam (Jan's backup)
Rick Wolfley(Will most likely start at Nose Tackle)
Brett Denney(will probably start)
David Tuitupoa(Fr.)

I think it is important to avoid losing faith as the team loses players. The latest defections come from the Defensive Line. One may ask were these players lost to injury, lost to the dreaded honor code, or suspended from breaking team rules? No to all three.
These two players have both decided to serve missions. They are Ian Dulan and Russell Tialevea. Both of them have been in the program for a long time and were slated to start alongside Jan Jorgensen, there presence will be missed. Therefore we have two spots on the line.
So here is a brief look at who will now have the opportunity to start.

Bernard Afutiti (ineligible)
Matt Putnam
Brett Denney
Rick Wolfley
https://secure.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695269939,00.html
I would think that Brett Denney and Rick Wolfley will start and the other will back up.
Hope and Pray that incoming freshman will step up.

Fui drafted by Bengals; Nixon, others sign free agent contracts
Jeff CallDeseretNews.com blogger April 26, 2009 at 7:05 p.m.
Fui Vakapuna was taken in the seventh round by the Cincinnati Bengals. He'll be reunited with a former BYU teammate, tight end Daniel Coats.
David Nixon's agent, Carter Chow, just informed me that Nixon has signed a free agent contract with the Oakland Raiders. Also, Dallas Reynolds has signed a free agent deal with the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Bright with the Dallas Cowboys.