Putting the Pieces Back Together

 

BYU's hoop season this year began as one of the most anticipated in Cougar history. Unfortunately, it seemed to never get on track for a sustained amount of time ending with an absolutely deflating loss in the first round of March Madness. Coach Young before the offseason had assembled what appeared to be such a strong formidable roster snagging the nations #1 recruit in AJ Dybantsa, retaining the services of Richie "the tator tot king", and stealing away Rob Wright from Baylor. 

Throughout the season the roster seemed to suffer blow after blow of season ending injuries even to Saunders which may have been the heartbeat of the team. Those injuries after Saunders included: Dawson Baker, Nate Pickens, Brody Kozlowski and Xavier Staton. That certainly can make it difficult for a team to re invent itself so many times to find new chemistry, etc. 

Although, the cougars certainly shared some success with wins over: UNC, Villanova, Wisconsin, Clemson, that team up North (yes both home & away),  Texas Tech (82-76), and Iowa State (79-69). There were a couple of close one's at the Boston Garden vs U Conn falling 86-84, and another close one with Arizona 86-83. It showed when playing as a team it could compete with the nations best.

Was AJ worth the NIL? Absolutely without a question. Yes, in reference to a certain reporter from that team up North (ROI return on investment). AJ as a true freshman in one of the nation's best basketball conference averaged 25.5/game and nearly 7 rebs/game while often being double teamed some cases triple teamed. Before joining the Big 12 one of BYU's goal was exposure. In similar fashion having AJ certainly was able to help achieve that without question. He even mentioned one of his favorite courses while here was his Book of Mormon class. AJ even alluded to the possibility of returning. Would he? That's apparently up to his mom. One can absolutely hope. When the NBA talks, the money likely will be calling. 

Where does Kevin Young go from here? Certainly, a season of such high expectations were obviously nowhere close to being met. There will be exit interviews and many decisions to be made ahead. Coach will likely leave no stone uncovered from his staff, the roster, strategies, areas of concern, areas to increase or improve on, etc.

Offense was clearly not an issue with BYU averaging 83.5/game. As a team BYU shot 34.5% from the 3 land. Mrus was previously brought in for this specifically but has honestly been a flat zero for his role. That is one area that could absolutely be addressed. Losing Baker and Pickens didn't help and having to develop Kostic on the fly near the end of the season wasn't prime for statistics. Another concern could be the big pine in the paint. This season, BYU average'd 38 rebs/game but only had a 3.7 margin per game. That clearly needs to improve. It was rather evident in the game vs Texas we were absolutely outplayed down low. One of the bigs, Ahmed during the season frequently was such a defensive liability. Ability to play tough defense especially against the perimeter was another glaring issue.

Today, in the NIL age there is no excuse for deadwood. Nothing personal but college basketball is now truly a business. Fortunately, Coach Young will cover those areas and hopefully have answers to the many questions cougar fans had for this year. Who will stay? Who will go? And where did it all go?

Looking Back & Ahead

 

BYU football for the last two seasons have been rather similar. Question marks entering each campaign but both were able to finish strong despite basically being shut out of the college playoff. Just on the outside looking in. Gone are Chase Roberts and Jack Kelly, including Parker Kingston but that's another story for another day yet to be determined. Over those two seasons no other Big 12 program has won more games than the Cougars.

BYU kicked off their Spring practices two months roughly after the season. This year expectations are high for BYU, Most of the names from the two deep last year which reached the Big 12 championship game remain and have decided to run it back. They have one common goal, to take it farther, win the Big 12 championship and make a run in the playoffs.

Coach Sitake philosophy has always been remain humble yet hungry. With that approach the program brought in some carefully selected through the transfer portal to strengthen targeted positions as well as those touted commits through the high school ranks. 

Each season will have a new set of questions. Last year it was the LJ show in the backfield. Can someone rise to help spell Martin? Gone is Carson Ryan. However, will we see a heavy TE dose between Walker Lyons and Roger Saleapaga? With the exit of Chase Roberts to chase the NFL and Parker to off season honor code allegations it leaves the WR room quite open. Who will emerge? Will it be JoJo Phillips? Jaron Pula? Kasper Kyler or Cody Hagen? Time will tell. Losing last year Jake Retzlaff unexpectedly, Bear Bachmeier made quite a freshman impression. Will Enoch Watson emerge as his backup? Can Bear make an even more significant leap with more given time? What will the OL look like? Paki Finau, Jr Sia and Zak Yamauchi were all brought in to strengthen the trenches. Losing Jack Kelly certainly hurts. However, this is where Cade Uluave steps in hoping to not skip a beat. Otherwise, most of the main two deep returns. 

How does BYU fare with the new collection of coaches? Losing Jay Hill and Jernaro will absolutely sting. Although, there is certainly a majority of the staff returning which will help with the continuity. Will Kelly Poppinga's defense look much different? How will the secondary players respond to incoming Demario Warren and Lewis Walker? BYU will have 15 practices to blend, implement plays/schemes and gain familiarities with any program changes. The bar has been set but ceiling is there for the taking to see how far they can rise. 

Inaugural 2023 Big 12 Season Review

 

Another season is in the books. In many ways, their final game on the road at Oklahoma State served as a microcosm of the inaugural year in review with the Big 12. It began with a less than inspiring start, a promising even brilliant second quarter, a spirited comeback fourth quarter comeback and a crash in overtime. Honestly, that truly summed up unfortunately the 2023 football season. Certainly, a rather disappointing way to close out the season including no post season play for the first time since 2005. 

September seemed rather promising for the cougs going 4-1 with it's lone loss on the road to Kansas. If someone would have asked me at that point that BYU would be 4-1 with a road win on the road in SEC territory against Arkansas I would have replied that they are out of their mind. Unfortunately, it seems to be pretty much downhill after that with the same issue each game rinse and repeat concerning the play of the offensive line. 

Heading into the 2023 season it was expected the OL play would be clearly the strength of the team. Somehow, it became it's biggest liability which impacted pretty much the entire offense in both the run game and any passing game it was able to put together. Last season the hogs up front only gave up 7 sacks. This season they allowed 63 hurries which ultimately led to Slovis' injury and emergence of Retzlaff. It also led to OL coach Darrell Funk being released and no longer with the program. 

Although, Jay Hill's installed defense didn't exactly put up stellar defensive rankings by the end of the season. However, it certainly showed a considerable amount of improvement and signs it is heading in the right direction. The cougs secondary was definitely a bright spot with Eddie Heckard, Kamden Garrett and Jakob Robinson. The question will remain though for next season is that will Hill be able to get enough talent to operate his scheme in the Big 12 moving forward. 

Moving forward it seems that there is some collective talent to compete at the P5 level. However, it is pretty obvious that they may need much more depth to truly compete at the P5 level consistently. It was a brutal pill to swallow not having access to their top talent at so many times: Aiden Robbins ribs, Ben Bywater torn labrum, Kody Epps and Keanu Hill out much of the season, etc. 

There is certainly hope that can built around the youth movement of RB LJ Martin, LB Harrison Taggert, CB Marcus McKenzie, LB Siale Esera, SS Crew Wakely, DT David Latu, and WR Parker Kingston to name a few. Shoot, we even finally found a kicker in Will Ferrin. Was this season a total disappointment? Yes, if you consider what the cougs could have been honestly capable of. However, there are some positives in moving forward. Can BYU find the depth necessary to compete on a weekly basis? That remains to be seen. The Big 12 can be a tough conference and the play may get even deeper when adding the 4 schools in next year's schedule. 

Week 1 Sam Houston: Emptying the Noggin

Week one is in the books. Not exactly the thundering entrance BYU was hoping to make coming into the Big 12 winning 14-0. However, a win is a win no matter how ugly it might be. One point or a simple fourteen points. Typically, the first week will be ugly for many teams. Look at TCU who was favored by 20.5 and end up losing by three. Look at Laramie WY who stunned Texas Tech in double overtime. Texas State shocked Baylor 42-31. Fresno State beat Purdue. Northern Illinois took out Boston College, etc. Take the dub and move on. 

First, there is the good. BYU pitched it's first FBS shutout since 2012. One will recall vividly how porous the defense was last year which led to the staff overhaul. Jay Hill was brought in, who went to work and was absolutely outstanding. Sam Houston was only were able to rush for 38 yards the entire game. They crossed the 50 yard line only once. Considering the 57 snaps, 19 of those resulted in hurries, tackles for losses, QB hurries and/or turnovers. Of those snaps BYU only missed two tackles the entire night. One could say that tackling school last night was fully accredited. Bearcat offense was only able to manage 4.2 yards per drive. Hill's defensive secondary players Jakob Robinson, Eddie Heckard, Hamden Garrett came up bigtime. Props to Jay Hill who deserves the game ball.

Now the bad, or the meh. BYU's special teams were anything but. Punt returner Hobbs Nyberg never could seem to break free on his chances. As for the kicking game well that still remains to be seen. The bright spot was certainly punter Ryan Rehkow who was named the Big 12 special teams co-player of the week with his performance on Saturday. Against the bearcats Ryan had nine punts for 479 yard (an average of 53.2 per kick). Seven of those were at least 50 yards, with two going for 64 and 65, including 4 downed inside the 20 yard line. Having numbers like that can't hurt his chances at the Ray Guy award. 

Finally, onto the ugly. All is not well in Provo as Aaron Roderick's offense seemed almost non-existent. The offense could never seem to find it's groove. Too many third and longs. Honestly, it was non-inspiring. As many would say things begin and end in the trenches. The trench play from the OL was clearly an issue which impacted other areas. Receivers seemed to struggle to get any sort of separation without Epps and Keanu Hill out of the lineup. The running backs (both Aiden Robbins and Deion Smith) also had issues finding the holes to move the chains. It seemed to impact Slovis as well where it felt much was forced. The clock is ticking moving forward towards conference play in a couple of weeks. Even Trevor Matich former great appeared on BYU's sports nation who gave his insight and it wasn't pretty. Freshman LJ Martin came in and gave the cougars a much needed spark. LJ showed the vision and the timing when to hit the holes, etc. Can A-Rod fix the struggling offense? He has plenty of a track record to show that he can. 

One common factor in the offense is the play of the offensive line. This can be fixed but must be repaired quickly. Looking at the OL as a hole there is a theme needed to change the issues summed up in one word. Cohesion. Coming together as a whole. Could this be the lack of chemistry on the OL? This will take repetitions for the OL to mesh together. This is the first time Kingsley is playing LT his natural spot. This is the first year Weylin is at LG. This is the first time for Maile playing at BYU. This is the first time for Pay at RG. Even first time for Caleb at RT (was LT at Oklahoma State last year). Time will tell is they can come together quick enough for the Big12 conference play. 

Offseason Big 12 Coach Rankings

College football truly has become pretty much a business and what have you done for me lately. We can see this through the NIL, online gambling, etc. Coaching roles have evolved into something much different over the years to what it is today: the philosophy, the schemes, the recruiting, ability to send players to the next level, working the transfer portal/NIL deal, etc. Here's a quick subjective look at the Big 12 coaching rankings for 2023.

1. Chris Kliemen, Kansas State-Wildcat fans/players have embraced his blue collar work ethic. Klieman posted the first 10 win season in over a decade with Kansas State and Chris comes with a solid resume (102-33 record as head coach and four FCS national championships at ND State) replacing the legend Bill Snyder. Not bad for someone initially hired as a defensive backs coach. 

2. Sonny Dykes, TCU-the youngest son of former TX Tech head coach Spike Dykes inherited a sub 500 Horned Frog team taking TCU to the national championship game. Quite a performance for year one. Can he build upon the success? Many names are gone but plenty of talent remains.

3. Lance Leipold, Kansas-Coach Leipold has helped turn around the Jayhawk program getting  them to their first bowl game in over a decade. As a result, he is getting more national attention as one of the top coaches in all of the Power 5. In a recent CBS Sports panels Leipold came in at number 23 ranked nationally. 

4. Gus Malzahn, UCF-Coach Malzahn has won everywhere he has been. Gus was 9-3 in his first year as head coach at Arkansas State. In 8 seasons at Auburn he went 67-35. Coach Malzahn looks as possibly the most poised team entering the Big 12 to make a splash.

5. Kalani Sitake, BYU-Excluding the 2017 season Kalani has been a model of consistency compiling a 52-25 over those seasons. That's averaging nearly 9 wins per season with a post season bowl game each of the schedules. When most teams were not playing during the 2020 Covid year Sitake was able to coach the team to an 11-1 record highest ranking since 1996. With a defensive coaching staff overhaul and influx of transfer portal talent the cougars have a great shot at making some noise as they enter the Big 12.

6. Dave Aranda, Baylor-Coach Aranda's time in Waco has been rather intriguing. Started rough in 2020, but that was the Covid year for everyone. He came back strong in 2021 leading the Bears to their best season in school history. Last season was a bit of a struggle. Dave took care of some staff changes with a OL rebuild. Look for Baylor to rebound in 2023.

7. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State-Mike is certainly the longest tenured coach in the Big 12 conference. He has been rather consistent over the years since 2006 when he took the helm (156-75 overall). Gundy won a Big 12 championship in 2011 and has been the coach of the year twice (2010, 2021). However, 2022 was a step back at 7-6. This fall his coaching seat could become hot if things don't improve. 

8. Joey McGuire, Texas Tech-Coach McGuire might not be as notable as other former Red Raider coaches (Mike Leach/RIP, Kliff Kingsbury, Tommy Tuberville, etc). However, he sure is off to an exceptional start. Last season the Red Raiders beat Texas and Oklahoma in the same season for the first time in school history giving Texas Tech the best record in 13 years.

9. Steve Sarkisian, Texas-Coach Sark certainly has a great offensive mind. He been in programs with loads of talent (Washington, USC and Texas now). However, Sark has only produced three 8 win seasons in 9 years. He has gathered some of the best talent Texas has seen in years. Longhorns claim to be back every year but is this really the year?

10. Brent Venables, Oklahoma-Coach Venables has built quite a reputation coming from Clemson replacing Lincoln Riley. However, his first season was pretty much laying an egg in what Sooner fans normally expect finishing with a 6-7 record. The defense was basically a disaster giving Oklahoma its worst season in years. The Sooners should be undefeated (5-0) heading into Dallas when they play Texas. 

11. Matt Campbell, Iowa State-Ames Iowa hasn't exactly been a location that many coaches have succeeded with. However, Coach Campbell was named the Big 12 coach of the year twice. In 2021 the Cyclones were selected for the Fiesta Bowl (first major bowl appearance in school history) and beat Oregon 34-17 finishing ninth in both major polls (also the highest final ranking in school history). Although, in 2022 they pretty much face planted with a 4-8 record. This next season should be intriguing to see which way Iowa State trends. 

12. Dana Holgorsen, Houston-He has been a head coach for 12 seasons. Although, his first two seasons for Houston was pretty much ho hum. However, these last two years the Cougars were 12-2 in 2021 and 8-5 in 2022. There is certainly a huge difference from the AAC and the Big 12. How long will it take the Cougars to adjust is the big question. 

13. Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati-Coach Satterfield becomes the 43rd head coach in Bearcat history. Following Luke Fickell (although Kerry Coombs was named interim after Fickell left for Wisconsin) may be a tough task to follow. New to Cincy fans, he has coached for 10 years at Louisville and Appalachian State with a 4-1 record in bowl games. Job security with Cincinnati shouldn't be an issue for a few years as they transition into the Big 12.

14. Neal Brown, West Virginia-To say winning is urgent for West Virginia may be an understatement. Since taking the coaching reins in 2019 Coach Brown has only had one winning season. Back in November 2022 the Mountaineers parted ways with it's athletic director Shane Lyons which certainly doesn't help. Barring a massive turnaround it doesn't appear that Brown's days in Morgantown might not last much longer. 

Big 12 Preseason Rankings

 It seems each and every year Texas seems to reload and their fans say that they are finally back. There certainly is no question that the Longhorns are stocked full of talent sky high every year. This year's Big 12 media poll was released with Texas was picked atop the conference. The Longhorns were slotted fourth in last year's preseason poll behind Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Texas hasn't won a title since 2009. This is their last go around and they will be sure to get the best shot from each of the conference foes. How far Coach Sark gets the Longhorns to rise remains to be seen.

Big 12 Media Poll                  4th & 18
1-Texas                                  Oklahoma
2-Kansas State                       Kansas State
3-Oklahoma                           Texas
4-Texas Tech                          TCU
5-TCU                                    Texas Tech
6-Baylor                                 Baylor
7-Oklahoma State                   UCF
8-UCF                                     Kansas
9-Kansas                                 Oklahoma State
10-Iowa State                          BYU
11-BYU                                   Iowa State
12-Houston                             Cincinnati
13-Cincinnati                          Houston
14-West Virginia                     West Virginia

Each year Texas seems to have the talent but can they work together as a team? Longhorns only have a couple "tough" games on the road (Baylor and TCU). TCU last years playoff team likely will won't be the same but still has plenty of firepower. Sooner fans must be happy with the this year's favorable schedule. Oklahoma doesn't have to face Baylor nor an improving Texas Tech squad. Although, Sooners will face TCU on a short week. Another run at the Big 12 title surely isn't out of the question for Kansas State which returns QB Will Howard but must replace standout RB Deuce Vaughn and reload a secondary which certainly will be tested by the Big 12 high powered offenses. TCU big names may be gone from last years roster and the great young players will have to rise quickly. However, the horned frogs have plenty of talent in place and a schedule that isn't all that horrible. Baylor's coach Aranda made some staff changes and rebuilt the OL. Having 8 home games on the schedule should certainly be rather encouraging. Most media likely are seeing what is gone and the questions surrounding BYU. How will they adapt to a P5 schedule each and every week? How fast can the cougars adjust losing Jaren Hall and Puka to the next level. What will the defense be like with the overhaul? That same media most likely is not taking into the consideration the incoming parts/pieces. Most college football pundits predict a 5 or 6 win season. How the cougars react to adversity as it comes each week will tell the true story and where they ultimately be ranked when the season plays out. 

End of An Era: All Independent Team

 
When the clock switched over to July 1st it signaled the end of the Independence Era and the ringing in the Big 12 era. Many players rolled through Provo and LES stadium bringing many fond memories of this time period. Some of these elite athletes have gone on to the next level, while others chose to move to bigger and better things. After sifting through the dust now that BYU has begun settling into the Big 12 herein is a quick look at the "All Independent Era Players". This would be the squad chosen here to roll with. 

Special Teams

K-Jake Oldroyd
P-Ryan Rehkow
KR-Adam Hine
PR-JD Falslev
Just missed the cut-Rhett Almond, Riley Stephenson, Jonny Linehan

Offense
QB-Taysom Hill
RB-Tyler Allgeier
RB-Jamaal Williams
WR-Cody Hoffman
WR-Puka Nacua
TE-Isaac Rex
LT-Brady Christensen
LG-Clark Barrington
C-Tejan Karoma
RG-Chandon Herring
RT-Blake Freeland
Just missed the cut-Zach Wilson, Mitch Matthews, Matt Bushman, Dax Milne, Lopini Katoa, Tristen Hoge, James Empey

Defense

DE-Bronson Kaufusi
DT-Khyiris TOnga
DT-Romney Fuga
DE-Ziggy Ansah
LB-Kyle Van Noy
LB-Sione Takitaki
LB-Fred Warner
CB-Dayan Lake
CB-Kaleb Hayes
S-Dan Sorensen
S-Kai Nacua
Just missed the cut-Butch Pau'u, Brandon Ogletree, Craig Bills, Zayne Anderson, Zac Dawe

Basketball State of Mind

 
Here we are again. How time flies. March Madness is upon us and for the second straight season the cougs were not invited to the big dance. The road for BYU won't be getting any easier anytime soon as a member next season in the Big 12. Exit interviews are currently underway and so far a couple pieces appear to already be moving on from the program.

College basketball's transfer recently opened with Hao Dong (6-6 freshman Forward) and Braeden Moore (6-9 freshman Forward from Nashville TN) have both placed their names in the portal. Dong was a RSL Academy graduate who committed to BYU last July. Thus, not a surprising move playing in 4 games and only accumulating 8 total minutes. Moore's move is also not much of a surprise either with pretty much nonexistent playing time. 

Coach Mark Pope will certainly have his work cut out for him in the offseason. Rudi Williams and Gideon George exhausted their eligibility. Although, Jake Wahlin returns home. Am speculating that there may be another or two who place their name in the portal or move on in the coming weeks. There will be some soul searching possible staff shakeup, and recruiting to rebuild the roster with hopes to be even somewhat competitive entering the Big 12. Pope must know that his seat may be growing hot.

This squad saw the pendulum swing both directions this season with some good times (victories over Creighton, Utah including a 7 game win streak) as well as some tough trials (consecutive losses to Utah Valley, South Dakota and a 4 game losing streak). This squad seemed to struggle with a number of concerning basic fundamentals (breaking the press, free throws, etc). Pope has mentioned the struggle in being able to offer comparable NIL deals in order to recruit the better athletes.

BYU has a decent group of young players to build around (Dallin Hall, Richie Saunders, Fouss, etc. Although, there are still some glaring needs that can be addressed with the portal. The cougs need more of a scoring punch, someone who can create their own shot. Finding another piece in the guard line that can complement Dallin or Richie would be beneficial.

With Gideon George's eligibility used up it leaves Jaxson Robinson as really the only remaining wing player with decent length. Saunders can bring the hustle not found in the box score but BYU better address the length to match up with most teams in the new conference. Otherwise, teams will absolutely exploit that at will in the Big 12.

There is no question that Fousse is the cougs best player. Atiki played incredibly well in the WCC tourney but BYU must find a way to add another big man. Fousse seemed to struggle at times matching up with bigger players. The cougs really need to find a true big man who can play the 5 spot, who can crash the boards, protect the rim and from time to time put the ball in the hoop. 

What Pope does in the offseason surely will be a treat to watch. Am definitely intrigued to see what needs will be met and how soon BYU can compete in the Big 12. Time will only tell. 

Spring Football: Prep For the Big12

 
Spring football is upon us as BYU will now embark on its inaugural season as a member of the Big 12 Conference after 12 years of Independence. During that time period the cougs stacked up a record of 99-56 and now enter the league hoping to make an immediate impact.

This is where it all starts and the work begins. Following the disappointing 2022 season BYU revamped both the staff as well as the roster. BYU will now have 15 practice sessions stretched over six weeks discovering what it has, what changes still need to be addressed, implementing new schemes/strategies, figuring out a 2 deep, among other things with the end goal in mind placing the best product on the field to compete from day one. 

During this time period there will be a number of things both coaches and fans will have in observations and their impressions. There are numerous questions to be asked. What will the offensive line look like this year with having so many departures and incoming transfers? Due to the same roster overhaul what will the 2 deep look like? Can the kicking game ever recover? What players will stand out and rise to the occasion, while others may decide to look elsewhere? How will the reworked defensive line perform this year? The list could go on. 

The road graders. Most fans know everything starts and ends in the trenches. Offensive Line Assistant Coach Darrell Funk had to revamp pretty much the entire line with the numerous departures and incoming transfers. Listed below is my best guess at a OL 2 deep but is certainly wide open at the moment as is a work in progress as the staff is still trying to nail down what five work best together considering so many interchangeable rotating parts. 

LT-Kingsley Suamataia, Brayden Keim
LG-Connor Pay, Sam Dawe
C-Paul Maile, Connor Pay
RG-Ian Fitzgerald, Weylin Lapuaho
RT-Lisala Tai

The quarterback room. With Jaren Hall onto the NFL who will step up to continue the quarterback factory? Initial observations have shown transfer Kedon Slovis to already have settled in nicely as the next man up. Jake Retzlaff may certainly push Slovis but has been sidelined due to having his tonsils out. Former Boise State transfer Cade Fennegan is also hoping to make the most of his opportunity. One note item worth mentioning at the moment Sol Jay Maiava Peters has been moved to running back. At the moment all indications seem to appear that BYU football is in good hands with Slovis holding the keys to the offense.

The pigskin and the carriers. Gone is Christopher Brooks but incoming UNLV transfer Aiden Robbins should be a rather fine replacement. There are a few remaining familiar faces in Miles Davis (has switched jersey numbers from 19 to 4), Hinckley Ropati and newcomers Sol-Jay (switching from QB), Helu Nukuluve. Helu back from a mission will be looking to make some noise while Ropati hopes to build and last year's success. The talent and depth will be reinforced even further in the fall with the arrival of heralded freshman LJ Martin. 

Taking flight. Puka took his football (and his talents) to the next level. There still remains a solid core of receivers for Slovis to rely on: Kody Epps, Keanu Hill, Chase Roberts and look for Dom Henry to emerge. With Epps still recovering from shoulder surgery Slovis seems to have found a solid connection with Henry. Once the season starts look for Kody Epps to have a breakout season announcing himself to the nation. 

Tight End Tradition Continues On. While BYU may be known predominantly as Quarterback Factory, those signal callers wouldn't receive all the notoriety without the hogs on the OL and someone on the receiving end of all of those passes. The cougs certainly have a rich history at this position. Names such as Clay Brown, Byron Rex, Chad Lewis, Matt Bushman, Chris Smith, Jonny Harline, Dennis Pitta, Doug Jolley, Todd Christensen, Gordon Hudson among so many others brings back many fond memories. This year's crew is no different full of talent. Isaac Rex is the headliner with Masen "Air" Wake, Ethan Erickson and Jackson Bowers (who will arrive in the Fall). Ethan has improved his blocking skills and has been emerging as the number 2. Look for Bowers to make a strong push in the two deep once on campus.

Defensive Line Overhaul. Coach Poppinga (over the defensive ends) and Sione Po'uha (over the defensive tackles) will have their work cut out for them starting nearly from scratch. Some scary stats BYU ranked 102nd in red zone defense (60 chances with 53 scores), ranked 98th in rushing defense (allowing 4.55 yards/rush, 173.8 yards per game with 22 rushing TDs), ranked 97th in scoring defense allowing 383 total points or 29.46 per game, 130th (out of 131 rankings) in team sacks 15 total or 1.15 sacks per game. Names to look for who hope to make the two deep for DEs include Isaiah Bagnah (transfer from Boise State), Michael Daley, Aisea Moa, Logan Lutui and Tyler Batty. Sione will work heavily with Atunaisa Mahe, Jackson Cravens (incoming transfer from Boise State), Caden Haws and John Nelson who seemed to make a strong impression towards the year end. The only way is up to improve on last years stats.

Linebacking Crew. BYU has a great history at this position. Such names include: Rob Morris, Kurt Gouveia, Fred Warner, Sione Takitaki, Shay Muirbrook, Kyle Van Noy, etc. This year is no different. Assistant Coach Justin Ena certainly will have some talent to worth with. Names hoping to be on the two deep include: Ben Bywater, Chaz Ah You, Isaiah Glasker, Max Tooley, Logan Pili and Siale Esera. Can Chaz remain healthy? When healthy he seems to have a nose for the ball. Having both Tooley and Bywater back should be a huge boost. This position though, could use possibly a bit more quality depth.

Who's in the Secondary. This year Assistant Coach Jernaro Gilford will be over the cornerbacks while Jay Hill will work with the safeties. Notable names of the safeties include Micah Harper, Malik Moore and Raider Damuni. Cornerback's incude Jakob Robinson, Eddie Heckard, George Udo, Mory Mamba and Macus McKenzie. Having Heckerd aboard should be real boost in terms of experience and familiarity with the defensive scheme. How fast can Raider get away from the old mission legs will be a great question. The secondary should be in great shape despite losing two starters in Gabe Jeudy Lally and D'Angelo Mandell. Maybe the question might be how fast can the defense adjust to Jay Hill's defensive scheme.

Not always Special Teams. Gone is Jake 'the make" Oldroyd who seemed to struggle down the stretch (9 of 14). BYU was 10 for 15 in FGs and 49-51 on PATs. The bright spot on the special teams was clearly Ryan Rekhow. He averaged 46.2 per pun (10th nationally, net punting) with a high 71 yard punt. Ryan clearly was an asset often helping to flip the field. Hobbs Nyborg certainly wasn't flashy but definitely incredibly consistent (22.8 avg kick return). At what point do the cougs find an answer in the kicking game? BYU picked up Will Ferrin from Boise State hoping to stabilize their kicking. Justen Smith seems to struggle since he kicks a low ball. Would like to see what Cash Peterman is capable of. There is certainly a possibility the cougs grab a kicker from the transfer portal as well. Time will tell what the answer is.

By the end of spring ball hopefully the cougs will have answers to many of these questions. The staff hopes to implement the new defensive scheme (although maybe very basic at this point), figure out decently what the two deep will look like, can we find a suitable kicker, get the newcomers familiar with the playbook, etc. Although, there still may be changes/additions ahead at the end of spring. Each day puts us towards the end goal in mind putting the best product on the field to compete from day one in the Big 12.

Alignment and Realignment

Last July, weeks after USC and UCLA shocked the nation with their Big Ten announcement, Pac 12 commissioner George Kliavkoff stated boldly "No Pac12 school is going to the Big 12". Eight months later, may give a much clearer indication of the outcome and fallout.

Kliavkoff is facing immense pressure to produce a new media rights deal to its members by the end of the month. However, things are certainly not looking bright to assemble such an acceptable deal. Sources aware of the ongoing media discussions have said the Big 12 conference have been in recent contact with the Four Corners (Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah). If this truly is the case, it surely would be an indication that either the potential deal numbers may be rather underwhelming or that there is likely no deal outcome. Yet, the remaining P12 schools continue to state they will remain steadfast standing together. Big 12 commissioner's goal is well know to be in 4 time zones. Several P12 voices have given their displeasure how long the negotiations have already taken. 

There are rumors of the P12 attempting to add more members likely poaching teams from the MWC. Two of which are known as potential expansion candidates in San Diego State and SMU. Could Colorado State be a possible addition? It does have a new football stadium and is known to be a research university. However, the P12 already owns the Denver television market with Colorado. Thus, that makes no sense. How about Boise State or Fresno State? They are probably much better fits in the Big 12. Have heard as well of a possible alliance with the ACC. Yet, we've already seen how alliances go in the NCAA. 

Even though publicly the school say that they will stand in unison, at the end of the day we know that this about money and each will look out for themselves. What are their benefits? What are the advantages of sticking around? Or do they seek acceptance into another conference (Big 12). Keep in mind, the votes of the presidents and chancellors are the ones who will truly count. With the current outlook, even if a deal was secured it likely wouldn't be able to match what could be given if school A, B, or C were to bail to the Big 12 which is the end goal for Yormark (4 time zones, we are open for business) which my guess we shall see at least two split off to accept an invite elsewhere (likely Arizona and Arizona State), possible more. That likely would mean the end of the P12 "conference of champions" as we know it.

Show Me the Money: What To Do

 
It has been widely known that the Big 12 reached a new media rights deal worth a gargantuan amount of coin. Sports Business Journal reports that the conference has re-upped with ESPN and FOX on a new 6 year agreement worth a total of $2.28 billion. The existing deal has two years remaining, so the six year extension will run through 2030-31. New Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark since working under the direction of Bob Bowlsby, moves have proved to be genius.

The annual average distribution comes out to $380 million when the new contract begins in 2025-26 per SBJ, which is an average of $31.6 million for the conference's 12 members, not including revenue from the NCAA mens basketball tournament and soon to be expanded College Football Playoff. The current deal has an average of $220 million per year. According to Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollar, Big 12 schools will get close to $50 million annually despite the fact that Oklahoma and Texas will be departing from the conference for the SEC in 2025.

Apparently, the new Big 12's contract reportedly does not close the door for additional expansion either. it has a pro rata clause in the event of future expansion which likely could be around the corner in regards to the Pac12 shaky media situation. It has been widely reported that the Big 12 has had contact with Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah. The P12 seems to be struggling to reach a new deal with its media rights expiring in 2024. Thus, the Big 12 expansion seems highly likely around the corner as Yormark previously stated his desire to operate in 4 time zones.

BYUs operating budget has been ridiculously minimal in comparison from other major universities at best taking no funds from the church but through donors, etc. This would be an incredible change in the amount of cashflow to stand on. As a new member of the Big 12 in 2023 BYU's cut likely will not be in the full payout immediately but whatever their share is certainly will be rather significantly more than the $6-$10 million it was making during the Independence Era deal with ESPN.

So what does BYU do with a $1 million check, or even much more with the incoming money? Where would you spend that kind of coin?

Staffing. One could assume since it's pretty much common knowledge that the University coaching salaries are likely underpaid compared to similar positions in other Power Five conferences that there will be plenty of coin flowing to the athletic coaches being paid finally more competitively and likely adding more supporting staff members. Back in November BYU athletics showed just under 250 employees. By comparison University of Texas listed more than 470 employees in their athletic department. Expect more hires as the athletic program enters into the Big 12 era. 

Travel. During the Independent Era BYU football has played all over the country from sea to shining sea (Pac12 teams clear to Coastal Carolina as recent examples). Entering the Big 12 there is certainly a change in geography and additional miles (longer trips). The student athletes will be spending more hours away from campus completing more remote homework/assignments/projects so more tutors will likely be needed. When possible charter flights for all major sports as well.

Facilities. Although, highly unlikely BYU would build a new football or basketball facility. However, upgrades could certainly be expected. Possibly fill in the corners at LES, throw in some suites (corporate or otherwise, etc). Upgrade the restrooms and stadium seating. The Smith Fieldhouse is up in years, almost as old as Keith Richards, perhaps then a new fieldhouse for volleyball, etc. 

Recruiting. This is the lifeblood of the program. This is also an absolute must in order to compete at the highest levels. BYU will certainly need to add to the quality depth on the roster and quickly. Even with more coin available BYU ultimately may still have a limited draw pool it can offer from due to the culture and/or honor code. However, BYU can certainly make positive progress to attracting more top end LDS athletes who may have gone elsewhere due to the P5 status and find those often overlooked. Find a footprint in recruiting of the Big 12 country. 

Shuffling the Deck: Coaching Staff Overhaul

 BYU has finished the absolute overhauling of its coaching staff with the heavy focus on the defensive side. The cougars have announced the staff and their roles heading into the inaugural season with the Big 12 as follows:

Jay Hill: Defensive Coordinator, Safeties & Assoc Head Coach

Justin Ena: Linebackers

Kelly Poppinga:Special Teams Coordinator, Defensive Ends

Jernaro Gilford: Cornerbacks

Sione Po'uha: Defensive Tackles

Hill arrives at BYU with 22 years of coaching experience. Jay transformed Weber State into a perennial FCS Power. Weber has been ranked as high as No. 2 in the country and has gone to dix of the last seven FCS playoffs. The wildcats have won four Big Sky titles. His defenses were among the best in the country in addition to being a proven recruiter. Coach Hill is inheriting a defense that was clearly the worst in Sitake's tenure by a wide margin (ranked 93rd). He is also making the jump from FCS to the Power Five. When Jay was at Utah they made the same type of jump to the Power Five who understand what it takes. Hill hopes to take that experience and mold the defense worthy to compete in the Big 12.

Ena comes back home to BYU where he played from 1997-2001 including four seasons in the NFL bringing 16 years of coaching experience. Justin has coached at Southern Utah, Weber State, Utah State, Utah Tech, Utah and most recently San Diego State. His defensive staff ranked 4th nationally in red zone defense, 21st in rushing defense, 21st in tackles for loss, 24th for sacks, and 25th in scoring defense. He has stated "I am beyond blessed to be able to come back home to BYU and win conference championships in the Big 12".

Poppinga has coached at BYU, Virginia and Boise State. He played in the NFL in 2008 including going to the Super Bowl XLIII with the Arizona Cardinals. Kelly has coached Kyle Van Noy (two time Superbowl Champion), Fred Warner (now widely considered one of the best MLB in today's game), Alani Fua and Spencer Hadley. Not bad for a guy from Evanston Wyoming. 

Coach Gilford was the lone defensive assistant retained on Sitake's staff. Previously he was the secondary coach for Southern Utah. SUU's defense racked up 20 interceptions good for No. 3 in the FCS in 2015, limited opposing teams to just a 102.5 pass efficiency rating, ranking No. 9 an improvement from the previous year at 111th. During his BYU tenure Jernaro has turned the cornerbacks into a position of strength exceling in recruiting a position group historically difficult at BYU. Coach G is real, honest, upfront, brings out the potential of his players and is such an important piece of this staff with what they are going to do in the coming years. 

Sione has been to the highest levels and is an absolute home run hire for the Cougars. He played 8 years in the NFL. While on the Utah staff team North in 2019 ranked No. 2 in the FBS in total defense that season also held 6 opponents to 7 points or less. If there is anyone that can help restructure and fix the current state of the DL Po'uha sure can. He is that man. 

Absolutely love this staff put together this offseason. If there was a defensive staff I'd follow into battle this is the crew. Can they revitalize, revamp and find the defensive depth necessary to compete weekly in the Big 12 time will tell but I absolutely love our odds.

Bold Declarations: A Look Back at Independence

It was back on 31 Aug of 2010, one of the most history decisions in BYU sports history when they announced to leave the Mountain West Conference and go independent in football to join the West Coast Conference in all other remaining sports. The following day, BYU made it known of a long term television agreement with ESPN. In turn it allowed BYU the freedom to broadcast sporting events on its own network BYUtv. No more of almost zero visibility on "the MTN".

At that time, there were only three independent teams in football: Notre Dame, Army and Navy. No one, would have guessed what the impact and ramifications of independence could have in store. Although, the goal in mind was two fold: access and exposure. The relationships that athletic director Tom Holmoe had developed over the years certainly played a major role then and now. BYU officially joined the WCC on 1 July 2011 and the cougars played their first independent game on 3 Sept 2011 in Oxford Mississippi. 

Before leaving BYU to become head coach at Virginia, Bronco Mendenhall stated publicly that independence was not sustainable. However, the cougars continued paving its path boldly and nobly with the end goal getting access into a Power Five Conference.

With the help of partnership from ESPN Cougar fans throughout the nation experienced a host of truly memorable games. Through its eleven seasons of the Independent Era BYU played in all four continental time zones facing 23 first time FBS opponents and played ultimately 55 games versus Power Five competition by the end of 2022. Since 2011, only two other programs west of the Mississippi (Oklahoma and USC) have more games on national networks than BYU within that same time frame. 

Such a major difference from the limited viewership of "theMTN". Holmoe wanted our spirit, tradition, and honor to play out on the absolute brightest national spotlights. BYU sports historically has been one of the best exposure tools for The Church.

Some of the memorable games of the Independent Era include the following:

14 Oct 2011 This was BYU's absolute first game as an Independent matched up against Ole Miss deep in the heart of SEC country. In the close battle BYU trailed with just over five minutes remaining 13-7. Kyle Van Noy came off the edge on 3rd and long sacking the quarterback, forcing a fumble and recovered it for the go head touchdown.

7 Sept 2013 The dynamic duo of Taysom Hill and Jamaal "Swagdaddy" Williams ran all over the Texas Longhorns in this one to a 40-21 victory combining for 441 yards rushing.

6 Sep 2014 Pretty much the same story as the previous year with the Longhorns. Rinse and repeat. However, this one is famous for Hill's Hurdle on his way to a touchdown in dominant fashion beating Texas 41-7.

5 Sep 2015 Who can forget the Hail Mary with no time left from Tanner Mangum to Mitch Matthews to beat Nebraska 33-28 spoiling the debut of Cornhusker's coach Mike Riley?

8 Oct 2016 Heading into East Lansing Michigan the cougars certainly didn't overlook the tradition and history from the Spartans. Taysom Hill guided the cougars through the third quarter but JSwag Daddy took over in the fourth. Jamaal ran for 163 yards and 2 touchdowns beating Michigan State soundly 31-14.

30 Sep 2016 No one expected a game against Toledo to be one with such offense to light up the scoreboards. The two teams racked up 1278 yards scoring a combined 108 points. Kicker Rhett Almond put this one away for BYU 55-53.

15 Sep 2018 Coming off a horrendous 2017 season and Wisconsin was ranked heading into clash of the two squads. This one looked like a total mismatch on paper. Sione Takitaki led BYU's defense with 12 total tackles helping the cougars in a 24-21 victory. 

7 Sep 2019 Zach Wilson completes a 64 pass to Micah Simon placing BYU within FG range. Kicked Jake Oldroyd sent the game to overtime against Tennessee and BYU was able to find the will to victory in double OT thriller beating the Vols 29-26. 

14 Sep 2019 After traveling back from Knoxville TN the Cougars squared up with USC who were 2-0. An interception by Dayan Ghanwoloku ultimately sealed this victory in OT 30-27.

18 Sep 2021 In the Pac12 matchup with the Sun Devils Tyler Allgeier created one of the more memorable saving plays in cougar history known as the Hammer helping BYU secure the win 27-17 over Arizona State.

11 Sep 2021 Will go down as the game in which ended the streak. BYU was able to beat Utah at their own game playing physical on both sides of the trenches. When the dust cleared it was BYU on top 26-21.

10 Sep 2022 After getting completely pushed around in the trenches from the previous year by Baylor, BYU staff and players had this date circled to deliver some payback. The cougars defense was able to get a 4th down stop in double OT defeating the Bears 26-20.

 Through the Independent Era BYU shown that they could compete against P5 type teams. With the increased exposure and total viewership, the access to Power Five football was about to change. The Big 12 came calling and announced on 10 Sep 2021 it had invited/added BYU to the P5 status officially starting 1 July 2023. Such a historic day for BYU athletics and the university. BYU was able to navigate through a rather unique time in history and college athletics which included the pandemic as well as NCAA changes of NIL. The administration, staff, and played stepped things up, made necessary alterations in righting the ship, an offseason staff overhaul, revamping it's roster, etc with the goal of competing at the highest level. Will it be enough? Only time will tell.

Carlino's Way

Sometime ago BYU basketball announced that Matt Carlino would be leaving the program. Carlino graduates with a degree of exercise science and has managed to find his way to the Marquette University where ironically his last game as a cougar was where Marquette plays its games. Matt will not have to sit out the traditional year and is able to play immediately as a graduate transfer. He does have some family ties located to the area.

  
Carlino averaged 13.7 points, 4.3 assists, 3.4 rebounds. There were moments that Matt would single handedly taking over the reins keeping the cougs in a contest. There were also times that Carlino “No Filter” would simply shoot the cougs into oblivion. It was frequently hot and cold. There was no in between. No filter is what you got eventually getting him benched relegated to backup duty. It quickly became quite clear things were not right in the cougar den. Things again would be done his way.

Carlino is no stranger to school hopping and this comes as no surprise under the circumstances. Other schools that came calling included Purdue, Oklahoma State, Providence among others.  Due to the unfortunate but expected transfer BYU should still be in solid shape going forward. However, with the Collinsworth injury for the beginning portion of the season the cougs might be somewhat short-handed at the point. It’s always tough to swallow losing a player with exceptional talent but Marquette will get an athlete that can make a significant impact with the right attitude. May he turn the page and find all the success to an eventual happy ending doing things the Carlino way. 

Coachin Carousel: Was It Worth It?

Each year the coaches come and they go much like the carousel. Round and round. In today's ever changing society it seems like things are more about what have you done for me lately. College football is clearly becoming more about money, winning and exposure. In fact, during this past year nearly 18 percent of all FBS schools made coaching changes. Thus, likely being phased out are the days when coaches would typically stick around for what seemed forever. Below are a few that happened. Was it worth it? Only time will tell in providing answers allowing fans to make their own decisions.

Colorado
In: Jon Embree
Out: Dan Hawkins
Last 3 Seasons: Won 13 Lost 23 Games
This past year the buffs reportedly made advances on others before settling on a hire of its own as it heads into the PAC10 in hopes to bring back the success of its past. Unfortunately, Embree and his staff no longer have any eligibility left. Adding to the challenge is a brutal schedule without even a bye week with largely the same student athletes that finished 5-7 last season.

Miami, FL
In: Al Golden
Out: Randy Shannon
Last 3 Seasons: Won 23 Lost 15 Games
Golden inherits a team with typically amazing talent but also was undisciplined in decision making (ranked 104th in TO margin last season with 27 INTs), penalties, etc. With so much hurricane rich tradition can he make something Golden happen?

Michigan
In: Brady Hoke
Out: Rich Rodriguez
Last 3 Seasons: Won 15 Lost 22 Games
Big blue certainly has some talent in the stable. Unfortunately, some glaring statistics must be altered and quickly. The wolverines ranked 109th in TO margin. They ranked 108th in scoring defense as well as were 112th against the pass. The wolverines allowed 458 points and 5860 yards. That won't win many games. The offense was 8th overall nationally but can't carry the entire workload. With some hardwork and discipline from Hoke there might be some growing pains in the short-term but the wolverines should soon be back in business.

Pittsburgh
In: Todd Graham
Out: Dave Wannstedt
Last 3 Seasons: Won 27 Lost 12 Games
Panther coach Graham brings an impressive resume. His teams have been full of energy and have been exciting to watch (his offenses at Tulsa were #1 nationally in 2007 and 2008). Can he find a way to do it again? The sky is the limit for his high octane offense.

San Diego State
In: Rocky Long
Out: Brady Hoke
Last 3 Seasons: Won 15 Lost 22 Games
Can the Aztec momentum continue under Rocky Long? The offensive cupboard certainly wasn't left bare. It ranked 16th nationally highlighted by senior caller Ryan Lindley and super soph Ronnie Hillman who rushed for 17 TDs and over 1500 yards. The aztecs might not win the MWC with Boise State and TCU in the mix but SDSU should absolutely compete and find themselves in yet another post season bowl game.

Big Light Sophs: 10 To Keep An Eye On

Every year sports fans across the nation will often debate at some point athletes who might be rising or also might fail to live up to the hype of their first effort. It's always exciting to watch to see if they make the cut and live up to the hype of fans expectations. That's what makes sports so enjoyable. That valued time around the water cooler discussing everyone's viewpoints. Here's ten sophomore quarterbacks that certainly could be worth keeping an eye on this year.

Jake Heaps/BYU wasn't truly handed over the car keys to the offense until week 4 and never had full snaps like most in spring/fall camp. Jake finally has that repetition available now with an assistant staff overhaul. The offense should be settled and in sync ready to roll. The question remains was last season's last half of the schedule that easy or was there truly that improvement. Cougar fans should be able to answer that watching how the blue and white jerseys handle the front loaded 2011 schedule.

Keith Price/Washington hopes to be the next great Husky to take the reins behind center with Jake Locker taking his game to the Tennessee Titans. So, where does Price stand? Back in high school he had over a 70 percent completion ratio. Price was also selected in high school as the 33rd ranked dual threat QB prospect. Out of spring practice he was also essentially named the starter. The offense does have its share of playmakers which should help ease the "Price" of the transition from Locker which includes junior Chris Polk who rushed last season for 1415 yards (second most in school history).

Danny O'Brien/Maryland emerged last season as one of the nation's best promising young quarterbacks after throwing for over 2400 yards and 22 TDs including an efficiency rating of 134.5. O'Brien is only one of four players in school history to throw for over 400 yards in a game. With four returning OL starters O'Brien should be poised to have yet another successful season.

Nathan Scheelhaase/Illinois came into the 2010 season as a unproven redshirt freshman who emerged as a solidified starter. Scheelhaase threw for over 1800 yards and 17 TDs (even rushed for 868 yards with 5 TDs) in his freshman campaign. His aerial assault (TD to INT) ratio even is definately respectable 17 to 8.

Jeff Godfrey/UCF very well could be driving his way to yet another successful sophomore season. He has an entire OL returning with experience and the lineman have even promised not to give up a sack in 2011. Last season Godfrey threw for 2159 yards 13 TDs 8 INTs and a 154 efficiency rating while rushing for 566 yards and 10 TDs on the ground.

Casey Pachall/TCU was a four star athlete ranked in 2009 by recruiting services rivals as the 9th best best dual threat QB in the nation. The time to rise and shine is now. Dalton exhausted his collegiate eligibility heading to the next level and that mantle now falls squarely on the shoulders of Pachall. Yes, the horned frogs may have only one returning OL starter back but TCU also has an insanely favorable schedule with a defense which has been tops (or darn close to tops) the past three or four years to help ease any pressure.

Aaron Murray/Georgia may have lost wideout standout AJ Green to the Cincinnati Bengals but may have found some capable replacements in freshman Malcolm Mitchell and junior Tavarres King. In his freshman season Murray connected for 24 TDs and nearly 3050 yards with a rating a 154.5. If the dawgs OL can hold together to give Murray ample time there's no reason why Murray can't succeed. Although, the first week Boise State might have something to say about that.

Kolton Browning/UL Monroe might as well been selling pop corn in the stands last season. It's about all that was left out far exceeding all expectations of a normal incoming freshman. Browning amassed nearly 3000 yards of total offense (rushed for 385 yards and 4 TDs). He threw for 18 TDs with 2552 passing yards with nearly a 62 percent pass completion ratio. The warhawks definately need to rally around Browning but also need to raise the bar of performance considering considering some tough road games against Florida State, TCU and Iowa.

Corey Robinson/Troy couldn't have asked for a freshman season statistically. Robinson struck for 28 TDs covering over 3700 yards. Yes, 3726 to be exact. His offense averaged over 34 points on the scoreboard last yer (ranked 17th nationally). He even lit up Ohio at the New Orleans Bowl going 32 of 47 for 387 yards and 4 TDs.

Tyler Bray/Tennessee produced some rather respectable stats in a considerable early season substitutional role. In only 5 starts Bray threw for 1849 yards 18 TDs with a efficiency of 142.7 without the benefit of an effective ground game that finished basically dead last in the SEC (managing only 116 yards per game).

Summer Heats Too Early Top 10

Rarely do the final college football polls ever resemble anything remotely similar to those all too early summer rankings. Who will be this years champ when the final whistle sounds? Will it be finally be someone not from the SEC? Or will it be some form of conference repeat? Until the games are played out it's often anyone's best estimate. Here's how the view from the other side of the lake saw things.

1-Alabama is poised for another run at the national title. All the necessary ingredients seem to be set in place. The offensive trenches return four out of five starters. The defense welcomes back nine of eleven starters that ranked #3 nationally holding teams to a stingy 13.5 points a game. Even the schedule looks inviting having Arkansas, Tennessee and LSU all at home.

2-Oklahoma has 9 of 11 offensive starters back in the fold for another run at the title including the dangerous combo of junior quarterback (and Sammy Baugh winner) Landry Jones and senior consensus All American widout Ryan Broyles. The sooner offense averaged 481 yards a matchup while the passing game ranked 3rd nationally. The SEC national championship winning streak has certainly got to come to an end soon. The sooners certainly have the capability to do just that.

3-Oregon returns the key components of last years top ranked explosive offense centered around juniors signal caller Darron Thomas and Heisman Trophy finalist in tailback LaMichael James. On the other side of the ball the ducks last season allowed opponents only 4.7 yards per play (11th best nationally). Yes, they might only return five defensive starters but Oregon also played a heavy rotation likely due to the pace of their style of play. The ducks won't have time to rest as its biggest test may lie straight out of the gates when play travel to LSU to open the season.

4-LSU finished with an 11-2 record despite an offense ranked 11th in the SEC triggering a change in offensive coordinators. Steve Kragthorpe was brought in to help restore the offensive swagger for the tigers which begins with a three year starter under center. Senior Jordan Jefferson returns as the winningest active SEC quarterback with a 20-7 record. Definately not too shabby to work with. Four out of the five offensive line starters are back. The defense ranked 3rd in the SEC and good enough for 12th overall. The tools are in the shed. Its just a matter of process in getting things done. Tests include Oregon at home and on the road against Alabama.

5-FSU and their decision to place Jimbo Fisher at the coaching helm is looking rather solid now revitalizing 'nole nation after successfully guiding the seminoles to 10-4 season (first 10 win season in 7 years) including a 26-17 Chick-fil-A victory over South Carolina. In fact, FSU still looks sound enough to likely grab the ACC title and a BCS bowl berth despite losing Christian Ponder to the next level. Plenty of talent and skill return for the fans to start practicing the tomahawk chop once again.

6-South Carolina returns two of its most explosive weapons in sophomore sensation tailback Marcus Lattimore and junior wideout Alshon Jeffery. Lattimore certainly looked like anything but a freshman in 2010 amassing 1197 yards and 17 TDs. Jeffery also compiled a more than respectable 1517 yards and 9 TDs. Despite the uncertainty at quarterback South Carolina learned how to win and make some serious noise in both the SEC and in the nation.

7-Oklahoma State has arguably the nations top aerial assault combination returning that dropped an average of 44 points a game on the scoreboard. Senior quarterback Brandon Weeden (who turned his back on the NFL) connected on over 4200 passing yards and 34 TDs with Justin Blackmon who racked up nearly 1800 receiving yards and 20 TDs. Last season the cowboys defense ranked 11th nationally in the TO margin but allowed over 26 points a game.

8-Nebraska could be entering the Big12 at the right time. Consider that Michigan is rebuilding under Hoke. Ohio State is scrambling dealing with the whole tattoo situation. Penn State isn't completely solidified in its quarterback situation. And so on. Thus the huskers certainly could make some noise. And yes, even the defense last season ranked 11th nationally. Could the huskers biggest challenge be the team chemistry? Coach Bo Pellini overhauled his staff with four new coaches. Should be interesting how all the pieces fall into place and somehow mesh together.

9-Texas A/M on paper looks strong to challenge BIG12 supremacy with possibly the best squad the aggies have fielded in more than a decade. The aggies return 9 starters from an offense that averaged nearly 442 yards. They know how to put points on the board averaging 31 led by a trio of seniors in QB Ryan Tannehill, TB Cyrus Gray (200 carries, 1133 yards and 12 TDs), and wideout Jeff Fuller (72 receptions, 1066 yards and 12 TDs). Yes, the aggies might have lost Von Miller but return (9 starters) enough talent from a defense that allowed opponents only 21 points.

10-Notre Dame finished strong last season winning its last 4 including a 33-17 waxing of the hurricanes in the Sun Bowl. Can they keep the momentum rolling? A sense of optimism surely would be prevalent with 16 of 22 starters available. The irish have a capable wideout in senior Michael Floyd who returns with 1025 receiving yards and 12 TDs. Notre Dame's defense was led by Manti Te'o with 133 tackles (most by an irish in 27 years). Those final 4 games the "D" only allowed an average of 9.75 points per game (which included Utah, Army, USC and Miami).

Bringing Back The Domanator

Rewind back to 2001. As a senior the "Domanator" threw for 3542 yards including 33 TDs while leading the blue and white jerseys to a rather impressive 12-2 record. Fast forward to 2011 and today's reality. Brandon Doman is now the cougs new offensive coordinator leading the band of brothers as they venture boldly into independence charting their own destiny. He will be making the calls one whistle at a time.

What will it hold in store? What sort of things can cougar fans expect to see? Will there be many adjustments? Where much is given much will be required. Cougar fans expect to win and are used to putting points on the board. Many of these questions have likely been asked by cougar fans across the nation. Such are some of the examples that Doman will likely encounter and must handle.

Precise accurate receiving routes. Knowing how to get open and exactly where to be at any given time. This will surely be addressed. Get into a flow. The communication between Heaps and his weapons will be crucial in order to move the chains.

Player accountability on dropped passes. Last season it happened far too often. This cannot continue. Days of the past it was unacceptable. It was an absolute rarity. Often you get one shot. Its an absolute to take full and complete advantage of the opportunities as they occur. Heaps and his receiving crew have had ample of time for quality reps to be on the same page. Look for this to dramatically change and improve.

Get the tight ends involved. Somehow the TE action virtually was a distant memory from the past. Some of the cougs biggest plays in history have come through the tight ends. Whether it was Clay Brown. Whether it was Jonny Harline. Whether it has been Andrew George. No question they must be more heavily involved.

Open up the playbook. No more vanilla. Bring back the old school. Keeping opponents on their heels guessing. And guessing wrong. Far too often last season at times those plays were simply too predictable. Got to hit the opponent in the jaw early, often and coming from all possible angles. Teams can't have any clue where or when the cougs will strike next.

On the fly. Allow freedom for adjustments as they need to be implemented. Things will come up. Can't allow to get painted into a corner in the ever changing game. Every play will present new possible wrinkles. Giving all team captains more opportunities when needed for audibles as well as the player communication each down can only be a positive.

Synergy can certainly be a powerful word. Keep the band of brothers together strong as one. I believe it was Aristotle who said some serious truth which could be applied here. The whole is greater than sum of its parts. This season the cougs emergence into independence will be vital to this exact manner of thinking. It will take everyone working together on all levels as a collective unit. Together this band of brothers will certainly write history. What is says will only be known as we watch it play out one whistle at a time.
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AP Photo Credit: Isaac Brekken

Defining Moments

Many years ago as a new country was in the process of declaring its independence a rather large signature was placed onto a piece of paper. According to legend it was written so large and clear that the individual wanted King George to be able to read it without the use his spectacles. That absolutely is a defining moment or signature in history. It is now a new day. A new dawn and a new season. The cougs are officially independent and able to define their own destiny.

Fans across the nation when asked what comes to mind first about BYU football many will say they know how to sling the pigskin around. No question it is an elite and visible group of members in the quarterback club. Each have had their own personalities, characteristics and defining moment in some form or another.

Ty Detmer had the killer instinct of never giving up despite whatever odds might have been in front of him. The former Heisman trophy winner finished a stellar career throwing for 15,031 yards and 121 TDs. Detmer's signature win cougar nation will recall was in LES back in 1990 when he Ty'd one on the Hurricanes leading the cougs to a 28-21 victory.

Jim McMahon might be known across the nation as part of a Superbowl shuffle but to cougar fans he likely will always be remembered for possibly staging one of the greatest college football comebacks ever slinging a hail mary to Clay Brown for a 46-45 victory over SMU.

Max Hall was able to best UCLA in the 2007 Vegas Bowl and destroyed the bruins the following year 59-0. He even beat Oklahoma 14-13 in Arlington Texas. The defining moment that fans likely to remember for Hall came from a 49 yard completion on a now famous fourth and 18 (or might as well been a fourth and forever) to Austin Collie with the final of 17-10 for cougs.

Robbie Bosco got things rolling early in the season against then third ranked Pittsburgh for a 20-14 victory. However, college football fans will recall what took place at the end of that season. Despite being injured he was able to help secure the cougs a 24-17 Holiday Bowl victory over Michigan to remain undefeated as the cougs now were able to claim the title of national champions.

Brandon Doman might be the offensive coordinator now but some fans will likely remember him as "The Domanator". However, most will recall Doman's defining moment how he was instrumental guiding Lavell Edwards last hurrah beating the team from up north 34-27.

John Walsh threw for 8390 yards and 66 TDs in his career but might be most remembered for helping the cougs end a 5 year bowl winning drought with a Copper Bowl victory over traditional power Oklahoma 31-6. Walsh finished the game 31 of 45 for 454 yards and 4 TDs.

Steve Sarkisian was part of what may have been one of the cougs best teams fielded collectively in 1996. Football fanatics will likely remember what took place on New Years Day for the 1996 Cotton Bowl. The 5th ranked cougs were led by Sarkisian throwing 21 of 36 for 291 yards and 2 TDs as Omarr Morgan intercepted the final pass from Kansas State QB Brian Kavanagh to secure the victory.

John Beck will be remembered with a number of solid wins including stunning TCU on their home field 31-17 as well as in 2006 a Vegas Bowl victory over Oregon 38-8. On the other hand cougar fans could argue his defining moment very well could be known by the play that lasted forever in the rivalry game known as "The Answered Prayer".

The names may change as they come and go through the program. This time its on the shoulders of Heaps. No longer is there any questions whatsoever who the signal caller is. Last season the training wheels came off. Jake grew up in a major way right before our eyes who rattled away 6 victories in its last 8 games. The bar has been set. What a difference a year makes. Cougar fans are clearly stoked with optimism for the upcoming season and ready to see Heaps of success. What will his defining moment be remembered as? Will it come this season against Texas? Or next year at Georgia Tech? Maybe some future bowl? Regardless what it will be fans will surely love the results.

Sticks To Measure Success

Since 1906 football teams have needed 10 yards to gain a first down. Every team across the nation has their own method in moving the chains. In 1972 Lavell Edwards took the coaching reins and forever changed the game. Recently, the university of blue and white declared its independence. They took their own route to measure success. A new unchartered territory. A brand new horizon. As a fellow cougar fan each have their own measuring sticks. Things that they would like to see from the 2011 season.

Exposure. Long term vision and the tools to make it happen on and off the field. Allowing others to learn more about what the university is about. The things it represents and values. Having a renewed partnership with the world wide leader in sports. Yes, that would be ESPN. Look for minimum 10 games on a national stage network in 2011. No longer obscured by having to browse through craigs list to find a decommissioned satellite in order to find what might be viewing somewhere in the mountain range. It's now about a national range and the worldwide stage. How about also having a state of the art tv/media facilities at its fingertips? Definately couldn't ask for a better combo and recipe for success.

Teachers and Students. Coaching staff overhaul. Ben Cahoon. Rob Morris. Joe DuPaix. Those were some of the names and changes brought to this cougar staff. How will they affect the players? Is there a much better team chemistry? Numerous questions will certainly all be answered as the season progresses.

Heaps Next Throw. Jake set every freshman QB record throwing for over 2300 yards and 15 TDs. Is he ready for the next step? Heaps absolutely has an arsenal of weapons to work with and the skillset. As Bronco says its about executing at a higher level. The bar has been set. The cougar nation wants to know and will be anxiously watching.

Tradition, Spirit, Honor and Vanilla. Last season cougar fans became restless as the offense often seemed to be too vanilla. Opponents knew what to expect and often before things happened. Will the blue and white jerseys get back to the past? Is it finally time to look to the future? With Doman at the offensive coordinator helm will the new "O" keep teams on their heels? As fans will we see trickery from time to time to keep opponents guessing and playing it straight. Inquiring minds want to know.

Tight Ends In The House. Dennis Pitta. Gordon Hudson. Clay Brown. Jonny Harline. Chad Lewis. Those are only a few of the great names that cougar fans have heard make big plays over the years. Far too often last season the tight end situation seemed to be a completely invisible facet of the offensive game plan. Will cougar fans see a change in 2011? With names like Devin Mahina and Austin Holt in the stable the weapons are certainly available. What other sort of things as a cougar fan would you like to see? Would love to hear.