MWC Power Poll

Todays matchup with New Mexico at Lavell Edwards Stadium will look considerably different from the picture above considering the precipitation in the air. However, the result will be much the same for the Cougars (5-0) as they continue to ride its win streak. Look for the visiting Lobos to find a cold reception in Happy Valley (USAtoday has Cougs favored by 23). In other matchups for this weeks power poll...

1. BYU (5-0) Different week. Same outcome considering they don't lose at home.
2. Yewts (6-0) Team from up north tangels with the Cowboys in a possible "bird watch". Yewts have too much for Laramie to handle.
3. TCU (5-1) Travels to CSU but are they lookin ahead to thursdays exciting matchup with the Cougs?
4. Air Force (3-2) Falcons fly to San Diego State to pick up another "W".
5. New Mexico (3-3) Rocky Long and the Lobos lost the steering wheel when Porterie went down for the year.
6. Colorado State (3-2) Matchup with TCU will give a better indication where the Rams stand.
7. UNLV (3-3) Bye week to prepare for Air Force at home.
8. San Diego State (1-4) Only school to yet qualify for a bowl in MWC history. Don't look for it to change this season.
9. Wyoming (2-4) Schedule gets even tougher next week to face TCU after they scrap with the Yewts this week.

Brown Is Blue

The Cougars added its third commit to wear the blue jersey for the 2010 recruiting class from Algernon Brown (6.1/205) from Skyline HS who also acts as the teams punter. In the Eagles option offense Brown is receiving the bulk of the carries and has run for nearly 500 yards this season. Before the prep season began Skyline coach Roger DuPaix mentioned of Algernon "He's got a lot of poise and a lot of smarts so I think he's going to do really well". Recently Brown bounced all over Hillcrest rushing for 169 yards after missing two weeks due to a knee injury. Also from the 2010 class is Bronson Kaufusi (6.6/220 DE) from Timpview HS and Gifford Timothy (6.6/280 OT) from Middletown HS in Delaware. Good luck to a great prep season Algernon and look forward to seeing you wearing Cougar blue!

Can't Live Without

Pretty much any team across the nation always have that one player they can't live without. It is no different if one were to look across the teams from the MWC. One of those players for the Cougs would be Max Hall. Last year BYU got the Max out of Hall putting up among the best passing numbers across the nation of any sophomore QB (that includes Tim Tebow). Thus far into the season Heisman Candidate Hall has thrown for 17 TDs with only 4 INTs. Max is also already near 1600 passing yards on the season.

Last season's can't live without player for the Air Force Academy was Chad Hall. This year it would fall on the shoulders of senior QB Shea Smith (5.11/190) who has accounted for nearly forty percent of all Falcon points put on the board.

Colorado State's senior RB Gartrell Johnson III (6.0/227) scampered last year for nearly 1000 yards. The back from Miami Springs Florida is well on his way with 99 attempts for 491 yards with 5 TDs averaging 5 per carry.

From UNLV Frank "The Tank" Summers is another player that Rebels can't live without. Just ask the yewts last year (at 5.10/240 he rolled right over them for 190 yards). On the year Summers has 115 carries for 515 yards with 4 rushing TDs. In 2007 Frank steamrolled oppponents for 928 yards.

Senior Aztec linebacker Russ Allen (6.3/235) averaged 10.6 tackles per game last year. With only 3 returning defensive starting seniors Allen provides an immense value of team leadership. Last season he spotted 119 tackles for the season as well as 22 against the yewts.

In the last two seasons combined senior Rodney Ferguson (6.0/230) has rushed for nearly 2500 yards and 23 TDs for the lobos. The two time All MWC player from Albuquerque hasn't skipped a beat in 2008 busting for 523 yards and 6 TDs.

Cowboys back Devin Moore (5.10/190) is on pace to surpass last seasons total of 965 yards with 582 covered already. Moore is gaining 5.3 yards per carry and not showing any signs of slowing down. Wyoming will definately need all the mileage they can get from Devin this season.

Since finding the field as a redshirt freshman Jason Phillips (6.1/234) has started ever since. The TCU senior linebacker from Waller Texas had a team leading 87 tackles last year. Phillips has a motor that never stops.

Yewt all world kicker Louie Sakoda in 2007 placed in the top 5 in punting average and FG percentage. The senior from San Jose only missed from 45, 48 and 51. Louie was named the MWC Special Teams Player Of The Year last season. Against Michigan Sakoda drilled 4 FGs to help propel the yewts over the Wolverines.

Lobos In Loco

There has been a revolving door on the Lobos offensive coordinator's office every year the last four seasons excluding this last year when new OC Dave Baldwin decided to stick around. The wide open scheme built around junior Donovan Porterie struck a different beat when Porterie was lost for the season at Tulsa when he suffered a torn right ACL and MCL. Unfortunately, Donovan does not have a redshirt available either. Since taking snaps under center replacement freshman QB Brad Gruner is 25 of 61 for 279 yards with 2 TDs and 5 INTs (definately a statline that needs some serious work). This is also the first season in 20 years without a bye week for New Mexico as well. Things don't get any easier for the lobos who now face the 8th nationally ranked Cougars. It will be the 58th matchup between the two schools. Keep in mind the Cougs are 21-6 in Provo against Rocky Long's lobos. New Mexico is one of five teams Bronco has yet to lose to as a head coach (UNLV, CSU, Air Force and Wyoming are the others). The lobos last league title was in 1964 as WAC co-champions. A victory by the jerseys in blue grants the Cougs bowl eligibility status.

On the OL the lobos must replace and restructure nearly the entire line. Only part time starters Erik Cook and Sylvester Hatten return. Cook can play any position of the OL giving the lobos some flexibility in filling the slots. Across the rebuilt offensive trenches New Mexico averages 6.4/312 compared with the Cougs average of 6.6/326.

As for the lobo weaponry it includes senior tailback Rodney Ferguson (two time All MWC Selection) who returns from nursing a sprained shoulder. Despite playing last week against Wyoming Ferguson (6.0/230) still has 104 carries for 523 yards and 6 TDs. Sophomore wide receiver Chris Hernandez (6.3/185) leads the lobos with 21 catches covering 292 yards. New Mexico has won 14 straight games when scoring first. Although that could prove to be rather difficult considering the Cougs have outscored opponents thus far 134-17 in the first half.

Defense was the Lobo forte last season ranking 13th nationally in total "D" at 319 yards while giving up only 19 a matchup. However, New Mexico lost all three starting LBs both ends and a veteran safety. In the secondary seniors DeAndre Wright (5.11/193) and Glover Quin (6.0/203) both remain in their third season as full time starters. Look for Wright and Quin to be tested against Collie, Pitta and the possibly Reed who has been given the green light to play saturday. Senior LB Zach Arnett (5.10/205) has a nonstop motor registering a career high last week of 16 tackles against Wyoming.

On special teams DeAndre Wright can be dangerous at times as the kick returner. Kicker James Aho attempted to walk on in 2007 but was cut. He has hit 11 of 14 FGs this season. Since Rocky took the coaching reins (lookin at 10 yrs now) for the Lobos no kicker has been offered a schollie out of high school. The true freshman kicker from Roswell is off to the best FG start in school history.

Since 2001 the lobos are the only MWC team to be bowl eligible every season. However, with the Cougs 8th nationally ranked overall defense (only allowing opponents 11.6 points per game) life for New Mexico saturday might be awfully difficult. In the last two matchups the lobos have given up the rock 8 times against the Cougs. New Mexico has also had 5 TDs called back due to the yellow flags on the field this season. This team has plenty of talent to contend but many important questions remain to be answered.

Cache-ing In

Friday evening the Cougars didn't waste any time pouncing all over the Aggies "cache-ing in" on running up to an early 24-0 lead. After that it got ugly with Utah State outscoring the #7 team in the nation 14-10 in the remaining three quarters of play. The Cougars (as much as it pains me to say this) simply played uninspired football. Poor tackling, penalties (13, most penalties since Tulsa last year), turnovers, sloppy execution, and out of sync (Cougs simply lost their focus and composure after the first quarter) were all attributes that were so painfully present coming back from their bye week. Somehow as odd as it sounds through it all the jerseys in blue from "Happy Valley" found a way to hang on to win by 20.

Prior to friday night Max Hall looked unstoppable like a Heisman Candidate machine reading defenses, making audibles then picking them apart with the weapons at his disposal. Friday's performance definately didn't contribute to Max's resume in likely his worst outing of the year maybe even since the passing of the torch from Beck to Hall. With Pitta often double teamed Max often locked onto his security "Austin" blanket who was able to shred the Aggie secondary for 8 receptions 132 yards and 2 TDs. Collie has been padding his stats now for the year with 7 TDs in 5 games. It was painfully obvious how much a prime secondary target like Reed has been sorely missed. Locking onto receivers and forcing into coverage Hall was only able to muster barely 300 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INTs against a team what could have been ranked in ESPNs "the bottom 10".

The ground game just simply wasn't there friday. Unga was able to punch one in from the 11 yard line but finished with only 86 yards. Slated against the Aggies who were 2-10 last year I would have expected more from Fui and Harvey.

Ashworth, Chambers, and Kozlowski all had solo receptions. It would have been nice to spread the rock around more but Max rarely looked their way for whatever reasons (timing? confidence?). Pitta was rather productive despite the low numbers (6 catches for 70 yards) but seemed to absolutely disappear after half. Collie, Ashworth, and Pitta all had dropped passes. Not sure what the issue what (concentration, trust, mindset or what).

The hogs in the trenches provided somewhat decent protection against last year's worst WAC defense. Although the pass blocking seemed shaky at times giving up the second sack of the year with NFL scouts present.

The line for the Cougars defense stood strong all night beginning with Brett Denney and Jan Jorgensen. As a defense the Cougs collectively had 13 tackles for losses providing 5 sacks and 3 fumbles. David Nixon said it best "That's our main goal to create turnovers and give our offense a short field". The linebacking corps forced turnovers early but as the game wore on missed too many tackles. Hopefully the re-emergence of Hooks into the linebacking crew will breath some more life and consistency. In the secondary Brandon Bradley continues to get better every game. On special team Santiago was only able to average 42 yards per punt while Mitch was simply a "Payne" to watch missing 2 of 4 FGs. After the game Jan Jorgensen mentioned "A win is great but it was ugly. We've got a lot of things to work on". Aggie coach Brent Guy gave the Cougs some love "They capitalized like a top 10 will do".

Both Scott Johnson and David Nixon left the game nursing injuries. Scott had a thigh contusion while Nixon's looked worse with a helmet to the shin. Nixon and Johnson will be closely monitored day by day but probably will be available. Monday should be able to provide a better indication on their status. Shout out to ESPN and the other sports media outlets for the national press that was only able to see how the Cougs dominated early and often in a positive reporting spin. Hopefully this won't affect our national ranking that much. With a weaker ranked strength of schedule the Cougs gotta take care of business in a major way. Luckily there is a big difference between a humbling win than a humbling loss. Still on track undefeated marching to the BCS goal. Look for Bronco to pull the Cougars together in the den and begin focus back to the fundamentals and the Lobos.

Wilson "Dons" Cougar Blue

Friday morning BYU received its latest commitment to "don" the blue apparel as Spanish Fork's Richard Wilson (6.4/224) made his decision known. The Mighty Dons tight end was previously ranked #5 nationally at his position and was drawing interest from Arizona, Boise State, Washington, Miami FL, Tennessee, and LSU. Last week Wilson had 6 catches for 90 yards and 2 TDs helping to push his team to victory. Concerning the LSU possibility Richard stated "Yeah I looked at them pretty hard...but in the end...I really like the way BYU uses their tight ends. It definately can't hurt when the Cougs have such a rich tradition (Gordon Hudson, Clay Brown, Chad Lewis, Chris Smith, Jonny Harline, Itula Mili, need I continue?) including one of the current top tight ends in the nation in Dennis Pitta. He has a 32 vertical with a squat of 425. Richard runs excellent routes, is willing to go over the middle, and has great soft hands enabling him to catch most anything thrown his direction or into a crowd. He plans to play one year before embarking on his mormon mission. Richard, welcome to the Cougar den!

Where Are They Now

After coming across a recent article about the retirement of Rob "Freight Train" Morris former Cougar linebacker it got me thinking about other Cougars. Ever wondered what they are doing now? Or what team are they playing for? Listed below is a compiled list of a few notable former jerseys in blue. If you know of any additions or corrections needed to be made please let me know.

OL/Ben Archibald (Calgary Stampeders/CFL)
QB/John Beck (Miami Dolphins)
WR/Ben Cahoon (Montreal Alouettes)
RB/Dan Coates (Cincinnati Bengals)
LS/John Denny (Miami Dolphins)
DE/Ryan Denny (Buffalo Bills)
DB/Aaron Francisco (Arizona Cardinals)
NT/Chris Hoke (Pittsburgh Steelers)
C/Scott Jackson (Houston Texans)
LB/Bryan Kehl (New York Giants)
OL/Eddie Keele (Utah Blaze/AFL)
DE/Brett Keisel (Pittsburgh Steelers)
OL/Jake Kuresa (Utah Blaze/AFL
RB/Reno Mahe (Home Team Radio Sports Show)
DB/Omarr Morgan (Saskatchewan Roughriders/CFL)
DL/Hans Olsen (1280 Zone Morning Show)
LB/Brady Poppinga (Green Bay Packers)
FB/Fahu Tahi (Minnesota Vikings)
OL/John Tait (Chicago Bears)
LB/Aaron Wagner (Toronto Argonauts/CFL)
WR/Todd Watkins (Oakland Raiders)
OL/Scott Young (Cleveland Browns)