I just keep getting more optimistic as the season approaches! - Page 2 - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

Archaea · 06-06-2006, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fusnik11

Here is why I think the scheme won't benefit BYU this year.....

The d-line is going to be brutal. It won't much matter how good the LB's are this year, which I suspect will be better than average, because of the lack of developed and experienced talent on the front line. I see no real improvement in the defensive backfield.

I hope I am wrong.

Line play is perhaps the best predictor of success in football. Our O Line should be respectable, but the D line is just plain horrible. Follow this up by a horrible defensive back play and you have nightmares waiting to happen.

Cali Coug · 06-07-2006, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archaea

After failure after failure, I no longer harbor any optimism for anything BYU.

I hope for success but expect failure in return.

I see glaring holes along the line, terrible dbs and OC drooling at the prospects of drilling our defense.

Our offense should be acceptable, but Beck won't win many games that are nailbiters.

Until BYU actually starts dominating both lines of scrimmage, nothing but up and down seasons can be expected.

If BYU can't get back to having the best lines, BYU will start winning again.

Haha! This is an absolute caricature of every discussion we ever have!

il Padrino Ute · 06-07-2006, 01:45 AM

I'm not too sure what to think about BYU and the upcoming season. I don't know how much of their porous defense is returning, though I'd love to have Cameron Jensen playing for the UTes. The dude is a gamer. If the BYU D-line can't get a decent pass rush going, the opposing QB will have a field day against the Dbs.

Beck is a very solid QB. I think he'll have a fine season especially if he gets enough time from his O-line. Brown is a very good RB and should have another good season. I don't have any thought on the receivers, but I don't think they could possibly drop more passes than Watkins did last year.

I actually like Mendenhall's enthusiasm, but I believe he's setting himself up for some serious trouble if he is as set on recruiting only LDS kids as he seems to be, as that would severely limit his recruiting pool. Of course, I may be off-base in thinking that he only wants to recruit LDS kids and if I am, it wouldn't be surprising. Did he ever say anything like this?

Now a question for you folks: would you be happy with 7 wins and a bowl game with a bowl loss? Or would only a bowl eligible season with a bowl win be acceptable? Last year, Utah's season was a bit disappointing, but a bowl win made it much easier to accept.

Parrot Head · 06-07-2006, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by creekster

Go cougs, please?

That's t-shirt worthy right there!

Venkman · 06-07-2006, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

I actually like Mendenhall's enthusiasm, but I believe he's setting himself up for some serious trouble if he is as set on recruiting only LDS kids as he seems to be, as that would severely limit his recruiting pool. Of course, I may be off-base in thinking that he only wants to recruit LDS kids and if I am, it wouldn't be surprising. Did he ever say anything like this?

Now a question for you folks: would you be happy with 7 wins and a bowl game with a bowl loss? Or would only a bowl eligible season with a bowl win be acceptable? Last year, Utah's season was a bit disappointing, but a bowl win made it much easier to accept.

I agree that the all LDS recruiting classes could be troublesome. But I he's not just going after LDS kids. Bronco offered schollies to 15 non-LDS kids IIRC, but only one accepted. I think it may have something to do with them really stressing the Honor Code beforehand, which I didn't think they did before and it scares kids off. Just a guess. So far, Bronco's been getting some good LDS kids - if they can get some wins, I think the non-LDS will come again.

I wouldn't be happy with seven wins and a bowl loss. My minimums for a "happpy" season: at least seven regular season wins with a win over the yewts and a bowl win. I'm just sick of the Cougs losing their last two games every year. Actually, I'd probably be ok with yewt loss if BYU won at least 9 reg season games and a bowl game. But nine reg season games ain't gonna happen.

il Padrino Ute · 06-07-2006, 05:04 AM

Ok, that's good to hear that he's not confining himself to the LDS athlete only. There are many good kids that aren't LDS who, if they really understood just what the Honor Code is, would have no problem with it. As you point out, BYU needs to start winning again and it'll be easier to attract the non-LDS kids.

I've always felt that if a team goes to a bowl game, it ought to onbly be satisfied with a win. It's more than a reward for a winning season - it's a chance to show another team from another conference that your team deserves to be there. One thing that has always impressed me about Whittingham is that he's always approached a bowl game like any other game - prepare to win as if it is another game on the schedule. 5 straight bowl wins by the Utes tells me his approach is working.

TheSizzle36 · 06-07-2006, 11:05 AM

I am a little bit worried about the D-Line.. actually a lot worried. Some point to the linebackers and say that because we have 4 LBs, and they are good ones (which they are) we can overcome a lot of the Dline deficiencies.

The problem is, especially in a 3-4, for the LBs to be successful, they need to have the nose tackle occupy at least one, and preferrably two blockers. That way one of the two backers is hopefully free to make the stop on an inside run play. Now, if all three linemen are single teamed along the line, that spells trouble for the LBs. Assuming that the center takes out the NT, that basically leaves two guards and most likely a fullback for the two inside backers. And what that means is that you need to have one of you LBs get off the block of a guard, who will likely be about 50+lbs heaveir than him, and then not get blocked by the fullback, and THEN make the tackle without any help. If they don't do that, it's going to leave BYU's safeties up to make the stop, which in and of itself is a scarry thought (do you remember some of our safeties making tackles last year?).

But this is where it gets REAL scarry; if the safeties are consistently having to make tackles on running plays, they're going to naturally start biting up and will be VERY succeptable to play action passes, leaving our corners on an island, and praying that they can stick with their guys.

Perfect example for NFL fans. Many consider Ray Lewis one of the top MLBs in the game right now, certainliy better than anything we've got now. This past season he wasn't as near as effective as he has been in years past. Why? Poor D-Line play... he begged the Ravens to pick a big space eating NT, and who did they take? Haloti Ngata. Ray Lewis production should increase next season if Haloti can help keep the blockers off of Ray Lewis.

Final exhibit is the spring game; sure, Fui looked GREAT running over defenders like they were bowling pins... but do any of you believe that Fui will be the best back we see all year? How much of Fui's success in spring was because he was that good and how much was because he was going against our defense? I like Fui as much as the next guy, but I think that it's a combination of the two things.

I hope/pray/am willing to sacrifice a few cats that Tialavela, Tonga and Fuga can come in and have an immediate impact on the D-Line. That is what could be the saving grace for the season; however, I don't like to put that much pressure on incoming recruits, especially those that didn't attend spring workouts. We'll see.

06-07-2006, 01:45 AM	#13
il Padrino Ute Board Pinhead Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the basement of my house, Murray, Utah. Posts: 15,941	I'm not too sure what to think about BYU and the upcoming season. I don't know how much of their porous defense is returning, though I'd love to have Cameron Jensen playing for the UTes. The dude is a gamer. If the BYU D-line can't get a decent pass rush going, the opposing QB will have a field day against the Dbs. Beck is a very solid QB. I think he'll have a fine season especially if he gets enough time from his O-line. Brown is a very good RB and should have another good season. I don't have any thought on the receivers, but I don't think they could possibly drop more passes than Watkins did last year. I actually like Mendenhall's enthusiasm, but I believe he's setting himself up for some serious trouble if he is as set on recruiting only LDS kids as he seems to be, as that would severely limit his recruiting pool. Of course, I may be off-base in thinking that he only wants to recruit LDS kids and if I am, it wouldn't be surprising. Did he ever say anything like this? Now a question for you folks: would you be happy with 7 wins and a bowl game with a bowl loss? Or would only a bowl eligible season with a bowl win be acceptable? Last year, Utah's season was a bit disappointing, but a bowl win made it much easier to accept. __________________ "The beauty of baseball is not having to explain it." - Chuck Shriver "This is now the joke that stupid people laugh at." - Christopher Hitchens on IQ jokes about GWB.

06-07-2006, 05:04 AM	#16
il Padrino Ute Board Pinhead Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the basement of my house, Murray, Utah. Posts: 15,941	Ok, that's good to hear that he's not confining himself to the LDS athlete only. There are many good kids that aren't LDS who, if they really understood just what the Honor Code is, would have no problem with it. As you point out, BYU needs to start winning again and it'll be easier to attract the non-LDS kids. I've always felt that if a team goes to a bowl game, it ought to onbly be satisfied with a win. It's more than a reward for a winning season - it's a chance to show another team from another conference that your team deserves to be there. One thing that has always impressed me about Whittingham is that he's always approached a bowl game like any other game - prepare to win as if it is another game on the schedule. 5 straight bowl wins by the Utes tells me his approach is working. __________________ "The beauty of baseball is not having to explain it." - Chuck Shriver "This is now the joke that stupid people laugh at." - Christopher Hitchens on IQ jokes about GWB.

06-07-2006, 11:05 AM	#17
TheSizzle36 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3,786	I am a little bit worried about the D-Line.. actually a lot worried. Some point to the linebackers and say that because we have 4 LBs, and they are good ones (which they are) we can overcome a lot of the Dline deficiencies. The problem is, especially in a 3-4, for the LBs to be successful, they need to have the nose tackle occupy at least one, and preferrably two blockers. That way one of the two backers is hopefully free to make the stop on an inside run play. Now, if all three linemen are single teamed along the line, that spells trouble for the LBs. Assuming that the center takes out the NT, that basically leaves two guards and most likely a fullback for the two inside backers. And what that means is that you need to have one of you LBs get off the block of a guard, who will likely be about 50+lbs heaveir than him, and then not get blocked by the fullback, and THEN make the tackle without any help. If they don't do that, it's going to leave BYU's safeties up to make the stop, which in and of itself is a scarry thought (do you remember some of our safeties making tackles last year?). But this is where it gets REAL scarry; if the safeties are consistently having to make tackles on running plays, they're going to naturally start biting up and will be VERY succeptable to play action passes, leaving our corners on an island, and praying that they can stick with their guys. Perfect example for NFL fans. Many consider Ray Lewis one of the top MLBs in the game right now, certainliy better than anything we've got now. This past season he wasn't as near as effective as he has been in years past. Why? Poor D-Line play... he begged the Ravens to pick a big space eating NT, and who did they take? Haloti Ngata. Ray Lewis production should increase next season if Haloti can help keep the blockers off of Ray Lewis. Final exhibit is the spring game; sure, Fui looked GREAT running over defenders like they were bowling pins... but do any of you believe that Fui will be the best back we see all year? How much of Fui's success in spring was because he was that good and how much was because he was going against our defense? I like Fui as much as the next guy, but I think that it's a combination of the two things. I hope/pray/am willing to sacrifice a few cats that Tialavela, Tonga and Fuga can come in and have an immediate impact on the D-Line. That is what could be the saving grace for the season; however, I don't like to put that much pressure on incoming recruits, especially those that didn't attend spring workouts. We'll see.