Harvey Unga

[ERCougar]

We're all dealing with probabilities here. Sure, there are plenty of top 100 guys who don't do anything and there are plenty of under-the-radar guys who do great, but I'm gonna guess that the percentage of top 100 guys, even 51-100, who make nice contributions is higher than guys who don't. I don't see Rivals rankings as guarantees of anything--I'll believe Heaps is the real deal after he proves it in a college game--but they're encouraging indicators. Our likelihood of finding another Unga is greater when we have better recruits coming in.

[JohnnyLingo]

As much as I like Harvey, I wish we had a back like Staley or Jenkins, who were a threat to take it to the house every time they touched the ball. Just to mix it up a bit.

[Clark Addison]

I watched last week's game with a guy who spent much of the first half yelling at the TV to take out Unga and put in Kariya. Of all the things to complain about in that game, I thought he made an odd choice.

[SCcoug]

I watched last week's game with a guy who spent much of the first half yelling at the TV to take out Unga and put in Kariya. Of all the things to complain about in that game, I thought he made an odd choice.

Yeah but Kariya is undefeated as a starter.

[Goatnapper'96]

As much as I like Harvey, I wish we had a back like Staley or Jenkins, who were a threat to take it to the house every time they touched the ball. Just to mix it up a bit.

Jenkins is not as good a back as Unga, not even close. Luke Staley on the other hand was the best offensive skill player BYU has ever had. And yes I am the captain of the "Put Jim McMahon in the BYU Hall of Fame" Bandwagon, I care not how many commandments JimmyMac broke because of the SMU game that boy gets to go to heaven!

[JohnnyLingo]

Jenkins is not as good a back as Unga, not even close.

"As good a back" is a hard concept to define.

Jenkins' best season of the two was 98.

1,300 yards rushing at 5.18 ypc, 15 total TD's is not too shabby.

Harvey's stats last year:

1,100 yards rushing (4.8 ypc), 15 total TD's.

We'll see what Unga does this year, but I'm not sure I'd say Unga is significantly better than Ronney was.

[Goatnapper'96]

"As good a back" is a hard concept to define.

Jenkins' best season of the two was 98.

1,300 yards rushing at 5.18 ypc, 15 total TD's is not too shabby.

Harvey's stats last year:

1,100 yards rushing (4.8 ypc), 15 total TD's.

We'll see what Unga does this year, but I'm not sure I'd say Unga is significantly better than Ronney was.

I would. Jenkins was good and had a skill set that Unga lacks, but if I had to choose one it would be Harvey Unga every day of the week and twice on Saturday. But then again I had to pick myself up off of the floor when people asked the difference between Unga and Kariya after the OU game.

[JohnnyLingo]

I would. Jenkins was good and had a skill set that Unga lacks, but if I had to choose one it would be Harvey Unga every day of the week and twice on Saturday. But then again I had to pick myself up off of the floor when people asked the difference between Unga and Kariya after the OU game.

Is it a personal preference thing? You prefer backs who hit linebackers and make corners cry like little girls?

[jay santos]

I would. Jenkins was good and had a skill set that Unga lacks, but if I had to choose one it would be Harvey Unga every day of the week and twice on Saturday. But then again I had to pick myself up off of the floor when people asked the difference between Unga and Kariya after the OU game.

That would be a tough choice. It's kind of like choosing between Barry Sanders and Emmet Smith. I might take Jenkins just because it would be easier to find a big back to compliment him with than find a fast back to compliment Unga with.

[Goatnapper'96]

Is it a personal preference thing? You prefer backs who hit linebackers and make corners cry like little girls?

I think Harvey Unga is a better runningback. I estimate I am not alone in that opinion. I would say though that I lean towards a power back, ceteris peribus.

[SoCalCoug]

I watched last week's game with a guy who spent much of the first half yelling at the TV to take out Unga and put in Kariya. Of all the things to complain about in that game, I thought he made an odd choice.

You hang out with idiots.

[Clark Addison]

You hang out with idiots.

I blame DirecTV and Versus. I was desperate for a place to watch the game.

[BoylenOver]

I don't know how indicative yards per carry is. I've heard people I respect say it's a worthless stat, so take the following question/observation with a grain of salt.

Looking at Unga's stats, first off, he's been really great against Utah. 38 carries, 276 yards, 3 TD's, and a 6.76 YPC. And looking at his stats for 2009, Utah's not the only one getting gashed. His season total is 161 carries, 900 yards, and a 5.59 YPC.

My question is this: he has two games where he averaged fewer than 5 yards a carry: 26 for 81 (3.12) against SDSU and 11 for 50 (4.55) against UNM. What was different about those games for Unga? The SDSU game was week 7, and his carries have declined (21, 16, 11, 11) since then.

I remember Junkie posting about a rash of o-line injuries during the UNM game, and considering BYU rushed for 43 yards as a team, I presume that explains that performance.

[Indy Coug]

I don't know how indicative yards per carry is. I've heard people I respect say it's a worthless stat, so take the following question/observation with a grain of salt.

Looking at Unga's stats, first off, he's been really great against Utah. 38 carries, 276 yards, 3 TD's, and a 6.76 YPC. And looking at his stats for 2009, Utah's not the only one getting gashed. His season total is 161 carries, 900 yards, and a 5.59 YPC.

My question is this: he has two games where he averaged fewer than 5 yards a carry: 26 for 81 (3.12) against SDSU and 11 for 50 (4.55) against UNM. What was different about those games for Unga? The SDSU game was week 7, and his carries have declined (21, 16, 11, 11) since then.

I remember Junkie posting about a rash of o-line injuries during the UNM game, and considering BYU rushed for 43 yards as a team, I presume that explains that performance.

Unga has been dealing with a bum ankle for several weeks, which in addition to OL injuries helps explain the UNM game. That's why Unga's carries have dropped. He could've run more against AFA, but the game was in hand early so they wisely kept him from tweaking it so he can be as near 100% as possible for tomorrow.

[Mormon Red Death]

Jenkins is not as good a back as Unga, not even close. Luke Staley on the other hand was the best offensive skill player BYU has ever had. And yes I am the captain of the "Put Jim McMahon in the BYU Hall of Fame" Bandwagon, I care not how many commandments JimmyMac broke because of the SMU game that boy gets to go to heaven!

Luke staley???? If that is true lavell and bronco have done miracles with the talent. As for utah the best skills player has to be stevonne smith. Ronnie mac's biggest travesty is that he didn't get superman the ball enough