Return of the Living Dork - BYU vs Virginia 2021

[Clark Addison]

I'm a little surprised by this. Bronco has never seemed natural in large group settings. He comes across as robotic. His personality always seemed better suited for a coordinator than HC, to me. I think he is naturally more an introvert than a born extravert, like Kalani. With that said, everyone I've known that has interacted with Bronco one on one, has really liked him. I would have assumed he would be good at remembering NRPIs(Succession reference: Not Real Person of Interest)

While I agree, Bronco also had a fairly healthy disdain for the media that he didn't really try to hide. Not being a Utahn, I have no idea about Alex K, but maybe that was part of it.

[All-American]

Oh come on. You don't need any kind of data analytics for a decision like that.

Hence the booing. I don’t disagree.

[Eddie]

I'm a little surprised by this. Bronco has never seemed natural in large group settings. He comes across as robotic. His personality always seemed better suited for a coordinator than HC, to me. I think he is naturally more an introvert than a born extravert, like Kalani. With that said, everyone I've known that has interacted with Bronco one on one, has really liked him. I would have assumed he would be good at remembering NRPIs(Succession reference: Not Real Person of Interest)

Honestly - it surprised me too. I would've thought that this would be right up Bronco's alley - one on one interaction with someone who is generally a BYU fan. But those were Kirry's comments on the radio show he does with Scott Mitchell nightly yesterday - he used the word "painful" to describe the shows with Bronco, and stated that Bronco didn't remember his name from one week to the next. Just weird.

[Pelado]

guy on CB was kind enough to remind everybody of the BC game when bronco punted from the BC 36 yard line on 4th and 3 down 17-3 with 8 minutes to play in the game - resulted in a touchback. and two possessions prior to that BYU punted from the BC 34 yard line - also a touchback. painful.

and if this post doesn't get cardiaccoug's ears ringing and bring him back here, nothing will.

That was a pretty boring game - pretty much nothing to cheer about the whole time. I had traveled down to the game while listening to Greg Wrubell's Cougar Tracks podcast. I was primed and ready for some explosive offense that never materialized.

My niece and nephews made a sign to display at the game. I don't remember what the sign said, but I do remember that there was never an appropriate time to display it during the game. The only score, a field goal, came when BYU was already down 10 points.

I agree with Lebowski - there was no need for advanced analytics to know that punting was the wrong decision. Pretty much everyone in the stadium knew. It was 4th down and 3 from the BC 36-yard line with 8:49 remaining in a game they trailed by 14 points.

Looking back at the play-by-play now, I wonder if Bronco's aversion to going for it on 4th was because of a failed 4th-down attempt early in the second quarter? It was 4th down and 1 from the BC 31-yard line. They rushed John Beck (presumably a QB sneak) and didn't pick up the first down.

[Bo Diddley]

That was a pretty boring game - pretty much nothing to cheer about the whole time. I had traveled down to the game while listening to Greg Wrubell's Cougar Tracks podcast. I was primed and ready for some explosive offense that never materialized.

My niece and nephews made a sign to display at the game. I don't remember what the sign said, but I do remember that there was never an appropriate time to display it during the game. The only score, a field goal, came when BYU was already down 10 points.

I agree with Lebowski - there was no need for advanced analytics to know that punting was the wrong decision. Pretty much everyone in the stadium knew. It was 4th down and 3 from the BC 36-yard line with 8:49 remaining in a game they trailed by 14 points.

Looking back at the play-by-play now, I wonder if Bronco's aversion to going for it on 4th was because of a failed 4th-down attempt early in the second quarter? It was 4th down and 1 from the BC 31-yard line. They rushed John Beck (presumably a QB sneak) and didn't pick up the first down.

Would it shock you to find out that he did so to prove a point to the offense? That you better execute on the first three downs, or just get off the field. Ok, that's just crazy talk. But would it shock you?

[Jeff Lebowski]

Vegas has BYU as a 2.5-pt favorite. But DesNews writers predict a BYU loss.

Jay Drew: UVA 38, BYU 21
Dick Harmon: UVA 31, BYU 28

https://www.deseret.com/2021/10/28/2...nt-vs-virginia

[Bo Diddley]

The more I look at this game, it just looks like a pretty even match-up. Give BYU the nod for homefield advantage. I really hope we can shore up our line play. If we can win that battle, the rest should fall into place.

[BigFatMeanie]

Vegas has BYU as a 2.5-pt favorite. But DesNews writers predict a BYU loss.

Jay Drew: UVA 38, BYU 21
Dick Harmon: UVA 31, BYU 28

https://www.deseret.com/2021/10/28/2...nt-vs-virginia

I expect BYU to lose but I won't ever actually bet against or pick against the Cougars. Pretty much any game where I give BYU only a 3-point edge in the prediction contest is a game I expect BYU to lose. I hope to be proven wrong, but sad experience has led me to operate on the principle of "lowered expectations lead to longer-term happiness".

[Donuthole]

There is some rich, Creamery irony in the fact that Bronco is absolutely, definitely not preparing his team for this game just like it were any other game.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Pretty much any game where I give BYU only a 3-point edge in the prediction contest is a game I expect BYU to lose.

[BlueK]

Vegas has BYU as a 2.5-pt favorite. But DesNews writers predict a BYU loss.

Jay Drew: UVA 38, BYU 21
Dick Harmon: UVA 31, BYU 28

https://www.deseret.com/2021/10/28/2...nt-vs-virginia

Virginia is not better than Baylor. 38-21 in Provo? They may win but that prediction seems absurd.

[Omaha 680]

I'm not in tbe prediction contest any more so I'll make it here: BYU has over 250 yards rushing and wins by 10.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Virginia is not better than Baylor. 38-21 in Provo? They may win but that prediction seems absurd.

That's what I thought. Crazy.

Never liked Jay Drew much anyway.

[originalsocal]

Agreed! Doom a gloom for the Cougs? At home? Really??

I'll say this, the coaches have had this game circled, if not literally at least in their minds. No way we come out unprepared. We might not win, but we won't be stomped. I've been holding this in, but for me and my house...we want the Cougs to destroy that self-righteous weirdo and leave not doubt that about what he left.

While I'm on the subject of Bronco, there are some things I need to get off my chest.

To start, if I was in the stadium I'd be cordial and cheer to say thanks for the memories. I'm appreciative of the years he spent at a school, let' face it, he didn't care for in the first place. He did a good job. Thanks. Full stop. Now let's also understand, that Bronco has a thin skin, and an ego the size of Texas. He was mentored by Rock Long, who hated BYU. If I remember if correctly, It took a ton of convincing for Crowton to get him here as the defensive coordinator. When Crowton was shown the door, Bronco was prepared to go to UNLV to work with Mike Stanford. It was the appeal of the players that got him to apply and for the administration to look his way. Remember, we had already offered the job to Whittingham and f'ed that up with some ill advised vacations and no returned phone calls. We then went on to Lance Reynolds, who the BYU PR machine was billing as a Lavell clone. Luckily, Bronco's skill with power point, a skeptical alumi association, a fed up board of trustees, and the pleading of players landed him the job.

The rest of the story was that of great success. Ten win seasons, national rankings, notoriety were the result of Bronco's efforts, that's for sure. As a fan, I convinced myself that Bronco, was a BYU guy, a lifer. Now days, if you are at a job more than 5 years, you are a lifer. In the coaching profession, 5 years is an eternity, and Bronco was at BYU 11 years! At that point, you leave for very limited reasons; retirement, fired for reasons outside of football (harassment, embezzlement, not paying tithing), or you are fed up. Bronco was fed up and didn't want to stick around at what he never considered his final destination.

Now I realize there are years of context that we are missing in my narrative, but in the end Bronco gave up on BYU. He wasn't a BYU guy and didn't care enough about the University or the players at BYU to stick it out. Two things here that make me believe that. First, he took almost his entire staff with him. There had to be lobbying there, convincing. There are many that don't believe that, but for that to be true the conversation would be something like, "Hi Coach (Blank) I wonder if you might consider leaving the University you love, bled, and fought for to go to the football mecca of your dreams, VIRGINIA." Nope. That didn't happen. It was probably more like, "BYU is screwing you, I'm leaving, who's with me?" The coaching cupboards were left bare. NADA!! The second convincing thing is that they tried to take players with them. They gave Taysom and Williams huge pitches, and I'm sure others as well. Just another "F-you" to the old employer. What do you think those conversations were like? Did any of part of the Band of Brothers have to convince Bronco that they wanted to be at Virginia? NOPE!

In the end, Bronco left us for "greener pastures" (which I don't completely believe) and took a flame thrower to the that bridge. What were we left with? Kalani Sitake. Now I love Kalani, He scratches my football itch, but that has come over time and patience. He's still learning, but I believe is on an incredible upward swing. At the time of his hire, however, Kalani was not ready to be HC, especially at BYU. He was given a rag tag staff and probably an assurance that he would be given enough time. Those that bellyache about Tuiaki should remember that he came with Kalani as probably his only real choice as an assistant. HUGE gamble for both, but I see them as BYU guys. BYU guys want to be at BYU. I'm sure that was why the initial staff was filled with former players. So tomorrow, I will be cordial, and even celebrate what Bronco did for us, but that is it. I want the BYU guys to show Bronco the door, and then put him back on his tricycle and send him on his way.

[Bo Diddley]

Preach!