Washington vs. BYU

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Yes, I recall the defense had a nice bounce off someone's foot in that game. The huskies seem to be hurting on the defense line this year with Te'O-Neseim (sp?) gone and really no one to replace him. They seem good on LB's, however. I read somewhere they may be using the 3-4 more to deal with this. It will be interesting to see if their pass coverage will be good enough to deal with the lack of a pass rush they may have.

That was the Arizona game, where they got a kicked ball INT TD to win a miracle game.

The ASU game they were beating a bad ASU team and only needed to hold the Devils to anything but a TD with less than a minute left and 50+yards from the endzone to force a miracle OT. ASU then has multiple guys running free behind everyone on the Husky defense and wins the game.

I believe this play was made possible after a fumble or INT by Jake of Nazareth.
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[Goatnapper'96]

If we win 10 games this year I will accept the proposition that Bronco is a "walk on water" type of coach. If he wins 8-9, I will feel he is a dang good coach. If we win less than 8, then my hopes that some on CB who think he is the greatest college coach in America right now are right, will be dashed.

I am with you. I see a solid shot at 8-9 wins. But if he does win 10 and doesn't get to a BCS bowl before this core of freshman graduate, there will be mass suicides along the Mormon Corridor!

[Goatnapper'96]

I think this game will be a reality check for a lot of BYU fans. I think it will be close and competitive, but my gut is telling me that Washington wins it.

In the process, I believe the Huskies will expose a lot of myths that have been fermenting in the off season. Among these myths are...

-DiLuigi, Kariya, and Quezada will provide an adequate run game

-Jake Heaps will not play like a true freshman

-Riley Nelson's experience doesn't mean anything

-BYU's defense will be its best in "several seasons" (I don't think they'll be as good as 2007)

-Jake Locker is an overrated, unreliable QB

In the long run, I personally think it will be good for BYU to lose this game. Expectations will become more reasonable, the ridiculous hype about Heaps will subside a bit, and we should still have a decent chance at winning 10 games.

This is a legitimate rebuilding year, the first of the Mendenhall era since potentially the 2005 team. It could be the first BYU team under Mendenhall that improves more than other teams throughout they year. I see the Washington and Utah games as toss ups to BYU as a slight underdog at best, BYU as an decided underdog against FSU and TCU, and a loss against a slightly inferior opponent such as AF or Nevada. Further, BYU gets 4 of its top 6 opponents in the first 4 weeks when these young kids are going to be cutting their teethe. I think BYU squeezes out 7-8 regular season wins and then wins a minor bowl game to build some momentum for next year.

[shoganai]

BYU as an decided underdog against FSU and TCU, and a loss against a slightly inferior opponent such as AF or Nevada.

Another thing that I think will be exposed this season, is that the gap between the "top" mid-majors - TCU, Utah, Boise State, BYU - and the "good" mid-majors - AFA, Nevada, Houston, etc. - is much wider than some suppose.

The top mid-majors are to the point now where they could be legitimate contenders most years, in most BCS conferences. The rest aren't really close to that yet.

[Sizzle]

This is a legitimate rebuilding year, the first of the Mendenhall era since potentially the 2005 team. It could be the first BYU team under Mendenhall that improves more than other teams throughout they year. I see the Washington and Utah games as toss ups to BYU as a slight underdog at best, BYU as an decided underdog against FSU and TCU, and a loss against a slightly inferior opponent such as AF or Nevada. Further, BYU gets 4 of its top 6 opponents in the first 4 weeks when these young kids are going to be cutting their teethe. I think BYU squeezes out 7-8 regular season wins and then wins a minor bowl game to build some momentum for next year.

I absolutely agree. Starting the season off 1-3 or 0-4 is much more likely than starting 3-1 or 4-0 IMO. If we end up with only one loss or less through the first four weeks, Cougar Nations collective Bronco Boner will be Viagra strong! And rightfully so.

A lot of people try to compare this year to 2007 as Halls first year. But Hall was still a redshift sophomore with a year running the scout team and while players hadn't had a ton of experience, both Collie and George excelled as Freshmen before missions and Unga was an older freshman with a greyshirt and redshift under his belt I believe. Plus the defense returned very solid players at almost every position.

I think the talent is absolutely at the Y, maybe some of the best talent in a long time. But they are an inexperienced group, with a tough early schedule with tough road games against Air Force and Florida State. 8-4 is a success in my eyes, with 7-5 not out of the question. But no doubt about it, BYU will be a MUCH better team at the end of the year than they will be at the start, they will be in great shape for a 2011 run IMO.

[Green Monstah]

I think this game will be a reality check for a lot of BYU fans. I think it will be close and competitive, but my gut is telling me that Washington wins it.

In the process, I believe the Huskies will expose a lot of myths that have been fermenting in the off season. Among these myths are...

-DiLuigi, Kariya, and Quezada will provide an adequate run game

-Jake Heaps will not play like a true freshman

-Riley Nelson's experience doesn't mean anything

-BYU's defense will be its best in "several seasons" (I don't think they'll be as good as 2007)

-Jake Locker is an overrated, unreliable QB

In the long run, I personally think it will be good for BYU to lose this game. Expectations will become more reasonable, the ridiculous hype about Heaps will subside a bit, and we should still have a decent chance at winning 10 games.

Interesting...I think we'll be surprised at Kariya, JJ and Quezeda. They may not equal Unga plus Tonga, but I feel confident that they'll be adequate....particularly because I think our line will be as good/better than last year.

Who in their right mind thinks Locker is overrated/unreliable? He may not be the greatest passer, but dude is an athlete. Is this just CB mind effing-speak that you're referring to?

[Goatnapper'96]

Another thing that I think will be exposed this season, is that the gap between the "top" mid-majors - TCU, Utah, Boise State, BYU - and the "good" mid-majors - AFA, Nevada, Houston, etc. - is much wider than some suppose.

The top mid-majors are to the point now where they could be legitimate contenders most years, in most BCS conferences. The rest aren't really close to that yet.

I hope you are right, but I think this is the first year in a long time where BYU could lose to another mid-major not named Utah or TCU. BYU is just playing so much youth everywhere but defensive backfield, wide receivers and OL. There is no real stud running back to rely upon and take advantage of the OL strength and wide receivers, without good qb play, are as usefull as jiggily 38 triple d's on Ellen Degeneres. On defense I think the young but talented linebackers are going to be running really fast to the wrong spots a lot. I just see the youth neutralizing the strengths rather than BYU being able to rely upon the strengths while the youth seasons.

[Green Monstah]

I hope you are right, but I think this is the first year in a long time where BYU could lose to another mid-major not named Utah or TCU. BYU is just playing so much youth everywhere but defensive backfield, wide receivers and OL. There is no real stud running back to rely upon and take advantage of the OL strength and wide receivers, without good qb play, are as usefull as jiggily 38 triple d's on Ellen Degeneres. On defense I think the young but talented linebackers are going to be running really fast to the wrong spots a lot. I just see the youth neutralizing the strengths rather than BYU being able to rely upon the strengths while the youth seasons.

I feel a lot of the same anxiety I felt in '07...so I'm basically telling myself it will turn out a lot like '07.

I understand the gloom and doom (less than 7 wins), but I think this team will pull out at least one big win versus TCU, Utah, or FSU. If UW beats us, we'll be a trap game for the 'Noles, I think.

[Uncle Ted]

That was the Arizona game, where they got a kicked ball INT TD to win a miracle game.

The ASU game they were beating a bad ASU team and only needed to hold the Devils to anything but a TD with less than a minute left and 50+yards from the endzone to force a miracle OT. ASU then has multiple guys running free behind everyone on the Husky defense and wins the game.

I believe this play was made possible after a fumble or INT by Jake of Nazareth.
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Yes, yet another demonstration of UW's great pass coverage.

[shoganai]

I hope you are right, but I think this is the first year in a long time where BYU could lose to another mid-major not named Utah or TCU. BYU is just playing so much youth everywhere but defensive backfield, wide receivers and OL. There is no real stud running back to rely upon and take advantage of the OL strength and wide receivers, without good qb play, are as usefull as jiggily 38 triple d's on Ellen Degeneres. On defense I think the young but talented linebackers are going to be running really fast to the wrong spots a lot. I just see the youth neutralizing the strengths rather than BYU being able to rely upon the strengths while the youth seasons.

Air Force on the road gives me pause. Nevada doesn't scare me a bit.

[byu71]

This is a legitimate rebuilding year, the first of the Mendenhall era since potentially the 2005 team. It could be the first BYU team under Mendenhall that improves more than other teams throughout they year. I see the Washington and Utah games as toss ups to BYU as a slight underdog at best, BYU as an decided underdog against FSU and TCU, and a loss against a slightly inferior opponent such as AF or Nevada. Further, BYU gets 4 of its top 6 opponents in the first 4 weeks when these young kids are going to be cutting their teethe. I think BYU squeezes out 7-8 regular season wins and then wins a minor bowl game to build some momentum for next year.

I don't follow the Utes close enough to know. So for you Ute fans, has Whitt had a 7 or 8 win season. Yea, I am measuring Bronco's greatness against Whitt.

I personally don't think a program of BYU's calibre and so called awesome recruits each year should ever have a 7 win season against the schedule we play.

Unless something has changed. Wyoming, UNLV, SDSU, CSU, USU and UNM are all gimmies. If you can't win a couple of games out of the 6 left, well just don't tell me how great the coach is and what great shape he has the program in.

[shoganai]

I don't follow the Utes close enough to know. So for you Ute fans, has Whitt had a 7 or 8 win season. Yea, I am measuring Bronco's greatness against Whitt.

I personally don't think a program of BYU's calibre and so called awesome recruits each year should ever have a 7 win season against the schedule we play.

Unless something has changed. Wyoming, UNLV, SDSU, CSU, USU and UNM are all gimmies. If you can't win a couple of games out of the 6 left, well just don't tell me how great the coach is and what great shape he has the program in.

If I remember correctly, 2005 was a 7-5 season, 2008 was 8-5.

[Goatnapper'96]

I feel a lot of the same anxiety I felt in '07...so I'm basically telling myself it will turn out a lot like '07.

I understand the gloom and doom (less than 7 wins), but I think this team will pull out at least one big win versus TCU, Utah, or FSU. If UW beats us, we'll be a trap game for the 'Noles, I think.

This is not like '07. In '07 the only real question was whether or not BYU had good QB play. With Pitta and Collie coming off of missions BYU had known commodities that were good in the passing game. Fui and Tonga were known commodities as both rushers and blockers, obviously Fui's injury prevented him from ever returning to the player from the first half of '06 but Harvey's surprise made us forget. Also Harvey's emergence was not an overwhelming surprise as the coaches and many in the program knew Harvey was really good. I don't think I have ever read anyone praise any of our current rbs to that level so I don't expect any surprises like that. I think Quezada could develop into the same type of runner that Curtis Brown was by next year if he really works hard. I think the other backs will be adequate but nobody we can rely upon while Heaps gains some experience. I think the AF game is really as tilted in AF's favor as it could get given the disparities between the programs. If they can't beat BYU under these circumstances, Bronco is likely to run roughshod on the Flyboys like Lavell did from after they broke our Cougar Stadium cherry to Sark's first game in blue.

[byu71]

If I remember correctly, 2005 was a 7-5 season, 2008 was 8-5.

I would throw out both of their first years as getting adjusted years.

[Goatnapper'96]

I feel a lot of the same anxiety I felt in '07...so I'm basically telling myself it will turn out a lot like '07.

I understand the gloom and doom (less than 7 wins), but I think this team will pull out at least one big win versus TCU, Utah, or FSU. If UW beats us, we'll be a trap game for the 'Noles, I think.

One more comment, I think BYU's schedule in 2010 will be much more difficult than 2007.