Hill Fired

[WashingtonCoug]

No, no I would not.

[Coach McGuirk]

edit: To follow up, it looks to me like BYU's defense is on the field, on average, nearly 10 minutes more than their opponents in the 4 losses. That's a LOT of time to be out on the field. Combine that with poor field position and I don't know how the defense is any more at fault for BYU's woes than the offense. http://deseretnews.sportsdirectinc.c...ms/team33.html

They're not.

[Sizzle]

I'm surprised BYU's offense is getting a pass from so many BYU fans. They've averaged 15 points per game. They can't sustain drives. They are putting the defense is in bad field position and the defense is stuck out on the field.

edit: To follow up, it looks to me like BYU's defense is on the field, on average, nearly 10 minutes more than their opponents in the 4 losses. That's a LOT of time to be out on the field. Combine that with poor field position and I don't know how the defense is any more at fault for BYU's woes than the offense. http://deseretnews.sportsdirectinc.c...ms/team33.html

I don't think anybody is really giving the offense a pass. But the offense as expected to be young. The defense was expected to be a strength with 3 returning secondary starters. I also think that if Bronco were an offensive minded coach Anae would have been let go first and Hill would have been allowed to stay and run the D. But that wasn't the case. It will be interesting to see what happens next.

[Portland Ute]

[Green Monstah]

I think firing Hill was the right move, but I can't help but think that firing the only non-lds, black coach mid-season will make BYU look even worse in the eyes of non-lds black recruits.

The season is nearly lost anyhow, why not just endure him until seasons end and then send him packing?

[Sizzle]

Looking up a few numbers, here is why Hill was fired:

BYU has had (if my count is correct) 34 straight wins when giving up 24 points or less. In losses this year, they've given up 35, 34, 27 and 31. The last three games all felt like the score could have been a lot worse and that the teams "eased up" a bit.

Also, here are BYU's defensive ranks this season:

120th (out of 120) in rushing defense at 259.2 yards per game.

101st in total defense

87th in scoring defense

85th in pass efficiency defense

On the plus side we are 28th in pass defense, but when teams are able to run all over you at will, there is no need to risk throwing the ball.

The offense isn't doing much better, but defensively, things are not going well in Cougartown.

[SeattleUte]

Looking up a few numbers, here is why Hill was fired:

BYU has had (if my count is correct) 34 straight wins when giving up 24 points or less. In losses this year, they've given up 35, 34, 27 and 31. The last three games all felt like the score could have been a lot worse and that the teams "eased up" a bit.

Also, here are BYU's defensive ranks this season:

120th (out of 120) in rushing defense at 259.2 yards per game.

101st in total defense

87th in scoring defense

85th in pass efficiency defense

On the plus side we are 28th in pass defense, but when teams are able to run all over you at will, there is no need to risk throwing the ball.

The offense isn't doing much better, but defensively, things are not going well in Cougartown.

Too bad Bronco wasn't a defensive coordinator, because Whit seems to have strong defenses whoever he throws in there as nominal DC. That was one of Crowton's problems, actually; crappy defense.

I'm old school. I think head coaches win and lose football games. I think this blaming the assistants is crap. Great coaches win with whatever the staff. Utah's 2008 DC was a kid, and its OC was more maligned than Anae; Oregon fans hated him.

[cougjunkie]

Too bad Bronco wasn't a defensive coordinator, because Whit seems to have strong defenses whoever he throws in there as nominal DC. That was one of Crowton's problems, actually; crappy defense.

I'm old school. I think head coaches win and lose football games. I think this blaming the assistants is crap. Great coaches win with whatever the staff. Utah's 2008 DC was a kid, and its OC was more maligned than Anae; Oregon fans hated him.

This is your 20th post on the subject and nobody has bit yet. Give it up, you are full of shit and we all know it.

[Hot Lunch]

Too bad Bronco wasn't a defensive coordinator, because Whit seems to have strong defenses whoever he throws in there as nominal DC. That was one of Crowton's problems, actually; crappy defense.

I'm old school. I think head coaches win and lose football games. I think this blaming the assistants is crap. Great coaches win with whatever the staff. Utah's 2008 DC was a kid, and its OC was more maligned than Anae; Oregon fans hated him.

In 2008 Utah's DC was Gary Anderson. Not a kid.

[DrumNFeather]

From ESPN...

Given that BYU's offense has been stuck in a quagmire for much of the season, many fans find it odd that defensive coordinator Jaime Hill, who was fired Saturday, was scapegoated for the Cougar's 1-4 start.

But some believe that Hill's "volatile" personality may have been the reason for the move, especially in the middle of the season. That theory may have been borne out by Hill's admission to Greg Wrubell of KSL radio that he was willing to give up play-calling responsibilities and remain as DB coach but was not given the chance.

Hill reportedly had to be restrained from tangling with C Terrence Brown during spring practice, and former DE Jan Jorgensen, a four-year starter and defensive captain in 2009, said he knew of other players with conflicts with Hill. "A number of players have quit because of him," Jorgensen told Dick Harmon of the Deseret News, "and others who are playing now almost quit because of him."

Head coach Bronco Mendenhall, who served as his own D-coordinator until 2008 (Hill wasn't handed play-calling responsibilities until 2009), will resume those duties, though we imagine that he'll designate a permanent replacement for Hill in the offseason.

Georgia coach Mark Richt also fired his D-coordinator last season, and now fans are calling for his O-coordinator's head. Given BYU's offensive woes, it'll be interesting to see if the same thing happens in Provo.

[TheAzzuri]

I think firing Hill was the right move, but I can't help but think that firing the only non-lds, black coach mid-season will make BYU look even worse in the eyes of non-lds black recruits.

The season is nearly lost anyhow, why not just endure him until seasons end and then send him packing?

Skin color notwithstanding, I don't think he was really considered a player's coach. By all accounts, the guy is a prick. Get rid of him and move forward.

[TheAzzuri]

I'm surprised BYU's offense is getting a pass from so many BYU fans. They've averaged 15 points per game. They can't sustain drives. They are putting the defense is in bad field position and the defense is stuck out on the field.

edit: To follow up, it looks to me like BYU's defense is on the field, on average, nearly 10 minutes more than their opponents in the 4 losses. That's a LOT of time to be out on the field. Combine that with poor field position and I don't know how the defense is any more at fault for BYU's woes than the offense. http://deseretnews.sportsdirectinc.c...ms/team33.html

This is where the loss of Unga rears its ugly head. I'm not sure that any of these losses would be wins (Nevada?) , but behind a fairly experienced O-line and a good runningback, that stat changes dramatically, and clearly that trickles down to the defense.

I guess I'm willing to give the offense a pass because we are breaking in so many new people at skill positions. We have a brand new QB, no TE in a TE heavy offense, featuring a back that, again imo, is not an every down D1 caliber back. It was bound to be ugly.

With that said, I know two former defensive players and both are of the opinion that this move should have happened a long time ago.

[All-American]

This is where the loss of Unga rears its ugly head. I'm not sure that any of these losses would be wins (Nevada?) , but behind a fairly experienced O-line and a good runningback, that stat changes dramatically, and imo, that has have a trickle down effect on defense.

I guess I'm willing to give the offense a pass because we are breaking in so many new people at skill positions. We have a brand new QB, no TE in a TE heavy offense, featuring a back that, again imo, is not an every down D1 caliber back. That goodwill may not last, however.

With that said, I know two former defensive players and both are of the opinion that this should have happened a long time ago.

There is that sentiment: for various reasons, the O was not expected to be anything but troubled. The D has no excuse, except perhaps that they weren't able to get their desired recruits (and Hill may be to blame for that as well).

[U-Ute]

This is your 20th post on the subject and nobody has bit yet. Give it up, you are full of shit and we all know it.

He may be a bit off on his facts (Anderson was the 2008 DC, and he'd been there a few years), but the overall subject of his post is dead on.

Point being: Utah defense hasn't changed in a long time, no matter who the DC was.

Bronco was the DC at BYU, and is now the HC. What is BYU's defensive philosophy?

[falafel]

He may be a bit off on his facts (Anderson was the 2008 DC, and he'd been there a few years), but the overall subject of his post is dead on.

Point being: Utah defense hasn't changed in a long time, no matter who the DC was.

Bronco was the DC at BYU, and is now the HC. What is BYU's defensive philosophy?

Yeah, but is Sitake really the DC there? Many would say he's just a Whit puppet. So its kinda disingenuous to say that Utah's defense hasn't changed no matter who the DC was. The DC has been Whit for years. Of course it hasn't changed.