What were you thinking.....honestly...

[Commando]

I forgot to mention that he has beaton a whole lot of crappy teams.

Including some especially crappy Oregon and Oregon State teams, and don't forget those hapless Utah squads over which he's chalked up a few W's.

[Flystripper]

I forgot to mention that he has beaton a whole lot of crappy teams.

I didn't know you held those Ute teams in such low esteem.

[Top Ute]

I'm going to bump this and ask again for your predictions for the rest of the season. Most of us participated in this thread about 20 days ago. We have had almost a full month to learn more about this squad. Today, BYU is 3-5 with 4 games remaining: vs UNLV, @ CSU, vs New Mexico, @ Utah. BYU must win 3 of its remaining 4 to go bowling.

1. Has Heaps lived up to your honest expectations as a true freshman QB? feel free to take into account the lack of talent around him as well as his own foibles.
2. Has Bronco done a good job this season as a coach, Yes or No? Why?
3. Predict the final string.....W/L by opponent.
4. If BYU goes bowling, does the team ride the mo' to a win or does it implode for a loss?

From a Utah fan's perspective

1. Not even the most red-goggled Utah fan could've projected Heaps to be as bad as he is. More and more true freshmen play at QB across the country. Most would've been benched by now. Now, I can admit to being harsh there, because Utah's recent experience with a true frosh QB was eons better than what BYU is going through with Heaps. But the numbers don't lie. Even if you give Heaps the benefit of the doubt with better WR play, he might crack the upper two-thirds of FBS QBs.

2. Begrudgingly, I've come to accept that Bronco is a more-than-capable coach who has done a great job of keeping his team on an even keel for many years. Yes, that's his detriment against top-caliber opposition, but having lived through the Ron McBride era, I'll take Mendenhall's results over Mac's. That said, dude must have taken a serious vacation over the summer, because a program like BYU's should never become so bad, so quickly. It's as if he took a shit on his entire offseason M.O. How else can it be explained? I thought BYU would be a 7-5/8-4 team, but most of those losses would be close, with youth and inexperience being a culprit. But this BYU team hasn't done a single thing well all season long.

3. Will beat UNLV, could beat CSU (this is BYU -3.5 according to Sagarin right now), will beat UNM. As for Utah, let's just say covering the spread would be a major, major accomplishment. And by Sagarin, that line will start off at Utah -26 if the teams played this week. With an undefeated Utah, it's Utah -31.5.

4. Obviously, bowl eligibility hinges on CSU. The most likely bowl would be the New Mexico Bowl against Fresno or Idaho. I don't think BYU gets there. Teams with BYU's flaws rarely peel off four-game win streaks.

[Blueintheface]

From a Utah fan's perspective

1. Not even the most red-goggled Utah fan could've projected Heaps to be as bad as he is. More and more true freshmen play at QB across the country. Most would've been benched by now. Now, I can admit to being harsh there, because Utah's recent experience with a true frosh QB was eons better than what BYU is going through with Heaps. But the numbers don't lie. Even if you give Heaps the benefit of the doubt with better WR play, he might crack the upper two-thirds of FBS QBs.

2. Begrudgingly, I've come to accept that Bronco is a more-than-capable coach who has done a great job of keeping his team on an even keel for many years. Yes, that's his detriment against top-caliber opposition, but having lived through the Ron McBride era, I'll take Mendenhall's results over Mac's. That said, dude must have taken a serious vacation over the summer, because a program like BYU's should never become so bad, so quickly. It's as if he took a shit on his entire offseason M.O. How else can it be explained? I thought BYU would be a 7-5/8-4 team, but most of those losses would be close, with youth and inexperience being a culprit. But this BYU team hasn't done a single thing well all season long.

3. Will beat UNLV, could beat CSU (this is BYU -3.5 according to Sagarin right now), will beat UNM. As for Utah, let's just say covering the spread would be a major, major accomplishment. And by Sagarin, that line will start off at Utah -26 if the teams played this week. With an undefeated Utah, it's Utah -31.5.

4. Obviously, bowl eligibility hinges on CSU. The most likely bowl would be the New Mexico Bowl against Fresno or Idaho. I don't think BYU gets there. Teams with BYU's flaws rarely peel off four-game win streaks.

Do I dare?

[Commando]

That said, dude must have taken a serious vacation over the summer, because a program like BYU's should never become so bad, so quickly. It's as if he took a shit on his entire offseason M.O.

I felt this way after the atrocious defensive/offensive/special teams performance at Air Force. :igiveup:

I thought BYU would be a 7-5/8-4 team, but most of those losses would be close, with youth and inexperience being a culprit.

We would very well be that but for our atrocious Red Zone Offense. That gives us wins over AF, UNR, and Utah State. It also puts us within 2 TD's of TCU at the very least. And that's only giving a marginal benefit of the doubt to what we'd consider an acceptable offense-- I'm not saying given we score every time down the field, just not turn the damn thing over and/or score the ball every other or third time we get within the 20.

But this BYU team hasn't done a single thing well all season long.

Easy there. I think our Defense has kicked some ass since the sdsu game and in the Washington game. Not sure why they decided to disappear there for 4 games, although they really weren't bad during the UNR game and we would have won but for some crappy red-zone O as I've said.

4. Obviously, bowl eligibility hinges on CSU. The most likely bowl would be the New Mexico Bowl against Fresno or Idaho. I don't think BYU gets there. Teams with BYU's flaws rarely peel off four-game win streaks.

Um well, when those 4 teams are Wyoming, UNLV, CSU and NM, you've got to give us a fighting chance, man. We've got 2 weeks to shore up our offensive woes-- false starts/passing inaccuracy/ dropped balls. Watch out, UNLV-- we're comin' for that ASS!

[MarkGrace]

Do I dare?

It's Top Ute. I think what you should be asking yourself is, Do I care?

[Top Ute]

Easy there. I think our Defense has kicked some ass since the sdsu game and in the Washington game. Not sure why they decided to disappear there for 4 games, although they really weren't bad during the UNR game and we would have won but for some crappy red-zone O as I've said.

If today's defense shows up for USU and Nevada, BYU would have at least one more win under its belt. Two isn't out of the question, and the amount of hand-wringing is reduced significantly. Hence, the "all season long" disclaimer.

[cougjunkie]

If today's defense shows up for USU and Nevada, BYU would have at least one more win under its belt. Two isn't out of the question, and the amount of hand-wringing is reduced significantly. Hence, the "all season long" disclaimer.

Which directly reflects on Bronco for giving Jaime the reigns.

[BoylenOver]

BYU will finish 5-7. I expected more from BYU's offense, but the defense has been competitive since the USU game.

[cougjunkie]

BYU will finish 5-7. I expected more from BYU's offense, but the defense has been competitive since the USU game.

I think the defense has been great since the USU game and they are not getting enough credit.

They held Ronnie Hillman to his season low in yards.

They held TCU 178 yards below their season rushing average.

Wyoming had 13 total yards at the end of the third quarter.

Like I said earlier in the thread they are holding teams to an average of 275 yards per game since Bronco took over. That would rank 7th in the country and they have played the 11th and 19th best offenses during that span.

The fact that they have done it without Fuga, Frazier, Pendleton and with a banged up Rich is even more impressive. That is 4 starters.

[Jarid in Cedar]

I think the defense has been great since the USU game and they are not getting enough credit.

They held Ronnie Hillman to his season low in yards.

They held TCU 178 yards below their season rushing average.

Wyoming had 13 total yards at the end of the third quarter.

Like I said earlier in the thread they are holding teams to an average of 275 yards per game since Bronco took over. That would rank 7th in the country and they have played the 11th and 19th best offenses during that span.

The fact that they have done it without Fuga, Frazier, Pendleton and with a banged up Rich is even more impressive. That is 4 starters.

I was impressed with their performance against TCU. I think the frogs thought they could just show up and roll 40 on them. BYU came out hyped up and punched them in the mouth and I don't think tcu responded very well.

My ADR6300 is taking it one game at a time.

[cougjunkie]

I was impressed with their performance against TCU. I think the frogs thought they could just show up and roll 40 on them. BYU came out hyped up and punched them in the mouth and I don't think tcu responded very well.

My ADR6300 is taking it one game at a time.

Not to mention all 4 Tds they gave up to TCU were on short fields.

[Hot Lunch]

I think the defense has been great since the USU game and they are not getting enough credit.

They held Ronnie Hillman to his season low in yards.

They held TCU 178 yards below their season rushing average.

Wyoming had 13 total yards at the end of the third quarter.

Like I said earlier in the thread they are holding teams to an average of 275 yards per game since Bronco took over. That would rank 7th in the country and they have played the 11th and 19th best offenses during that span.

The fact that they have done it without Fuga, Frazier, Pendleton and with a banged up Rich is even more impressive. That is 4 starters.

I think this proves that Bronco know his S%$* on the defensive side of the ball. I still don't understand how he turned over control to Sister Hill and let him run the show for so long.

[cougjunkie]

I think this proves that Bronco know his S%$* on the defensive side of the ball. I still don't understand how he turned over control to Sister Hill and let him run the show for so long.

That was the only way he could be home by 8.

[woot]

Two of BYU's next 3 opponents are in Schablach's Bottom 10, with the other one on the "waiting list":

[ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?page=bottom10101027"]Bottom 10: Celebrating Halloween -- Bottom 10 style - ESPN[/ame]

BYU was also on the waiting list before Wyo, so there are certainly no guarantees, but one can't overstate just how easy the competition is before Utah.