2011 BYU Football Thread

[byu71]

I wonder when you heard this -

I know there was a stretch maybe late summer this year when he was unhappy with the program, but that had to do with a certain defensive coach who is no longer with us who has previously had run-ins w/ Andrew Rich, Jordan Pendleton and others.

Playing for a coach who routinely berates his players can do a lot to convince a player that he's no longer interested in the game.

So was this something you heard recently?

No, not something recently. So things could have changed.

[Coach McGuirk]

Not to put a damper on all of this but did some of you attend a Kyle Whittingham seminar recently?

I'm quite certain the future is bright but a tough early season schedule lies ahead.

That said, I too think it will be an especially long offseason.

I don't think anyone is saying the team is invincible. Only they are excited with the potential. Not sure why that should put you up in arms.

[oxcoug]

An expanded D line breakdown:

Six guys in the two deep as I see it:

Manumaleuna - Fangupo - Putnam
Dulan (not home until July I just learned, so maybe not) - Rowley - Bryson

I'd expect both Rowley and Manu to all see both DE and DT action.

Wildcards:

Mike Muehlman: Now a DE. If he emerges it might free Rowley other talent to move inside. They actually need Mike to step up w/ Dulan coming back so late.
Jadon Wagner: W/ the glut of talent at LB I'd be surprised if Wagner didn't make one more switch back to DE.
Ziggy Ansah: Not getting my hopes up too much but the guy clearly has the raw athletic ability to be something and if he has a productive off-season internalizing the game could contribute next year.
Solomone Kafu: 2008 commit - am I wrong in thinking that he left straight on his mission? Which would mean he's probably already back? If so, could see him contributing.
Kesni Tausinga: We've seen Romney Fuga, Eathyn Manumaleuna and Ian Dulan all be key contributors as true freshmen, if there are any depth issues I wouldn't be shocked to see Tausinga step in but it probably won't be necessary.
Jordan Richardson: Does he have RS available? If so he should use it and get healthy, but it would be great if he could get back.
Romney Fuga: Also, ideally he uses his RS (which he has) and takes a year to really heal.

Tell me what I'm missing.

[woot]

It seems Bronco might be a hack:

Hopefully Bronco is better at spelling.

[woot]

It's fun to read all the projections for next season. It seems to me that BYU will be better at every position except for OL which might be a wash if Reynolds leaves, and in the secondary which might be a bit dicey. Sampson and Gaines are so hyped that things could end up ok back there even, and the offense looks to be potent enough to overcome some defensive issues against most teams. The next few years could be big for us.

[oxcoug]

It's fun to read all the projections for next season. It seems to me that BYU will be better at every position except for OL which might be a wash if Reynolds leaves, and in the secondary which might be a bit dicey. Sampson and Gaines are so hyped that things could end up ok back there even, and the offense looks to be potent enough to overcome some defensive issues against most teams. The next few years could be big for us.

On the secondary - tons of turnover and the impact of losing Rich is big in terms of both leadership and playmaking.

On the upside - BYU has NEVER in its entire history been more stocked and equipped to deal with turnover at DB.

Corby Eason was nearly a de facto starter who will be a perfect transition as a senior next year - I think we actually improve at Boundary with him instead of Bradley as the primary guy.

Robbie Buckner stepping in to start as a junior - Kelly Poppinga said way back in 2006 that Buckner looked so good that he was surprised that they chose to RS him. Also, in 2008 he was ahead of Logan on the depth chart just 3 weeks before the season started before he got hurt. I doubt his ball instincts are as honed as Logan's or that's he's quite as good of a tackler, but we're not dropping off to some unknown quantity here.

Aguirre coming in was rated on par with Logan and will now be playing as a senior after two years in the program, and he could easily bump out Buckner or simply be the third guy in the CB rotation (he could also roll over to safety but Hadley and Everrett are the more likely candidates for that).

And then there will be the two RS frosh Gaines and Johnson who have been singled out with raves by Logan and Rich.

We're in good hands at CB - yes losing two senior starters, but we really couldn't have better cards in our deck for answering that - at least if you look at BYU's CB history which often involves switching WRs and walkons from Orem.

Safety is slightly more concerning to me but the talent will be there, which again couldn't always be said in the past. Between Sampson, Galeai, Uale, Everett, Hadley and possibly Daniel Sorensen off of his mission - the talent and depth are there (more than we're used to), it's just a matter of finding the two who will get it done.

Sorensen is the guy who strikes me most as having Andrew Rich-like leadership potential, but he's coming off of a mission. I really hope that Uale ISN'T one of the starters as it will mean that either (a) none of the several more physically talented guys stepped up and emerged or (b) that Bronco is again overplaying his preference for experience over ability.

But again the great news is that we aren't in one of those years where we're asking "holy crap - who is going to play at this position??"

[TripletDaddy]

It seems Bronco might be a hack:

Hopefully Bronco is better at spelling.

Lol.

Looks like coach McDaniel might want to put "acedemics" higher than its current priority level, which is currently only one in front of "atheletics"

[Hazzard]

Does anyone else agree with me that Quezada should start over Di Luigi next year? I realize Di Luigi's put up pretty good numbers this year, but a lot of the holes he's run through are more like a 6-lane highway with our awesome O-line. It feels like our linemen could run through some of the holes they open up.

I think next year Quezada will be ready to take on the full load of blocking, running and receiving out of the backfield. I'd like to see Di Luigi come in for certain situations (3rd downs, formations where the RB gets motioned out to the slot, etc.), but I think Quezada is quite a bit better than Di Luigi.

[KillerDog]

Does anyone else agree with me that Quezada should start over Di Luigi next year? I realize Di Luigi's put up pretty good numbers this year, but a lot of the holes he's run through are more like a 6-lane highway with our awesome O-line. It feels like our linemen could run through some of the holes they open up.

I think next year Quezada will be ready to take on the full load of blocking, running and receiving out of the backfield. I'd like to see Di Luigi come in for certain situations (3rd downs, formations where the RB gets motioned out to the slot, etc.), but I think Quezada is quite a bit better than Di Luigi.

I'm not convinced that Quezada is better than DiLuigi. DiLuigi was really productive this year despite being on everyone's radar. Quezada is coming along but my guess is that he doesn't beat out DiLuigi unless he can show he is "clearly better" which I don't think he can do. The real question for next year at RB, in my opinion, is what happens with Phillips and Hine. Those two are leaner and lighter but could be perfect for running out of the shotgun formations (where we usually have trouble). They also could do well out of the slot as receivers.

[Surfah]

I'm not convinced that Quezada is better than DiLuigi. DiLuigi was really productive this year despite being on everyone's radar. Quezada is coming along but my guess is that he doesn't beat out DiLuigi unless he can show he is "clearly better" which I don't think he can do. The real question for next year at RB, in my opinion, is what happens with Phillips and Hine. Those two are leaner and lighter but could be perfect for running out of the shotgun formations (where we usually have trouble). They also could do well out of the slot as receivers.

I am pretty sure we see Phillips in the slot.

I too doubt Juice beats JJ for the #1 slot. But I think we'll see them split reps pretty evenly. I think (hope) we'll see a distribution like we did in the NM Bowl.

Not sure where that leaves Hines.

[Hot Lunch]

I am pretty sure we see Phillips in the slot.

I too doubt Juice beats JJ for the #1 slot. But I think we'll see them split reps pretty evenly. I think (hope) we'll see a distribution like we did in the NM Bowl.

Not sure where that leaves Hines.

I think you redshirt Hines. That kid is an athletic freak. I am excited to see what this kid can do at the college level. Let him get his athletic freakness back to him after being away for a couple of years in who knows where and only use him if JJ or Juice go down.

[Indy Coug]

I think you redshirt Hines. That kid is an athletic freak. I am excited to see what this kid can do at the college level. Let him get his athletic freakness back to him after being away for a couple of years in who knows where and only use him if JJ or Juice go down.

Agreed. There's no need to burn a year with Hines next year.

[KillerDog]

I think we'll see them split reps pretty evenly. I think (hope) we'll see a distribution like we did in the NM Bowl.

I think this is right. I also think we see Kariya at full back and also as a more featured back against weak opponents. Dude will get his reward when we play scrubs. I'm excited at Hague at FB because I think he seems extremely fast for a FB. I think we could see a lot more running at the FB with blocking by the TB when we are in the shotgun. We used to see it with our Fui/Unga backfield but I think we will see it with combinations of Quezada, Hague, and Kariya

[cougjunkie]

I think you redshirt Hines. That kid is an athletic freak. I am excited to see what this kid can do at the college level. Let him get his athletic freakness back to him after being away for a couple of years in who knows where and only use him if JJ or Juice go down.

RS Timo-Hine I agree. Then JJ graduates, and you have Juice and Hine as your backfield in 2012.

[KillerDog]

I think you redshirt Hines. That kid is an athletic freak. I am excited to see what this kid can do at the college level. Let him get his athletic freakness back to him after being away for a couple of years in who knows where and only use him if JJ or Juice go down.

I like that idea. We don't often get athletic freaks to play running back at BYU but the elite running backs are all freaks.