Nick Howell: Bronco yes man w/ no football resume now BYU's defensive coordinator

[oxcoug]

I'm not saying you will be embarrassingly wrong. I've no opinion one way or the other (except that this seems like nothing to get worked up about). But it should be a little embarrassing that you think that only former college football players are capable of quality coaching.

Since I have no recollection of saying or thinking that, maybe you can show me what made you think that I did. I did suggest that it's extremely rare and that those who have done so (Paul Johnson and Mike Leach come to mind) have done so with extraordinary performances in the lower echelons and divisions of college football before anyone gave them a C-level shot at a major program.

What is it, do you suppose, that makes a gut who played college football a superior coach to a guy who is merely a student of the game with coaching experience? Was it the conditioning drills? Private access to the playbooks? Is it the superior athletic ability of a former college athlete that automatically makes him a better coach?

Since college athletes are more likely to be less intelligent than your average college graduate, I don't see why they should be given special consideration when the job entails management and teaching duties, and requires absolutely no athletic ability.

And yet, they are given special consideration - Howell is the first guy in modern BYU football history to have been given a coordinator-level position w/o ever having played college ball. And throughout the college football ranks the story is the same - it's extremely rare for coaches without college-level experience to have long careers or to rise very far in the profession. That isn't just because of insider bias against non-players, it's because people who have done a thing for years of their life and internalized it with physical and mental effort and the desperation to excel at it are generally better prepared to teach it than people who have learned it in the abstract.

It might be easy to underestimate the value of years of repetitions and close-up eyewitness exposure to how the game is played at a higher level. It is nearly impossible to replicate the type of learning that gets pounded into the body and mind by being a part of the process, by watching film of a thing or studying it in theory or as a spectator.

But the other dimension is the relatability - I can't speak for you or the rest of CUF but for me personally I have difficulty taking people seriously who want to tell me how to achieve something that they themselves were incapable of doing.

[Art Vandelay]

I disagree. Stephenson should have never been let relieved of FG kicking duties, IMO. In addition, if what you say holds true, then we can't give coach credit for all of Stephenson's amazing punts either.

Agreed, though I don't recall anyone crediting Howell/Bronco for RS punts. I believe Coach commented on punt/kick coverage, which generally very good this past year.

I also agree Sorenson should have been replaced, but is there any indication that Howell has any decision making into scholarship allocation. Should Peterson and/or whoever coaches BSU special teams been fired after some of their kicking woes over the past few years?

[Green Monstah]

Agreed, though I don't recall anyone crediting Howell/Bronco for RS punts. I believe Coach commented on punt/kick coverage, which generally very good this past year.

I also agree Sorenson should have been replaced, but is there any indication that Howell has any decision making into scholarship allocation. Should Peterson and/or whoever coaches BSU special teams been fired after some of their kicking woes over the past few years?

Really? Why?

Punting and punt coverage was great. Kickoffs and kickoff coverage were very good. He wasnt the guy kicking FGs and EPs.

See above.

I don't follow BSU football, so I can't say. What I can say is this: the person in charge of our crappy offense got canned in the offseason (can he control how an injured QB whose mind is effed by season's end performs? can he yell harder? longer? louder?). I'm surprised that the person in charge of our ST got promoted based on PK alone. Coach's reminder of how good much of our other STs were explains it (partially).

[Jeff Lebowski]

You clearly allow your personal standards to be lowered. Some have balls of platinum and just don't stand for that type of shit! You, sir, are no standar-holder-upper!

Hey I have upped my standards buddy. Up yours!

[Jeff Lebowski]

I can't believe you folks still argue with GM about sports.

[Green Monstah]

I can't believe you folks still argue with GM about sports.

Says the guy who can't argue about sports.

[Shaka]

I disagree. Stephenson should have never been let relieved of FG kicking duties, IMO. In addition, if what you say holds true, then we can't give coach credit for all of Stephenson's amazing punts either.

What's your basis for this?

Sorensen was 27-30 on PAT for 90% while Stephenson was 16-19 for 84%

Sorensen was 6-12 on FG's for 50% while Stephenson was 4-6 for 66%

However

Sorensen attempted two field goals over 40 yards while Stephenson had no attempts. Throw those out and the percentage for Sorensen is at 60%. Also Sorensen was the victim of a horrifically bad hold which caused one of his shanks. Throw that out and they are really even.

There wasn't that much difference between a recovering Sorensen and Stephensen. In fact Sorensen was six percentage points better on PAT with far more attempts. My view is it was wise to get Sorensen in when he was capable of at least being as good as Stephenson.

Sorensen was a phenom in high school. It could be said he was the, "Jake Heaps" of kickers. I think criticism of him is rather harsh considering his injury and his potential upside. I look for a lot of improvement from him this year provided he stays healthy.

[Green Monstah]

What's your basis for this?

Sorensen was 27-30 on PAT for 90% while Stephenson was 16-19 for 84%

Sorensen was 6-12 on FG's for 50% while Stephenson was 4-6 for 66%

However

Sorensen attempted two field goals over 40 yards while Stephenson had no attempts. Throw those out and the percentage for Sorensen is at 60%. Also Sorensen was the victim of a horrifically bad hold which caused one of his shanks. Throw that out and they are really even.

There wasn't that much difference between a recovering Sorensen and Stephensen. In fact Sorensen was six percentage points better on PAT with far more attempts. My view is it was wise to get Sorensen in when he was capable of at least being as good as Stephenson.

Sorensen was a phenom in high school. It could be said he was the, "Jake Heaps" of kickers. I think criticism of him is rather harsh considering his injury and his potential upside. I look for a lot of improvement from him this year provided he stays healthy.

My basis is that Sorensen couldn't hit the broadside of the barn the last half of the season (at seemingly any distance). Give Stephenson full reign on PATs, and with some practice and coaching, I think he's reach the relatively low bar that Sorensen set for him on PATs. Also, 66% > 50%. If you had to snap/hold for Sorensen, you'd be scared as shit as well and probably muff a few. We have to stop giving Sorensen credit for hitting 60 yarders in HS football games. All goodwill associated therewith has been exhausted. Furthermore, think of all the points we left on the field because we couldn't afford to let Sorensen attempt a kick, so the analysis can't end at what was done by the kickers on the field only.

[Shaka]

Sorensen was money from everywhere in his high school days.

You're brain is failing you. Stephenson was plenty craptastic before Sorensen replaced him. Together they were equally craptastic.

Also it seems premature to have exhausted goodwill on a player who was recovering from back surgery. Let's see how he does this year.

[Green Monstah]

Sorensen was money from everywhere in his high school days.

You're brain is failing you. Stephenson was plenty craptastic before Sorensen replaced him. Together they were equally craptastic.

Still, we can stop giving him credit for his FGs five years after they happened, right? It probably doesn't help that between the names Riley Nelson, Riley Stephenson, and Justin Sorensen I can hardly remember who is who.

The key difference between Stephenson and Sorenseon IMO was how the ball travelled off his foot. Even some of Sorensen's PAT mades were knucklers that had no chance if he were ten yards further from the goalposts. Stephenson had one or two of those as well (even on a PAT, I think), but his misses often had good rotation...the were just off.

[Shaka]

No one is disagreeing with you that Sorensen sucked. I'm disagreeing with throwing him away because he tried to play through his injury. Dude has insane talent at what he does. Lets see how it plays out when he's more healthy.

[SoCalCoug]

Also it seems premature to have exhausted goodwill on a player who was recovering from back surgery. Let's see how he does this year.

Too soon (after the trauma we suffered with a QB with back issues).

[Green Monstah]

No one is disagreeing with you that Sorensen sucked. I'm disagreeing with throwing him away because he tried to play through his injury. Dude had insane talent at what he did. Lets see how it plays out when he's more healthy.

FIFY

[oxcoug]

I'm still in the behind coaching the back-end.

--Nick Howell.

[Blueintheface]

--Nick Howell.

Eh. Comme cecum ça