Red Dead Redemption: BYU vs. Utah 2013

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Wow, that is a late kick. I wish it were earlier.

HFN Jr's team plays at Autzen that day at 4, I'm thankful for the late start. I am sorry it makes others unhappy though.

[UVACoug]

Please inform me, coach. I can read/watch ESPN has good as anybody else. I'd like to think that I understand statistics and what not better than most. I can look up the numbers just like you can. So please inform me of what I'm missing when forming my opinion on BYU's level of play at this point. My whole point is that BYU played horribly in one game and good in the next. How can that possibly a good enough set of data to come to any opinion of BYU at this point in the season.

And what the hell is comic con?

You can think whatever you want ... but the bolded statement above can't possibly be true given the rest of your posts tonight.

[Jeff Lebowski]

So in hopes of getting CJ / Sizzle / JiC / KL / Surfah level football posters more involved with football commentary (and less "how loud was it?! and what were you wearing?" bickering from the TD / Vandelay / YOhio type fluffballs) -

Looks like someone is struggling with self awareness.

[San Juan Sun]

But you're assuming that Taysom can have more magical games to get BYU some points. Besides his magic numbers against Texas, who else on BYU's offense had a strong showing? I'm asking because I didn't watch the game and don't know. But listening to the utah media, they make it sound like Taysom beat Texas by himself.

Interesting assessment. So first, you assume that Hill won't create points with his feet, and assume that no one else had a good game. Then you admit to not watching the game at all, which sort of makes your opinion useless (is there a stronger word than useless?). And the cherry on top is that you listen to Utah sports media for facts.

I get that you want to participate in this thread. I have simple advice for you: watch the game for free (and without commercials!) on BYUtv.org, then hit ESPN.com and peruse the stats, and then turn off your radio. That'll clear your head and you'll be ready to post on topic. You're welcome!

[Commando]

I'm sure all those stats available online show how our O Line does on every down, who gets a push, who falters in the rush game, how and what receivers are blocking, what DBs the opposing QB is picking on, what changes in our pocket protection occurred between week one and week two, etc.

Oh they don't? ....Welp, I guess then we're just helpless to do anything other than look at the box score and surmise that BYU is just plain better at home!

[Portland Ute]

Ugh. Don't remind me. I was a tortilla chucker in the south endzone that year. I was so pissed. And then all the football talking heads after that game spouting off that the Hawaii game showed they made the right selection. That season was magical and then it ended with the biggest crotch kick ever.

Meh. Don't worry. The Fiesta Bowl isn't all that. It's clearly a step below the Sugar Bowl.

[Sizzle]

Please inform me, coach. I can read/watch ESPN has good as anybody else. I'd like to think that I understand statistics and what not better than most. I can look up the numbers just like you can. So please inform me of what I'm missing when forming my opinion on BYU's level of play at this point. My whole point is that BYU played horribly in one game and good in the next. How can that possibly a good enough set of data to come to any opinion of BYU at this point in the season.

For starters, maybe don't base everything on what ESPN tells you. I don't need someone to tell me what is happening in a football game, I can use my eyes and interpret it for myself.

If you want to interpret stats, try telling me what these numbers mean:

17 (2)
23 (8)
39 (1)
63 (6)
75 (5)
19 (4)
3 (2)
3 (4)
82 (2)
35 (1)
39 (12)
37 (1)
38 (3)

That is three years worth of data, including the most lopsided game in recent history, since Bronco took over defensive coordinator duties. Utah has had one scoring drive longer than 10 plays in 3 years, and that covered a whopping 39 yards. They've had three scoring drives 40 yards or longer the last 3 years, one was a 2-play drive, one was a 5-play drive, and one was a 6-play drive. They've had five scoring drives of 25 yards or less. This doesn't include any defensive touchdowns. Now, I'm not saying Utah doesn't deserve credit, because they do for causing the turnovers. But if BYU can avoid putting Utah in extremely favorable situations, they stand a pretty damn good chance of winning, because Utah hasn't been able to show a sustained number of drives against BYUs defense. Yes, we have a new offensive coordinator. But Utah also doesn't have an experience running game this year either, and is down their top receiver. Their QB is also inexperienced. Those types of things don't bode well for going up against a defense as complex and talented as Bronco's at BYU. Like I said earlier, if BYU can limit turnovers, they have to feel pretty good about their chances.

If you want to go further, BYU will have 12 quarters of film on Utah. Utah will have 8 of BYU. When you're looking at tendencies, and trying to figure out what's coming at you, that extra game makes a big difference. By the third game of the year, you start to have a pretty good idea who the team you're playing is, and what they're trying to do. Utah may have an advantage, because they've played against a Coach Anae coached team in Arizona the last two years. However, only last year was against the Rich Rod offense, and Arizona beat Utah relatively easily in Salt Lake.

[SoCalCoug]

Meh. Don't worry. The Fiesta Bowl isn't all that. It's clearly a step below the Sugar Bowl.

Getting tased by security will certainly have a negative effect on your opinion of the bowl.

[lambdacoug]

Ugh. Don't remind me. *I was a tortilla chucker in the south endzone that year.* I was so pissed. And then all the football talking heads after that game spouting off that the Hawaii game showed they made the right selection. That season was magical and then it ended with the biggest crotch kick ever.

So you're the one that gave me stitches.

[Surfah]

I didn't really comment on the LBs for Utah, but I will say that there isn't a single one that I would trade for one of ours. Unga, Hadley, Fua and KVN are all better than their best.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Dude, the Hawks have another game before they play BYU. Let's enjoy a week of "how loud was it" and "what were you wearing" before we get into all the heavy stuff.

Are we going to have a problem here?

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Looks like someone is struggling with self awareness.

I think it started on Facebook. Speaks volumes.

[Katy Lied]

But if BYU can avoid putting Utah in extremely favorable situations, they stand a pretty damn good chance of winning, because Utah hasn't been able to show a sustained number of drives against BYUs defense.

This is the key.

If you want to go further, BYU will have 12 quarters of film on Utah. Utah will have 8 of BYU.

And those 8 quarters on BYU are extreme anomalies and don't really give away our key weaknesses and strengths, due to weird weather conditions vs. Virginia, and to the fact that the run was working so well for us vs. Texas that Anae didn't open up the playbook.

I hate to denigrate any part of Utah because Whit is brilliant at turning assessments into shoulder chips, I'll just say that IMHO their weakest positions are LB and QB. Wilson looked like an all star against Weber, but I would argue that game made him look better than he usually is. I'd love to play Utah without the intervening OSU game, because I think that Ericksen would build his strategy around Wilson's supposed prowess based on his Weber game. I think Oregon State will expose his flaws, and the game plan for BYU will be to cover them up.

This is my kool aid persona talking so grain of salt this:

Taysom makes better in-game adjustments than someone like Heaps or Riley. You can see him getting better throughout the game, and this is independent of coaching adjustments. I think he played better at the end of the Virginia game (which admittedly, I didn't watch due to the postponement), and his read-option skills just got better and better throughout the Texas game. I remember Heaps throwing the same slant pass into the turf from beginning to end in his games, and Riley making the same risky decisions from beginning to end last year. I think with Taysom's skilz improve as he adjusts to the other team's speed, etc. I think Anae will unveil new stuff vs. Utah, and I think Hill has the skill to adjust to these new plays altho he'll look raw in the first quarter.

[thesaint258]

This is the key.

I think so, too. It will help a lot if BYU doesn't spot Utah any points this year.

[oxcoug]

Looks like someone is struggling with self awareness.

So self-aware it hurts. Painfully aware of my role in steering this conversation away from TD's fixation with cool outfits, above YOhio's Daytonesque snipes, around Vandelay's engagement with them both, and into the robust outpouring of commentary we are now enjoying from football-savvy eminences the likes of Coach McGuirk and KL.