BJ on 1280 this morning

[Indy Coug]

The following logic is unassailable

A doesn't work

Therefore let's keep doing A, maybe it will work now.

How about


A doesn't work

B works even less

Therefore, we will go with A

[Flattop]

I thought this was a pretty decent analysis (though I naturally think BJ was better than this guy gave him credit for):

http://www.cougarboard.com/nologin/m...tml?id=4741406

[JohnnyLingo]

How about


A doesn't work

B works even less

Therefore, we will go with A

Oh good, I understand Indy correctly here.

[All-American]

I find it hilarious that a coach that for 3 seasons blitzed on nearly every down is accused of being pathologically unwilling to blitz now. He switched from a hyper-aggressive 3-3-5 to a more passive 3-4-4 to the adulation of many (including back to back top 25 defensive seasons in 2006 and 2007) and then gets crucified for it in 2008.

What seems to be impossible for BYU fans to compute is the realization that our defensive personnel were so bad in 2008 that blitzing just wasn't a legitimate option. In 2005 with one of our historically worst defenses, Bronco stopped blitzing in the middle of the season because our defense consistently failed to generate pressure and consistently broke down in the secondary.

My point is twofold:

1. Bronco has shown ample willingness in the past to change when it made sense to change

2. Bronco knows the risk/benefits of both a passive and an aggressive defensive scheme

I think it is possible that Bronco is overcompensating here.

In 2005, the mantra was that BYU would run harder, lift harder, and basically work harder than any other team. I still remember that billboard that said "The harder we work, the harder they fall" advertising season tickets. The result was that the players didn't have enough gas in the tanks lost to BC 20-3. And so, Bronco learns that sometimes, less is more, scales back a bit, and finds wild success. This past season, he appears to have taken that principle in excess, skipping out on too much practice time and leaving players somewhat unprepared.

It seems the same thing has happened in terms of defensive philosophy. Yeah, the Star Wars defense wasn't really working out for us, but when we put in the vanilla 3-4, we start winning games. Beautiful. But you can take that to an excess as well.

[UtahDan]

I think it is possible that Bronco is overcompensating here.

I think you are right. I think he over-learned the lessons of the 3-3-5 blitzing years.