Utah Football and the JBW Theory

[Jennerstein]

Thank goodness football season is just around the corner. It's been a long few months, but soon we'll all be watching pigskin drama in HD glory.

Which reminds me of the opening games last year. My friends and I kept flipping back and forth between Northern Iowa (which was pretty boring) and Utah vs Michigan (which was more exciting and in HD). Utah looked great in the first half and then hung on to win. The game was eerily reminiscent of previous Utah football choke jobs, until Utah's defense stepped it up. And somehow, that game launched Utah's greatest season ever.

My theory about the whole 2008 season? Joseph B. Wirthlin. That year seemed like a gift from heaven. Lucky bounces, strange coaching decisions. It was reminiscent of Crowton's first 11 games. Now I didn't watch every single Utah game, but I do remember a couple of crazy things. Like OSU, why was Mike Riley throwing the ball on his final possession, with 1:28 left? Run the ball and force Utah to use its timeouts!

Or what about TCU vs Utah. TCU misses two chipshot field goals and gives Utah the game. Andy Dalton reverts to his old self and throws the ball away whenever this is a hint of pressure. Btw, I'm pretty sure we will see the same thing from him this year too...that is one of the reasons why I'm not picking TCU to break the BCS this year. BYU fans have nightmares about that TCU game, but it was a complete aberration based on emotion and revenge. Dalton is not a big play QB.

Anyway, last year was JBW's swan song, his dream season, and it played out that way. I like to think that Utah vs Alabama was his parting gift and that the celestial Sugar Bowl party had some amazing bean dip and guac. For if anyone deserved a perfect season of Utah football, it was Wirthlin.

I would put up with a couple more years of Utah BCS bowls to have JBW back with us. I'll miss those football stories during conference.

[Fiyero]

My theory about the whole 2008 season? Joseph B. Wirthlin.

Don't forget that 2008 was Gordon B. Hinckley's first "offseason" too. And 2004 came on the heels of Neil A. Maxwell and David B. Haight's passing. There is an obvious trend here: when they arrive at the pearly gates, St. Peter grants one wish.

[JohnnyLingo]

Don't forget that 2008 was Gordon B. Hinckley's first "offseason" too. And 2004 came on the heels of Neil A. Maxwell's passing. There is an obvious trend here: when they arrive at the pearly gates, St. Peter grants one wish.

Not many BYU fans among the deceased members of the Quorum of the 12, apparently.

[il Padrino Ute]

Elder Wirthlin was great. I've never met a more humble man.

Watching the spring game just wasn't the same without seeing the entire team huddled around JPW before it started.

When the fans were able to meet the team after the spring game, my oldest son asked a few of the players what they thought about the passing of Elder Wirthlin. (He's my boy's favorite GA and loved his talks). Each one of them said that they missed him and wished he was still around. JPW apparently had a positive effect on these kids.

[All-American]

Not many BYU fans among the deceased members of the Quorum of the 12, apparently.

There is video and audio recording of GBH telling the BYU team to win against Utah in 2000.

[All-American]

Also worthy of note: Mark E. Petersen died in 1984.

[SeattleUte]

That year seemed like a gift from heaven. Lucky bounces, strange coaching decisions. It was reminiscent of Crowton's first 11 games. Now I didn't watch every single Utah game, but I do remember a couple of crazy things. Like OSU, why was Mike Riley throwing the ball on his final possession, with 1:28 left? Run the ball and force Utah to use its timeouts!

Jennerstein probing a wound. Utah 48 BYU 24. SUGAR BOWL: Utah 31 Alabama 17. These weren't lucky events. Here's a modern prophesy for you. BYU will never accomplish something similar. NEVER.

Are you saying God intervened in Utah's season? Kind of like he intervened in the 2007 Utah-BYU game to help Collie catch that pass?

[SeattleUte]

Also worthy of note: Mark E. Petersen died in 1984.

Certainly he went to hell. He could do nothing for BYU from there. Unless BYU is really the devil's university. Now that wouldn't surprise me, come to think of it.

[JohnnyLingo]

BYU will never accomplish something similar. NEVER.

Now you're trying too hard. Go back to being a little more subtle.

There is video and audio recording of GBH telling the BYU team to win against Utah in 2000.

Sure, but when he died, we didn't get an undefeated season culminating in a big win in a big-time bowl.

[All-American]

Here's a modern prophesy for you. BYU will never accomplish something similar. NEVER.

Sizzle, would you mind posting in this thread? Anything will do. Thanks.

[Jennerstein]

Jennerstein probing a wound. Utah 48 BYU 24. SUGAR BOWL: Utah 31 Alabama 17. These weren't lucky events. Here's a modern prophesy for you. BYU will never accomplish something similar. NEVER.

Are you saying God intervened in Utah's season? Kind of like he intervened in the 2007 Utah-BYU game to help Collie catch that pass?

I'm saying I believe in sports karma. Example: L. Tom Perry, Curt Schilling, bloody sock, Red Sox World Series in forever. Spooky.

Whether one believes Karma is a sign of divine intervention is up to the believer/non believer.

But, for a moment, let's say that God intervened in Utah's season. Do I have a problem with that? No.

[CJF]

Certainly he went to hell. He could do nothing for BYU from there. Unless BYU is really the devil's university. Now that wouldn't surprise me, come to think of it.

I see you're starting up your preseason workouts. This is a good effort. However, I expect more and better from you as we get closer to game time.

[TripletDaddy]

There is video and audio recording of GBH telling the BYU team to win against Utah in 2000.

Don't Muff It.

[UtahDan]

Andy Dalton reverts to his old self and throws the ball away whenever this is a hint of pressure. Btw, I'm pretty sure we will see the same thing from him this year too...that is one of the reasons why I'm not picking TCU to break the BCS this year. BYU fans have nightmares about that TCU game, but it was a complete aberration based on emotion and revenge. Dalton is not a big play QB.

Ahhhh, you're so close but you don't quite connect the dots! It wasn't an aberration. Dalton is a quarterback who pounds the tar out of crappy defenses and then comes up small against good ones. It's exactly what Max Hall does.

You could be right about JBW, but if Utah is stinky this year it will be because of QB play, not the absence of "magic" happening. Utah could be very good if we get decent quarterback play, but that is about as big an "if" as you can possibly have. If we don't we could lose 4-5 games. The latter is more likely than the former in my opinion.

I think BYU is in for a repeat of last year. You will continue to put big numbers up against lousy defenses (which most of the defenses you face will be) and struggle against the ones who pressure Hall. He is a very bad decision maker under pressure and the line this year is no better, but this will only get exposed a couple of times this year (the opening game could be a 5-6 TD loss with a couple of defensive scores).

[Katy Lied]

Are you saying God intervened in Utah's season?

No, no, He doesn't care about a football team.

He just did his buddy JBW a favor.