2010 Brigham Young Preview
by John Berkowitz on Jun 22, 2010 8:17 AM PDT
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PrintThe Huskies open the season in Provo against a BYU squad that would love to beat Washington to prove to the world that they and not Utah should be joining the Pac 10. At first glance if you are going to pick a year to play BYU on the road this is the one because the Cougars are rebuilding.
Bronco Mendenhall has established himself as one of the best coaches in the West during his six years at BYU. The Cougars under Mendenhall are traditionally tough on defense and he runs a physical offense that is surprisingly well balanced. That balance may be at risk early this season as they break in a new QB and try to find a suitable replacement for RB Harvey Unga who was kicked out of school for honor code violations.
Replacing quarterback Max Hall is at the top of the priority list at BYU. Hall was a three year starter for the Cougars, throwing for at least 3,500 yards and 25 touchdowns in each season. Jr Riley Nelson, So James Lark, and Fr Jake Heaps started battling it out for the starting QB job this past spring.
Riley and Heaps were the leaders coming out of spring practice with Riley holding a bit of an edge because of familiarity with the offense. Heaps is the future and it is just a matter of time till he wins the position but it might not be in game one. The battle will continue through pre season drills and I don't expect a starter to be named until the week of the opener.
The Cougars lose two very good TE's in Dennis Pitna, and Andrew George, but whoever the QB is will have some decent targets among the wide outs to throw the ball to. Jr McKay Jacobson (556 yards), Jr WR O’Neill Chambers (376) and Sr WR Luke Ashworth (387 yards) are all quality receivers with good numbers and experience.
Harvey Unga who posted three straight 1000 yard seasons has been removed from the roster so the Cougars will turn to Jr's Bryan Kariya (199 yards) and J.J. Di Luigi (248 yards) to help pick up the slack and give the offense some semblance of balance. Frosh Josh Quezada could emerge as a starter as the season goes on.
The offensive line returns four starters including frosh All-American Matt Reynolds but they do have to find a replacement at center which is a key position in the Cougar offensive scheme.
BYU has some big holes to fill in the front seven. The biggest loss of the defensive side of the ball is Jan Jorgensen, who led the team in sacks with six in 2009. Jorgensen also recorded 56 tackles, 10.5 for loss.
Russell Tialavea and Brett Denney are also gone along the defensive line, so finding replacements and suitable depth will be a challenge. Romney Fuga saw significant playing time a season ago, and Brett Denney who saw action in every game a season ago will have to step up if the Cougars are going to mount a pass rush.
BYU was decimated at LB by graduation. The Cougars will miss Matt Bauman, Shawn Doman, Coleby Clawson and Terance Hooks. Several players who will contribute at this position sat out this spring due to injuries or were recovering from surgery. The Coug's do have some young talent to fill in but they are going to have to get ready in a hurry if they expect to compete with an experienced offense like Washington's in the opener.
The secondary is the strongest link on the defense anchored by S Andrew Rich. Rich is a 6-3, 223-pound load who led BYU with 85 tackles and four interceptions last season. The Cougars are looking to find him a running mate at free safety. Like most MWC teams they don't have Pac 10 speed in the secondary but overall it is considered a deep and talented group.
Washington Vs Brigham Young
Playing in Provo is always difficult. The stadium seats over 60,000 and the fans are among the most rabid in the West. The Cougars aren't pushovers even if they are in a rebuilding phase. They along with TCU, and Utah are counted as the favorites to win the MWC crown in 2010. BYU has only lost one home game over the past four years and that was to TCU.
The last time these two schools played was two years ago in Husky Stadium. Washington scored a TD in the last moments of regulation and it looked like the game was going to go to overtime until Jake Locker was called for excessive celebration and UW missed the long extra point try. Washington compiled a 0-12 that season while BYU finished the season 10-3.
The tale of the tape going into 2010 leans heavily in Washington's favor at this point. UW has superior experience, depth, and talent at almost every single position on offense. Jake Locker and Chris Polk should be able to do whatever they want against a rebuilding BYU front seven.
Offensively the Cougars are in rebuilding mode and will be facing an improving Washington defense that probably isn't ready for prime time yet. Washington has depth problems on the ends and will be replacing some key players at linebacker. The secondary is in the best shape it has been since UW last ventured to a Rose Bowl. The loss of Harvey Unga is a potential season breaker for the Cougars. Having the luxury of a proven 1000 yard producer in the backfield would have taken a lot of pressure off of whoever the new QB will be.
Opening the season on the road in a hostile environment will be a challenge for Washington but I have to give the Huskies a ten point edge going into this one.
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Oh ya...
For some reason I thought that was on the road because of the intensity of the throttling. I remember picking BYU to win that game because FSU was having so many problems. Was really surprised by the final score.
by John Berkowitz on Jun 22, 2010 9:18 AM PDT up reply actions
I picked them too
they looked real impressive against Oklahoma, with our without Bradford. FSU marched in and pretty much insulted their mothers.
Mid-Tier Conference Scheduling
I think this shows what happens when some of these non-BCS schools have to get up for only one big game (usually at the beginning of the year or a bowl game with a month to prepare). Take this example – they get up for the big game at OK and play really well but then have to turn around and play another BCS team (even an average one by record) the next week and it’s hard to duplicate that effort 2 weeks in a row. Result = blow out.
I just read on Condotta’s blog ASU (with Frank Kush) when something like 30-3 it’s last 3 years in the WAC and a couple of years into Pac-10 play they were 1-11.
The week after week pounding adds up – and its’ something that the non-BCS schools screaming about their records fail to acknowledge. You look at Boise States schedule last year and I would be willing to bet the top half of the Pac-10 would go undefeated … UW probably would have won 11 games playing those patsies.
Yeah no doubt
It’s a real problem that none of them want to admit.
WSU is the only softball in the Pac-10 right now, and top to bottom I still think it’s the best in the nation. Over at the MWC blog, we had a big fight because a few of them insinuated that the MWC was a better conference than the Pac-10.
MWC?
Definitely mid tier while the WAC is the best of the bottom tier.
by John Berkowitz on Jun 22, 2010 8:09 PM PDT up reply actions
I know right?
A couple of them actually thought because TCU, BYU, and Utah had marched through powerhouses like Wyoming, Colorado State and SDSU and beat a couple of deflated teams in BCS games that they were a better conference. They’re on par with the Big East (maybe better) and were approaching the ACC before Utah left, but better than the P10…not a chance in hell.
I still contend that the Pac-10 is the toughest conference in the country. It may not be as talented, or have as many powerhouse 6* programs (Video game reference for those who get it), but there is only one easy game in our conference slate (and at some point WSU will be good again). Also, the worst Pac-10 team has a tougher non-conference schedule than the best the SEC has to offer. Football is religion down there, and since everyone in the South has nothing to do besides watch CFB, it’s somehow correlated to the toughness of the conference.
Sorry for the rant, but I get a little fired up about this stuff.
I just read on Condotta’s blog ASU (with Frank Kush) when something like 30-3 it’s last 3 years in the WAC and a couple of years into Pac-10 play they were 1-11
That’s not entirely accurate. Bob was a little lazy with his research there. ASU went 6-5 that year, but forfeited 5 of the wins. And if I remember correctly, they knew at some point during the season that they had used an ineligible player and would likely be forfeiting wins, so their motivation may well have tanked.
He also neglected to mention that after Kush was fired for hitting a player, Darryl Rogers succeeded him and proceeded to go 7-4, 9-2 & 10-2 from 1980-1982 before things started to drop off. Point being, ASU could compete quite well in the conference. Yes, they didn’t dominate the way they did in the WAC, but they were strong contenders.
I don’t think Boise State would win the Pac-10 anything more than once every 15 years or so, but they would likely be upper tier on a regular basis, and I expect Utah to also do quite well (better than that in fact), especially with the added cache of now being a BCS conference school in recruiting. Utah has a really good thing going under Whittingham, and will be a tough team to play on a regular basis.
It is the off season for Bob…he is trying to enjoy his family and get some rest before August.
by John Berkowitz on Jun 25, 2010 6:36 AM PDT up reply actions
Yep. FSU pulled its starters up 31 points.
This team will improve in '10... on its 16-16 conference record over the last 4 years.... after losing 20 games in the last 4 years... after having the 7th worst major-conference defense... after not even winning its own division in the ACC in the last 4.
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How Pissed is BYU that we didn't offer them?
I keep hearing that BYU is pissed because Utah got the offer and BYU got snubbed. Before we took Utah, I had the BYU game in the bag as a victory, I think I might have to rethink that. BYU will probably play with a little more incentive, yet they don’t have Jake Locker [rethinking in progress].
All I saw was purple
My fear also
This is a statement game for BYU. When you read the “why not us” arguments for BYU joining the Pac10, its hard to believe that the anti-religious bigotry of the so called tolerant left is not controlling the show. While Notre Dame is the prize, it appears that BYU need not apply. I’m not a Mormon, in fact I’m not very religious at all, but it seems that we favor a religion that wants to kill us more than on that stresses family values.
End of that sermon. But, if I’m at BYU, I have a huge chip on my shoulder for not even being in the conversation for expansion. This is their first chance to show the Pac10 what they think of their treatment. I still favor the Dawgs, but the conference has given a huge inspiration against BYU’s first opponent, and that is us.
I don't have a problem with it
BYU holds a very defined religious affiliation, the Pac-10 is a strictly secular conference (they manuvered CU into the conference so they didn’t have to take Baylor for example, albeit for more reasons than religion) and they would like to stay that way.
Everyone has a price, and BYU didn’t meet it. Besides, who likes BYU anyway?
The BYU game is going to be tougher then expected
Keep in mind that BYU traditionally scores a lot of points. So if the game becomes a scoring fest, it will come down to defensive stops, is our defense going to make critical stops in the 2nd half? I think the team that can make the most 2nd half defensive stops is bound to win the opener.
Regardless, in order to win we’ve got to come out hitting on all cylinders both offensively and defensively.
All I saw was purple
Ditto
They’re breaking in a new starting QB and lost their starting TB, do I have to mention their front seven are pretty much new too?
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Replacements
We also have to consider with regards to the replacemnt players on the BYU roster the age difference. BYU has a ton of returning missionaries who are at prime NFL age. Now the talent is no where near NFL level, but you cannot overlook the maturity of their players and how beneficial it is to have a roster full of mature men then still wet behind the ears kids.
Note: our roster is better then the 08 season along with our talent. I’d like to hope that Sark uses the 08 game vs. BYU as a tool in order to prepare for the BYU opener. In my opinion the BYU opener is a must win game. Every game during this improvement era is a “must win” game.
All I saw was purple
BYU has great motivation and home court advantage, but they also have a lot of talent to replace from last year. I don’t expect a UW cakewalk by any stretch of the imagination (though I could see that as a possible outcome), but I do think the Huskies have a better than even shot at coming out with a win in that game.
Yes and no
it seems that we favor a religion that wants to kill us more than on that stresses family values.
I agree with that. However, it’s important to note that Utah is a Tier I research institution with a wide range of excellent graduate programs; BYU isn’t, it’s much more of an undergrad-focused school, with fewer and overall lower-quality graduate programs. You can argue that that distinction is overvalued, that universities ought to put more money and effort and attention into teaching undergrads than they do, and value big-time research less than they do, and I wouldn’t argue with you — but the fact is, the big money is in big research, not teaching 18-year-olds, and so that’s the way schools like UW and UCLA value things. On that score, by that method of evaluation, Utah is a significantly better school than BYU, and a much better fit with the similar schools in the Pac.
And as regards ND: in that respect, it’s a lot closer to Utah than to BYU; it’s probably more of a teaching school than a lot of big universities, but all the same, it’s an extremely strong graduate institution, and much more of an academic prize for the big conferences than BYU would be. It’s also much, much looser in its religious affiliation, and vastly more liberal than BYU (remember, they just gave Obama an honorary doctorate; can you imagine BYU doing that?). The parallel is really quite superficial. Baylor, I’ll grant, is a lot more like BYU; but Baylor also sucks at football. If Baylor were a football power with a strong fanbase that would buy a lot of tickets to Bears road games, we would be looking at a very different calculation for them (though even then, probably much more the SEC than the Pac).
by The Ancient Mariner on Jun 22, 2010 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions
I went to ND for law school
Night and day different. ND encourages “faith” in whatever form it may take (plenty of Jewish, protestant, and even muslim professors whereas BYU requires meeting a mormon as a prerequisite to admission.
Also, ND is a big budget research institution (has a nuclear reactor, etc.). BYU is not.
ND does not censor its professors (although it does, to some extent, only hire people they think fit). BYU will not only censor but discpline professors for dissenting views.
ND more closely resembles USC or Standford than BYU.
BYU has fired professors over academic freedom issues
Plus mormon professors must be in good standing to be elidgible to have a temple recommend. This means they must pay 10% of their income back to the church (their employer.) If they don’t they can be fired.
They are still able to be accredited because the have an official “Statement on Academic Freedom” available for the public.
Are you serious?
They’re breaking in a new starting QB and lost their starting TB, do I have to mention their front seven are pretty much new too?
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Will QB Renuion Mitigate?
Will Sark, Young, etc. returning for the BYU QB reunion pump enough good vibes in the team/fans to counteract the angry vibes born from our invitation of Utah without them?
BYU QB Reunion
I think Sark will remember how good it feels to get a W at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Of all of the athletes who ever played at BYU, Sark was the only one I could never hate, and that says a lot coming from a Utah fan. Sark will soon realize that it feels even better to win at the Y when you send their fans home crying and making excuses for their loss.
I couldn't have said it better...
All you get from byu is a lot of big talk before the game and lame excuses after they lose. Washington is decent and will be fine in this game.
No need to re-think
You picked it right by putting the W against BYU in the bag before the game even started. BYU is garbage and they always will be.
Methinks
that judgment would be hard to sustain without the bias, at least as it refers to the quality of BYU’s teams on the field. That said, there does appear to be a quality gap right now that will be hard for BYU to overcome, however motivated they are.
by The Ancient Mariner on Jun 23, 2010 8:59 AM PDT up reply actions
If I didn't hate BYU so much for 1984 (and 1985, really)...
…I’d be a fan of the Cougars under Mendenhall. I like their style. Very physical on defense. Even though they typically throw the ball a ton, they aren’t just a 4- and 5-receiver offense. They did a great job of flexing Pita out of the tight end position the last few years and really taking advantage of what he could do. Similar to the way the Dawgs utilized Jerramy Stevens, but far more of a focus. If Middleton can get the right mindset, he could be a guy that has that type of role.
The Cougars always seem to be far more physical in the running game than you’d expect. They seem like they’d be more of a finesse team, but they’ll just line up and go right at a defense.
2010 is going to be a very interesting season
Utah will have a target on its back all season and BYU will have some extra motivation playing a P-10 school. Hopefully, though, UW will also have a score to settle with BYU. They had that game 2 years ago won before it was ripped away from them.
New QB and the loss of Unga appears that even digging deep BYU will struggle to beat UW.
Could be interesting if Heaps a WA native starts this game, although I believe they won’t start him until later in the season.
Ripped away, but not won
The call was terrible, but the game was not won. Did TyW send out the placekicker for a tie, it was never clear to me if the UW would go for two, or the tie. I wanted Jake to run for the win, rather than kick for a tie. I felt more comfortable with Jake on one play than I did about the entire team in OT.
Just my opinion, for that year. This year, even on the road, I would be more confident about OT.
I agree with you that going for two would've been the right call.
Willingham came out and said that he was going to kick regardless.
You see that stuff at all out of league contests
Our Pac 10 officials just love to screw us as well as the out of league opponent.
All I saw was purple
Any possible commit news?
John, hearing anything from the Rising Stars camp? Thanks
You'd think...
…there would be a few new offers going out. Unless of course they want to “hide” a player, like they did with James Atoe.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
BYwho is breaking in a...
…new QB, nuff said. I could add that to the fact that Unga is out but I don’t believe in piling on. Locker is going to have a field day!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
BYU will likely be favored...and if I had to guess it'll be by 1.5 to 3.5 points
since I’m a bettor, I’ll take the Dawgs straight up at what will likely be +130 to +150.
The only thing...
…that worries me a bit it the heat factor. It can be really hot down there in those early games.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Twice would be excellent actually
and you can tell all the BYU fans you know down there that the real reason they weren’t invited is because we already have “Cougars” to beat unmerciful every year.
Two Cougars in the league would have been a bit odd
by The Ancient Mariner on Jun 22, 2010 9:30 PM PDT up reply actions
Don't be suprised...
if when you win, you get accused of pouring beer on the Quarterbacks parents. Oh and Sark, even though you are a BYU legend, it won’t stop an arrogant ignorant cougar fan from slapping your wife. Go down to Happy Valley and kick some ass!!!
I remember...
…the 97 matchup and the Huskies just pounded them. Rashan Shehee just went off, if I remember correctly it was like 42-14. I had my truck spit on and one guy on the freeway was waving his fist out the window as he passed me. That being said, I have much fonder memories than 1999 where they pulled out a close game against us.
The warmup in 97 was priceless. The UW alumni assoc rented out this bar’s parking lot. They had these huge speakers and cranked up the volume with “Let’s get drunk and screw in the streets” I was laughing SO hard, it was a lot of fun!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Here's the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wFpvRMIIEM
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Correction to BYU's home win record
BYU lost 2 times at home last year. On September 19th, Florida State stomped the cougars 54-28 in Provo, and TCU stomped BYU in provo last year as well.
Winning in Provo is difficult, but not impossible. This is definitely the year for Washington to go down and do this. The opportunity is there for Washington to start the season with a bang, and I think it is going to happen.
I like revenge games and qb's with much more experience to win these games.
The Huskies have both. Washington Huskies 31, BYU 24.
I'm all about covering the spread and moneylines. Glory favors the bold. Chance favors the prepared mind. Luck, well i have that too. University of Utah goes to the Pac-12 conference in 2011. I expect them to compete immediately for the conference CG. I still will always follow the Mountain West Conference. Brock Lesnar will defeat Cain Velasquez and face the winner of Junior Dos Santos vs Roy Nelson where he will defeat JDS and stake his claim as pound for pound champion. Womens MMA, the next big thing in sports. 45 days and counting to the first game of college football. UTAH vs Pitt. September 2nd 2010.
by wolfmanshowlforever on Jul 22, 2010 8:05 AM PDT up reply actions
I do like Washington here but a 10 point margin seems very high
BYU is a 3.5 point favorite.
This team will improve in '10... on its 16-16 conference record over the last 4 years.... after losing 20 games in the last 4 years... after having the 7th worst major-conference defense... after not even winning its own division in the ACC in the last 4.
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