Byu Football Projections – Rise and Shout or Down and Out?
Let’s start by giving credit where credit is due. The cougars had an amazing 2006 season. They finished the season with a 11-2 record, including a 38-8 massacre of the Pac-10’s Oregon Ducks. Furthermore, they went on a 9-0 winning streak to end the season, the third longest in college football last year. In retrospect, they could have and maybe should have gone undefeated. Their only two losses were both late-game nail biters. In one, the cougars lost in OT to a tough Boston College team and in the other, they lost because of a few botched field goal attempts. So, all in all we can fairly say that the BYU football program did a nice job last year.
The question now, though, is whether or not the Cougars can keep that momentum going into the 2007. Here’s the skinny on the Cougars:
Much of their success during 2006 was due to a handful of players who had amazing seasons; namely John Beck, Curtis Brown, Johnny Harline and pretty much of every one of the linebackers. John Beck played so well that it was not uncommon to hear his name in the same sentence as Troy Smith, Brady Quinn and Jamarcus Russell. The linebacking core had such a superb season that the Cougar defense was the best it has been in years, even though their secondary was very questionable. Now though, each of those players is gone and BYU now must scramble to find adequate replacements.
So, the synopsis is this:
Offense – The Cougars are going to be pretty weak at quarterback, which has always been a big part of their success in the past. None of the players vying for the position have any noteworthy game experience as Beck has been a constant over the past few years. Also, even though their receivers are usually pretty solid, with so many young players having to replace their elder statesmen, the upcoming season will be hit or miss for the receivers. The Cougars will be able to turn to the back field with some amount of confidence, though, as Fui Vakapuna, who proved his mettle last season, and Manase Tonga will provide some excellent running and blocking.
Defense: Let’s face it Cougar fans. The defense this year may be a bit shaky. Up front, most of the defensive line are either freshmen or sophmores. That kind of youth does not bode well. Behind them, however, the story is a lot better. Kehl, Nixon and Poppinga are all returning following a great 2006 season. But losing your captain Cameron Jensen will hurt them. His leadership and never-say-die attitude personified BYU last year. Still, though, I am not worried about the linebackers. What I am worried about is the secondary. It seems as though year in and year out, BYU starts a bunch of small, mediocre defensive backs. And this year is no different. Even though most of the starting secondary is returning (Gooch, Gabriel, Criddle, Buchannan), I don’t know how well they will do when lining up across from players with great athleticism. They may be able to hold their own against some MWC opponents, but not all of them. So, hopefully the linebackers will be able to rise to the challenge next year as they may not have that much help around them.
The critique of the players and positions above may paint a grim picture for the upcoming season. However, there is some hope. Ever since Gary Crowton got the boot, Bronco Mendenhall has been determined to restore the tradition and pride to Cougar football. And if last season’s success was any indication of his progess, I’d say he is doing a great job. Also, Robert Anae showed that his instincts and skill are that of an offensive genius. Beck was able to spray the ball around to so many different receivers and running backs that opposing defenses were simply unable to cover everyone. With Anae at the helm, many of BYU’s offensive inadequacies due to youth and lack of experience will be less of a factor.
To sum up, BYU is going to be young and inexperienced. But it has the coaching staff and tradition needed to propel the Cougars into yet another winning season. However, the coaches are not the ones on the field. So, if BYU is to continue its winning ways this year, some new faces are going to have adapt quickly to the higher level of competition that comes with NCAA football and come up big in the MWC this year.
Nishan Wilde is VP of Sales for RobbinsSports.com, an online resource for Gym Bags, Portable Scoreboards and Basketball Uniforms.
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Many believed this game would be a close one…..it wasn’t. Video clip from BYU’s 2006 season in review DVD.
Video Rating: 5 / 5
BYU QB John Beck finds sophomore Wide Receiver, Michael Reed, for a 36 yard TD between two defenders. With this completion, Beck became BYU’s second all-time leading passer, moving past Jim McMahon in the record books.
Video Rating: 3 / 5
John Beck, BYU #12
Image by uacheesehead
I played high school football with that guy!
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@sterlinghowell73 Iv ‘e met cameron Jensen.
@zenarrrow stop freaking swearing gangster
@ShizzlDandEDPwebshow Testify
@zenarrrow RISE AND SHOUT
“Boi?” Seriously? Are you black or something? Do you know that Mormons hate blacks? They didn’t let them attend BYU, and my Wyoming cowboys football team boycotted they BYU vs WYO game in 1969. They are evil, and try to solicit their “religion.”
@GanjaSkier420 do u hate mormons or something? you may not know ther are like huge samoans that r mormons they could like destroy u at football so u better not mess wit my bois cause i am a byu boi
BYU is just a giant bigot school of ass-hat mormons who hate everyone else. Try a little thing called “having an assortment” instead of bribing every good mo-mo football player in the state. And no I don’t hate mormons, I’m not a bigot. I just think your school is bullshit. Every year; I’m in the WYO student section singing our famous BEER SONG, and chanting “FUCK YOU BYU!” Keep up being ass-hats.
i remember that game
Yes sir….
Mormons say what they want to say and you will do what I tell you to do.
52-0 today wyoming licks balls. Can mormons say that?
Of course you are. Who else would say “fricken”?
i am mormon myself i was joking
yes we are…totally fricken
fricken Mormons
the announcer sounds sweet, but who the freak is steven henley? pretty sure that was harline with the touchdown
That return by Mckay Jacobsen for the TD was a thing of beauty. Watch him blow by the first level of defenders…made everyone look like they were in slow motion for a second.
This blowout couldn’t have happened to a more deserving team. Wyoming is the most pathetic program, with the nastiest fans, in the ugliest place of all D-1 schools. I cheer for them to lose every game they play.
Cameron Jensen my hero
55-7…..and Wyoming was supposed to be good
go Johnothan Coachman i am glad he annouced that game. with Wyoming being my favorite team. and he is a good announcer in WWE
@Fansailormoon ummm washington……fail
hahahahahaha BYU Scored and won now Sep 4 is the BYU game against Wyoming again and we are going to rock it.
ye i think he is for wwe
there’s something I didn’t know… thanks for pointing that out. Lol
Apostates and fags go to utah
is jonathon coachmen the announcer?
ahaha, burrito boy, i like it haha
fuck you lil’ burrito boy.
yeah….bull shit. you haven’t had a good qb in twenty years.
why the heck are you watching this?
go UTEs!!
Sounds just like him!
byu sucks.
Say what you will, it was a neat play. The uniqueness of the video was because with this pass completion, John Beck moved into the #2 spot in BYU’s career passing list. This in and of itself is amazing, considering BYU is traditionally one of the top QB schools in the nation.
USC > BYU
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
EAT YOUR HEARTS OUT byu FANS
UTAH 13-0 BCS CRUSHERS
CRUSHED byu and DESTROYED ALABAMA
UTES # 1
EAT YOUR HEARTS OUT byu FANS
Wow!…
Yes it was luck that the ball was tipped up and not down, but you’ve got to give him credit for actually coming down with the ball.
Bad decision by QB. Luck by receiver. Then again when you play against the worst teams in the nation you can probably run whatever plays you want.
Daniel coats is a better receiver..
Isn’t that voice from Jonathan “The Coach” Coachman, from WWE fame?
I did a touchdown like that last week…and I don’t even play American Football….or with any kind of ball for that matter…
The ball bobbled and happened to land right into his chest. Skill AND luck.
whatever, that was kinda sloppy.
luck