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Cougar Blog:
BYU Sports
Collinsworth Growing Into Role
Playing against North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough and Louisville's Derrick Caracter was a thrill for BYU freshman Chris Collinsworth. But in terms of improving his game, it's nothing he doesn't see on a regular basis in practice. "Trent (Plaisted) is just as good and I personally think if not better," Collinsworth said. "He is 6-11 and a great athlete and competitive. I have really been fortunate to get to play against him every day." Having played a lot on the perimeter at Provo High, Collinsworth is still learning the nuances of post play and the aggression needed to bang with the big bodies down low at the college level. Collinsworth developed his ballhandling skills as a point guard in high school by necessity at first. He was only 5-foot-9 entering his freshman year before enduring a huge growth spurt to his current 6-9 status by his senior year. But the versatility he gained from having to learn every position was beneficial. "I am more of a hybrid guy," he said. "The way the game is going today the 4 has to be a guy who can do everything and personally I don't care if I am 3 or a 4, I just want to play and be somebody who can be in the post or be on the wing and handle the ball - just help the team out any way I possibly can." Because they possess similar styles, Collinsworth's favorite player is Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki. But his BYU teammates call Collinsworth "Detlef" after another former NBA German player - Detlef Schrempf - who is now an assistant with the Seattle Sonics. Collinsworth says the banging down low aspect of post play is where he has the most room for growth in his game. "I am not shaving yet," Collinsworth said as he rubbed his chin and glanced at his lanky arms. But at only 18, there is still plenty of maturation time remaining "I am not the biggest guy, so I have to be a little smarter right now to make up for the strength aspect of it," he said. "I have to think more on my feet rather than go out and push people around. It's something I think I have improved on." **** Basketball in the news: SI.com's Grant Wahl included a BYU item in his weekly mailbag. Check it out: "Breakout alert I: BYU big man Trent Plaisted had a monster second half to finish with 24 points and 17 boards in the Romneys' near-upset of North Carolina the night after he had 21 and 12 to help take down Louisville. You'd think putting up those kinds of numbers against Top 10 teams would perk up the NBA scouts, but is there any chance Rafael Araujo has poisoned the NBA well for BYU big men? BYU goes out of its way to promote Plaisted's athleticism (41-inch vertical, can touch 12-2, 4.6 40-yard dash), which makes me think the Cougs are acutely aware of the Araujo Curse."
Pretty In Pink
Joe Semanoff was a star running back at Lehighton High in Lehighton, Penn. (pop. 5537). The headlines in the local newspaper on Saturday mornings would often read "Ground General" or "Superman Semanoff" after the BYU senior produced another big game. So imagine the reaction if Semanoff had taken the field in a pink jersey. That nearly happend thanks to a laundry mishap. After Semanoff returned home from a game played in the pouring rain, he discarded every piece of his uniform by the washing machine. His mother, Julia, grabbed it all and stuck it in the machine for a quick clean. But she didn't realize the team had just been given new maroon socks and the socks bled into Semanoff's white jersey. The result was a shade of pink that Julia knew would horrify her son if he found out. She frantically began calling nearly everyone in town. She called relatives, teammates' mothers and even the home economics teacher at Lehighton. As progressive as our society has become, pink is still not exactly a manly color and football is still a very manly sport. I am sure many of you know about Iowa painting its visiting locker room pink after coach Hayden Fry read somewhere the color tended to have a taming effect on people. Semanoff will never know what his pink jersey would have done to opposing defenders. His mother used enough Rit Dye and hot water to finally get the jersey back to a shade of white. And Joe did find out. During one of Julia's phone conversations with the mother of Joe's best friend, he overheard and told Joe. **** Taking It On The Chin: I knew the UConn-BYU women's game last night had the potential to get ugly. But I didn't think it would get that ugly. Second-ranked UConn jumped out to a 23-0 lead and pummeled the Cougars 80-34. It took BYU nearly 10 minutes to even score. Heck, UConn could have probably played its second string and still won by 20 points. But it's not like BYU is alone in its misery. The Huskies have destroyed everyone in their path so far - even Duke - and are winning by more than 40 points per game. But it shows how far BYU has to go if it hopes to return to the NCAA Tournament this season. The Cougars haven't looked worthy yet this year, which might have been expected from a young team. Perhaps, BYU coach Jeff Judkins said it best when he related last night's outcome to getting "kicked in the face."
Tavernari Checks Out The Girls
Jonathan Tavernari is an equal opportunity basketball lover. The BYU sophomore guard said he is a big fan of the women's game, and it's no surprise why. Tavernari's mom, Thelma, was a great player herself and coached Jonathan while he was growing in Brazil. Tavernari told me after practice today his mom played against Tennessee coach Pat Summitt (formerly Pat Head) when they were members of their respective national teams. Tavernari said he spends a lot of time during the summer watching WNBA games, and said his favorite player is Phoenix Mercury guard and former UConn star Diana Taurasi. "But nothing compares to Erin Thorn," said Tavernari, displaying his BYU loyalty toward the New York Liberty guard. Tavernari also has a fond spot in his heart for former Brazilian star Janeth Arcain, who teamed with Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson to lead the Houston Comets to numerous titles. When Jonathan was still in Brazil, he would go to the gym during the summer, when the women's basketball season was in full swing, and watch practices. "They play with fundamentals and really have an attention to detail," he said. "They are not explosive and can't score at will like the men. But Diana Taurasi - she can do whatever she wants because she plays like a man." We at the blog will consider that a compliment. Although playing like a girl is just as good. **** Nevada issues statement: The University of Nevada athletic department sent an email to the area media with a statement from athletic director Cary Groth regarding Nevada dropping BYU as it season-opening opponent next season. "The University of Nevada informed BYU as early as 2005 and again in August of 2006 of our desire to reschedule our football game with them that was scheduled for August of 2008. We had opportunities to play against teams from Bowl Championship Series conferences and asked that our game with BYU be rescheduled. BYU had earlier requested to reschedule the game and the University of Nevada agreed to accommodate those requests. "The University of Nevada is continuing to work in good faith towards helping BYU find another opponent for its 2008 schedule. We also look forward to fulfilling the original contract with BYU at a mutually acceptable date." **** Point spread: Can I rectify my earlier UConn-BYU margin of success? If the Cougars can stay within 30, they should be happy. UConn held a 42-11 lead at the half.
The Focus of Practice
The look on Matt Allen's face foretold his response when asked how practice was going this week. "Surpringsly good," he said. "I think that we were all afraid afer having such a hard-fought game this past week and coming off such an emotional high that we wouldn't be. Maybe it's the closed practice, but the focus has really ben there and it has helped us. The season is not over and all our goals have not been accomplished." At least Allen isn't ashamed to admit the idea of an emotional letdown crossed BYU's mind. It's kind of refreshing to have a player cop to that instead of the boring cliche answers. Like we are expected to believe football players for some reason aren't human and they can just avoid emotional swings because they wear a uniform. As the psychological diagnosis goes, "The first step to ...." - OK. You get the picture. Let's just say it can work to a team's advantage to not try to convince themselves otherwise. Encounter it, embrace it, and find a cure. At least then you are not surprised if it does happen because you ignored it. **** Health updates: - Quarerback Max Hall said yesterday his shoulder was feeling good. "My arm felt good. I had a lot of zip on the ball and the receivers were crisp and our offensive line was good and picked up the blitzes adn made the run blocks. I think things were really crisp and we are ready to play. I am happy and confident in the way we are practicing right now." - Running back Harvey Unga (ankle) hasn't been practicing, but BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said earlier this week he expects Unga to receive the same workload against San Diego State. - Senior linebacker Markell Staffieri was wearing a walking boot on his right leg during Tuesday's practice. I am not sure if the San Diego area native will be on the field Saturday in his hometown. I didn't get a chance to ask, and when the team is indoors for practice, you better catch them while you can because they are gone once it's over. And I mean gone. I have to prioritize according to stories.
BYU Defense Draws Praise
San Diego State quarterback Kevin O'Connell is right behind Max Hall in the conference passing rankings. But he knows he will have earn every single yard this weekend against BYU's defense. "Their front seven has been really impressive all season," he said. "I have been breaking them down early in the week here on tape and the games I have watched on TV and I have been impressed. They are making stops and getting teams in second-and-long and third-and-long situations. Their secondary has done a lot of good things too." O'Connell's coach Chuck Long concurs. "They are solid. Bronco has really coached that team well and defensively they are very sound in what they do," Long said. "We have faced a team that has blitzed more than they have, but because they are sound and they have big people up front it's hard to move out there and they have excellent technique in the secondary. They read patterns very well, especially the safeties. It's the best I have seen this year." **** UConn. BYU-Can't The BYU women's baskeball team is facing a major test tonight in No. 2 Connecticut. If the Cougars can stay within 20 points, they should consider it a victory. UConn has been blowing out opponents so far this season. The Huskies margin of victory has been a whopping 39.8 points. They pasted Duke 74-48 to win the Paradise Jam tournament title last weekend. UConn's freshman sensation Maya Moore (18.6 points) could become one of the best women's players of all-time by the end of her career. UConn is treated like a men's team in terms of coverage and fan support. The Huskies have at least five beat reporters who travel with the team and every game is pretty much a sellout. Their games are even on public television in Connecticut. Tonight's game is being played at the Hartford Civic Center instead of UConn's on-campus arena - Storrs. BYU already lost to a Hartford-area team when Hartford beat BYU at the Marriott Center earlier this month. But that loss isn't looking as bad since Hartford is now ranked No. 20 and just won a tournament in Hawaii. Hartford is coached by Jen Rizzotti - a former UConn point guard. It's too bad tonight's game isn't being televised here in the Utah area. It's always fun to watch Geno Auriemma on the sidelines. Even during blowout wins he is good for a few animated reactions. Geno being Geno can be fun. But take solace BYU fans - UConn is returning the game so Geno will soon be in the Marriott for all to see along with Moore.
The Season-Opening Unknown
It's fun to imagine the possibilities of which program BYU will schedule to open the 2008 season now that we know Nevada backed out of the game. But let's face reality - How many teams have openings on their schedule this late? Schedules are often built years in advance, especially if you are a major program. By default, BYU may be forced to take the Hawaii route and find a Division I-AA opponent or a lower level mid-major opponent to fill the void. That will have everyone dreaming about BCS chances considering all the talent BYU has back on the offensive side of the ball and how close (there's still a longshot chance) the Cougars came to making a BCS bowl this season. But BYU's schedule would still be stronger than Hawaii's considering two of next season's non-conference opponents are Washington and UCLA. Granted, Washington is a bottom-dweller right now, but the Huskies are still a Pac-10 team and that holds more weight than a WAC team. Nevada was a home game for BYU, so the Cougars are going to want to find an opponent to come to LaVell Edwards Stadium to keep the money flowing from the gate receipts. It will be interesting to see which team winds up here next year. I am still not sure how long BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe has been working on this. In talking to the Nevada football contacts yesterday, they made it sound like this had been known internally for more than a year. Of course, it was only publicly revealed once Nevada released its schedule. Whether the real reason was the Wolfpack not wanting to turn down an opportunity to host Texas Tech in Week 2 or them seeing a big 0-for A LOT to start their season and quickly scrambling for Grambling State in Week 1 may never be known. But let's just say there aren't any warm feelings between Nevada and BYU right now. When you hear "legal actions being explored" that doesn't engender visions of Christmas gift exchanges. And this likely makes the relations between the MWC and WAC a bit more strained.
The French Connection
The track record in a season that includes a summer excursion has historically been good for the BYU men's basketball team. Head coach Dave Rose believes this year's trip to France has helped the No. 21 Cougars (5-1) get out of the gate fast. "That time we were able to spend together in practice and the time we were able to spend there in really competitive environments - the difficult gyms you play in and difficult travel schedules - a lot of those things helped," Rose said. "Our players were able to compete and win those games and I think that gives you confidence for the next time you get together." During BYU's recent Vegas trip, junior center Trent Plaisted conducted a clinic in the paint. One thing in particular stuck out to Rose. "What we are reallly excited about as a staff with Trent was how aggressive he rebounded the basketball and how he just went in and made plays," Rose said. "We have seen him take the ball to the basket and score for quite a few years now, and we went into those two games knowing that he really needed to kind of dominate those games around the glass." **** Mr. Quotability: Bryan Kehl has rightfully earned the title "Most quotable player" for the BYU football team. But if you need further proof, check out this beauty regarding his feelings after the Utah game. "That is something you never forget," he said. "That stays with you embedded in the fleshy tablets of your heart." It's not often a linebacker will say, "fleshy tablets of your heart." The reference is actually scriptually based from 2 Corinthians 3:3, and is seen as both "tablets" or "tables" depending upon the version of the bible. Elder Russell M. Nelson made reference to it during the LDS General Conference in 2000. "To feast means more than to taste. To feast means to savor. We savor the scriptures by studying them in a spirit of delightful discovery and faithful obedience. When we feast upon the words of Christ, they are embedded 'in fleshy tables of the heart.' They become an integral part of our nature." Too much information I know. But I aim to provide more that just sports knowledge in this blog.
BYU's Classroom Grades
BYU is No. 19 in the BCS standings. But where do the Cougars rank in the classroom? "Higher Ed Watch" created an Academic Bowl Championship Series rating the BCS schools by their brains not their brawn. BYU is pretty similar in both areas. The Cougars are No. 20 in the ABCS. Here is the full list of rankings: 1. Boston College 127.80 2. Cincinnati 97.25 3. Auburn 73.15 4. Boise State 68.90 5. Virginia 60.45 6. Virginia Tech 60.15 7. Clemson 59.35 8. USC 51.65 9. West Virginia 47.85 10. Arizona State 46.35 11. Illinois 39.10 12. Wisconsin 38.45 13. South Florida 37.45 14. Georgia 34.90 15. Missouri 34.25 16. Florida 34.20 17. Kansas 34.10 18. Tennessee 32.85 19. Oklahoma 32.85 20. BYU 32.40 21. LSU 29.95 22. Ohio State 28.55 23. Oregon 8.35 24. Texas 7.85 25. Hawaii - 2.35 The Academic BCS formula starts with a team's four-class average federal graduation rate. The teams then gain or lose points based on: - The gap between the team's graduation rate and the overall school's graduation rate - The gap between the team's black-white player graduation rate disparity and the overall school's disparity - The team's NCAA APR score in comparison to the median APR for all Division I-A teams. **** A system Tavernari would love: Tennessee attempted an astounding 50 3-pointers in its game last night. The Vols hit just 14. But I am sure BYU sophomore Jonathan Tavernari wouldn't mind having the green light that many times in a game. Tavernari's 3-point performance in Las Vegas turned a few heads. "I didn't think Tavernari was that good," ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said. "I saw him play last year and he was more kind of a spot duty guy. But he is much improved from last year."
Holmoe On The Money
How smart does Tom Holmoe look right now for signing Bronco Mendenhall and Dave Rose to extended contracts? The BYU athletic director made the moves before each started their respective seasons, and they have rewarded him with continued success. After BYU's basketball performance in the Las Vegas Invitational, you know a few ADs added Rose to their watch list. The coaching carousel is spinning in football right now, and the same will happen once March rolls around in basketball. We all know just because a coach has signed a contract doesn’t mean they are locked into the deal for life. Buyouts happen all the time, and as much as coaches say they love their school, college athletics has become a business with every man and woman looking out for themselves. Rose is 50-19 at BYU with back-to-back Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year honors. Mendenhall is 26-10, and if not for Troy Calhoun's success at Air Force this season, would likely be the choice for back-to-back honors as well. If you had to pick one who is a hotter commodity at this juncture, I would lean towards Rose. Plus, the basketball market is much bigger than football. Of course, just because they are on the radar, doesn't mean they are going anywhere. And Holmoe made it more appealing to stick around by signing them early. **** Mea culpa: — Forgive me for not giving credit where credit was due. The person responsible for getting Austin Collie's comments after the Utah game was Patrick Kinahan of 1320 KFAN. I failed to attribute that in my blog yesterday, and apologize for the exclusion.
Another Doman-Hall Connection
The advice BYU quarterbacks coach Brandon Doman gives Max Hall isn't restricted to just football. Doman has been able to dole out a little medical knowledge as well. Hall suffered a grade 3 sprain of his throwing shoulder against Wyoming, yet still managed to play against Utah thanks to vigorous rehab and frequent trips to the training room. Doman had the same injury during his senior year at BYU. "I had waited my entire career to play and they told me most guys aren't going to play with that injury. I said, 'No way. I am playing,'" Doman said. "So I think Max wanted to prove to me he was tougher than me. The fact he was even practicing out there and throwing with a grade 3 was actually pretty amazing. It says a lot about his toughness. Our players just never doubted once he wasn't going to be out there. Anybody who even mentioned it made Max mad." **** Quick hits: - BYU is one of 16 teams remaining in contention for a BCS berth. The teams were announced after a teleconference today featuring a bunch of the BCS conference commissioners, bowl reps and TV guys. The odds are still way better for booking your trip to Vegas rather than to the Fiesta, Sugar or Orange bowls. You can never say never in this wacky season, but you can say highly unlikely. - G Pittman went through his first full practice since fall camp today. The freshman injured his left hip, and has been participating in parts of practice for the last three weeks while still rehabbing. "It's still a little sore but feeling pretty good," he said. "My legs are a little tired, but I am slowly starting to get it."
Scheduling A BCS Berth
Several columnists and analysts across the country have lent their support for Hawaii receiving a BCS bowl bid should they finish the season undefeated. Hawaii (11-0) is 12th in the BCS standings, and if the Warriors beat Washington (4-8) on Saturday, they are more than likely headed to a big-money bowl much like their WAC brethern Boise State was last year. But the one incriminating piece of evidence drawing criticism for Hawaii is its schedule. The Warriors have played two Division I-AA teams this season. Head coach June Jones said he tried to schedule upper-tier schools, but nobody wanted to play them. BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall was asked if Hawaii's scheduling tactics might cause Mountain West schools to take a similar tact in hopes of reaching a BCS game. "With the parity that exists (in the Mountain West Conference) week in and week out, it might mean some coaches will now look to try and schedule down in non-conference rather than up if the record is the most determining factor," he said. BYU's non-conference schedule next season includes Nevada, Washington, UCLA and Utah State. The Cougars made a BCS bowl their goal this season despite the infux of newcomers on offense. "Their aspirations and hopes were to compete in one of those games this year," Mendenhall said. "It's not completely ruled out even though I consider it a long shot." **** Speaking of bowls: BYU is likely bound for the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 22 unless the long shot plays out. But the big question is who the Cougars will play once they get there. Right now, all signs point to a rematch if the Vegas Bowl stays true to its Pac-10 vs. MWC roots. If UCLA loses this weekend to USC and Arizona beats Arizona State, Arizona would probably be BYU's opponent. BYU beat Arizona 20-7 to open the season. If UCLA and Arizona both lose, UCLA would probably be BYU's opponent. BYU lost to UCLA 27-17 in the second week of the season. UCLA as an opponent would be the scenario I would think the Las Vegas Bowl would want to avoid the most but may have to endure. Not only would it be a rematch, but BYU plays the Bruins again next year. Plus, you have the whole Ben Olson angle to deal with AGAIN. And if UCLA enters after a loss, head coach Karl Dorrell may be fired. UCLA already played with an interim head coach at the helm at the Las Vegas Bowl in 2002 after Bob Toledo was fired. I covered that Christmas night game against New Mexico and the only interesting thing was Katie Hinda becoming the first female to kick in a game. I am sure the Las Vegas Bowl would prefer not to have a rematch no matter what. I would speculate the ideal scenario would be to have UCLA go to another bowl, Arizona not be eligible and have to grab a team from a different conference (oh, say Boise State). Of course, we can just wait until Saturday night to find out. But what fun is that? **** Invitations accepted: - Air Force is heading to the Armed Forces Bowl and TCU is likely going to the Texas Bowl to play Houston. I expect Utah to go to the Poinsettia Bowl and play Navy, so the New Mexico Bowl may have to rework its contract language and let the Lobos play there two years in a row. **** For fun: Yahoo's Dan Wetzel has a playoff system plan that includes BYU as the 13-seed.
Collie Weighs In On Comment
Austin Collie put it best last night regarding the fervor created over his post game comments following BYU's 17-10 victory over Utah. "It's just ridiculous. People have to get a life," Collie told a group of reporters last night after practice. If you haven't heard it yet, here is what Collie said during a radio interview regarding his 49-yard reception on 4th-and-18: "I wouldn't say it was lucky. We executed the play well. We should have had another one. Obviously, if you do what's right on and off the field, I think the Lord steps in and plays a part in it. Magic happens." The "if you do what's right on and off the field," part is what likely got everybody's attention and many jumped to the conclusion Collie meant the Utah players aren't doing what's right on and off the field. He never said that, and said that was never his intention to imply that. As I stood there last night listening to Collie defend himself, I couldn't help but think - only in Utah. Sure a religious-infused comment like his would get some play in other states or areas, but not nearly as much as here. In my years of covering college, professional and high school sports, I've heard numerous athletes thank God or say it was a blessing from God they were able to make plays after games. A lot of people just roll their eyes - and with some of those athletes the eye rolling is worthy. But if a person truly believes in that, who are we to begrudge them. Once I heard Collie's statement on the news after the game, I cringed because I knew the words were going to be re-played and re-played and discussed ad naseum. To have that be the one redeeming thing to come out of that game is truly pathetic. Everybody says they want to take the religion factor out of this rivalry, yet as soon as a comment like Collie's is made, it hits the airwaves and is still being talked about this morning - three days after the game. "I just think it's absolutely ridiculous that people take something like that and blow it up," Collie told us last night. "I really think it's because I'm a Mormon white kid from Brigham Young University. Anybody else says that from any other team and it's just 'How spiritual that guy is.'" And Collie was not going to backtrack from his beliefs no matter how much grief he's getting. "To tell you I got here on my own and that the Lord hasn't had a hand in my success and our team's success and every other athlete's success in this world is just B.S.," he said. "Because he's had a hand in every person's life." To each his own. Now let's move on.
Hall Can't Get Enough
The BYU coaching staff may not have to worry about an emotional letdown from quarterback Max Hall when he faces San Diego State on Saturday. In fact, they may have to create one so he can return to earth after the thrilling victory over Utah. "I have watched it 50 times and I still don't know how it happened," Hall said tonight after practice. Hall was more than happy to relive the 49-yard pass he completed to Austin Collie on 4th-and-18 from the BYU 12-yard line to keep the winning drive alive. "With my sprained old shoulder I threw it with everything I had," he said. "I was watching it, and I almost tripped and fell." Hall said once Collie made the catch, he knew the game was over. "I knew we were going to win," he said. "Even if they hadn't had all the flags, we would have won." **** Tape delayed: While Hall was watching the football game over and over, Trent Plaisted wasn't doing the same for the basketball games BYU played in Las Vegas. The junior hasn't heard the glowing praise he received from ESPN's Dick Vitale. "To be quite honest, I don't know if I am going to watch it," he said. "I get kind of red in the face when people are talking about me like that." If that's the case, Plaisted will light up like a fire engine if he watches the replay of the North Carolina game. **** Quick hits: - The men's basketball team was happy for achieving their rankings today, but in no way are they content. They realize this is just a steppingstone and the real test comes in trying to stay in the rankings and make forward progress. Most of the players believe they didn't play their best and could have performed even better in Las Vegas. - Random number?: Both the basketball and football teams are ranked No. 21 in the Associated Press polls.
BYU Basketball Ranked
The BYU men's basketball team's performance in the Las Vegas Invitational vaulted the Cougars into the national rankings. BYU is ranked No. 21 in the Associated Press poll and No. 23 in the USA Today/ESPN poll. During its trip to Las Vegas, the Cougars (5-1) upset then No. 6-ranked Louisville 78-76 and gave No. 1 North Carolina all it could handle before losing 73-63 in the championship game. BYU doesn't play again until Saturday when it travels to face Portland.
Breakfast with Bronco Final Week
San Diego State may be the typical "just another game" on the schedule, but BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall is changing a few things in his team's preparation. Mendenhall has closed practice to the media this week, and said he is doing it because he wants BYU to play its best. The Cougars closed practice twice more than usual last week, and Mendenhall believed the players displayed better focus. He said anything he can do to help them be at their best, he will do. BYU will also be practicing inside because the outdoor practice field is in pretty bad shape with divots and holes. They will go with no pads this week again just as they did last week. Injury prevention and letting the body recover is the major focus at this point in the season. Other highlights, lowlights and all points in between: - Harvey Unga said his injured right ankle is "90 percentish, give or take." Unga injured the ankle in the first half against Utah, and had it re-taped, braced and shot up with painkillers before he came back in the second half. Unga said he heard a pop and was afraid he had broken the ankle or torn ligaments. He still is walking around with a noticeable limp. - Max Hall's injury to his right throwing shoulder was a Grade 3 sprain, and his ability to still play was just the latest example of his toughness, heart and will in Mendenhall's eyes. - Mendenall said the team still has yet to reach its full potential this season, and said he as a coach still has yet to reach his full potential. Perfection is what they are striving for. - BYU's No. 1 concern against San Diego State is quarterback Kevin O'Connell. The senior is a run-pass threat and mobile quarterbacks have given the Cougars trouble at times this season - Example No. 1 = Brian Johnson's ability to pick up key third-down conversions on Utah's late scoring drive. - Mendenhall doesn't consider Brett Denney a "second-tier" player. He considers Denney right up there with fellow defensive linemen Ian Dulan and Jan Jorgensen. - Mendenhall said BYU is starting from scratch to prepare for San Diego State. The Cougars had two days to prepare before the game was postponed due to the wildfires in October. But other than personnel, too much else has changed. Mendenhall said he doesn't even remember anything from the game plan the first time around. **** Plaisted Honored: BYU junior Trent Plaisted was named the Mountain West Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for his performance during the Las Vegas Invitational. Plaisted led BYU to a 2-1 record and second-place finish. BYU beat Hartford (97-73) and upset No. 6 Louisville (78-76) losing to top-ranked North Carolina (63-73). Against Hartford, Plaisted scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds and equaled his career-high of five assists. In BYU's upset of Louisville, he scored 21 points (10-for-16 shooting) and had a game-high 12 rebounds. Against North Carolina, Plaisted had season-highs of 24 points and 17 rebounds. For the week, Plaisted averaged 20.3 points, 12.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, while shooting 55.8 percent from the field (24-for-43).
BYU Gets Double Honors
BYU running back Harvey Unga was named the Mountain West Conference co-Offensive Player of the Week while kicker Mitch Payne was named Special Teams Player of the Week for their performances in BYU's 17-10 victory over Utah. Unga had 23 carries for 141 yards and scored a touchdown and caught one pass for 27 yards. The redshirt freshman scored the game-winning touchdown on an 11-yard run with 38 seconds remaining. Unga became the first freshman in BYU football history to record more than 1,000 yards rushing in a season. Payne kicked three field goals of 22, 23 and 35 yards to give BYU a 9-3 lead late into the fourth quarter. The freshman's three field goals marked the first time a BYU kicker had three field goals in a game since BYU's double-overtime loss at Boston College last season. BYU and TCU dominated the conference honors this week. TCU running back Joseph Turner shared the offensive honors with Unga while TCU linebacker Jason Phillips was the Defensive Player of the Week.
Moving On Up
BYU continued display upward mobility in the standings and rankings. The Cougars moved up six spots from No. 25 to No. 19 in the BCS standings. They moved up from No. 23 to No. 19 in the USA Today/Coaches' poll and from No. 23 to No. 21 in the Associated Press poll. A LOT - I repeat A LOT - of things still have to fall BYU's way for them to make a BCS bowl. But you can't count it out considering the wacky nature of the season. The highest BYU reached in the BCS standings last year was No. 20 and its highest ever was No. 12 in 2001. The BCS is still holding BYU, so no bowl invitations can be extended until the Cougars are released. If and when that happens, expect Las Vegas to have BYU on speed dial.
Going Through The Emotions
The BYU players and coaches displayed a range of emotions as the Cougars faced 4th-and-18 from their own 12-yard line with just over a minute remaining in yesterday's 17-10 victory over Utah. Some were praying. Others were scared. A few were kicking themselves for mistakes made on Utah's previous drive to take the lead. But they all had the same feeling after Max Hall connected with Austin Collie for a 49-yard completion that led to the game-winning touchdown - euphoria. BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall embodied the emotional tumult just before the snap. He said he was frustrated with himself and going through a "self examination" on what he could have done better to prevent Utah's scoring drive. He said he was feeling bad for a defensive player who made a mistake and got beat and wondering if he didn't prepare him well enough in practice last week. But that all changed once Hall found Collie. "Then all those thoughts went away and went to elation then refocusing to managing the rest of the game," Mendenhall said. "The coaches look at ourselves first to help our team win and with 4th-and-18, the chances aren't very good." Collie wasn't even 100 percent confident it was possible. "To sit here and tell you I for sure thought we would pull that off, I would lie to you," Collie said. "But I just felt that if they throw the ball up I would try to go up and make a ply and try to come down with it." Mendenhall credited his team's even-keel approach for helping make the drive possible. "There wasn't any panic on the sidelines. There wasn't any loss of composure. There was just simply a dilligence about our execution, which at the end of the day won the game," Mendenhall said. "I stressed all week long not to be caught up in the emotion and I think this is the most consistent we have played against the University of Utah in the rivalry." But BYU still had to score to make the "4th-and-18" magical, and Harvey Unga did the honors with an 11-yard run. What was Unga thinking when BYU handed him the ball just wanting him to keep the team in field goal position? "Go big or go home and let's get the touchdown," he said. **** The other big play: The 4th-and-18 completion was the defining moment in the game, but BYU linebacker Bryan Kehl says a play much earlier was the difference maker. "The play of the game was Corby Hodgkiss' interception at the 5-yard line," Kehl said. "I am calling it right now. That was the play of the game. If they score right there it is a different ballgame." Hodgkiss picked off Utah quarterback Brian Johnson in the first quarter, and had a clear view to take it 95 yards for the touchdown. But he slipped after only a few steps. "The most important part is to secure the ball. Coach (Jaime) Hill our secondary coach talks about that all the time. That is the worst thing you could possibly do is get an interception or a turnover and then give it right back to them," Hodgkiss said. "Maybe it was a good thing that I fell after a couple of yards. I don't really know what happened. Thinking back I was upset at myself for not giving the offense better field position and I had a whole crew in front of me. I had the blocking and could possibly have taken it all the way back. For some reason or another, my mind got thinking faster than my feet or maybe I was so excited that it actually came to me, I tripped."
Vegas Trip Has Mileage
The BYU men's basketball team's performance in Las Vegas this weekend will have several positive long-term ramifications. The Cougars beat No. 6 Louisville and took No. 1 North Carolina down to the wire last night before a 73-63 loss in the championship game. BYU held a lead in the second half, and the final margin is a bit deceiving as the Tar Heels hit late free throws to gain more of a cushion. But BYU made a major impression on the rest of the nation, and did so during a national broadcast last night on ESPN2. Nobody received more love than junior Trent Plaisted. Dick Vitale was a member of the triple-D broadcast crew and was praising Plaisted every which way. He called Plaisted "one of the best big guys in America nobody knows about" and called BYU "one of the best teams in America nobody knows about." Of course Dickie V. as well all know can get a bit excitable to say the least. But his opinion still holds sway with a lot of people in college basketball. And Plaisted was masterful with his post moves and rebounding against some of the best players in the nation and in front of a cadre of NBA scouts. They came to see North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough, and likely left with a new big man on their radar. Not only that, but Plaisted's wife, Lacey, even received her fair share of face time on TV. She deserves it after spending the entire summer rebounding for Trent. I was amazed ESPN's Doris Burke didn't pick up on that little bit of information (Burke is one of the best in business sideline or analyzing) BYU needs to hope their national TV appearance has a long shelf life because the Cougars will soon be buried for the rest of the year on The Mtn. They did all they could to ensure that will happen. But the most important thing they got from the trip is an NCAA seed-boosting win over Louisville and an RPI-boosting overall performance. Even a loss to North Carolina is better than a win over most teams in terms of the RPI. That is assuming of course the Cougars remain focused the rest of the way and do what they are expected to do. Or as Plaisted so artfully put it, "this isn't the mountain top." Other things that stuck out from the Invitational: - Jonathan Tavernari can shoot. If that wasn't obvious to everyone following the victory over Louisville, it certainly was after his five 3-pointers in the first half against North Carolina. Unfortunately, Tavernari went from hot to cold in the second half and faced a bit more defensive resistance. But if BYU can get at least a few of his quick triggers each game and some smart shot selection, things will be fine. - BYU beat Louisville and nearly beat North Carolina despite Lee Cummard's foul trouble. That is a scary thought for upcoming opponents. It's amazing to think what the Cougars could have done with the junior on the floor more. Cummard's versatility makes him invaluable, and his impact on the game was obvious when he was in the lineup - however brief those moments were. - BYU senor point guard Ben Murdock has answered any lingering questions about how BYU will do at that position. Murdock faced two teams that bring tons of pressure and he handled it like a pro. Although it would have been fun to see him have more time against Ty Lawson (ankle) last night, he did exactly what BYU needs done. He didn't turn the ball over, set up the offense and took shots when he had looks. ***** Was there some other game that took place yesterday? Oh, yeah that big rivalry thing .... much more on that later so keep refreshing the page
Post Game From LES
Move over John Beck to Jonny Harline. Hello "4th and 18 from the 12" That moniker will follow redshirt sophomore quarterback Max Hall for eternity after he led BYU to another thrilling finish as the Cougars pulled out a 17-10 victory over Utah tonight at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Hall cemented his defining moment in the rivalry series in his just first time on the field. After the game, BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall admitted Hall's shoulder injury suffered against Wyoming last week was much more severe than the team led everyone to believe. He said he was amazed Hall was even able to throw at practice on Tuesday because the sprain was pretty bad. Hall said the adrenaline helped pull him through, and it's a good thing because he needed every ounce of strength in right arm for his 49-yard connection down the right sideline. Needless to say everyone here is pretty pumped about the outcome, which clinched an outright conference title for the second straight year and extended multiple streaks. **** Quick hits: - The bowl bids won't be coming until the BCS releases BYU. But it would be extremely safe to make a hotel reservation in Las Vegas for the week of Dec. 22. The No. 23 Cougars are surely headed to Sin City again. - When I asked offensive coordinator Robert Anae what he called on the 4th-and-18, he said he didn't remember and he would have to go back to his sheet and look. Hall said he audibled to Collie for a double move, and Collie and his synergy worked to perfection. I will have more later after I get some grub in my stomach and can think clearly. Hypoglycemia is setting in and I still need to drive home to catch the BYU-North Carolina game tonight (8:30 ESPN2).
Halftime Update from LES
BYU 3, Utah 0 Leaders: Passing: Max Hall, BYU, 10 of 24 for 95 yards and one interception; Brian Johnson, Utah, 5 of 11 for 30 yards and two interceptions. Rushing: Harvey Unga, BYU, 15 carries for 106 yards Darrell Mack, Utah, 5 carries for 21 yards Receiving: Andrew George, BYU, 3 catches for 20 yards Bradon Godfrey, 1 catch for 17 yards Highs, lows and all points in between: - It's been defense battle between two of the conference's finest units. BYU is dominating in yardage yet only has a 3-0 lead. The Cougars have gained 206 yards compared to Utah's 50 yards. The teams have combined for four turnovers in the first half. - A 67-yard touchdown catch by Austin Collie that was called back for a pushoff in the waning minutes of the half could weigh heavily in the final result. It appeared on the replay Collie did nothing more than extend his arm against Brice McCain. A similar play by Collie against TCU appeared to be much more of a shove, and there was no call on that one. - Utah is 0 for 6 on third-down conversions while BYU is 4 of 11 and 1 for 1 on fourth-down conversions. - Utah players reacted angerily at BYU performing the Haka before the game. Brian Johnson had to be held back slightly by an official. - BYU won the toss and deferred, but Utah chose to kick to the Cougars and thwart their "defense sets the tone" strategy. - The BYU defense started the game with two 3-and-outs on 3rd-and-19 situations. One resulted from a personal foul and the other from a Jan Jorgensen sack. - Corby Hodgkiss absolutely leveled Elijah Wesson on a reception in the flat in the first quarter. Hodgkiss later picked off his second pass of the season. - Redshirt freshman Harvey Unga eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the season by rushing for 106 yards in the first half. Unga needed 91 yards entering the game. - Interesting play call on 3rd-and-7 from the 8-yard line when BYU handed the ball to Manase Tonga for a 4-yard gain. The Cougars settled for a 22-yard field goal by Mitch Payne for the first points of the game. - Tight end Dennis Pitta had a 13-yard reception for a first down, and then tossed the ball to safety Robert Johnson. Pitta was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and I am sure he is hearing about it in the locker room at this moment. - Senior wide receiver Matt Allen crashed into the referee.
Pre-Game At LES
The boos are reigning down here even if a Ute just peeks his head out of the tunnel. This is defintely the earliest I have seen LaVell Edwards Stadium fill up for a game this season. There are pockets of red, but they are mainly restricted to the upper tiers. People were parked as far away as Riverside Country Club - a mile away. The bowl representatives are here to woo the teams. The Poinsettia Bowl representative - donning a very, very red jacket - is talking with the Utah contingent in the press box as I write this. The Las Vegas Bowl was planning to send someone to the game too - and he might be here in regular clothes for all I know - and Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson is on location. **** Quick hits: - Three Apache helicopters from the Utah National Guard are staging a flyover. - Quarterback Max Hall carried the Y flag onto the field. - The seniors are being announced individually and running onto the field last.
Early Start to Game Atmosphere
The big day has finally arrived. Kickoff for BYU-Utah is less than three hours away. I swung by Provo High about 6:30 a.m., and the Utes have already set up camp there. The parking lot will BYU fans seeing red with trailers and cars and tents everywhere. There was also a guy in a red jacket standing on the University corners with a sign seeking tickets. Hard to imagine anybody will give him one unless he shells out big bucks. If you are like him, and don't have a ticket to the game you have a few options for TV. The game is being broadcast on CSTV, Versus and The Mtn. So instead of the typical 150 fans who can usually watch on The Mtn., there will be a few more added to the Nielsen ratings. **** Running the break: I know most of you aren't yet in college basketball mode, but I am a complete junkie and can talk hoops any time of year. BYU's upset of No. 6 Louisville last night pits the Cougars against No. 1 North Carolina tonight. Once you get home from the rivalry game, flip on ESPN2 to catch all the action. A few observations: - Junior Trent Plaisted (21 points, 12 rebounds) had a great performance offensively last night and helped offset the scoring impact Louisville's Derrick Caracter (24 points) had for the Cardinals. Now Plaisted gets a chance to match up against North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough - many people's early frontrunner for the Wooden Award. There will be plenty of NBA scouts in attendance to see how the big men perform. - A hypothetical: Freshman Jimmer Fredette missed the front end of a one-and-one last night that could have sealed the game for BYU. That is a pressure-packed situation for a freshman, but luckily Louisville missed a 3-pointer to tie and Jonathan Tavernari closed it out at the free throw line. It would have been interesting to see how Fredette would have reacted had Louisville sent the game into overtime and won. Something tells me he is confident enough to shrug it off, but you never know how it can affect someone so early in a career. But, alas, it's a moot point. - According to the Associated Press story, North Carolina coach Roy Williams sought out Tavernari in the hallway beneath the stands before North Carolina's game, shook his hand and said, "I hope we get a chance to play you, but that was an outstanding game you just played." Tavernari finished with a career-high 29 points. His quick release on that slight fadeaway jumper he possesses makes the shot nearly indefenseable if he's hitting like he was last night. - Just a hunch, but an upset of a No. 6 team should be enough to get BYU in the rankings this week. The Cougars were already in the "others receiving votes" category.
BYU Pulls Off The Upset
BYU turned Sin City into Upset City tonight. The Cougars did what many assumed wasn't possible by defeating No. 6 Louisville 78-76 in the Las Vegas Invitational at Orleans Arena tonight. BYU (5-0) will likely face No. 1 North Carolina tomorrow in the championship game. The Tar Heels are playing Old Dominion right now. Jonathan Tavernari had the hot hand all night. The sophomore forward scored 29 points and hit big shots at clutch moments. Louisville had chance to tie the game in the waning seconds with a 3-pointer, but missed and Tavernari put the game on ice with free throws. Very, very impressive performance by the BYU backcourt. Louisville's press can give guards trouble, but the Cougars handled it superbly aside from a few rough patches early in the second half. It's hard not to look ahead at how this win will affect BYU come NCAA Tournament time. Unless the Cougars fall apart during the conference season, this kind of victory really boosts their seeding potential. I know, I know it's only November. But you would be surprised how quickly March madness comes around. **** BYUTV or Louisville TV? You certainly can't accuse BYUTV of being homers. They made it sound like BYU was lucky to be in the game and due to falter at any moment despite the fact BYU controlled most of the game. If anything, the Cougars missed several easy shots that could have turned the game even more in their favor.
Upset Brewing in Vegas?
Think the directors at the Las Vegas Invitational aren't sweating bit right about now. Most people had penciled in a No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 6 Louisville matchup in the championship game, but BYU has other plans. The Cougars have a 41-37 lead at the half at the Orleans Arena. The Cougars had a 10-point lead, but Louisville hit two late 3-pointers to take some momentum into the locker room. The key has been BYU's ability to handle Louisville's press and avoid turnovers. The Cardinals thrive in transition, but haven't been able to get any easy baskets on the break. On BYU's offensive end, Jonathan Tavernari has been hot from the outside and Trent Plaisted's mini-hook shot is working to perfection. BYU head coach Dave Rose has demonstrated how much faith he has in the freshmen by inserting them into the fire early. Jimmer Fredette, Chris Collinsworth and Mike Loyd Jr. contributed major minutes off the bench in the first half. If the Cougars can hold on, this would be the regular season's first major upset. **** Volleyball done: On the other side of Vegas, The BYU women's volleyball teams saw its Mountain West Conference Tournament title hopes come to an end in a five-game loss to second-seeded and host UNLV tonight. The Rebels beat the Cougars 35-33, 22-30, 31-29, 24-30, 16-14. BYU now waits to see if it receives an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament when the selections are announced Sunday at 6 p.m. on ESPNU.
BYU A Crowd Favorite
Tomorrow marks the final home game of the season for BYU, and another sellout crowd will take in the action at LaVell Edwards Stadium. The Cougars have sold out every home game this season (6). It's the first time since the 1991 season BYU has had six sellouts in the same season. Can you guess the 1991 record? A perfect 6-0. BYU can achieve that again with a win over rival Utah. While the fans have been instrumental with their support, let's not forget the people behind the scenes who make the game days run smoothly. From the concession workers to the field crew to the ticket takers, a group effort is required to keep LES up and running on a Saturday afternoon or a Thursday night. One person who deserves a pat on the back is Jerry Freestone. Jerry volunteers to help with the equipment during football games (he also runs the scoreboard at the BYU women's soccer games). Jerry's dad is the mission president of the Puebla Mexico Mission, and the last two years have been hard on Jerry with his parents gone. He doesn't have a car, but rides his bike to and from games. That's called being Fully Invested. **** Quick hits: - Congrats to Colorado State coach Sonny Lubick. The Rams defeated Wyoming 36-28 today in what could be Lubick's final game at CSU. Every coach in the confence describes Lubick as a class act, and if he does announce his retirement in the coming days or weeks, it will be a huge loss for the MWC. - A reminder that the BYU men's basketball game vs. No. 6 Louisville in Las Vegas is on BYUTV tonight at 7 p.m. If you are bummed like me that you can't pull the basketball-football doubleheader this weekend, at least you can take solace in watching it on TV. - You may want to do a little channel flipping. Hawaii plays Boise State in a Western Athletic Conference football title decider on ESPN2, and Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan needs just one touchdown pass to overtake BYU's Ty Detmer as the NCAA career touchdown leader. The two are tied at 121.
Loyd Back in Familiar Territory
Michael Loyd Jr. was able to go home for the holiday. The BYU freshman guard is a Las Vegas native, and attended Palo Verde High. His father, Michael Sr., played at UNLV from 1978-81. With the Cougars playing today and tomorrow in the Las Vegas Invitational, Loyd was treated to a homecoming just in time for Thanksgiving. "I am definitely excited to play down there," Loyd said. "I hope a lot of people come. But they had to buy tickets in a package deal, and a lot of them didn't want to go to all the games. But I have lots of friends down there, and they say they will be there." Loyd is averaging 3.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11 minutes off the bench for BYU this season. Although returning home can be filled with distractions, Loyd isn't worried. "Coach will take care of that," he said. "He will keep us locked down in the hotel." **** Fearless predictions: SI.com's Stewart Mandel included the BYU-Utah game in his weekend picks. Here is what he wrote: - Utah (8-3) at BYU (8-2) "They call it The Holy War, and things tend to get pretty heated - even in chess. Both teams enter this year's contest riding seven-game winning streaks, but only the Cougars have a chance to lock up a second straight Mountain West title in front of their home crowd. Max Hall, it's your show." BYU 28, Utah 21
Utah Ground Control
BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall credited the athleticism in Utah's secondary as the main reason its defense has been so stingy recently. But what has been the offensive catalyst? "I think they are doing a really nice job running the football and by running the football effectively they are maintaining time of possession, and by maintaining time of possession, they are able to control the football game," Mendenhall said. "I would say the past seven weeks, they have done a great job managing the game and I think it is tied directly to the ability to run the ball." BYU ranks third in the nation in time of possession at 33 minutes, 29 seconds. Utah is ninth at 31:56. The Utes are averaging 168.09 yards per game rushing, and BYU's run defense leads the conference. The Cougars have yet to allow an individual to eclipse the 100-yard mark this season. BYU is averaging 137.70 yards per game on the ground. **** Don't throw out these records: Following the 2004 season, 13 coaches received their first head coaching jobs at the Division I-A level. Any guess which two coaches have the best records since that promotion? 1. Bronco Mendenhall (BYU) 25-10 2. Kyle Whittingham (Utah) 23-13 But the state flavor doesn't end there. Last on the list? 13. Brent Guy (Utah State) 5-29. **** On the hardwood: - BYU basketball coach Dave Rose said one of the personal traits he appreciates most is his ability to remain focused on the present. "I got some really good advice early in my career - Don't worry about what might happen, worry about what is going to happen and that is kind of how I proceed," he said. The advice was given to Rose from his junior college coach, Doug Allred, because their team played Friday-Saturday games. Rose said Allred would always ensure the team prepared fully for the Friday game before even thinking about Saturday. - BYU plays No. 6 Louisville tonight at 7 p.m. (BYUTV) in the third round of the Las Vegas Invitational. Louisville coach Rick Pitino is expecting the Cougars to provide a big challenge. "They're one of the best teams on our schedule," Rick Pitino told Louisville-area reporters. "They're all 21, 22 years of age since they've gone on (Mormon) missions, and they put on a clinic on offense every time down the court. When you only have one day to prepare, they're one of the toughest teams to go against."
Rivalry Ranks High
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Hope you enjoy all the turkey and trimmings and get your fill before the big game kicks off in 50 hours. Does anybody else find it interesting how the air turned bitter cold this week of all weeks? The Utah-BYU rivalry game is one of many taking place across the country, and although it doesn't get as much national love, it has all the elements to be counted as one of the best. The schools are mere miles away from each other and passion of the fan bases is intense. But the most important factor in any good rivalry is the games have been super close. Just look at the margins of victories in the last 10 years - 6, 2, 3, 7, 3, 7, 3, 31, 7, 2. Take out the 31-point romp, and it's been a tossup every season. This year's game has all the elements for another barn burner with both teams on seven-game winning streaks. Of course, the minute you say that, it will be another 31-point spread. Hopefully that won't be the case, and it will mimic the drama of the last two years. Anyway, enjoy the meal today and catch some football. Along with the typical NFL tradition, there is a great Pac-10 game on betwen USC and Arizona State. **** Quick hits: - The BYU men's basketball team had to enjoy watching UNLV give No. 6 Louisville all it could handle for 30 minutes last night before Rick Pitino switched to a man defense and the Cardinals sprinted away to a 20-point win. But Louisville looked vulnerable at times in its tuneup for the Cougars. It will be a stiff challenge, but BYU shouldn't be intimidated tomorrow night in the Las Vegas Invitational. If you can't attend, remember the game is on BYUTV. - Three BYU women's volleyball players were named all-Mountain West Conference first-team selections last night at the conference banquet in Las Vegas. Seniors Chelsea Goodman and Erica Lott and junior Rachel Dyer were honored. The Cougars begin play today in the MWC Tournament.
A Vegas Thanksgiving
The BYU men's basketball team is pulling out of Provo early tomorrow morning and heading down to Las Vegas for the third round of the Las Vegas Invitational. The Cougars will be spending Thanksgiving in Sin City and having a traditional turkey dinner at the Marriott. It's a big step up from some of the other Thanksgiving Day meals BYU head coach Dave Rose has enjoyed throughout his basketball career. Rose said he has eaten at truck stops in Kansas during his junior college days and frequented chain restaurants and diners in other states. But Rose believes just having his team together to share in the holiday will make it a very special occassion. **** Family dinner postponed: BYU wide receiver Mike Reed and his cousin, Utah quarterback Brian Johnson, were planning to get together for the holiday, but decided against it. "We were going to meet up with each other, but I have a place to go for Thanksgiving and he has a place to go for Thanksgiving," Reed said. "I don't think it would be a good idea anyway." **** Quick hits: - Most of the basketball players and coaches are doing a little live scouting via TV right now, and get a two-for-one deal out of it. BYU's next opponent, No. 6 Louisville, is playing fellow Mountain West Conference member UNLV on Versus. The Rebels are hanging tough with the Cardinals in the first half. - BYU junior forward Trent Plaisted is bummed he can't attend Saturday's football game. But he is sure it will be a good game. “I wish them good luck," Plaisted said of BYU's football players. "They’ve had a great season and have been good representatives of the school and I hope they do great against Utah."
Whittingham Targets Pitta
Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham considers sophomore tight end Dennis Pitta as BYU's "main guy" in terms of receiving. "Pitta is obviously their No. 1 threat in the throw game," Whittingham said. "Harvey Unga is a close second and Austin Collie is right there as well." Pitta is BYU's leading receiver with 47 catches for 693 yards and four touchdowns. "He is a big, strong kid," Whittingham said. "6-5, 230 and catches every ball that is thrown to him it seems like." **** Mission memory: Collie has come down with a case of selective amnesia regarding the rivalry since returning from his LDS mission. Collie played in the 2004 edition of the game as a freshman. But when I asked him if he remembered the intensity of the game he said, "I don't. I am pretty sure it is pretty big, but it is just another game. I don't know what all the commotion is about. But it is just another game that we have to prepare for and just another game standing in our way to get the conference championship." A TV reporter wandered over later, and said "You don't remember the '04 game at all" and Collie said "What '04 game?" Even Collie's brother, Zac, doesn't think it's a big deal "I talked to him today and he said the exact same thing," Austin said. "He doesn't understand what all the hype is about. It's just another football team." If you are counting at home, in my 2 minute, 22 second conversation with Collie yesterday, he used "it's just another (game/team)" 8 times.
CSTV Road Trip Stops In Provo
The CSTV cross-country road trip is making a stop in Provo this week for the state's big rivalry game. Connor McKnight and Caitlin Cieslik-Miskimen are making the rounds to 16 Mountain West Conference, Western Athletic Conference and Pac-10 football games over the three-month season. They make up part of the "Going West" contingent of CSTV's road trips. Connor and Caitlin are covering the games from a fan's perspective and reporting on traditions and events surrounding the game. They are spending Thanksgiving in Utah, and sharing it with Ute Nation. They are also scheduled to meet with players from both teams and talk about what makes the Utah-BYU rivalry so special. (I hope they planned this before the BYU moratorium, and arrived on Monday or Tuesday). You can read about their findings at www.GoingWestFootball.com. It will be interesting to read how this rivalry compares to the other they have chronicled this season already. **** Rivalry gets some national pub: ESPN.com's Pat Forde included the BYU-Utah rivalry in his roundup of rivalry games this week. Here is what he said: "BYU-Utah (30). At stake: Moral supremacy and the Cougars' unbeaten league record. Upper hand: BYU won last year, 33-31. Feeling heat: Cougars QB Max Hall, playing in his first Holy War. Dash pick: Utah 28, BYU 21. (Each team has won seven straight, so somebody has to remember what it feels like to lose.)"
Brainwashed BYU
I am truly impressed by the level of Bronco brainwashing this week. BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall has the players on point in terms of not providing any bulletin board material for Utah and sticking to the script in their responses. Although it makes for bland quotes, you have to admire a coach who can get through to his players so well. Yesterday alone I counted at least 18 times when I heard, "just like any other game," said. That's on top of the 25 or so I have on my recorder stashed from Monday. Nearly every question I asked, regardless of the topic, I was likely to hear that phrase uttered at some point. I truly believe if I had asked, "So what are you going to eat for Thanksgiving dinner?" somebody would have said, "It's just going to be another meal like any other I have had this season." Whether this "regular game" strategy is genius or a huge mistake will be determined by the final score on Saturday. If BYU wins, everyone will hail Mendenhall's methods. If BYU loses, they will question whether the Cougars possessed the proper emotional level needed for a rivalry showdown such as this. It's the nature of the beast in sports. **** Fredette shines: BYU's Jimmer Fredette had his first of what should be many career nights in BYU's win over Hartford last night. The freshman guard finished 6 of 7 from the field, including 4 of 5 from behind the 3-point line, for a career-high 19 points. Here's what BYU head coach Dave Rose had to say about Fredette's performance: "He is a very, very good shooter and he is still trying to find his spots and get in places where he is the most comfortable with our players. But I was real pleased with his performance offensively, and as he continues to play, he will figure out our defensive system a little bit better." **** Discounted food: Some of you may remember on my trip to Las Vegas for football, I swung through Gandolfo's Deli in St. George for lunch. Well, the people who run the shop are fully invested BYU fans and would love to feed the hunger of BYU loyalty. If any fans are heading to Las Vegas on Friday to watch BYU play No. 6 Louisville in the Las Vegas Invitational, you can stop by Gandolfo's and receive a 20 perecent discount if you mention that you read about it on the blog. You can also get the discount on Saturday if you are driving back. Although one of the partners won't be there that day - any guess where he might be?
BYU and K.C. Jones
BYU won another game going away by beating Hartford 97-73 in the second round of the Las Vegas Invitational tonight at the Marriott Center. Now comes the real challenge - No. 6 Louisville on Friday in Las Vegas. The Cougars were fueled by their hot shooting again. They shot 60.4 percent and hit 13 3-pointers. Freshman Jimmer Fredette scored a career-high 19 points on 6 of 7 shooting, including 4 of 5 from behind the 3-point line. But the coolest part of the night was running to K.C. Jones after the game on my way back from the bathroom. The former Boston Celtics great is a color analyst for Hartford and assists the university with fundraising and community endeavors. Being born in Nashua, N.H., I was bred on Celtics history and was a huge Larry Bird fan growing up. Jones was a defensive standout during the Celtics dynasty years in the late 1950's and through the 60's. He spent all nine of his NBA seasons with the Celtics and won eight championships. Before Jones and Bill Russell joined forces in Boston, they were teammates at the University of San Francisco and led the Dons to NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956 After his playing career was over, Jones began coaching and returned to be the head coach of the Celtics in 1983. He guided the Bird-led teams to championships in 1984 and 1986. He also coached the New England Blizzard, which was a member of the former women's American Basketball League, and had current Hartford women's basketball coach Jennifer Rizzotti as its point guard. Jones was fittingly inducted into the Hall of Fame. Anway, it was only a quick hello tonight. But it was a real treat to see Jones at the Marriott.
Halftime Update from the Marriott
The Cougars are cruising to another victory here at the Marriott Center with a 46-22 lead over Hartford at halftime. Sam Burgess is hot from behind the 3-point line again. He's hit 3 of 4 and has 13 points at the break. Lee Cummard has nine points and Jimmer Fredette has eight. Hartford shot 37 percent from the field is being outrebounded 22-7. The Hawks appeared winded with their hands on their shorts and behind their heads during breaks in the action. Bring on No. 6 Louisville. **** Judkins not happy: All you need to know about the women's game against Hartford is that head coach Jeff Judkins did not come to the press room to address the media after it was over. Judkins sent assistant Jonas Chatterton to discuss BYU's 70-59 loss at the Marriott Center. Chatterton said the Cougars were not ready to play and did not receive the steady performance they need from their seniors. Mallary Gillespie-Carling finished 2 for 10 from the field for five points and committed five turnovers. Chatterton termed the performance "one of the worst games she's had in a long time." But he did give plaudits to Keilani Moeaki. The freshman forward was 6 of 8 from the field and 7 of 10 from the free throw line for a career-high 19 points. **** Quick hit: - One BYU fan in the crowd hoisted his young son during a timeout. The little boy was carrying a sign that said, "I Hate Red." It drew loud cheers. They start them young here huh?
Utes Have Criddle's Number
Ben Criddle's cell phone plan better have unlimited minutes because the BYU senior cornerback has been Mr. Popularity during rivalry week. "Utah fans got my phone number and they have started giving me prank calls and sending me interesting text messages," Criddle said. "A lot of people are leaving messages of the Ute fight song or calling me names. It's fun. I just laugh." **** Quick hits: - Quarterback Max Hall said he was able to make all his normal throws in practice tonight, and his throwing shoulder felt fine. - All BYU basketball games at the Las Vegas Invitational are going to be televised. Friday night's Louisville game will be on BYUTV and Saturday's game against either North Carolina or Old Dominion will be on either ESPN2 or BYUTV. If the Cougars beat Louisville, they will play at 7:30 on ESPN2. If they lose, they will play at 4:30 on BYUTV.
BYU Ready For Hartford's Best Shot
The BYU men's basketball team expects to have its perimeter defense tested tonight against Hartford at the Marriott Center. When BYU head coach Dave Rose viewed tape of the Hawks, he saw a team filled with good shooters who space the floor well and use ball screens to get open. The Cougars are holding teams to just 31 percent shooting, including 24.6 percent from behind the 3-point line. In last Friday's victory over Jackson State, Rose was pleased with BYU's ability to finish strong. "Offensively we shared the ball well and took good shots and had a good pace on offense and pushed the ball really well," he said. "I thought we were a little bit more consistent on offense than in the past. Defensively, after the first 10-12 minutes of the game we settled in a little bit and were guarding transition really well." Junior center Trent Plaisted came to life as the game wore on thanks in part to some gentle prodding. "Coach Rose said a few things to me that got me going," Plaisted said. "But for the most part it was internal. You know when you are not playing well and need to get better." **** An early view: Rose said "never ever" watches film on BYU's opponent two games down the line. But he couldn't help it this week. Hartford's last opponent was Louisville, which BYU plays on Friday in Las Vegas. "It was a little bit different in this case," he said. "But our team's practice and preparation in film has been 100 percent Hartford." **** Looking back: BYU beat Long Beach State by 40 and Idaho State by 21. So it seemed logical the two overmatched teams would be on even ground if they played each other. That was the case as Long Beach State needed overtime to beat Idaho State 66-61 last Saturday.
Glenn Sees BYU's Best
Wyoming coach Joe Glenn offered some extremely high praise for BYU during his weekly Mountain West Conference call session this morning. "That is probably as good a BYU team as I have seen since I have been here and you know how good of a team they were last year," Glenn said. With his tongue likely planted firmly in his cheeck, Glenn said, "It's too bad they lost their tailback, quarterback and tight end last year." Glenn called Max Hall, Harvey Unga and Dennis Pitta "the three best players we have seen all year." Glenn said his team tried to pressure Hall and get hits on him as much as it could, but he got rid of the ball every time. "We just couldn't get a handle on him and couldn't get to him," Glenn said. "He threw passes to people that were covered and yet he put the ball in the center of the bulls-eye." Glenn said Wyoming defensive lineman John Fletcher laid a few hits on Hall that knocked the wind out of him and dinged his shoulder, but Hall rarely flinched. "The guy just kept getting up and dusting himself off and telling John, 'Nice hit' and John said, 'You're a good guy.'" Glenn said. The same could be said of Glenn. After the game, he made it a point to come over and find BYU's Rick Wolfley, a Wyoming native, and give him a hug and a handshake. **** Bronco on Hall: BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said his main expectations for Hall this season was for him to perform well enough to give BYU a chance to contend for a conference championship and help the overall growth of the program. "He has done both of those things at this point," Mendenhall said. **** Bronco on bowls: Mendenhall was asked about BYU coming to the Las Vegas Bowl as the conference champions again, and gave the diplomatic answer. BYU has not been selected for a bowl game yet, and although there is a high probability the Cougars are heading back to Sin City, nothing is official until an invitation is extended. The Las Vegas Bowl has the MWC's first pick - which doesn't have to be the conference champion. "We would be thrilled to go to any bowl game as a conference champion," he said. "Right now we are assured at least a piece of that, and we would be glad to be recognized and represent our conference against anyone else that we play."
No Hatred Here
They have to hate each other right? That is what rivals do. They cringe when they see the color of the other school and scoff when they hear the accolades of the other players. Not so much with BYU and Utah, if you are to believe BYU sophomore defensive end and Utah native Jan Jorgensen. "The players' hatred is really not there. I am sorry to disappoint people. I have friends who play for Utah. Kyle Brady is one of my best friends - he is hurt - over on that side and we don't have that hatred," Jorgensen said. "I just know it's a big competitive game and I know we want to beat our friends and have that rivalry between us. But there is really not that hatred that people think. Sorry if it's disappointing everybody." That's probably a good thing if it's true because there is enough hatred in the stands already. **** Hartford double-header: The BYU basketball programs are hosting a Hartford double header today at the Marriott Center. The women's game begins at 4:30 and the men will tip off at 7:35. The BYU women are 2-1 with victories over UC Santa Barbara and Fresno State. BYU grabbed 55 rebounds in the Fresno State win, which ranks tied for third in the program history. The men's game is the second round of the Las Vegas Invitational. The Cougars opened with an easy victory over Jackson State.
No Vegas Visions Yet
The overlooking theme doesn't just apply to football at BYU. The men's basketball team is trying avoid a similar tendency this week. The Cougars (3-0) have a highly-anticipated matchup against No. 6 Louisville scheduled for Friday in Las Vegas. But first things first. BYU plays Hartford (1-3) tomorrow night at the Marriott Center at 7:35 p.m. Both games are part of the Las Vegas Invitational. So how do the players refrain from peering into the future? "The most important thing is to stress it as a coaching staff and have your captains make sure they try and remained focused on this game tomorrow night," BYU head coach Dave Rose said. "It's a really big game for us because it is the next game we play. I think our players have done a good job preparing for the next game without looking forward to what is next." BYU junior Trent Plaisted has received the message loud and clear. "We need to take care of business with Hartford before we can even think about going to Las Vegas for Louisville," he said. But the blog can feel free to look ahead, and BYU received a bit of a lucky break when Louisville senior center David Padgett suffered a fractured right knee cap in Louisville's victory over Jackson State on Sunday. Padgett is out at least 10 weeks. "Really?" Plaisted asked. "I wonder who I am guarding now." **** Quick hits: - BYU linebacker Bryan Kehl had a photo shoot tonight after practice for BYU Magazine and he posed with a Rubik's cube. I am guessing it's because he can solve any puzzle an opposing offense presents. Just a guess. - BYU quarterback Max Hall said his shoulder is a little sore, but isn't too bad and he expects to begin throwing again tomorrow. He has been doing rehab and getting treatment. Today he just settled for a few handoffs.
Lips Zipped for Utah
The BYU football players have undergone a media refresher course this week to make sure they don't provide any bulletin board material for Utah to stick on the wall. The Utes fed off the guarantee made by Wyoming coach Joe Glenn, and the Cougars don't want to be next. BYU has restricted media access to practice by one day this week - no availability on Wednesday - and the media members were reminded to not incite the rivalry by asking controversial questions. BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said the Glenn episode only factored into the equation because his players were asked about it after it happened despite having no role in the game. But it's hard not to believe that how seriously the Utes took Glenn's guarantee didn't weigh into BYU's decision-making this week. The truth of the matter is, a team can take any statement in the world and twist and turn it to have some motivational meaning. But if you have to rely on that every week, there is a point of diminishing returns. Every team uses this stuff whether they admit it or not. But it comes down to the performance on the field. Guarantees aren't going to make you win seven straight games. **** More recognition: BYU earned a mention in Cory McCartney's "All-Out Blitz" on SI.com. McCartney gave the Cougars an arrow up, and had this to say, "The streaking Cougars put a lick on Wyoming's 14th-ranked defense, which came in was allowing 309.1 ypg. BYU racked up 497 total yards as it won for the seventh straight time and pushed its MWC winning streak to 14 games in clinching at least a share of its fourth conference crown." **** Less recognition: For those who don't think the Mountain West has a low profile on the national scene, here is a piece from a columnist in Miami discussing John Beck's starting debut with the Dolphins. "So the bar is set low for now. No one is asking him to make us forget Dan Marino. Until he has ample opportunity to grow and learn and make the transition from the WAC to the NFL, we will be happy if Beck can make us forget Jay Fiedler." The WAC? BYU hasn't been a member since 1998. But when your games aren't on national TV much anymore, it might be hard to realize the MWC even exists.
Breakfast with Bronco Rivalry Week
BYU's players have gone through their Utah game media training course to deal with added focus on the rivalry this week. Rule No. 1 = Don't provide any bulletin board material for the Utes to feast on over Thanksgiving. A few of the highs, lows and all points in between from this morning's session with more to come later: - BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall began his address to the media with, "We are excited to play another conference game at home." Status quo treatment from the Cougars. - Injury update: Quarterback Max Hall has already had treatment four times on his shoulder (two times on Sunday and two times this morning). He will be limited in practice today and tomorrow with likely just handoffs, but will be ready to go by Saturday. Defensive end Ian Dulan (MCL, ankle) should be good to go for Saturday and nose tackle Eathyn Manumaleuna is fine. Of the linebackers, Markell Staffieri should be back on the field Saturday as should Shaun Doman and Kelly Poppinga (shoulder) will play while having limited contact in practice. - BYU had two field goals blocked in the win over Wyoming, and Mendenhall said it was because there was a replacement player being used on the field goal unit who did not have the necessary reps. He faulted himself for not having a suitable backup in place with experience. - Mendenall called the BYU-Utah rivalry "one of the best rivalries in college football." His reasons are the close proximity of the schools, the success of the programs and the results of the games. - Mendenhall was asked about BYU's No. 23 ranking this week. He said he doesn't put much emphasis on that, and the only reason he found out about the Cougars being ranked is when Jeff Reynolds - BYU's football media contact - texted him yesterday. Mendenhall said he would like to run a program that would always be considered for a ranking. **** Jorgensen unplugged: BYU sent out an email to the media asking for the reporters to act with professionalism during the week, and don't try to give players loaded questions or bait them into saying something that will wind up on the Utah bulletin board. One of the local TV stations seized on that directive to ask "softer" questions to sophomore Jan Jorgensen such as "Do you like rainbows?" and "How cute are puppies?" Jorgensen was a good sport and played right along. By the way, Jorgensen likes rainstorms as well as rainbows. Jorgensen was also mistakenly called a senior. Although he corrected the questioner, he pointed to his slightly receding hairline and said "Must be the hair." **** Your input: My co-worker Maggie Thach is doing a story on super fans that will be published later this week. If you think you fit the bill of a "super fan" and want to be interviewed, please send her an email at mthach@sltrib.com
Hall Receives Conference Honor
The honors keep pouring in for BYU. For the second straight week, the Cougars had a player named Mountain West Conference Player of the Week. This time it was on the offensive side of the ball with BYU sophomore quarterback Max Hall being hailed for his performance against Wyoming. Hall completed 26 of 37 passes for 331 yards and three touchdowns in the 35-10 win despite sitting out much of the fourth quarter with a banged up shoulder. Hall's 331 yards marked the first time Wyoming had allowed an opponent to pass for over 300 yards this season. Hall eclipsed the 3,000-yard mark, and became the conference's all-time sophomore passing leader with 3,121 yards. He broke Wyoming's Casey Bramlet's previous mark of 3,069 yards. But Hall did have to share the title. Air Force senior Jim Ollis was named co-Offensive Player of the Week. TCU's Chase Ortiz was the Defensive Player of the Week and San Diego State punter Michael Hughes was Special Teams Player of the Week. BYU's Kelly Poppinga was the MWC Defensive Player of the Week last week.
The Rankings Are In ... And So Is BYU
And on the 12th week, they were ranked. The Cougars (8-2, 6-0) finally broke into the top 25 today at No. 23 in the Associated Press and USA Today/Coaches' polls. It only took seven straight victories and a bit of campaigning by the PR - er - Sports Information department. And to think, it came after a game that was televised on the mtn. The ranking will just help spice up the rivarly game with Utah this weekend, which already has all the makings of another grudge match. Of course the minute everyone begins to hype it, the game will turn into a runaway dud for the first time in a long time. Hopefully that won't happen. Rivarly games are always better when they come down to the wire. For instance Jonny Harline in the back of the end zone. BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall will likely be asked about BYU's ranking tomorrow at his morning press conference, and I think his answer will be something along the lines of "It's great for our program to be acknowledged and for the players to be rewarded for all the hard work they have put in. But as I have said before, we don't really focus on nor do we worry about rankings. If we continue to win and improve as a program and conduct ourselves with high values, those things will come." And Bryan Kehl's response could be something along the lines of, "What took so long?"
Hall Enjoys Sideline View
LARAMIE, Wyo. - BYU quarterback Max Hall actually enjoyed spending some time on the sideline yesterday during BYU's 35-10 victory over Wyoming. Hall took a few hard hits to his right throwing shoulder near the end of the third quarter, which allowed backup Brenden Gaskins to get some snaps under center. Although Hall returned after missing three plays to lead BYU on one final scoring drive early in the fourth quarter, he retreated to the bench for good soon after. Hall said his shoulder was fine - possibly a slight separation - and he could have played more snaps if needed. But after letting BYU fans breathe a sigh of relief by putting Hall on the field again, the coaches played it safe with a large lead and allowed Gaskins to take over. The redshirt sophomore handed off to Harvey Unga for his first few plays, but was able to complete his first career pass in the fourth quarter. That likely erased some of the bitter memories from the interception he threw against Colorado State. Gaskins was 2 for 3 for 31 yards. "It was actually kind of fun watching Brenden go in and play there a little bit," Hall said. "Brenden is a great guy, and it was great to see him getting some plays in. It was a little bit different being on the sideline though." **** Quick hits: - Austin Collie was shaken up a bit too, but Hall said he thinks his good friend and trusty receiver likely got the wind knocked out of him. - Collie keeps stealing some of Dennis Pitta's receiving thunder with his 100-yard totals, but the sophomore tight end had another efficient game. Pitta caught four passes for 58 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown pass from Hall. - Hall enjoyed his first Laramie experience. "It was not too bad," he said. "Hopefully in two years there is not a snowstorm. I enjoyed the guy walking around naked in the barrel. I turned around and said 'Hi' to him during the game." Just for a little confirmation, I asked one of the Wyoming beat writers if the barrel guy was really naked, and he assured me he wears something underneath the barrel.
Post Game at War Memorial
LARAMIE, Wyo. - I have to make this one brief because they are closing down the press box here and I am the last one out. BYU clinched at least a share of its second straight conference title today with the 35-10 win, but the Cougars are not satisfied. They want an undefeated conference record. Quarterback Max Hall slightly separated his right throwing shoulder and had it taped by trainer Kevin Morris in the locker room. He said he could have stayed in the game, but didn't need to push it with such a large lead. He expects to be good to go for next week despite having a little soreness. BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said he was happy with the fill-in performances of Brett Denney and Kellen Fowler. Mendenhall was unhappy with the special teams play on Mitch Payne's first blocked kick more than his second because of the distance. The BYU defense wasn't pleased with the amount of penalties it accumulated tonight. Streak counter: 7th straight victory this season 14 straight conference wins 10th straight road win in conference. I'm hitting the road, and will check in at my soonest convenience.
Halftime at War Memorial
BYU 21, Wyoming 3 Leaders: Passing - BYU: Max Hall 22 of 29 for 245 yards, 2 TDs Wyoming: Karsten Sween 7 of 15 for 101 yards Rushing - BYU: Harvey Unga 12 rushes for 47 yards, 1 TD Wyoming: Wynel Seldon 7 rushes for 24 yards Receiving: BYU: Ausitn Collie 7 catches for 79 yards Wyoming: Michael Ford 2 catches for 28 yards **** Quick hitters - Defensive stand: The Cougars defense did its job once BYU deferred as usual after winning the coin toss. Wyoming went 3-and-out on the first series. Brett Denney started in place of Ian Dulan (MCL, ankle sprain) and had a sack on the first series. Wyoming had minus 2 yards on six plays through its first two series'. Miracle Worker: Wyoming running back Devin Moore made an appearance in the second quarter. The Pokes' leading rusher had been listed as questionable the entire week with a swollen knee. But after head coach Joe Glenn said "barrring a miracle" Moore woudn't play, he began hedging his bets as the week wore on. Double trouble: Harvey Unga lost his shoe and had a personal foul on the same play after a 6-yard run. Roller Coaster: I hope Austin Collie didn't have a big breakfast. The sophomore has been spun around after every catch like a top. Nowhere to hide: Wyoming's Quincy Rogers had a blatant hold on Dennis Pitta in the first quarter when he grabbed Pitta's jersey down the right sideline. Flag bearer: Senior defensive back Ben Criddle carried the Y flag onto the field. Criddle replaced Kellen Fowler at safety in the second quarter. Cannon fodder: They shoot off a cannon here for just about every single thing you can imagine. But one of them was a bit premature. In the second quarter, they fired it off when they thought Wyoming had scored a touchdown. But the pass was dropped in the back of the end zone, and they had to fire it again once the Pokes kicked a field goal. Line shift: Tom Sorensen is playing center while Sete Aulai was moved to left guard because Ray Feinga went to the sideline with an injury. Senior salute: Prior to the game, Wyoming announced their seniors and the players gave flowers to their parents and significant others on the field. Tidbits: It was 49 degrees at kickoff. ... A C-130 flyover took place just before the kickoff. ... Max Hall has exceeded the 3,000-yard passing mark this season. ... Mitch Payne had two field goals blocked in the first half.
The Scene at War Memorial
LARAMIE, Wyo. - As BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall was walking off the field here about 30 minutes ago, he asked me, "First time in Laramie?" "To cover a game. Yes," I answered. "You got lucky," he said. Boy do I know it. The weather is looking good for the game. There are a few clouds in the sky, but nothing ominous and the temperature is worthy of a sweatshirt but not large down jackets. Many of the BYU players were on the field early doing some warm-up runs and getting the feel for War Memorial. The crowd wasn't that large yet so no "FU BYU" chants quite yet. But I overheard one of the guards warning the other guards, "If anybody throws anything, they are out of here no matter what." *** Quick hits: - The BYU Sports Information department added top 25 scripture to its pre-game notes. For instance, BYU has a .780 winning percentage - better than six teams ranked in the top 25. With its six-game winning streak, the Cougars have a longer winning streak than 22 of 25 teams in the top 25. BYU is the only one of 10 two-loss teams in the country that is not ranked in the top 25. There are a few more, but you get the point. - Brian Smith, Nick Alletto and Rick Fendry did not travel with the team for the game.
BYU Signs Three
It was delayed gratification for BYU basketball fans. While many programs announced their early signees a few days ago, the Cougars wanted to make sure very i was dotted and t was crossed. This afternoon BYU men's basketball coach Dave Rose revealed he has received commitments from three players to join the program for the 2008-09 season. Forward Noah Hartsock and guard/forward Charles Abouo signed national letters of intent while guard Jackson Emery signed a scholarship agreement to return to BYU. Hartsock and Emery are currently serving LDS missions. Hartsock signed with BYU out of Bartlesville High (Okla.), Emery played for BYU as a freshman in 2005-06 and Abouo is playing at Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) this season after leading Logan High to three Region 11 titles. Quick Breakdown: - Hartsock averaged 27.6 points per game as a senior at Bartlesville High School (Okla.) - the third-best scoring average in the state - in 2005-06 and was named 6A Coaches Player of the Year and Tulsa World Player of the Year. The 6-foot-8 forward was also honored as Oklahoma's Jim Thorpe Award winner and a McDonald's High School All-America nominee. - Abouo, an athletic wing from Logan, is playing for Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H. this year. The 6-foot-4 swingman was averaged 21.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game as a senior at Logan High School. Abouo was a two-time first-team all-state selection at Logan and earned All-Valley Player of the Year honors as a junior. - Emery, an Alpine native, played in 28 of 29 games with six starts for BYU as a true freshman in 2005-06. He averaged 2.8 points and 1.5 rebounds while scoring in double figures twice and leading BYU in rebounds and assists once. At Lone Peak High, the 6-foot-3 guard was named the top player in Class 4A in 2005.
Dislike For BYU Strong
LARAMIE, Wyo. - Cowboy up! I decided to take another one of my very unscientific polls to gauge the feelings of Laramie residents in regards to the BYU football team. One word comes to mind - HATE. But I don't think hate should be used in regards to sports, so let's call it a very strong dislike. My poll consisted of a stop at Wendy's, Burger King, a sporting goods store and my own hotel, which shall remain nameless in case a Pokes fan checks the blog. Everyone I spoke with (about 9 or 10 people) said the game against BYU is equal to the rivalry against Colorado State. My hotel attendants were dressed in Wyoming brown jerseys, and I asked their opinion as I checked in. They both said the dislike for BYU is even stronger than for CSU. "Colorado State is a rivarly because it's the Border War, but we just hate BYU because it's BYU," one of them said. "Nobody likes BYU." Two female Wyoming students eating at Burger King said the reason they don't like BYU is "because they are good." Let's just say I breathed a sigh of relief when I picked up my rental car today and it had Idaho plates. **** Praise from Coach Joe Wyoming coach Joe Glenn was on the radio on the drive in to Laramie, and called BYU's schemes some of the best around. He called former Cougar signal caller John Beck "the greatest quarterback" he's ever faced as a coach and said BYU quarterbacks benefit greatly from a massive offensive line. **** Quick hits: - The BYU men's basketball team hosts Jackson State in about an hour in the opening game of the Las Vegas Invitational (grab your stuff and head out the door). The Cougars (2-0) are trying to extend their home winning streak at the Marriott Center to 33 games. - The BYU women's volleyball team completes regular-season play this weekend with games against San Diego State and No. 25 UNLV at Smith Fieldhouse. The Cougars welcome San Diego State in about an hour (sporting dilemma for BYU fans) and host UNLV tomorrow night at 7. BYU (18-6, 10-4) has won five straight matches. In case you don't have time to attend the game or match in person, they will be on BYUTV. The volleyball game is live at 7 while the basketball is tape delayed right after.
Two Rivals?
Is BYU Wyoming's main rival? Colorado State is considered the natural choice, but a strong case can be made for BYU. "It all depends on what part of the state you live in," Wyoming senior cornerback Julius Stinson said. "People from the Western part of the state feel BYU is the main rival and people from the Eastern part of the state feel CSU is the rival." Wyoming coach Joe Glenn witnessed firsthand how seriously some Pokes fans consider the BYU game when they tore down the goalposts in Laramie and marched through downtown after beating the Cougars in 1999. "On this side of the state the students here think green and gold on that deal. Somewhere, I don't know where, it turns. You have to ask the old guard around here," Glenn said. "It is further out than Rawlings somewhere over near around Rock Springs a little bit closer to Utah than we are and it is blue." But BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall says there are no conflicted emotions in Provo. "There is really only one rivalry in our realm and that is the interstate rival University of Utah," he said. "That is considered the rivalry game and the rest are just conference games." **** Maisel takes notice: ESPN.com's Ivan Maisel made BYU his No. 1 point in his 3-point stance this week. "BYU hasn't gotten so much as a glance outside of the state of Utah, even though the Cougars are 7-2 and have won 13 consecutive games in the Mountain West Conference. There are two culprits: one, early-season losses to UCLA and Tulsa; two, not blowing out every team they play. The Cougars have four wins by 10 points or fewer. Still, it's amazing the Cougars have yet to crack the top 25."
Ready To Run
For those of you who plan to attend the BYU-Jackson State basketball game tomorrow night at the Marriott Center, be prepared for a track meet. Both teams favor an uptempo attack on offense and like to push the ball up the floor quickly. The game is the first of four BYU will play in the Las Vegas Invitational. The Cougars host Hartford in the second game on Tuesday and then head to Sin City to play the final two games. The biggest one is against Louisville on Friday at 6. Figures it would be scheduled the night before the Utah-BYU football game. But dedicated Cougar fans will find a way to attend both I am sure. Jackson State (0-2) was picked to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference this season. They return three starters from a team that won 21 games and reached the NCAA Tournament (first round loss like BYU). "They love to get out and run and push the ball and take it to the hoop," BYU point guard Ben Murdock said. "They put it on the ground and pull up with shots everywhere. We have to take care of the ball really well on offense and do really well on defensive rotations and stay in front of our guy." **** Quick hits: - BYU president Cecil O. Samuelson attended last night's BYU victory over Idaho State. After the game, Samuelson was talking about how great of shooters BYU had on the wing this season. It's pretty cool when the school president can talk hoops. - It was one and done for the BYU women's soccer team in the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars lost to Texas 2-0 in the first round this afternoon in College Station, Texas.
Picking Their Spots
Wyoming quarterback Karsten Sween has thrown more interceptions (16) than touchdowns (12) this season, and BYU's defense is ready to add to his misery this weekend. The Cougars have 11 interceptions in BYU's nine game, including at least one in eight consecutive games. Let us count the picks. It started with Kayle Buchanan intercepting UCLA's Ben Olson. Ben Criddle had one against Tulsa, Quinn Gooch picked of Air Force's Shaun Carney, Bryan Kehl and Gooch doubled BYU's pleasure against New Mexico. That triggered Kehl's personal three-game splurge with interceptions against UNLV and Eastern Washington. Gooch and Corby Hodgkiss also got into the act in the Eastern Washington game Criddle got his second of the season when BYU hosted Colorado State and Kelly Poppinga capped it off last Thursday against TCU. With running back Devin Moore expected not to play and Kellen Fowler taking Gooch's place at safety, Wyoming might be tempted to let a few more fly and give BYU's defense more chances to continue its streak. **** BYU QBs stick together: According to the Miami Herald, here's what Steve Young had to say about Dolphins rookie quarterback John Beck, who will make his NFL starting debut against Phiadelphia on Sunday. "Stylistically, (Beck) is a lot like Tom Brady in his accuracy and (delivery), and also nifty in the pocket." High praise for a young quarterback yet to throw a pass. Speaking of Philly, it seems fitting Beck is making his first start in that city on the same weekend BYU is heading to Laramie. Philly fans are the are the ones who threw snow balls at Santa Claus. The fans in Laramie? Well I am sure you all have your own memories of the objects hurled in your direction. The players don't keep their helmets on all the time for nothing. Beck's Philly debut will be like a mini-BYU reunion. Reno Mahe and Scott Young are on the Eagles' roster and Andy Reid is the head coach.
BYU's Early Signing Period
The early signing period started yesterday, and the BYU men's basketball team should make an announcement by Friday on the official signing of small forward Charles Abouo. Abouo was the all-time leading scorer at Logan and is attending Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H. The Granite State - my native turf - is a haven for these academies where players go for an extra semester or two to polish their skills and sometimes their academics. BYU's last recruiting class is already making good impressions on the coaching staff, especially freshmen Jimmer Fredette and Chris Collinsworth. "It is a new experience for them because these players have obviously all come from programs where they played the majority of the time and how they deal with that," BYU head coach Dave Rose said. "How quickly they come along will be a big part of how sucessful our team is. But I am glad they are there because I think they are really good players and I think they are really going to help this team win." **** Tournament tidbit: The women's soccer team begins NCAA Tournament play this afternoon against Texas in College Station, Texas. BYU senior cornerback Corby Hodkgiss hopes the location is a good omen. The native Texan's wife-to-be Katie Fellows is on the team, and she was named MVP of the Mountain West Conference tournament last weekend. "It was great to be able to watch her play," Hodgkiss said. "There aren't many games I get to see. I really enjoyed being out there. She played great.
Post Game From Marriott
Just like its season-opener, BYU cruised to another victory in its home opener. Boosted by hot shooting from the outside, the Cougars defeated Idaho State 90-69 tonight at the Marriott Center. That's 32 straight wins and counting at home for BYU. Sam Burgess led BYU with a career-high 18 points - 16 coming in the first half on 4 for 4 from behind the 3-point line. Jonathan Tavernari and Trent Plaisted had 17 points apiece while Lee Cummard had 13 points and 10 rebounds. The highlight of the second half was when Cummard hung on the rim and attempted to reach up and put back a shot. He received a technical foul for the act, but because of the big lead everyone could just laugh it off. BYU head coach Dave Rose was pleased with his team's unselfish nature. The Cougars had 24 assists on 31 field goals and their crisp ball movement was like clockwork at times. BYU did flash signs of inconsistency in the second half - "too many peaks and valleys," Rose said - but part of that could be attributed to complacency with a big lead. Idaho State head coach Joe O'Brien said he thought BYU was a better team than Iowa (Idaho's State's first opponent) because BYU is deeper. He was impressed with Tavernari's ability to step out and shoot the 3-pointer from the forward position. O'Brien said he was forced to stick with the zone defense most of the game because he has little depth in the post. If you missed this one, come out on Friday when BYU plays another State - this time it's Jackson - at 7 p.m.
Halftime At The Marriott
BYU is torching the nets tonight with a 44-25 halftime lead over Idaho State. The Cougars actually started out a bit cold from the field - going 1 for 5 - but once they started heating up, they never stopped. BYU has eight 3-pointers, led by Sam Burgess. The senior guard has made a home on the right wing and drained all four of his 3-point attempts. He has 16 points at the half. Idaho State is playing a zone to help negate BYU's size advantage, but BYU's crisp ball movement and shooting touch has blow that plan to shreds. It will be interesting to see if the Bengels make any halftime adjustments, although the options are pretty limited. If they go to man, BYU's post players will start feasting. Idaho State is shooting 29.6 percent. **** Quick hits: - Freshman entry: Chris Collinsworth 16:23 mark, Jimmer Fredette 12:01 mark. - BYU is trying for a white-out tonight and gave all the fans white Y shirts. - It's the first home game, but these aren't homer officials if you judge by the reaction of BYU's bench early. - Mike Loyd and Cosmo were showing their dance moves together during the introductions. - As Burgess lined up for his 2nd 3-pointer, Jonathan Tavernari yelled "Money Time" from the bench. Smart call.
BYU Happy for Beck
The news of former BYU quarterback John Beck getting his first NFL start this Sunday in Philadephia made the rounds at BYU's practice today. BYU quarterbacks coach Brandon Doman believes Beck can be the elixir the 0-9 Dolphins need to trigger optimism. "I am really happy for him. I know he will do a great job and be a great NFL quarterback," Doman said. "He has been watching and studying, and he will be prepared. Hopefully he can be the sparkplug that team needs and get everyone in the city can get excited." **** Home opener minutes away: Tip-off here at the Marriott Center is about 10 minutes away. The Cougars are set for their home opener against Idaho State. The teams needed overtime to decide things last year, and I am sure BYU head coach Dave Rose hopes things are a little less stressful tonight. The Cougars have a 31-game home winning streak on the line.
Sanford Says ...
UNLV football coach Mike Sanford is on the BYU bandwagon for a Mountain West Conference title defense. "I just think BYU is the class of this league," he said. "I think they are the most physical team in the league and they can both run and throw on offense and I think their defense is solid and sound and makes plays when they need to make them." When asked his opinion on the BYU-Wyoming matchup Saturday, Sanford stopped mid-sentence to ask, "Where is the game?" When told it was in Laramie, he said. "OK. That makes a difference because they (Wyoming) play much better at Wyoming. I think there is going to be some mental things that BYU is going to have to get over as far as respect of them after what happened the last couple of weeks." **** Scouting Poppinga: If you want to get the real inside scoop on Kelly Poppinga's football career, don't bother asking his brothers. Head straight to his little sister Alicia. Her classmates used to refer to her as "short week" because she left school early during football season to watch her brother play in high school. The 22-year-old has continued her treks during Kelly's college career. "I am his No. 1 fan," she said. "Since middle school wherever my parents went to watch him, I was there. We drove hours and hours to see one game. It's been a lot of fun because he is so intense and passionate about what he did." - A quick anecdote to display Kelly's off-the-field softer side. When he was younger, his neighbor broke his leg and had to spend a few weeks in the hospital on traction. Kelly visited him every day so the kid wouldn't feel lonely.
Ain't Getting No Respect
The Mountain West Conference has taken the Rodney Dangerfield stance of getting no respect. BYU is the only team in the country with two or fewer losses not ranked in the Top 25 polls and Air Force is the only team with eight wins not ranked. BYU and Utah are the only teams with a winning streak of at least five games that are not ranked. What gives? "Respect and credibility come with visibility, and I've learned that as we have gone," BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "At some point we will be acknowledged and that will be whenever by whoever chooses to acknowledge us. All I can do as the head coach is to make sure we are worthy when we are recognized." As I made the rounds of voters last week for my story on Thursday night games on Versus not packing as much punch as ESPN games, it was clear the TV deal has hurt the conference's profile. It would also help if the conference had an undefeated team because a lot of voters think the conference is a bit mediocre this season. Whether perception is reality is something only time will tell. **** Beck Likely to Start: The Associated Press is reporting that Dolphins rookie quarterback John Beck will make his NFL debut when he starts on Sunday at Philadelphia The AP reported Coach Cam Cameron told the quarterbacks of the change Wednesday morning, but planned to wait until after practice to announce his decision to the media. Beck, a second-round draft pick, will become the 12th quarterback to start for the Dolphins since Dan Marino retired after the 1999 season. He'll be the third starter this season for winless Miami (0-9), following Trent Green and Cleo Lemon. **** Quick hits: - My colleague Jay Drew talked to Snow College coach Steve Corburn last night, and Corburn confirmed that defensive end Coleby Clawson committed to BYU on Tuesday. Here's what Corburn told Drew, "Coleby Clawson is one of the best football players we have ever coached at Snow College. That's a great pickup for Bronco Mendenhall." - The women's basketball team lost to Arkansas State 54-53 last night in Jonesboro, Ark.
Criddle Pulls Number Switch
Ben Criddle was wearing a white No. 25 jersey at practice today instead of his normal No. 21. "First of all, it's in memory of my fallen comrade (Quinn) Gooch and because I lost my jersey," Criddle said. "The laundry guy lost it, so I asked Gooch if I could wear his jersey and he said yes." Criddle is cross-training at safety because of Gooch's absence and said things are going well. But he knows the secondary is close to nearing its breaking point. "Hopefully no one else gets hurt," he said. "Pray for health and strength and hopefully the Lord will protect us." Criddle may have to get in line for his prayers behind BYU basketball player Jonathan Tavernari (see earlier blog). - Tight end Andrew George made a few nice grabs, including one in the back of the end zone that earned him plaudits from teammates. - Several players were getting rehab instead of going through the full practice reps today. Defensive end Ian Dulan was in street clothes and said his knee (MCL) and ankle were feeling better. But it's too early to say whether he will be healed in time for the game on Saturday.
Around The Conference
Wyoming head coach Joe Glenn cut right to the chase during today's Mountain West Conference call, "It's been a bad week for Coach Joe," he said. Glenn wrote a letter of apology to Utah coach Kyle Whittingham for using his middle finger to display his anger during Saturday's game and called for "a truce and love." The Cowboys have lost four of their last five games, and Glenn attributes part of it to the youth on his offensive line, "We need some birthdays to be honest with you," he said. Glenn said he received commitments from some linemen recruits who backed out at the last minute and now, "I see them playing on television" for other schools. Glenn said there is a chance Wyoming could have junior center Tim Bond back in the lineup for Saturday's game against BYU. "We have three new starters there and it has been rough," he said. "If you are a quarterback and can't step into the throw and is fighting for his life you are going to have turnovers and you are going to have a tough time in the pass game." Glenn said the team's spirts were high despite failing to hold a large lead in a loss to San Diego State and being hammered 50-0 by Utah. And even if they were sagging, Glenn isn't about to guarantee a victory over BYU this weekend. He learned his lesson last week. "Open mouth. Insert foot," he said. **** Bits from Bronco: - BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said his biggest concern with Wyoming is running backs Devin Moore and Wynel Seldon. "Their backs especially are explosive and talented and I think their schemes are sound," he said. "It appears to me the only time they struggle is with ball security." - On the career-ending loss of BYU senior safety Quinn Gooch (ACL): "I was saddened to see him hurt, and we have missed him already just in terms of practicing without him yesterday. It wasn't the same." **** Quick hits: - TCU head coach Gary Patterson had a very evasive response when asked the reason BYU was able to control the blitz in Thursday's victory over the Horned Frog. "A couple of things I can't talk about or I will get in trouble with the conference," he said. When pushed to elaborate, Patterson said. "That is the answer I have for you." - The Air Force Sports Information Department is starting to tout Chad Hall for the Heisman Trophy. BYU might have played a role in his canidacy. When asked when he decided to use Hall more in the lineup this season, head coach Troy Calhoun said. "On the bus leaving Provo, Utah."
Tavernari's Wrist Rehab
Jonathan Tavernari is walking around BYU's campus squeezing a little ball in his right hand. But the sophomore forward isn't stressed out. He's trying to rehab his bum shooting wrist. Tavernari injured the wrist during practice last week while playing defense - "of all things," he said. Tavernari was attempting to block a pass from Nick Martineau during a press drill when his hand got caught between Martineau's hand and the ball. Tavernari played in BYU's season-opening thrashing of Long Beach State and had six points and nine rebounds. "I knew I was going to have to find a way to help the team, and I guess it was rebounding," he said. "I sure as hell wasn't shooting the ball." Tavernari said he will be in the starting lineup tomorrow night in the home opener against Idaho State. He took 1,500 shots yesterday and wants to launch 2,000 more today. Along with the squeezing ball therapy, Tavernari is taking anti-inflammatories to help heal the wrist. But he is also looking to a higher power. "I have been praying a lot," he said. "I know the guy upstairs will help me on Wednesday." **** White Award: Danny White now has an award named in his honor. The Valley of the Sun chapter of the National Football Foundation announced Monday that it will honor the outstanding Arizona high school football senior quarterback annually with the Danny White Award. White is the father of BYU wide receiver Reed and the uncle of BYU quarterback Max Hall, He was an All-America quarterback at Arizona State in 1973 and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997. It's a few years too late for Hall to win it, but he likely would have been in the mix during his prep days in Arizona.
BYU Headed To Texas
The BYU women's soccer team is heading to the Lone Star state to begin its NCAA postseason journey. The Cougars play Texas on Thursday at the Aggie Soccer Complex on the campus of Texas A&M in College Station. BYU is making it's 10th NCAA appearance in the last 11 years. But the Mountain West Conference didn't get much respect from the committee. The Cougars are the only team from the conference in the tournament. The winner of the BYU-Texas game plays the winner of the Texas A&M-Stephen F. Austin game on Saturday. Texas A&M is hosting the NCAA Tournament this season and received a No. 2 seed. The top seeds are North Carolina, UCLA, Stanford and Penn State. BYU's players gathered at Legend's Grille to watch the announcement together on TV. "We know Texas will be a good team, but we're comfortable playing in College Station and we've beaten Texas before," BYU head coach Jennifer Rockwood said. "It's a tough draw as far as competition goes, but we'll be in a place we've played before and play against teams we've beaten in the past." BYU beat Texas two years ago in Provo, and the overall series between the programs is tied 1-1. **** Fowler ready: BYU junior Kellen Fowler is ready to try and fill the large shoes vacated by senior Quinn Gooch at safety. Gooch tore his ACL during the game against TCU and must call it a career at BYU. "It is tough to see a teammate and good friend go down. You never want to have that happen, but it does give me an opportunity to step in and have a little more action and a more visible role," he said. "I have been playing speical teams, which is a key part of this team to get victories, but I will have a more visible role in the secondary and I am excited to take that one and take that challenge." **** Basketball bit The men's basketball team is gearing up for its home opener on Wednesday night against Idaho State. The Cougars defeated Long Beach State 74-34 on Saturday, and BYU coach Dave Rose said he's had to meet with a few players one-on-one to discuss their roles on the team. Most incoming players in college are used to being the Big Men on Campus in high school or at a JC, and not playing major minutes is a shock to the system. But Rose said tonight he explains to them that whether they are the leading scorer or No. 13 or 14 on the roster, their importance is the same.
Glenn Reprimanded
The Mountain West Conference issued a public reprimand to Wyoming coach Joe Glenn for his obscene gesture toward the Utah sideline during the third quarter of Saturday's game. Glenn's action was in violation of the conference's Sportsmanship Rule 4.3.3 Glenn also issued an apology today in a statement. "I met with my team on Sunday and apologized to them for the gesture I made toward the Utah bench during the game," he said. "I also want to apologize to all fans for that action. Football is an emotional game, and I let my emotions get the best of me. I felt it was appropriate for me to let my team and all fans know that I am truly sorry for that emotional moment." It's hard to tell how Glenn's players or the fans will react to the situation during Saturday's game against BYU. The players could be extremely fired up and support their coach for having their back and caring enough to flip the bird at Utah. Or they could be so demoralized from a 50-0 loss that it wouldn't counterbalance the situation. **** Quick hit: - Thanks to Cambo regarding Kelly Poppinga's interceptions. It was his first of the season not first of his career. In my haste, my fingers got ahead of my brain.
Breakfast with Bronco Week 11
WYOMING. WYOMING. WYOMING. Get that in your head. BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall doesn't even want to hear about next's week rivarly game against Utah and could care less about Wyoming head coach Joe Glenn flipping Utah coach Kyle Whittingham the bird after Whittingham opted for an onside kick with the game already well in hand. That was the general impression from Mendenhall's weekly morning press conference. Mendenhall never took the bait when asked questions about the Utah-Wyoming spectacle on Saturday, and said he didn't watch the game. He only addressed the issue from his own standpoint in saying BYU derives more from internal motivation rather than external motivation like an opposing coach guaranteeing a victory. Mendenhall said his goal is to run his program with class and integrity and it's not his place to judge other programs. - Injury updates: With the ACL tear to senior safety Quinn Gooch, Kellen Fowler is expected to get the start against Wyoming and cornerbacks Ben Criddle and Scott Johnson will begin "cross training" to backup Fowler at the position. Defensive end Ian Dulan injured his MCL and sprained an ankle against TCU. Dulan's target is to practice on Thursday in order to play against Wyoming, but if not, he will miss the game. Dulan will work on the underwater treadmill in the meantime. - Expect the theme of how tough it is to play in Laramie to be prominent this week. Mendenhall said the Wyoming fans seem to have more animosity for BYU than any other school and compared his experience going there with New Mexico and going there with BYU. I will have much more views on the road trip in ensuing blogs. But needless to say, BYU is expecting hostile abuse from the home fans. And it being a noon kickoff may make a difference. According to Wyoming native Kelly Poppinga for night games, "They have a long time to do what they do to get ready for the game." Translation = The spirits are typically flowing. - TCU head coach Gary Patterson said he believed BYU's slick field was watered before the game on Thursday, and Poppinga agreed. He said the field is usually in good shape during September, but in October and November, "It's like running on ice." Poppinga suggested someone should possibly talk to the grounds and maintenance crew about not watering the field before games. BYU's players wore longer spikes on their cleats to help negate the effects.
Poppinga Honored
BYU senior linebacker Kelly Poppinga was named Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his dominating performance against TCU last Thursday night. Poppinga had a career-high 17 tackles and his first career interception in BYU's 27-22 victory. Poppinga had seven solo tackles and 10 assisted. It was the most tackles by a BYU defender in a single game since Rob Morris had 17 against San Diego State in 1998. Colorado State wide receiver Johnny Walker earned the MWC Offensive Player of the Week honors (7 catches, 177 yards) and New Mexico kicker John Sullivan (4 FGs, including 43-yard game winner) and San Diego State kick returner Mekell Wesley (five returns, 178 yards) shared the MWC Special Teams Player of the Week award.
Not Pulling Rank
Forget being ranked this week boys. BYU took a few more baby steps, but with all the madness across the country, the Cougars still can't crack into the top 25. BYU remains in "others receiving votes" status. The Cougars received 64 votes in the USA Today/Coaches Poll, and are behind only Connecticut (103) - technically No. 27. In the Associated Press poll, BYU received 56 votes and is behind Penn State (98) and Auburn (72) - technically No. 28. With the votality of the rankings this season, it's hard to tell when or if a representative from the Mountain West will again enter the fold. Only one thing assures BYU of a chance - keep winning. **** Brennan ties Detmer: Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan tied the Ty Detmer's NCAA career mark for touchdown passes (121) last night with two touchdowns in a victory over Fresno State. Brennan was 28-of-39 for 396 yards before leaving in the fourth quarter with an injury. Brennan's 5-yard TD toss to Davone Bess gave Hawaii a 31-7 lead and matched Detmer's mark set in 1991. With the touchdown, Brennan also tied Detmer's record for most touchdowns responsible for with 135. Brennan reached the milestone in his 34th game. It took Detmer 46 games to set the record. But if you ask many BYU loyalists, they believe Detmer could have pumped up his numbers even more if he played a slate of I-AA opponents like Brennan has this season. Of course they are a bit bias, but isn't that the point of being a fan.
Monitoring the Fouls
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Foul trouble was not a big issue in BYU's season-opening domination of Long Beach State yesterday, but head coach Dave Rose thinks it could become a factor in the future. Rose said the staff usually lets the team play during practice and allows some fouls to go uncalled. But he might change the tactic because what's done in practice - good or bad - often translates to the games. "We definitely need to work on guarding without fouling," Rose said. Despite the lopsided score, 74-34, Rose also found a few flaws offensively. "We took a lot of what I would call ill-advised shots," Rose said. Sophomore forward Jonathan Tavernari injured his wrist slightly in practice last week, and it appeared to bother him at times yesterday. Tavernari still drained a few 3-pointers, but he didn't have the typical swagger that was apparent in the exhibition games. "He never got into a rythym like he is capable of doing," Rose said. "In fact, (freshman) Chris Collinsworth came in and played really good minutes and rebounded the ball well and played within our system for the first time." **** Quick hits: - Don't be surprised if BYU makes an appearance in the Top 25 football rankings in a few hours. The Cougars were receiving votes last week, and a win on Thursday combined with a host of losses yesterday by other teams, could vault them the three spots necessary. - The BYU women's soccer team got its revenge on UNLV yesterday with a 2-1 victory over the Rebels in the championship game of the Mountain West Conference tournament at South Stadium. The Cougars receive an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. It was BYU's first MWC tournament title since 2002. Katie Fellows was named tournament MVP. She scored the game winner on an unassisted goal in the 68th minute to give BYU a cushion it would need as UNLV scored in the 73rd minute. UNLV had defeated BYU in the final game of the regular season to deny BYU a regular-season conference title. - The BYU women's basketball team also opened its season with a California road victory. The Cougars defeated UCSB 61-50 on Friday night. Lauren Riley-Varley had 14 points and 11 rebounds and Mallary Gillespie-Carling led all scorers with 17 points.
BYU Bullies The Beach
LONG BEACH, Calif. - It was a lovely day at the beach for BYU in its season opener as the Cougars demolished Long Beach State 74-34 at Walter Pyramid. It was BYU's first season-opening win since 2003, which means it was also the first for BYU head coach Dave Rose. Lee Cummard scored 12 points to lead all scorers and the 49ers never struck gold as BYU held them to 19.1 percent shooting. But the Cougars didn't get to stick around in the California sun and enjoy it very long. They were headed out on a JetBlue flight tonight. "It's BYU. We have to be back for church," senior guard Sam Burgess said. **** Morgan Jr. Redshirt Update: BYU head coach Dave Rose said he weighed several factors into the decision to redshirt junior college transfer Lamont Morgan Jr. The primary factor being the other options at the point guard position this season and in the near future. Senior Ben Murdock is the starter and Rose has been pleased with his play. Freshman Nick Martineau plans to take an LDS mission next year and freshman Mike Loyd has shown Rose some positive things while on the court. "I made the decision on what I feel is best for the program and the future of the program and at that position and what is best for Lamont's development," Rose said. "He is excited to be able to have that opportunity to be around for a couple of more years." **** Double trouble: Junior Trent Plaisted faced constant double teams against LBSU and finished with 12 points on 3 of 7 shooting. "They did a good job on Trent defensively," Rose said. "They came and doubled him at different times. Sometimes they would do it on the pass, sometimes they would do it on the dribble. Sometimes they would come double on the catch." Although Plaisted was frustrated by not being on the court more (19 minutes), he has no problem kicking the ball out to the perimeter when he is drawing multiple defenders. "Our guys are all good shooters and that is how we have team success," he said. "If they want to double me, it opens things up for the rest of the guys." **** Quick hits: - Each player received their one pizza after the game. And we're not talking about those little personal ones. We are talking full size. Murdock opts for pineapple and cheese while Cummard is a pepperoni guy. - When Long Beach State coach walked into the tiny men's volleyball locker room where postgame interviews were being held, he said. "This is our press room huh?" Monson was making his LBSU debut. He was previously at Gonzaga and Minnesota.
Halftime Smackdown
LONG BEACH, Calif. - It's a blowout here at the Beach with BYU leading Long Beach State 36-12 at halftime. The Cougars jumped out to a 10-0 lead and that was all she wrote. Barring the unforeseen, the Cougars should win their opener for the first time in four years. The 12 points is the fewest BYU has allowed in the first half since Air Force scored 10 in 2003. Long Beach State shot only 11.1 percent in the half. Lee Cummard is the leading scorer for BYU with seven points. The 49ers are sending double teams to Trent Plaisted, and the junior has only five points and played only 11 minutes. Everyone has received playing time with Nick Martineau the lowest at three minutes and Cummard the highest with 19. - They are holding a BMX demo during halftime. There is a ramp at midcourt and a few of the Dew Tour and ESPN XGames participants are doing tricks. Pretty good entertainment for a basketball game. It sure beats the cheerleaders. - Mike Loyd shot an airball on his first shot of his BYU debut and heard the "Airball" chants from the crowd. But teammates Chris Miles and Jonathan Tavernari made sure Loyd didn't feel alone with airballs of their own later in the half. - The Cougars have hit 5 of 11 3-pointers, including four straight at one point in the first half. Two each by Tavernari and Jimmer Fredette.
Morgan Jr. To Redshirt
LONG BEACH, Calif. - BYU junior point guard Lamont Morgan Jr. is going to redshirt this season. Morgan Jr. is here at the Walter Pyramid dressed in team sweats rebounding for his teammates as they prepare for the season opener against Long Beach State. Morgan Jr. transferred to BYU from Saddleback Community College in Mssion Viejo, Calif. - I asked the Long Beach State Sports Information staff it they expected a sellout for head coach Dan Monson's debut today and they laughed. The 49ers have not sold out a basketball game since the Pyramid opened in 1994. Seth Greenberg was the coach at the time. - There are several NBA scouts credentialed to be in attendance: Doug Ash, Detroit Pistons Dick Baker, Dallas Mavericks Gene Bartow, Memphis Grizzlies Chet Kammerer, Miami Heat Ron Meikle, Atlanta Hawks Neil Olshey, LA Clippers Jason Piombetti, LA Lakers Ryan West, Memphis Grizzlies
Beach Boys Are New
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Scouting a season-opening opponent is always tough because there are no games to watch on how the team works as a unit. But BYU's challenge is even greater. Everything about Long Beach State is new, and finding film on its parts would require digging into the archives. BYU's staff might have pulled a few old high school games. The 49ers have a new coach, lost their top nine scorers from last season and return no starters. The four players with game experience combined for a total of 400 minutes last season. The challenge has BYU head coach Dave Rose looking inward for today's 3 p.m. game. "You spend a lot of time focusing on your team and some time focusing on the other team as far as preparation is concerned," Rose said. "But you don't have a lot of patterns to relate to from game to game to game. When you put you game plan in most of it in the early season is what is best for your team in that game and maybe not what is best to try to and stop them or work against them." Long Beach State won 24 games last season and captured the Big West Conference title before losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Tennessee. But it was pre-determined no matter what happened in the postseason, Larry Reynolds was out as the coach at Long Beach. Enter Dan Monson. Monson built Gonzaga into a mid-major power before departing for Minnesota. As the Zags continued their winning ways under Mark Few and became the model for mid-major superiority, Monson's Golden Gopher teams struggled. After seven full seasons, his contract was bought out seven games into last season and Long Beach State hired him. "I think you have a pretty good idea from the past what coaches are going to do, but personnel changes a lot of decisions coaches make as far as how they want to play," Rose said. "It is going to be a real learning experience for us." **** Quick hit: - TCU head coach Gary Pattereson suggested in this morning's Fort Worth Star-Telegram "that a slick field that had been watered during the afternoon made it difficult to rush the passer," but BYU quarterback Max Hall threw quickly. Patterson also credited Dennis Pitta. "We did not do a good job with the tight end," Patterson said in the Star-Telegram. "For a guy that never played us before, I thought Max Hall played a pretty good ballgame."
Backup Plan
LONG BEACH, Calif. - The results of Quinn Gooch's MRI today revealed the senior safety tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Gooch suffered the injury during the third quarter of BYU's victory over TCU last night. The medical staff has yet to determine whether Gooch will have surgery or attempt to play again. We should know for certain by Monday when BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall has his weekly press conference. Gooch has gone through the entire rehab process for an ACL tear before, so he knows how intensive it can be. Most players opt for surgery, but there are a few who have played with a torn ACL. Although most of the ones I have known or covered have done it unknowingly. The ACL provides stability to the knee and minimizes stress across the knee joint, so it's hard for someone with a high activity level to not have it fixed right away. Should Gooch be done for the season and his BYU career, Kellen Fowler will take his place. I asked Mendenhall last night about Gooch's absence, and he said Gooch is tough to replace because he makes all the adjustments and checks in the secondary and is depended on heavily by defensive backs coach Jaime Hill, The secondary has been riddled by injuries this season. First it was Dustin Gabriel, then David Tafuna went down. Ben Criddle, Kayle Buchanan and Brandon Howard have been hobbled at times. Now it's Gooch. But Mendenhall said he considered Fowler's performance part of his plug-in model in which a player simply steps in when a teammate goes down and the team continues on. **** Jet-BYU I had the pleasure of flying to Long Beach this afternoon on a JetBlue flight with the entire men's basketball team, which plays Long Beach State tomorrow at 3 p.m. (2 p.m. here in Long Beach). Because of their size and identical sweatsuits, it's pretty easy to tell when a basketball team is in the airport. It's always funny to see the reactions of people when they walk past. They usually crane their neck up and stare. One lady asked Trent Plaisted for his autograph, but Trent said she had no idea who he was but she figured he would be famous one day so she better get an autograph now. Lamont Morgan Jr. had a basketball tucked under his arm while walking through the airport and blue L.A. Dodgers cap. Morgan is a Cali boy so this is a homecoming for him in his BYU debut. The lady taking our tickets as we boarded welcomed the team over the loudspeaker about four times. She said she and her husband are Utah grads but "we bleed blue." It's appropriate since she works for an airline named JetBlue not JetRed. I plan to ask someone at BYU if they prefer using the airline because of its color preference. The football team charters a JetBlue plane.
Road Trippers
It often gets overlooked in the broad scheme of things. But along with learning new plays and new routines during their transition to college, players have to learn how to pack properly for road trips. After the BYU men's basketball team finished its practice yesterday night, the coaching staff reminded players about what to bring for the flight to California today. BYU faces Long Beach State tomorrow afternoon in the season opener. BYU head coach Dave Rose said the team has a checklist for the players to review. Aside from things like a toothbrush, clean socks and deoderant, the most important item to pack is an identification card. Anyone who has traveled since 9/11 knows trying to get through airport security without an ID is about as successful as trying to ram your head through a brick wall. Despite repeated persistence, it's just not going to happen "Every first road trip every year is a learning expereince for our players," Rose said. "We double and triple check to have sure they have everything they need." Rose said during one season at BYU, the team had to leave a player behind because his driver's license was expired. The player was able to take a flight later in the day after an expedited renewal by the DMV. But no matter what's in the bags, at least the BYU players will travel in style. As they left practice, Chris Miles, Jimmer Fredette and Nick Martineau were wheeling new black Nike bags out of the Marriott Center with name tags on them.
Pocket Presence
TCU senior defensive end Tommy Blake sacked Max Hall in the second quarter of BYU's 27-22 victory last night. But that was it. That was the only sack allowed by BYU the entire game. Part it was BYU's offensive line stepping up to the challenge and part of it was Hall willing to fire off passes earlier rather than standing the pocket. "One big step I took tonight was recognizing the blitz and getting us into the right play and getting rid of the ball on time," he said. "I didn't take any big shots tonight and we were able to execute our stuff and we were able to hurt them and they didn't blitz as much anymore. So I think that was big for me and big for our football team if I can continue to do that." **** On the flip side, BYU's defense blitzed TCU quarterback Andy Dalton four straight times on TCU's final drive as the Horned Frogs tried to take the lead. BYU linebackers Kelly Poppinga and Bryan Kehl were giddy about the more aggressive approach as they made their way to the sideline. Poppinga told Kehl, "Man. Let's do that every play. That was sweet." **** Quick hits: - If you were at the game, you likely received a free blue Y beanie. Austin Collie wasn't about to be left out either. He arrived in the postgame interview room sporting one on his head. Bryan Kehl opted for a Las Vegas Bowl hat and his typical postgame candy bar. - Don't forget about the big women's volleyball rivarly match tonight at 7 between BYU and Utah at Smith Fieldhouse. The Cougars took the first meeting in Salt Lake City earlier this season in five games. - The third-seeded BYU women's soccer team advanced to the championship game behind two goals by Katie Larkin in a 2-0 victory over No. 2 San Diego State yesterday. BYU plays for the title on Saturday at 1 p.m. against UNLV at South Stadium.
Post Game From LES
Sorry I couldn't provide a halftime update tonight, but I was updating my own story for the newspaper at the time. Late kicks preclude me from doing everything. But here is the postgame diagnosis. Final Score: BYU 27, TCU 22 - BYU remains in the driver's seat for its conference title defense. The Cougars are 5-0 in the Mountain West and if they win next week, the worst they can do is share a title even with two losses to end the season. Although, nobody in that locker room wants any losses. - The linebacking corps came up huge today. Kelly Poppinga finished with 17 tackles and one interception and David Nixon had a big sack. Poppinga stil had grass hanging from his jersey when he entered the press room after the game. The linebacking unit was hailed by BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall. - BYU called this it's best win of the season and said TCU's defense was the fastest it's faced all year. - Austin Collie's ankle looked good against Colorado State and it looked even better in the first half tonight. Collie had 109 yards on four catches by halftime - which were his final stats. The catch by Matt Allen was pretty sweet too along the right sideline. - There were a lot of reviews tonight. The two biggest were the fumble by TCU quarterback Marcus Jackson into the end zone that was overturned and the ball returned to TCU and the overturned call on Andrew George's catch. The ball popped out of Dennis Pitta's hand and was caught by George for a 31-yard play and a first down. Pitta said his hand was under the ball, and Bronco Mendenhall said he couldn't see and trusted the call on the field. - Mendenhall turned into Bronco Shanahan at the end of the first half. Mendenhall tried to freeze TCU kicker Chris Manfredini by calling two timeouts just before halftime. But it didn't faze Manfredini. He kicked a 33-yarder, which was his third field goal of the half. - The defense took some hits in the injury department. Linebackers Markell Staffieri (ankle) and David Nixon went down in the first half, but returned in the second half. Quinn Gooch (knee) went down in the third quarter, and did not return. It could be key if he stays out. Mendenhall said last week free safety is the most valuable component of BYU's defense. Mendenhall applauded the performance of Kellen Fowler in coming in for Gooch. - No wonder the NFL scouts are interesting. Bryan Kehl has amazing speed for a linebacker. Kehl chased down TCU quarterback Marcus Jackson on a third down in the second quarter and forced TCU to punt. Hopefully these scattered thoughts make some sense at this late hour. Check back tomorrow for a few more - likely in a more organized fashion.
Allen Nominated for Award
BYU senior wide receiver Matt Allen is one of 11 finalists for the Wuerffel Trophy, which is presented annually to the college football player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement. The award is named to honor former University of Florida quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel. Allen is scheduled to graduate from BYU this year with a degree in exercise science. He plans to further his education in pediatric therapy, and wants to help young children overcome physical injury and other disabilities. The recipient of the Wuerffel Trophy will be announced at the end of November and honored at a banquet on Feb. 15, 2008 at the Emerald Coast Conference Center in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. **** Did you know? It's always interesting to read the extraneous items sports information department's include in thei releases for football teams. For instance, BYU includes items on the number of married players and players returning from missions. On TCU's release this season, they talk about: - The makeup of the school student body. The total enrollment of TCU is 8,865, and 58 percent is female. With approximately 120 players on the football roster, 3.2 percent of all males at TCU are football players. - Another kind of makeup. According to a recent article in Men's Health, Fort Worth ranks second in the nation behind only Honolulu in prettiest females per capita in the United States. I guess that would be a big recruiting draw.
Office Leftovers
You may remember BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall saying earlier this week he inherited TCU coach Gary Patterson's office when Mendenhall took over for Patterson as the defensive coordinator at New Mexico. Mendenhall said one of the things he found in the office that belonged to Patterson was a note from an NFL scout hailing Patterson's defensive schemes. Well, it seems Patterson took a rather large item connected with BYU that now resides in his office at TCU. According to a story in the Dallas Morning News, "Among Patterson's office memorabilia is part of a goalpost from a 58-56 win over BYU when he was an assistant at Utah State in 1993." Wonder what Bronco would have done if Patterson had left the goalpost behind? Judging by his stated personal tendencies - throw it away - because he is after all "a thrower-awayer." **** Quick hits: - To fire up his TCU players, Patterson has reportedly been playing Trooper's "Raise a Little Hell" - a late 70's rock song - over the loudspeaker at practice. - Record watch: Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan needs just three touchdown passes to break Ty Detmer's Division I-A record for career touchdown passes. Detmer had 121 at BYU. Hawaii plays Fresno State on Saturday. - The third-seeded BYU women's soccer team plays No. 2 San Diego State this afternoon at 4 in the Mountain West Conference tournament semifinals.
Post Game From Marriott
As BYU was wrapping up its 83-53 victory over Bryant University tonight at the Marriott Center, Kentucky was losing to Gardner-Webb. That came one night after Ohio State lost to Findlay in an exhibition game and nearly a week after Grand Valley State defeated Michigan State. Looks like the college basketball season could be much like the college football season. "That is why we all act a little funny," BYU's Dave Rose said of coaches. "Because anybody can beat anybody any time." BYU opens the regular season on Saturday at Long Beach State. Rose experimented with several lineups tonight to see how pieces fit together. He said the most valuable thing the Cougars gained from their two exhbition wins was giving players time to play in a more intense game setting. He said the players were able to learn some schemes and begin to understand BYU's "language and verbiage." Rose lauded the play of Michael Loyd Jr. (seems like that mid-game bagel worked well) and said Jimmer Fredette has that "basketball sense" on offense. Chris Miles impressed with a blocked shot and the big man dribbled the length of the floor for a layup while being fouled. He completed the three-point play. Rose said it reminded him of the play Keena Young made last year against Air Force. Rose has decided to redshirt Mike Pinegar and James Anderson, but isn't sure of any others at this point. The Cougars return to practice tomorrow, and Rose promised it would be much tougher than tonight's game since many players saw limited minutes to spread the wealth.
Halftime Update from the Marriott
It's halftime at the Marriott Center and BYU has a 39-27 lead over Bryant University in the Cougars' final exhibition tuneup. The Bulldogs hung around for a majority of the first half, but BYU began to pull away with about five minutes remaining and the lead reached 15 points until a late 3-pointer by Bryant. A few first-half observations: - Freshman Jimmer Fredette took the court with a blue Nike headband to cover a band-aid which covers the stitches from the collision he endured in the first exhibition. Fredette displayed his defensive prowess with two steals - one of which led to a dunk by Lee Cummard. - Vuc Ivanovic has been a spark off the bench. He had a few nice moves inside and a steal that led to a layup by Jonathan Tavernari to give BYU its first sizable cushion. - Tavernari has his fade away jumper working. His quick release makes him nearly impossible to guard. He doesn't need much room to let it fly. Tavernari is the leading scorer at the break with 15 points. Tavernari was also interested in the women's soccer score. BYU beat TCU 2-0 - perhaps a harbinger of football things to come. - Gavin McGregor is sitting out again with a boot on his left foot. - Mike Loyd Jr. was chomping on a bagel during a timeout. The carbs provided the energy he displayed once he entered the game. - The Flight and Flash boys' basketball teams are playing at halftime. I am sure they are thinking about returning in a few years with a BYU jersey on. **** Ticket update About 600 tickets still remain for tomorrow night's football game against TCU. Call the ticket office or get on the Internet. The Cougars are looking for their fifth straight sellout.
Speed On BYU's Radar
Rarely is TCU football mentioned without the words speed and athleticism following close behind. BYU's players know they have to be ready for the challenge those qualities present tomorrow night. "Man to man they have more athletes than us if you measure it by 40 times and vertical jumps," BYU senior Ben Criddle said. "But we have a fantastic team that knows what it's doing and is disciplined and that gives us an advantage." BYU safety Corby Hodgkiss has studied TCU's offensive personnel to gauge their tendencies. "They have really atheltic receivers and really good athletes like Aaron Brown. You always have to know where he is because he is capable of making big plays," Hodgkiss said. "We saw his speed last year when he got around the corner on us a few times." BYU wide receiver Mike Reed has the same view on the other side of the ball. "They might be the best defense in the conference. Those guys get after it and don't quit on any play. Their secondary is one of the best in the conference, if not one of the best in the country I believe," Reed said. "We did a great job against them last year, but that was last year and we have to come out this year focused again to beat them." **** Quick hits: - TCU coach Gary Patterson told reporters in the Forth Worth area he believes BYU should be in the Top 25. He said he voted for the Cougars in this week's coaches' poll but did not say at what spot. - If there was a natural disaster taking place this week, don't expect Patterson to provide details. The short preparation window for a Thursday night game has altered his perspective. "It's been a very hectic week. In fact, the world could have come to an end and none of us would have known about it understanding the kind of magnitude of a game we've got to go into," Patterson said on yesterday's conference call.
Final Tuneup Tonight
The BYU men's basketball team has it final exhibition tuneup tonight against Bryant University before the games start counting for real. The Cougars open the season on the road Saturday against Long Beach State. Although Bryant is a Division II school, BYU can look at the Big Ten Conference to see how lightly you can take those teams. Michigan State and Ohio State are examples 1 and 1A with both having suffered exhibition losses to D-II teams. Bryant, located in Smithfield, R.I., has reached four straight Division II NCAA tournaments, including a trip to the championship game in 2005. The Bulldogs played UConn last Sunday, and lost 100-65. "Bryant is a very well-coached team. Max Good is a terrific coach who has some experience coaching in our league after being at UNLV," BYU head coach Dave Rose said. "They like to play an up-tempo style and push the ball. They're very athletic and will guard us and pressure us. It will be a good experience for our guys." Rose is looking for a more complete game from BYU than in last week's exhibition win over Laval. "We really want to be more consistent and execute better," he said. "We've got to have a more consistent effort and be able to keep that effort for a full 40 minutes. After you get over that first night apprehension when you're playing in a new environment for a lot of these guys, then you settle into it and you get more consistent." Rose said figuring out the exact roles his players will have this season remains a work in progress. "It will still take another two or three weeks to really figure them all out," he said. "We've established a basic first team and second team and we've got guys behind guys at every position, but in order to really come up with your combinations and roles, you've just got to start playing and then get a feel for it. You start out with a lot of ideas, but we won't really know until we tip everything off."
Going Both Ways
A few players engaged in a bit of post-practice role reversals tonight as the wide receivers played cornerbacks and the cornerbacks played wide receivers. Mike Reed thinks he may have found a new calling. "I am a two-way kind of guy - corner, safety, receiver. I can do it all," he said. "I think I might have to go talk to the head man about switching over and going a couple of reps on defense and then coming back over on offense. Just like (Devin) Hester in the NFL - he can do it all and I can do it all." But Reed isn't sweating Andre Saulsberry replacing him at receiver any time soon. "He does pretty good on routes, but that 30 steps in and out of his break isn't going to cut it," Reed said. "And Terrance Hooks -Oh man, that is like waiting for a bus to come. You are waiting ... you are waiting ... you are waiting. He needs to hang it up and retire." **** Quick hits: - About 1,000 tickets still remain for Thursday night's 7 p.m. game against TCU. - There will be a fireside held tomorrow night for students at Smith Fieldhouse. They can squeeze it in between the women's soccer game between BYU and TCU at 4 p.m. at South Stadium and the men's basketball exhibition game against Bryant University at 7 p.m. at the Marriott Center
Second Season Part II
Before BYU played Colorado State, Bronco Mendenhall said it almost felt like a second season because of all the breaks in the action. Well, TCU head coach Gary Patterson views his team's final stretch the same way. The Horned Frogs endured injuries and unexplained medical leaves (Tommy Blake) in the earlygoing. But after a 16-day break, they pounded New Mexico 37-0. Patterson said that was the team he expected to see before the season started when many pegged TCU as BCS-busters. He said his players having their "legs and shoulders back" from the break was evident in the New Mexico win. The non-football lingo translation is their limbs were rested and refreshed. Other Patterson thoughts: - He said BYU running back Harvey Unga looks more like a defensive lineman than a running back. "I think he's just another in the long line of big backs BYU has always had." - Patterson said BYU can expect to see two quarterbacks. TCU starts Andy Dalton, but Marcus Jackson receives playing time. Dalton has the stronger arm, but Jackson has the better legs to scramble and make plays. **** Mendenhall shows a little spark: Mendenhall is typically polite to an extreme when answering questions - even if it's the fifth time and you can tell he would rather anywhere in the world than standing in front of reporters with recorders in his face. But he did show a little spark in the MWC conference call today. Granted, spark from Mendenhall, is reserved for most human beings. But the sarcasm was kind of refreshing. When asked if he was concerned if BYU's turnovers would come back to bite them this season, he said, "At this point, they are biting us to the tone of 6-2" in reference to BYU's overall record. Mendenhall also made his intentions clear about his intentions clear about night games when he slipped in, "It's great when college football is actually played on Saturday at noon." **** Quick hit: - No reason to wach the Dolphins game this weekend against the Bills. Rookie John Beck is not getting his first start. Coach Cam Cameron has elected to stay with Cleo Lemon. It's an appropriate last name of a starting quarterback for an 0-8 team.
Hitting the Books and the Field
Matt Allen will have an early wake-up call on Thursday morning. The BYU senior wide receiver has an 8 a.m. lab to attend for three hours before he can start focusing on playing TCU later that night. "I won't be sleeping in and I won't be groggy for the game," Allen said. "So I am kind of excited to get my brain going in the morning." Up and down the roster, class will be in session for the Cougars on Thursday. Usually the pre-game routine consists of just a walk-through. But this week, there will be some academic tests thrown into the mix. Corby Hodgkiss believes BYU is better equipped than most teams in dealing with the dual responsibilities because of their maturity level. "I feel like at BYU, the players that we have it's an advantage going into Thursday night games like this because we feel we prepare better in a short amount of time and being older and more mature," he said. "A lot of guys are married and I think we have an advantage as far as getting our classes down and focusing on the game." With such a late kickoff (7 p.m.), attending class might actually be a good diversion for the players instead of just sitting around counting down the hours until the game arrives. It's the day after when decisions have to be made. Hodgkiss has a few art classes to attend on Friday, but sleeping in could be mighty enticing. "I just depends on how banged up my body is," he said. "But as far as right now, I am planning on going (to class)." **** Never looking ahead: The next three games - TCU, Wyoming and Utah - is a stretch that many fans have been anticipating since BYU's schedule was released. But don't expect the coaches to acknowledge any difference. The famous "one-game-at-a-time" mantra will be infused throughout the countdown. "I don't intend to prepare our team any differently and I believe in consistency," BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "So the best thing we can do is focus only on the game Thursday."
Janimal Comes To Play
Jan Jorgensen had no inclination Saturday's game against Colorado State would be the best of his career. The sophomore defensive end finished with 13 tackles and three sacks. "I felt like crap to be honest," Jorgensen said. "I felt like I had a rock in my stomach through the whole first part of the game. But things seemed to just be clicking and I was in a good mindset and just playing." Jorgensen was nominated for MWC Defensive Player of the Week, but lost out to San Diego State linebacker Luke Laolagi and TCU junior safety Stephen Hodge. Laoloagi had 10 tackles and a sack in a victory over Wyoming while Hodge, making his first career start, had seven tackles, one sack, three pass-breakups and a forced fumble that was returned for a touchdown in a win over New Mexico. Although Jorgensen's was a noteworthy performance, he doesn't want it to be the be all end all for him. "Hopefully it won't be the best," he said. "I hope to have better ones." **** Quick hits: - Because of the Thursday game, practice today was like a Wednesday for a typical week. The intensity matched at some points. There were some hards hits and emotional moments. - Had to be like eating nails for Utah coach Kyle Whittingham when he said today that, while the conference has parity, BYU has stood above the rest. Just a hunch, but I am sure he is not saying the same thing in the Utah locker room.
Hodgkiss' Haunted House
BYU senior safety Corby Hodgkiss capped his Halloween weekend with nightmares of his near interception in the Colorado State game. Hodgkiss nearly recorded a pick for the second straight game, but the ball popped out of his hands. "It haunted me all Saturday night," Hodgkiss said. But once Hodgkiss slipped in the DVD of TCU, his thoughts turned to the Horned Frogs. He said he watched part of their game against New Mexico on Saturday and a few of their other games until he fell asleep, then squeezed in some more viewing around church on Sunday. He was impressed with the speed and athleticism of TCU's wide receivers. "We are going to come out focused and ready to play," Hodgkiss said. "We have to be against this team." **** Dyer honored: BYU junior middle blocker Rachel Dyer was named Mountain West Conference Volleyball Player of the Week for the first time in her career. The California native averaged. 3.57 kills, 2.14 blocks and 0.71 digs while hitting .452 in BYU's two victories over TCU and New Mexico last week. She had 13 kills, seven blocks, five digs in a sweep of TCU and 12 kills, eight blocks and two assists in the win over New Mexico. Dyer has double-digit kills in 17 of 23 matches, hit above .500 nine times and led BYU in blocks 12 times this season.
Breakfast with Bronco Week 10
BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said the coaching staff is in "two-minute mode" in preparing for TCU on Thursday night. He was hoping to have a full stadium for the showdown because he believes it gives the team a big advantage. But as of today, there were still several tickets remaining. News, notes and other anecdotes from Mendenhall's morning press conference. - Mendenhall left the office on Saturday around 8 p.m. because he had no "concentration power left." A few other coaches left earlier and a few others left later. Mendenhall got through four TCU games, and said during TCU's recent blowout of New Mexico he saw a refreshed and energized team. He said that was the biggest difference he gleened from that effort and those of the previous games. - BYU's special teams will have to be on high alert this week because the Horned Frogs excel in that aspect of the game. Mendenhall believes with the parity involved in football these days, special teams and field position are two crucial gauges of success and determine the outcome of many games. - BYU safety Corby Hodgkiss and wide receiver Matt Allen said they are cognizant of TCU's team speed. Hodgkiss said he and Quinn Gooch may back off a few extra steps to help the cornerbacks negate the speed advantage. - Mendenhall's biggest concern remains clean play and execution on both sides of the ball. He said BYU had a few missed assignments and blocks against CSU that makes him uncomfortable. - TCU coach Gary Patterson was the defensive coordinator at New Mexico under Dennis Franchione (who could be in the market for another job really soon) before Mendenhall arrived when Rocky Long took over. Mendenhall received Patterson's office and said Patterson left some things, including a note from a pro scout complimenting Patterson on his defense's scheme and technique. Mendenhall said he threw the note away, and is a "thrower awayer" by nature. Just ask his wife.
Blinded By The Hit
Another blindside hit and another fumble by BYU quarterback Max Hall yesterday. But BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall didn't fault Hall for not getting rid of the ball. "I am not sure how many of those has to happen before you just get that other sense," Mendenhall said. "We have got to be approaching that number pretty soon. But I don't place the blame on him. From the backside it's not his job to see or feel the backside. It's the protection's job to see the backside and I would like to praise him for how courageous he is and how he keeps standing in there. He has taken more hits than I would like him to right now." **** A kick in the teeth: The BYU women's soccer team had a chance to clinch a Mountain West Conference title on Friday, but lost to UNLV 1-0 in double overtime. It was BYU's first loss to UNLV in program history. BYU won four straight MWC championships from 1999-2002, but had finished in second place the last four seasons. The loss to UNLV sent the Cougars spiraling down even deeper. BYU finished in a tie for third with Wyoming. The Cougars received the third seed in the MWC tournament because they beat the Cowgirls this season. The tournament will be held Wednesday-Saturday at South Stadium. BYU plays TCU at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. **** Quick hits: - BYU gained 22 votes in the "others receiving votes" of the AP poll to move up to 28th behind Florida State and Cincinnati. The Cougars have 44 votes total. - If I were punter C.J. Santiago, I would tell everyone that dropping the snap, picking it up and running for a first down was an intentional trick play. - Mike Loyd had a chance for two dunks in BYU's exhibition win over Laval on Friday night, but couldn't quite make the leap. Loyd opted to lay the ball in the basket despite the anticipatory glee from his teammates on the bench. Smart move. The buzzer for a sub is often the first sound heard after a missed dunk on a breakaway. - The BYU women's basketball team held on for a 53-41 exhibition win over Eastern Oregon last night. The Cougars led 32-18 at haftime. BYU opens the regular season on Friday in California against UC Santa Barbara. The men also open in Cali with a game against Long Beach State on Saturday after their last exhibition game against Bryant University on Wednesday night.
BYU A Winner On All Fronts
Wacky, yet predictable outcomes, yesterday in the Mountain West Conference. New Mexico went into Forth Worth and got pummeled by TCU 37-0. The Lobos trailed 20-0 at halftime. In the previous two meetings between the teams - both UNM losses - the Lobos trailed 28-0 and 24-0 at the half. San Diego State staged a stunning rally from a 21-0 deficit to defeat a reeling Wyoming team 27-24. It was SDSU's sixth straight victory over Wyoming in San Diego. The aftermath gave BYU a two-game lead in the conference race with a 4-0 record, which means the Cougars can lose two of their final four games - TCU, Wyoming, Utah, San Diego State - and still at least share the title. **** Horned Frog Express: BYU could be getting TCU at the wrong time. The Horned Frogs played their best game of the season in the victory over New Mexico. The early-season BCS-busting pick held New Mexico to just 119 yards and 58 plays. BYU and TCU will enter Thursday night's matchup on nearly even ground in terms of rest - a big factor for a short week. TCU had a 16-day break before facing New Mexico. BYU had a 13-day break before taking the field for its 35-16 victory over CSU. Comfortable victories yesterday allowed both teams to rest their starters late in the game. "It gave us a lot of time to get our legs back under us, and not only our legs but our shoulders," Jason Phillips told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "We're going to come away with a lot of confidence. We know how tough BYU is, so we're going to have to have our A game going up there." **** Back To Work: I am sure the BYU coaches turned back the clocks last night instead of this morning to use the extra hour of daylight savings to their full advantage while preparing for TCU. The coaches headed straight to the football offices after the game to set the game plan. The players received DVDs as they left the locker room, and Ben Criddle said, aside from dinner with his family, his social life would be muted so he could study TCU. The sacrifices a Division I-A football player makes for success.
Post Game Musings
As I write this, TCU is hammering New Mexico and BYU has moved from the driver's seat into the cockpit of the Mountain West Conference race. If the Cougars don't defend their title, the word choke will be bantered about. I personally hate using that term in athletics, but BYU is 4-0 in conference after today's 35-16 win over Colorado State. The Cougars have home games against TCU on Thursday and Utah after Thanksgiving. The road trip to Wyoming will be tough, but the belated trip to San Diego State should not be. The Cougars control their own destiny. If they lose the title, it's on them this season. **** Quick hits: - Austin Collie called himself a "new man" now that his ankle has healed, and he showed it. Collie had eight catches for 111 yards and a touchdown. He said he feels more comfortable out of his breaks and gave credit to BYU's training staff for helping him recover. BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said it was good to see Collie smile and laugh on the sideline. - Ben Criddle credited the same healing properties for his performance. The senior safety intercepted a pass and defended a fake field goal attempt well. He joked about his slip and looked more relaxed today. - The victory made BYU bowl eligible for the third straight year, and Mendenhall is the first coach in BYU history to qualify for a bowl in his first three seasons. - Gotta run to take advantage of the early kickoff to watch the late games. Check back later for more on BYU-CSU and the short week lead up to TCU.
Halftime Update from LES
BYU 21, Colorado State 3 BYU Leaders: Max Hall 13 of 17 for 205 yards, 2 touchdowns Harvey Unga 3 rushes for 39 yards Austin Collie 6 receptions for 87 yards, 1 touchdown CSU Leaders: Caleb Hanie 9 of 18 for 86 yards, 1 Interception Gartrell Johnson 15 rushes for 56 yards Damon Morton 4 catches for 60 yards OBSERVATIONS: - BYU's bend-but-don't-break defensive effort has held CSU in check. The Rams have had great field position, but have only three points to show for it. They returned the opening kickoff 47 yards and then had a pass play of 33 yards. But BYU's defense held and forced a field goal that the Rams missed wide right. CSU drove to the 4-yard line on its third drive, but settled for a 25-yard field goal. The Rams had one last chance when Max Hall received another blindside hit and fumbled again (a prominent theme this season) with 1:12 remaining. CSU recovered, and reached the 7-yard line. But the Rams tried to fake a field goal and Ben Criddle defended the play well as the pass fell incomplete. - Criddle's interception in the first quarter was his second of the season. He intercepted a pass against Tulsa. Criddle made a great stretching grab, but tripped on the return to take a bit of shine off the moment. - Someone is being scolded in the CSU locker room right now for the blown coverage on Max Hall's 46-yard touchdown pass to Austin Collie along the right sideline. - There is more blue in the crowd than I have seen at any game this season. There were a few late arrivers, but most of the seats are filled. It was a crips 49 degrees at kickoff. - The Cougars could have put the nail in the coffin if Hall didn't get hit and fumble. - Fui Vakapuna's 12-yard run received a loud cheer. - Manase Tonga is becoming BYU's TD man. On several BYU drives, Tonga has capped them with touchdowns with Unga typically the workhorse. It's a nice reward for some the blocks Tonga throws to spring Unga. - It will be interesting to see how BYU's approaches the second half if the Cougars stretch the lead. I am sure they want to get Hall some confidence and pump up his numbers after the last three games weren't up to par with the passing attack. But the Cougars do face a short week in preparation for the TCU game on Thursday. TCU could get bruised and battered today against the New Mexico defense.
Video Earns High Reviews
If BYU beats Colorado State today, a game ball should be given to video coordinator Matt Blackner. BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall repeated many times how the Cougars had DVDs of CSU waiting for them in the locker room mere minutes after they found out their game against San Diego State had been postponed last week. Blackner was the man who made it all possible. Although it would make him look better, Blackner didn't lie and say he just happens to be the quickest video man in the land. Blackner got wind of the chance BYU's game could be postponed from SDSU's video coordinator, and had burned the DVDs that morning just to be safe. The foresight proved invaluable. Video exchange has made huge strides in the last few years thanks to technology. In the past, there were always colorful stories about a team staffer driving to the closest airport to deliver and hand over tapes to opponents. Now, the exchange is done by email. Hackner said he has access to film of opponents in the blink of an eye, and there is no driving required. Just the click of a mouse. **** Motor City Meltdowns: What's up with the state of Michigan. First it was Michigan football starting the season with an upset loss to Appalachian State. Last night, it was Michigan State basketball. The Spartans - ranked No. 8 in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today coaches' polls - suffered an 85-82 double-overtime loss to Division II Grand Valley State in an exhibition game at the Breslin Center. It will be interesting to see how far Michigan State drops in the polls next week. BYU plays Michigan State at Energy Solutions Arena on Dec. 8. **** Sweeping success: The BYU women's volleyball team swept New Mexico last night in a match head coach Jason Watson called, "the most impressive road victory" of his career. The Cougars improved to 17-6 overall and 9-4 in the Mountain West Conference. Junior Rachel Dyer and senior Erica Lott led BYU with 12 kills each and senior Chelsea Goodman added 11 kills and 11 digs (her 51st career double-double).
Halftime at the Marriott
I'm here at the Marriott Center for the men's basketball exhibition game against Laval University. It's halftime and the Cougars lead 42-29, but I am sure the coaches aren't singing their praises in the locker room. The defensive performance hasn't been too impressive with the Laval players driving through the lane unimpeded a few times, and the undersized Canadians grabbing more rebounds than I am sure head coach Dave Rose would like. The highlight of the first 20 minutes was a midcourt collision between Ben Murdock and Jimmer Fredette that left both players bloodied with gashes on their heads. They were taken together to the locker room. Murdock was stitched up and returned to the bench, but Fredette's cut was deeper and required more stitching. Fredette was only in for a few minutes before the injury, but he managed to leave a good impression with a pretty spin move on the baseline for a basket on his only shot of the game. Sam Burgess has continued his hot shooting with a few threes and Jonathan Tavernari started to heat up in the last seven minutes. BYU is experimenting with rotations and players so it's hard to get a good read on exactly how the team will look come a real game. **** I am impressed with the student turnout tonight, especially considering it's an exhibition game. They conducted a short dance contest during a timeout, and props to the student in the blue Nike shirt who was busting out every move in the book without one iota of embarassment.
Kickoff Time for SDSU
Just got word the kickoff time for the BYU-San Diego State football game on Dec. 1 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego will be at 4:30 p.m. MST. The game was originally scheduled to be played on Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m., but was postponed because of wildfires in the San Diego area. The rescheduled game will be broadcast on the mtn.
BYU Receives Other Votes
The Associated Press men's basketball rankings came out today, and BYU was in the "others receiving votes" category behind New Mexico State and Utah State. BYU received three votes while New Mexico State and Utah State each received 4. Too bad we won't have first-hand proof to see if the Aggies are one vote better than the Cougars. BYU and Utah State don't play this season. They resume their in-state rivalry next year. It was not a shining beginning overall for the Mountain West Conference. No teams were ranked, and BYU was the only team receiving other votes. Meanwhile, the Western Athletic Conference had three teams in the "other" category with Nevada (6) joining Utah State and New Mexico. I wonder if WAC commissioner Karl Benson will make the same "we are better than the MWC" proclamation as he did in football. But as we have learned from football this season, it's probably better to take the preseason picks with a grain of salt. Let's just wait and play the games. **** Just a reminder about BYU's exhibition game tonight at the Marriott Center at 7. The Cougars play Laval University, which lost to Weber State 77-55 last night.
Hanie Ready for LES
Colorado State quarterback Caleb Hanie will be on the field for the first time at LaVell Edwards Stadium. But his memories from being on the sideline two years ago were favorable. "They have a lot of people there and they are pretty loud, but they are not negative towards you," he said. Hanie is expecting the BYU defense to be as stingy as it's been all season and for the Cougars to try to add to their sack totals. "They play hard and they come to play every time they hit the field," he said. "Their linebackers are some of the best we have seen, so we have to be ready for them." The Rams' offense was stymied in a loss to Utah last week, and Hanie was replaced by Billy Farris. But the senior is expected to get the start, and believes CSU just needs to clean up a few issues to keep the ball moving. "We just need to be more consistent on every play and cut out the negative plays," he said. "We have gotten a lot of third-and-long with sacks or bad throws by the quarterback or negative running plays - either way, we have to cut those out." **** It's tough to read about the situation of BYU graduate Andy Reid. The Philadelphia Eagles head coach is struggling with serious family issues regarding his two sons Yesterday, Reid's son Britt, 22, described his eight-year battle with painkillers and other drugs at a sentencing case in a road-rage incident while his older brother Garrett, 24, was being sent to prison for a heroin-related car crash. "This is a family in crisis," said Montgomery County Judge Steven O'Neill in an Associated Press story. "There isn't any structure there that this court can depend upon." According to the AP story, the judge noted that Andy and Tammy Reid love their sons and have supported them through repeated attempts at drug rehabilitation. But he wondered how they couldn't see all the drugs, guns and ammunition police found in the Reids' home and vehicles. Andy and his wife were in the courtroom, but refused to comment. Although coaching football is his job, I believe it's time for Reid to take a leave of absence from the Eagles. Sports are sports and family is family. I would never question Reid's parenting skills, and even the most supportive parents can have kids who go astray. But there is still time to pick up the pieces and turn things around. **** Tickets to be had: - As of this morning, there were still sideline seats remaining for Saturday's game against Colorado State. The tickets are $33, and can purchased by calling 801-422-BYU1 or by going to byutickets.com. Tickets also remain for Thursday's game against TCU. Same number and web address apply.
CSU Tackling Issues
Colorado State's run defense has been porous this season in giving up 226 yards per game. Sophomore linebacker Jake Pottorff believes it boils down to fundamentals. "I think a big reason is we just haven't been tackling well and a lot of times guys get three of four more yards and big gains because we miss tackles," Pottorff said. :We just have to shore that up and we will be all right." Pottorff knows the Rams are in for a challenge in trying to bring down BYU's big backs Harvey Unga, Manase Tonga and Fui Vakapuna. "They are a really physical bunch and have a really big O-line and a really physical back and we will have to play physical," Pottorff said. "They are a good team." **** Quick hits: - Key stat: Since 1991, BYU is 95-18 when rushing for 100 or more yards. - BYU leads the series with CSU 35-27-3, and has won the last three meetings. - Former BYU basketball player Keena Young is playing on a team in Korea.
Effort There, Consistency Next
The BYU men's basketball team opens its exhibition season tomorrow night with a game against Canadian-based Laval University at 7 p.m. at the Marriott Center. BYU head coach Dave Rose talked yesterday about his impressions of his team through the early weeks of practice. "What I am pleased with is the fact that I get a real good effort out of the players. They come, they are well prepared and they play hard," he said. "We are not really consistent right now. We seem to have a lot of peaks and valleys in our practices. A lot of things that maybe we do well one day, the next day we come back to practice and we don't execute as well as we did the day before. Those are issues that we will try to evaluate every day as a staff." **** Independent thinking: There has been a lot of sports talk radio musings about how BYU football should leave the Mountain West Conference and go independent. Well, the Cougars haven't announced any packing plans, but Air Force has considered taking flight. In a note that was cut from my MWC notebook today, Air Force coach Troy Calhoun broached the topic about having his program express its independence. "We're fortunate to be a member of a very good conference," Calhoun told reporters during his weekly press conference. "But there are advantages to being an independent. You can put together a schedule where you know where the byes are and you're able to secure some bowl-game consideration before the season begins." Air Force athletic director Hans Mueh shot down the idea by telling the Denver Post the school has no interest in leaving the MWC. Air Force competed as an independent from 1956-80.
Bronco Million-Dollar Man?
Interesting comments from New Mexico head coach Rocky Long appearing this morning about the BYU football program's financial status and Bronco Mendenhall's salary. Long told the Albuquerque Tribune that BYU and TCU are on a similar level in terms of financing their football programs. "In our league, they got whatever they need, in excess," said Long. "Their athletic departments are well funded. Their football department is well funded. Look at what they pay their (head) coaches. They are both million dollar guys." BYU and TCU are private institutions and are not required to divulge coaching salaries, so the figures have never been made public. Everything reported is complete speculation. Mendenhall recently agreed to a new contract extension prior to the season, and made his classic "Top Ramen" quote to let us know his family's class of living wouldn't change much from the salary bump. But Mendenhall was a longtime assistant to Long at New Mexico, and the two remain friends. So maybe Mendenhall told Long what he makes in a chat between buddies. Long earns $425,000 on a contract that runs through 2009. He has a base salary of $190,000. The remainder comes from incentives, deferred compensation, radio and television appearances and private donations. **** Beck in line to start: Former BYU quarterback John Beck told the Associated Press he plans to spend a good portion of his four-day weekend watching videos. But they won't be the latest blockbusters, rather game film of opposing teams. The Miami Dolphins rookie might finally get a chance to start against the Buffalo Bills next week. It's been a long time coming. The Dolphins are 0-8, and if you don't start planning for the future now, when do you? Dolphins coach Cam Cameron said he will evaluate the situation during the team's bye week this week and decide if Beck gets the nod over Cleo Lemon. But Beck has been getting more practice time than before and the snaps have been split 50-50, according to reports. Beck, 26, would become the 12th quarterback to start for the Dolphins since Dan Marino retired after the 1999 season. The second-round draft pick hopes to be the answer to the revolving door behind center. But it's not his call to determine whether he should get the shot. "It's tough to say, because I am a rookie," Beck told the AP. "That's why I put it into the hands of people who have been doing this a lot longer than I have. Coach has been around this a lot."
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Jay Drew covers BYU athletics for The Tribune. You can follow him on Twitter here.
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