BYU LESS THAN 4 MONTHS AWAY

[Confident Carl]

BYU will be a big test for UCONN on Friday night 8/29. To learn more about them, here is a link to their spring prospectus. It looks like they have a lot of weapons on both sides of the ball. In particular Taysom Hill looks like a Heisman candidate. Last year he had 4200 yards in total offense. Junior running back Jaamal Williams rushed for 1200 yards. They have 10 of 11 Offensive linemen returning. It says they have good depth on the D line. Last year they were 8-5.

http://byucougars.com/schedule/m-football/2013
http://byucougars.com/files/2014_byu_spring_apr_21_0.pdf
http://byucougars.com/blog/m-football

#4 TAYSOM HILL
JUNIOR • QUARTERBACK
6'2'' • 228 LBS
POCATELLO, IDAHO
• 2014 All-American and major awards candidate
• 2013 All-America Candidate
• 2013 College Sports Madness Independent Offensive Player of
the Year
• 2013 College Sports Madness All-Independent First Team
• 2013 Phil Steele All-Independent Second Team
• 2013 FBS All-Independent Honorable Mention
• 4x FBS Independent Offensive Player of the Week in 2013
• AT&T All-America Player of the Week, Athlon Sports National
Player of the Week and CBSSports .com Offensive Player of the
Week following the Texas game
• Manning Award Player of the Week (10/31)
• 3x College Football Performance Awards Honorable Mention QB
of the Week
• ESPN's Capital One Cup Impact Performance of the Week for
his play against Houston
• Finished the season with 2,938 passing yards and 1,344 rush
ing yards
• Threw for 19 touchdowns and ran for 10 more
• Has rushed for more yards than any other quarterback at BYU
• One of seven players in NCAA history to throw for 400+ yards
and rush for 100+ when he threw for 417 yards, including 4
TDs, and ran for 128 yards in win vs . Houston
• Rushed for 259 yards and 3 TDs vs No . 15 Texas, the second
most rushing yards in a game in school history

#21 JAMAAL WILLIAMS
JUNIOR • RUNNING BACK
6'0'' • 200 LBS
FONTANA, CALIFORNIA
HONORS CANDIDATES

• 2014 All-American and Doak Walker Award hopeful
• 2013 College Sports Madness All-Independent Team
• 2013 FBS All-Independent Team
• 2013 Phil Steele All-Independent First Team
• 2x College Sports Madness Independent Offensive Player of the Week
• 2x FBS Independent Offensive Player of the Week
• 3x College Football Performance Awards Honorable Mention RB of the Week
• Tallied 1,233 rushing yards on 217 carries for seven TDs in 2013
• Ran for a career high with 219 rushing yards on 15 carries in win at Nevada
• Recorded 440 receiving yards, 45 receptions and one TD in first two years
• Needs 1,447 yards to become BYU's all-time rushing leader
• Set true freshman records at BYU in 2012 with 166 carries, 775 yards and 12 TDs
• Turned 19 years old in April 2014

 

[Drew]

Game now moved to 7 PM, still on ESPN. I like it.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

I can't believe it is still almost 4 months away. This off season seems insanely long. That's what happens when you don't reach a bowl.

 

[sportsart]

I can't believe it is still almost 4 months away. This off season seems insanely long. That's what happens when you don't reach a bowl.

100 days. Sounds so much better.

 

[Palatine]

Fire up the grill.

 

[Carl Spackler]

100 days. Sounds so much better.

double digits starting tomorrow

 

[Waquoit]

double digits starting tomorrow

I think you and the OP should eliminate the confusion and combine accounts. Together you'll be Confident Carl Spackler.

 

[Waquoit]

Game now moved to 7 PM, still on ESPN. I like it.

So do I. 3;30 is my favorite gametime with 7:00 a close second.

 

[whaler11]

So do I. 3;30 is my favorite gametime with 7:00 a close second.

I know I'm in a minority. I love noon. I love barely sleeping, getting up hitting the gym and rolling back home at 8. Rolling into the Rent at 9:00.

Get home around 4:00. Mow the lawn half in the bag, get settled in for the second half of the 3:30 kickoffs and having the rest of the night to watch games, when my wife surrenders and goes upstairs around 9:00 because she can't watch anymore.

I think I am in a noon minority because I don't give a damn about grilling or cooking or tailgating beyond hanging out with friends and getting the engine started.

I fully respect the people who put in a ton of effort but it
seems like you set up and are breaking back down immediately. Seems like a lot of work to have it set up for 90 minutes.

 

[CTMike]

I like a good nooner too Whaler. But we are there promptly at 8am and get in a good 3.5 hours of tailgating!

3:30 is nice because sleep.

Weeknight games are a rush with getting out of work, but the Friday before Labor Day should pose no problem!

 

[Dooley]

I can't believe it is still almost 4 months away. This off season seems insanely long. That's what happens when you don't reach a bowl.

Even longer when you consider that many of us (myself included) wrote the season off in the 4th quarter of the Towson game...in August.

 

[BlueDogs]

A win instantly changes the complexion and transforms the direction of the program. I think we start catching a little lightening in a bottle. 4 months to a return from the wasteland.

 

[Nostical]

Here's a very good overview of this years BYU team. The author calls this a "breakout year" for the Cougars. The same author also did an analysis of this year's Huskies which I've included for comparison. It's your call on whether to give any credence to either, but at least the same person is doing the analysis. These are both good reads. They provide a good comparative view. Bottom line, BYU sees our opening game as one of their big wins, a table setter for their "breakout year". We see it as a barometer of the new coaching regime to measure the kind of difference they've made with our players. We're either a group of previously misdirected, unprepared, weak underachievers--or merely marginal talent with outsized expectations.
Fascinating analyses. August 29th should be an electric evening at the Rent. Be there!

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2014/5/12/5700648/byu-football-2014-preview-schedule-roster

http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...ecticut-football-2014-preview-schedule-roster

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I love the lengthy list of 1st/2nd team All Independent awards. What, did Notre dame not field that position?

 

[DoctorWho85]

I think this is going to be a huge test for the front seven of the defense. They put up close to 500 yards rushing last year on Texas if I remember and I know a rushing QB has always been a weak point for our defense over the years. I think if we can contain Hill and force him to throw, this can be a very winnable game.

 

[KBCoug]

First time poster and BYU fan, but i promise not a troll or a flamer. In response to Doctorwho85, your comment about making Hill throw would seem valid, especially from the Texas game and other early game results from last season. Hill was only a sophomore last season and had only 2 starts his frosh year before getting his knee blown out on a play that was misread from the sideline and he didn't take a knee when he should have.
Anyway, his passing was bad in early games last year but as he became more comfortable with the offense and he felt he could rely on receivers instead of just his running ability he became a much more effecient passer.

 

[Confident Carl]

I think this is going to be a huge test for the front seven of the defense. They put up close to 500 yards rushing last year on Texas if I remember and I know a rushing QB has always been a weak point for our defense over the years. I think if we can contain Hill and force him to throw, this can be a very winnable game.

KB a BYU fan just posted. Haven't been on this thread for a while but it got me to thinking. Bob Diaco coached Notre Dame's D last year when they beat BYU 23-13 and also in 2012 when ND beat BYU 17-14. In addition Anthony Poindexter Co-DC/Safeties and Vincent Brown Co-DC/Linebackers were at Virginia last year along with Special teams/Wide receiver's coach Wayne Lindberg when they Beat BYU 19-16.
Since this is the first game of the year, I am feeling this will be a low scoring Defensive battle. THe coaching staff's experience will be a big plus. Last I looked BYU was like a 17 pt. favorite. Not being a homer, I am tempted to take UCONN and the points in this one.

 

[sportsart]

KB a BYU fan just posted. Haven't been on this thread for a while but it got me to thinking. Bob Diaco coached Notre Dame's D last year when they beat BYU 23-13 and also in 2012 when ND beat BYU 17-14. In addition Anthony Poindexter Co-DC/Safeties and Vincent Brown Co-DC/Linebackers were at Virginia last year along with Special teams/Wide receiver's coach Wayne Lindberg when they Beat BYU 19-16.
Since this is the first game of the year, I am feeling this will be a low scoring Defensive battle. THe coaching staff's experience will be a big plus. Last I looked BYU was like a 17 pt. favorite. Not being a homer, I am tempted to take UCONN and the points in this one.

That's a great point. Not much they can do that our coaches haven't seen.

I keep thinking about the Michigan game last year. It was after a very tough 2 years and 2 games. There was discontent throughout the team and it appeared they were waiting for a coaching change.

But what I/we saw was an all out, leave it all on the field, let's win this for us and the fans. Once last full out, crazy passion. They knew it was a B1G game and went for it. Unfortunately the ran out of gas and had a HC that was clueless.

Fast forward to August 29, 2014. You have a team/campus that have drank large coolers of kool aid. They're stronger, healthier, motivated, have high energy, and it appears they'd run through a wall for a very experienced coaching staff.

If the Rent is electric on this summer night, it will be no shock to see our guys pull out a win. Energy, passion, strength, good coaching, decent talent and a loud crowd can overcome any deficiencies we may have.

Expect a win. It does no good to think otherwise. Enjoy the journey.

 

[jdb50]

My memories of BYU are they are a bigger more athletic version of Navy. Very fast at all positions, well coached, disciplined, just royal pains in the butt all game long. This will be a very big test out of the gate. National TV, UConn being led by a Head Coach that's on a level we've never seen before energy wise, great night for football fans. This is our best home opener ever!

 

[Waquoit]

My memories of BYU are they are a bigger more athletic version of Navy.

But mostly older.

 

[DoctorWho85]

KB a BYU fan just posted. Haven't been on this thread for a while but it got me to thinking. Bob Diaco coached Notre Dame's D last year when they beat BYU 23-13 and also in 2012 when ND beat BYU 17-14. In addition Anthony Poindexter Co-DC/Safeties and Vincent Brown Co-DC/Linebackers were at Virginia last year along with Special teams/Wide receiver's coach Wayne Lindberg when they Beat BYU 19-16.
Since this is the first game of the year, I am feeling this will be a low scoring Defensive battle. THe coaching staff's experience will be a big plus. Last I looked BYU was like a 17 pt. favorite. Not being a homer, I am tempted to take UCONN and the points in this one.

You know your stuff. I was originally more excited about the Boise State game, but then Pederson left so who knows what BSU is going to be this year. The more we talk about it the more I'm pumped about playing BYU. Always a well coach team and seems to play pretty disciplined at all times. This may be my favorite game of the year.

 

[KBCoug]

KB a BYU fan just posted. Haven't been on this thread for a while but it got me to thinking. Bob Diaco coached Notre Dame's D last year when they beat BYU 23-13 and also in 2012 when ND beat BYU 17-14. In addition Anthony Poindexter Co-DC/Safeties and Vincent Brown Co-DC/Linebackers were at Virginia last year along with Special teams/Wide receiver's coach Wayne Lindberg when they Beat BYU 19-16.
Since this is the first game of the year, I am feeling this will be a low scoring Defensive battle. THe coaching staff's experience will be a big plus. Last I looked BYU was like a 17 pt. favorite. Not being a homer, I am tempted to take UCONN and the points in this one.

Last season we struggled on the O-line because it was a new line. They're all back this year and should be improved just because they're more experienced. We lost our all time leading receiver, and possibly our most versatile OLB ever and you just don't replace guys like that overnight. We have some possibly very good receivers new to us but we won't know about them until their baptism by fire.
Last season we thought we be strong in the D-backfield but both our projected starting dbs were injured before the first kickoff and they were gone for the season. They're back now (we hope) and with the return of last years dbs that should be a strength for us this year. You know our qb situation, but I haven't seen any mention of our RB, Jamal Williams. He's a junior this year, he turned 19 in April so he's still young but he may very well become our alltime leading rusher this year, we usually don't get RBs of his calliber.

 

[KBCoug]

I was going to add this to my last reply but something happened and I couldn't for some reason. Our offense was new last season but its very fast paced. We try to run a play every 18 seconds. That can be effective but it also can result in some very fast 3 and out's. We had a couple of games where we ran over 100 plays so opposing defenses need to be in shape.
I must admit I don't know very much about UCONN football, and what I know has come from this board. It appears you have some very promising transfers, and an enthusiastic new coach. Finding a coach that can get your players to buy into his philosophy is so important in getting a program on track and what I've read of your coach I think he's doing things the right way so if the fans are patient and you keep him it should be a very bright future. I always worry about the first game of the season, and its certainly no different this year. I wish you the best of luck.

 

[Confident Carl]

I was going to add this to my last reply but something happened and I couldn't for some reason. Our offense was new last season but its very fast paced. We try to run a play every 18 seconds. That can be effective but it also can result in some very fast 3 and out's. We had a couple of games where we ran over 100 plays so opposing defenses need to be in shape.
I must admit I don't know very much about UCONN football, and what I know has come from this board. It appears you have some very promising transfers, and an enthusiastic new coach. Finding a coach that can get your players to buy into his philosophy is so important in getting a program on track and what I've read of your coach I think he's doing things the right way so if the fans are patient and you keep him it should be a very bright future. I always worry about the first game of the season, and its certainly no different this year. I wish you the best of luck.

Good luck this year Coogs. I truly hope that BYU goes undefeated after BYU's
tough loss at the Rent! If you come make sure you bring your ear plugs! Just ask RGIII,