Scheduling and the Boise St model

[KingCoug]

I went back and looked at how both BYU and Boise State have done against BCS/P5 teams since 2006.

Over those 11 seasons BYU was 21-23 vs BCS/P5 teams. It was also 2-3 against Boise State and 3-8 against Utah.

Over those 11 seasons Boise State was 14-6 vs BCS/P5 teams. It was also 3-2 against BYU and 2-0 against Utah.

Boise State has usually scheduled no more than 2 P5 teams a season over that time. And none of them were elite Top 10 caliber. If there was a 3rd, it usually was an opponent in their bowl game.

BYU typically scheduled 3 P5 teams each season prior to going independent. Since then it's usually been 4, 5, even 6 P5 opponents.

Naturally we BYU fans want to see our team play against the big boys. It's more exciting than most G5 teams and you get more credit if you win. If you win.

But looking back over a decade now, and comparing Boise State's success and BYU's (or lack thereof), I have to wonder if we have been too ambitious and unrealistic. Playing the Michigans or LSUs of the world is no fun if you just get embarrassed.

I think it's obvious that Boise State's success has come not from having P5 talent (I don't think they do) but great coaching, preparation, scheme, and strategic scheduling. Sure, they're not going to get into the 4-team CFB playoff but neither are we. Even if BYU had went undefeated last year, including beating Arizona, Utah, UCLA, West Virginia, Michigan State, and Mississippi State, does anyone think we would have gotten in before the 4 P5 teams that did? (That's a rhetorical question)

Under the current landscape of college football, and our unique place within it, perhaps taking a more Boise State-like approach would help. We still need great coaching, preparation, and scheme but the strategic scheduling aspect would be there.

In my opinion, a more realistic and fitting schedule would involve no more than 2 or 3 P5 teams a season. In our case, we should try to schedule our rival Utah as well as Notre Dame as much as possible. Perhaps 1 other P5 team but one we can have a reasonable expectation of beating.

Considering our unique situation, I think we should be filling the rest of our schedule with the academies as well regional/traditional opponents like Utah State, Boise State, and Hawaii. Also maybe switching back and forth between Weber State and SUU year to year. Also UMass who is a fellow independent.

We had 6 P5 opponents last year, 4 this year, and 5 next year. Exciting at first glance, sure, but if history is any guide we're usually not going to win more than half those games at best.

BYU has to make the most out of the cards it has been dealt. And I don't think we're doing that.

[Woody3715]

Boise State is a mid-major, a member of the Mountain West. Is that what you envision for BYU's football program?

[KingCoug]

Boise State is a mid-major, a member of the Mountain West. Is that what you envision for BYU's football program?

And we're an independent P5-lite level program with limited recruiting/hiring ability for players and coaches and a BOT and athletic coordinator seemingly wanting to play at the P5 level but not wanting to pay P5 money.

Outside of us somehow getting an invite to the Big 12 should it ever decide to expand, what do you envision for BYU at this point?

[Gunk]

Boise State is a mid-major, a member of the Mountain West. Is that what you envision for BYU's football program?

It certainly was a lot more fun to watch.

The next time BYU wins a National Champion or goes to an NY6 bowl will be after the Second Coming.

BYU is a mid-major and always will be.

[KingCoug]

Boise State is a mid-major, a member of the Mountain West. Is that what you envision for BYU's football program?

It certainly was a lot more fun to watch.

The next time BYU wins a National Champion or goes to an NY6 bowl will be after the Second Coming.

BYU is a mid-major and always will be.

I think we're better than most mid-majors. It's why I say we are P5-lite level. But we have limitations that P5-lite schools, like Oregon State or Georgia Tech, don't have.

I think a NY6 bowl is possible if, as I said, we have great coaching, preparation, scheme and the right scheduling.

[Woody3715]

Boise State is a mid-major, a member of the Mountain West. Is that what you envision for BYU's football program?

And we're an independent P5-lite level program with limited recruiting/hiring ability for players and coaches and a BOT and athletic coordinator seemingly wanting to play at the P5 level but not wanting to pay P5 money.

Outside of us somehow getting an invite to the Big 12 should it ever decide to expand, what do you envision for BYU at this point?

I agree with your characterization of the current BYU program; this is what is so frustrating to the BYU faithful. The Trustees must decide: do they want (1) a P-5 program and make the required changes necessary to succeed or (2) say the current policies shall remain in place. and agree to be a mid-major (and maybe rejoin the Mountain West). See my post in the thread "Talent gap is growing-how can we win?".

[KingCoug]

Boise State is a mid-major, a member of the Mountain West. Is that what you envision for BYU's football program?

And we're an independent P5-lite level program with limited recruiting/hiring ability for players and coaches and a BOT and athletic coordinator seemingly wanting to play at the P5 level but not wanting to pay P5 money.

Outside of us somehow getting an invite to the Big 12 should it ever decide to expand, what do you envision for BYU at this point?

I agree with your characterization of the current BYU program; this is what is so frustrating to the BYU faithful. The Trustees must decide: do they want (1) a P-5 program and make the required changes necessary to succeed or (2) say the current policies shall remain in place. and agree to be a mid-major (and maybe rejoin the Mountain West). See my post in the thread "Talent gap is growing-how can we win?".

Hiring a non-LDS head coach will likely never happen and I'm not convinced it should. But that means it's crucial that whoever it is among the small pool of LDS head coaches takes a page out of Lavell's book and hire the best coordinators and position coaches possible. If that is an LDS guy and/or BYU alumni, fine. But they don't need to be. The net needs to be far and wide and the money attractive enough to make non-LDS guys consider BYU despite its restrictions. And you know who's job it is to convince the powers that be that the purse strings should be loosened? Tom Holmoe's.

As for going back to the Mountain West, to hell with that. That gives us nothing we don't have as an independent other than a relatively meaningless conference championship (been there, done that) and the obligation of playing Wyoming every year (no thanks). We can stay independent and have more freedom to schedule who we want and have comparatively as much access to a NY6 bowl.

[Woody3715]

BYU needs to hire a head coach with real street cred in order to hire the top level assistant coaches you are talking about. Do you really think that Sitaki-type head coach is going to be able to bring in top quality assistants?

BYU already is an unofficial Mountain West member with 6 conference teams on the schedule: Utah State, Boise, San Jose State, Fresno, UNLV and Hawaii. The Cougars just aren't eligible to win the conference championship.

[KingCoug]

BYU needs to hire a head coach with real street cred in order to hire the top level assistant coaches you are talking about. Do you really think that Sitaki-type head coach is going to be able to bring in top quality assistants?

BYU already is an unofficial Mountain West member with 6 conference teams on the schedule: Utah State, Boise, San Jose State, Fresno, UNLV and Hawaii. The Cougars just aren't eligible to win the conference championship.

Hypothetically speaking, say BYU dropped the LDS requirement for a head coach. That widens the pool of guys we could even take a look at but, again, considering the restrictions in place, we would have to make the money extremely attractive - from the head coach on down - for them to take a look at us. Looking at the current salaries, BYU is just outside of the top 50 schools. To make us truly competitive, the current salaries BYU is paying would have to be at least doubled. Maybe even tripled.

[Woody3715]

BYU needs to hire a head coach with real street cred in order to hire the top level assistant coaches you are talking about. Do you really think that Sitaki-type head coach is going to be able to bring in top quality assistants?

BYU already is an unofficial Mountain West member with 6 conference teams on the schedule: Utah State, Boise, San Jose State, Fresno, UNLV and Hawaii. The Cougars just aren't eligible to win the conference championship.

Hypothetically speaking, say BYU dropped the LDS requirement for a head coach. That widens the pool of guys we could even take a look at but, again, considering the restrictions in place, we would have to make the money extremely attractive - from the head coach on down - for them to take a look at us. Looking at the current salaries, BYU is just outside of the top 50 schools. To make us truly competitive, the current salaries BYU is paying would have to be at least doubled. Maybe even tripled.

I totally agree that, if BYU really wants to be a P-5 level program, the Trustees need to greatly increase the salaries BYU pays to the head coach and assistants. Either the Trustees want a P-5 level program or they don't. For a more detailed explanation, see my post on the top of page 2 of the thread" The talent gap is growing-how can we win".