Season of Expectations

29 seniors return - their summer camp is intense so that FAll practice can take it to next level. Distractions from QB controversy is gone - they want to put last year behind - and move forward. Apparently it was a big deal and unnerved the team.



Most players refer to the fact that all 3 loses were due to lack of ability to convert in red zone or drastic turnovers. They were close last year and this year they want to eliminate mistakes. Bronco and others are shooting for a Top Ten ranking. They feel defense is outstanding and offense should be much improved. The talent is there and in place for a great season.



Key issues that need to be addressed:



1. Running attack needs to be established - vital option as part of the offense. RBs must also be able to catch the ball out of the backfield and pick up the five yards on swing passes.

2. TE needs to become a factor in the offense - not specialized but complete players (i.e. able to both block and catch - not predictable).

3. Riley needs to show that he can throw/distribuite the ball if the running attack is bottled up.

4. Offensive line needs to be in shape to implement fast paced scheme.

5. Mistakes must be eliminated - no margin for error against good teams.



Doman wants the QB to be in the top 5 in efficiency and make the defense play all options (QB play should not be a 1 read, tuck and run mentality when pocket pressure exerted). In other words, Riley needs to be able to complete the progressive checkdown on WRs, TEs and RBs. Riley must utilize all weapons to keep the defense on its toes and eliminate predictability.



Hopefully the senior leadership and maturity of returning players will unify the team and ensure that summer preparation is fruitful. If this happens, top 10 ranking is within reach this year.

PREDOMINANT WORD FOR PLAYERS = HUNGRY (KVN's favorite word)



Makes me wonder what the heck was missing in the last couple of seasons (laid back, entitled, etc.)???? Good to see that this team wants to make a statement but is putting in the effort to be able to do it.

byucougar1 wrote:
(QB play should not be a 1 read, tuck and run mentality when pocket pressure exerted). In other words, Riley needs to be able to complete the progressive checkdown on WRs, TEs and RBs. Riley must utilize all weapons to keep the defense on its toes and eliminate predictability.

This is not indicative of how Riley played last year. He did go through progressions. He does need to get better at it though.

Alisa says team attitude is different from past years: hard work and dedicated to improvement. Riley has apparently taken charge with Tree and Uona in making sure everyone is committed.

byucougar1 wrote:
PREDOMINANT WORD FOR PLAYERS = HUNGRY (KVN's favorite word)



Makes me wonder what the heck was missing in the last couple of seasons (laid back, entitled, etc.)???? Good to see that this team wants to make a statement but is putting in the effort to be able to do it.

Very good signs. But I think BYU fans want actions in Sept-Nov and not words in Jun-Jul.

Ian Dulan says team attitude is CRAZY and everyone is pushing each other hard to be the best that they can be. His reflection as a senior, is that this team will be the best one that has been under Bronco's leadership.

Mitch Matthews says team knows what to do to improve upon last year's let down against top teams (interesting statement). He indicates the teams knows that it is time to stop talking about expectations and do something about it. Hmmm - time to walk the walk and stop the talk :-)

byucougar1 wrote:
PREDOMINANT WORD FOR PLAYERS = HUNGRY (KVN's favorite word)



Makes me wonder what the heck was missing in the last couple of seasons (laid back, entitled, etc.)???? Good to see that this team wants to make a statement but is putting in the effort to be able to do it.

I was watching film from the Riley section of last season, and I have feeling we're going to see a much more tenacious, "hungry," never-quit team this year. I'm excited at the beginning of every football season, but I'm especially excited to see our fire this year, I think it'll be something special.

We heard this last year and the year before. The question is does Bronco see some games as being more important than others? Whittingham, Peterson, Patterson, and Saban know big games matter more and they go above and beyond to make sure their teams are ready and play better than they normally might. This is Bronco's biggest weakness. We've got quite the schedule (and senior QB to boot) to find out if he will ever be able to take us to the next level.

Blah blah blah. I have no patience for guys giving retroactive excuses. Words are meaningless--only performance matters.

Be careful about extolling the virtues of these coaches as they are not without their moments. Whit's team laid a huge egg last year vs CO, ASU which would have given them the conference had they not lost. Ditto for BSU's loss to TCU which kept them from a BCS game. Saban at AL laid a huge egg to UT in the Sugar Bowl when he underestimated their team and thought SEC vs MWC champion would be a cakewalk - and arrogant to boot. If anything Bnonco has been model of consistency winning 76% of his games. He is not satsified and is seekIng to go to next level - Top 10 team. At least we know the goal and without goals and the attendant effort to achieve, it is talk. If you have followed the team this summer - both coaches and players -the team and coaches are doing things differently - speed, diet, flexibility, weight training and following coaches plan as players are in charge and accountable. This method should result in a new/improved version of BYU football.



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BTW the training in the offseason really dictates how well prepared the team will be when Fall Camp starts. If Fall season is spent trying to get players in shape, it takes longer to implement game plan and prepare for team's during the season. That is why I have great expectations for this season - should be special barring no significant injuries.



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byucougar1 wrote:
Be careful about extolling the virtues of these coaches as they are not without their moments. Whit's team laid a huge egg last year vs CO, ASU which would have given them the conference had they not lost. Ditto for BSU's loss to TCU which kept them from a BCS game. Saban at AL laid a huge egg to UT in the Sugar Bowl when he underestimated their team and thought SEC vs MWC champion would be a cakewalk - and arrogant to boot. If anything Bnonco has been model of consistency winning 76% of his games. He is not satsified and is seekIng to go to next level - Top 10 team. At least we know the goal and without goals and the attendant effort to achieve, it is talk. If you have followed the team this summer - both coaches and players -the team and coaches are doing things differently - speed, diet, flexibility, weight training and following coaches plan as players are in charge and accountable. This method should result in a new/improved version of BYU football.



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Don't try to cloud the issue here with the facts. Everyone knows that Bronco is inferior in every way to kwhit since kwhit got lucky and went undefeated once. Just because Bronco outperformed utah in the conference every year except for that one year that kwhit went undefeated is beside the point. We all know that utah only got up for 1 game a year on most years and laid plenty of eggs to inferior opponents in others. Come on as long as utah beats BYU his fan base will love him. It doesn't matter that they lose to teams like CO and UNLV (oh my a shut out to boot) as long as they beat BYU.

I'm with everyone else when they say blah, blah, blah.



I am so tired of hearing the same old garbage every year and then having them fail. It gets really old, really fast. A friend of mine today said that he doesn't believe in BYU's ability to pull the game out when it matters. He's right.



To Bronco, Doman, and the rest of the team: Prove it. On the field. Stop talking and start performing.



Until then...blah, blah, blah.

northerncougar wrote:
I'm with everyone else when they say blah, blah, blah.



I am so tired of hearing the same old garbage every year and then having them fail. It gets really old, really fast. A friend of mine today said that he doesn't believe in BYU's ability to pull the game out when it matters. He's right.



To Bronco, Doman, and the rest of the team: Prove it. On the field. Stop talking and start performing.



Until then...blah, blah, blah.

K, so lets just have them stop talking then. When a person in the media comes up to them and says "how are off season workouts going" they should just flip that person the bird and walk away. Don't say anything positive or not. Come on guys. The reports you are hearing and the quotes you are reading are coming off of answers to questions. No one on the team is predicting undefeated. They are all just saying that everyone is working hard and they are going to try to deliver a good product. All in answers to questions by people in the media. I am not hearing bragging. I am not hearing that the team is going to be awesome. All I am hearing is that everyone is working hard. The reason you hear this every year is because the freaking media asks the same freaking questions every year in the off season. So y'all just need to take a chill pill and take the quotes for what they are worth.

northerncougar wrote:
A friend of mine today said that he doesn't believe in BYU's ability to pull the game out when it matters. He's right.



To Bronco, Doman, and the rest of the team: Prove it. On the field. Stop talking and start performing.



Until then...blah, blah, blah.

Hmmm...victory over USU and TCU in the last second doesn't qualify as being able to pull the game out when it matters? Those were two of the most impressive wins of the season given the adversity and high pressure that they faced. A lot of QBs would have wilted.

byucougar1 wrote:

A friend of mine today said that he doesn't believe in BYU's ability to pull the game out when it matters. He's right.



To Bronco, Doman, and the rest of the team: Prove it. On the field. Stop talking and start performing.



Until then...blah, blah, blah.

Hmmm...victory over USU and TCU in the last second doesn't qualify as being able to pull the game out when it matters? Those were two of the most impressive wins of the season given the adversity and high pressure that they faced. A lot of QBs would have wilted.

TCU beat us. Did u mean TU in the Bowl Game?



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Good catch - I "C" my mistake.



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northerncougar wrote:
I am so tired of hearing the same old garbage every year and then having them fail.

Eighth-highest winning percentage for an active coach, what an absolute failure our program is...

It has been said that the best thing to happen to Alabama in 2010 was loosing to Utah in 2009.



The humiliation at the hands of Utah last year, and two other games that didn't need to be lost are not without value this year. A QB that is a team leader (as opposed to the last two years) is also worth something. Many returning seniors that only have one more shot at this thing also counts for something.



I have no idea how good this team will be compared to other teams, but I would bet good money that it comes a hell uv a lot closer to reaching its potential than it did last year. If I had known that Heaps had only attended 3 off season workouts last summer, I wouldn't have been sitting in the stands awe struck at his unwillingness to take a hit for his team.



As a fan, I don't want to get sucked into unsubstantiated hype. However, I appreciate the attitude expressed by many players on media day. :munch: :munch: :munch: