Rate the 2012 team as a whole

Same format as the 2011 team. This is NOT ranking them categorically compared to other BYU teams (1996 might be the best team ever and therefore a 10) but rather it's relative strength as a team.

Please keep voting. If no one else is, I am really interested to see the difference between SOS and team strength differential between 2011 and 2012.

I think 2012 is going to be a better team than the 2011 version and that will come against a better schedule than we had in 2011.

Spiff, I think that would almost be unanimous among all CC readers and most fans who follow BYU.

So, by how much do you think the team will be better and by how much is the schedule tougher?

Hence the four polls.

I don't remember my exact numbers, but I put BYU one step higher in 2012 than 2011 in the polls. I think I gave 2011 a 6 in both polls and a 7 for 2012.



I thought 2011 lost two games they wouldn't have with an earlier QB change. But even still, they won 10 games. I think if BYU wins 10 games this year, they'll be better than 2011 even if the record won't reflect such.



And if they win 11 games (which is where I'm leaning right now) I think they'll be significantly better than 2011. If they win 12 games, they'll be a top five team of all-time at BYU.

SpiffCoug wrote:
I don't remember my exact numbers, but I put BYU one step higher in 2012 than 2011 in the polls. I think I gave 2011 a 6 in both polls and a 7 for 2012.



I thought 2011 lost two games they wouldn't have with an earlier QB change. But even still, they won 10 games. I think if BYU wins 10 games this year, they'll be better than 2011 even if the record won't reflect such.



And if they win 11 games (which is where I'm leaning right now) I think they'll be significantly better than 2011. If they win 12 games, they'll be a top five team of all-time at BYU.

12-1 with this schedule would put them 1, 2, or 3. But don't worry about debating where this would put us because it only has a 5% or less chance of happening. Probably way less than 5%.



But if we do only lose 1 game - it better not be the game in SLC.



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Teams that finished with 12 or more wins. 1984, 1996 and 2001.

The tough part of these polls is what the measuring stick is and how to quantify the numbers.

Most years my optimism outweighs any objective reasoning so I usually land around an 8.



My expectations have changed and so has my perspective. Until otherwise assured I am going with a 6 this year. I sure hope this psychological reversal has the desired effect on the Cougs.

This team has major flaws. This QB doesn't get to skip the more difficult games this year. The offensive line will be bad (it has been for years), and there won't be as many cup cakes this year. I see the best start being 2-2. I predict anywhere between 4 and 5 losses for this team.



The defense keeps them close, and Riley's ability to make plays may turn 2 of those losses into wins, but Riley's propensity to turn the ball over gives me more reason to go with the 4 or 5 losses.

stuckinbig10country wrote:
This team has major flaws. This QB doesn't get to skip the more difficult games this year. The offensive line will be bad (it has been for years), and there won't be as many cup cakes this year. I see the best start being 2-2. I predict anywhere between 4 and 5 losses for this team.



The defense keeps them close, and Riley's ability to make plays may turn 2 of those losses into wins, but Riley's propensity to turn the ball over gives me more reason to go with the 4 or 5 losses.

The fact that we will be playing four road games as the underdog and a yet-to-be-named bowl opponent gives me the propensity to agree that most of the college football world will expect us to lose 4 or 5 games including the bowl game.



If we do better than that - this team will have overachieved relative to realistic expectations.



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