BYU vs ND thoughts

I was wrong in many cases, in a disappointing way, although I am 110% being a BYU fan again and I am one of a few that hope the two teams don't play again. This ND team was pushed around by Pitt and Navy, yet they dominated on BYU on the line. BYU made ND back-ups look like all americans



I read a lot of "BYU was a few plays from winning". ND was a few plays from winning by 3+ TDs; it could go either way (the WRs were wide open, Tommy Rees gave BYU the ball in the end zone, ND was ND and could not punch the ball in several times)......you change a thing or two and ND puts up 35 points. ND really dominated the line with guys that have really struggled, on top of this ND lost their starting center and the replacement has never ever really played, ND had this made 3 of 5 guys out on the OL for the game and they pushed BYU around. I was shocked, I truly overestimated BYU (mainly their passion).



If you cannot tell I am very frustrated with BYU football. I know ND football well, everyone in their dog knew what the defense would do and what the offense would do for ND but BYU looked totally confused. The BYU offensive game plan was absolutely horrible! They offense kept running the same play over and over trying to run Williams on a draw, I was baffled. BYU did nothing by trying to spread out ND and try to get 1x1 with the LBs, BYU could have had a ton of success....anyone that has watched ND film knows our weakneses and BYU did nothing to attack them. NDs backers are extremely slow, they can handle the power game and BYU played right into it. BYU should have tried to get 1x1 with the TE or RBs, short passes were needed with the wind. Instead the offense ran the same plays, I am not sure what Anae was thinking. Like I said before the game run TH early and often, he did run but they were not designed.....spread out ND and force them to cover everyone. Really pathetic. By the 2nd half I was cheering for BYU hoping they could pull it off....this was ugly.



On defense, ND's 2nd and 3rd string guys pushed around the defense with running plays that everyone in their dog knew was coming. I read comments about me not mentioning our back-ups were on defense were really good.....neither did I. This is the same line that was dominated by Pitt/Navy, let me repeat Pitt/Navy recently pushed these guys around that were actually healtier vs Pitt/Navy, but we had more depth in past weeks (both Schwenke played some and Nix in the other games, Williams was not hurt in the other games, OL was healthier). Our starting dline has played together 23 plays the entire year and ND pushed BYU around, with All Americans out or hurt. BYU played with zero passion and it seemed like BYU was unintersted. ND WRs were running free the first half, there were a few plays that the ball hung in the air (Tommy has no arm) that were easy TDs that the ball floated with the wind. Tommy is not a good QB, but when you have all day to pass you look a lot better. As predicted Tommy Turnover would come out, BYU had a few plays for picks that never happened.....Tommy also made a STUPID pick to Bills....he always makes poor choices.....BYU never took advantage of Tommy Turnover or forced him in bad spots. WHere was KVN? He was pushed around by first year starting TE's, who to be fair will be good but are new to getting much PT this year.....



Overall I was hugely disappointed in the BYU. I have read if only this or only that and BYU wins, I actually say it is the opposite and more likely that ND was a few plays away from winning by 2-4 TDs vs BYU winning that game. You could tell early on that ND was going to dominate the line and game over.....ND was forced to do NOTHING in the second half except make a few field goals as they could wind down the clock, ND was not forced to make Tommy do anything and that is where it get interesting vs opponents. Sure ND's line looked great, we will see if NDs back-ups have turned the corner next week vs Stanford or if BYU really just played bad.



Bronco needs to coach better against big names, sure we beat UT whom played horrible and their DC lost his job for it. BYU does not seem to get fired up ready for games. There are too many mental lapses by the Cougars and lack of passion and that comes from up top. BYU plays with some passion this year they beat Utah, UVA lose to WI and ND could have been different. I personally believe BYU has not improved much this year and this year could have been special with some changes. Very disappointing.



Either way, most of you have been class and look forward to focusing 110% on BYU going forward.

Good perspective. Congrats. I have not seen our DLine pushed around like that all year. We really missed Hadley. Let ND double up on KVN. ND was the better team

agreed.



Anae shouldn't have been offered an invite back, and it might be time to start looking at the guy that hired him (for the second time) and has yet to make a good co-ordinator hire yet as head coach.



I am tired of BYU being an afterthought. 8-4 as an independent, (possibly) beating the 6th best Pac 12 or 2nd best C-USA team in a bowl isn't good enough for me anymore.



Step up coaching, or step out. We have to start holding these guys accountable, before the entire fan base becomes disengaged. It is already happening.

All this chat about Notre Dames 2nd and 3rd string when we've been playing with our 3rd and 4th string corners (a position that usually spells death for BYU if we don't have our starters in) and linebackers all season...



There is something wrong with the way BYU prepares for road games... but BYU was not dominated yesterday... Taysom was awful throwing the ball (and making decisions with the ball) and Anae was very predictable.



BYU gave up 23 points, yet had 5 opportunities to score touchdowns on our end. I think the D did fine (not great, but good enough)... the offense did not. Had our offense more effectively moved the ball, we play take away from their mediocre O that scored only 23. If we were going to win, it was going to be close and had Taysom and the offense made better decisions it would have been.



Rees played like Rees. He wasn't going to be any better than he was yesterday. Taysom could have been better.

We did have chances against Rees. Bills intercepted an awful pass by Rees and Daniel should have had his own pick in the same spot earlier in the game. Rees threw two long passes that even Riley Nelson could have made because our patchwork secondary/walkon Povey let guys go over the top (which is against Broncos bible)... Those are the two plays on defense that could have and should have been defended and without those 2 plays and Taysom making better decision we could have won.



I fully believe we win that game in Provo and hopefully with a healthy (not sick as a dog) Robertson Daniel.



This was about where the game was played (on senior day) and the elements as much as anything. It's inexcusable that it happened, but that's been BYUs path for the last decade. We do not win big true road games. Road games that I think we win at home.



Our offense sucked, particularly getting in the end zone. That had as much to do with the decision making of Taysom and Anae than anything else. Taysom had time to throw.. ND was not constantly in the backfield... he didn't throw a real interception (the int was a halftime hail mary)...



I'll take that game in Provo with BYU as 3 point favorites 99 times out of 100.



That being said, it's hopefully clear I do not like Notre Dame. I think they're the most overrated team of the last 20 years (widely held belief by most college football experts and proven by their bowl record of the last 20 years), with a dump of a stadium in a dump of a town. I could not have been happier how badly they were embarrassed in the NC game. In spite of that I predicted the score (though I said 24-14) because of how BYU plays on the road in important games.



We win this game in Provo with the teams that were on the field yesterday. I don't care what string Notre Dame was playing with and only an arrogant ND fan could possibly tell us we were beat by their 2nd and 3rd string and not acknowledge that we were playing with our 3rd and 4th string corners and linebackers....

Where you are right is the playcalling and our passion (which is road game specific to BYU).... our offense was predictable and played right into the few things that ND could stop yesterday. A better offensive game plan and a better Taysom wins this game. Notre Dame was not going to be better on offense yesterday and likely not better on defense.



Sorry but Notre Dame gave us the best possible game they could given the weather conditions... they were not going to win by more.. BYU did not show up, particularly with passion, offensive playcalling and of course Robertson Daniel was sick and Povey (who wouldn't start for 80 D1 programs let two inexcusable passes get over the top). Again, I predicted a 24-14 win because BYU can't win on the road.



Your 2nd and 3rd string beat our 4th string defense... congrats. Our offense didn't show up, bottom line.



If you told anyone at the beginning of the season that we'd lose Hadley, and both our starting corners and backup corners before the Notre Dame game, I would have told you that we would lose in South Bend, even if we played an intramural team. The fact that we were competitive says a lot about Bronco... the fact that we lose says a lot about Anae and unfortunately how much room Taysom needs to grow to be a great QB. (hopefully he grows because he can be great).



But please don't tell me about NDs backups and not acknowledge that we've been playing with backups all season at positions where we historically don't have depth.

It is clear BYU needs to recruit better and I am frustrated with their lack of success with with LDS kids. Secondarily, as a fan to both teams I have some understanding of what teams do.....I was shocked the offense did not make adjustments to attack ND. It was as if they did not watch film or were focused on attacking NDs defense last year vs attacking this years defense (completely different team, 75-80% turnover in ND starters from 2012). Very frustrating for the future of BYU football, if BYU lost to ND purely on skill and the coaches did their best that would be one thing but when a fan can see they are making silly calls it is sad.



EIther way it was a sad day for both teams to playing with back-ups, fully acknowledge both sides have injuries. I continue to believe that NDs were more significant with regards to their season and position/importance of injuries/suspensions/losses.....a back-up QB (MAC level) was the starter, loss of 3 starters on the OL, loss of 2 starting LBs pre-seaons, loss of all american NT (base for the defense we run) etc etc (I could keep goining)......it would be like BYU losing Hill, Van Noy, Hadley etc etc. BYU no doubt had injuries to starters, but fortunately it was not to your QB nor AA players. Just wanted to answer that, no excuse or arrogance but a statement I was shocked they pushed BYU around after getting pushed around by Navy and Pitt.

NDCougar wrote:
It is clear BYU needs to recruit better and I am frustrated with their lack of success with with LDS kids. Secondarily, as a fan to both teams I have some understanding of what teams do.....I was shocked the offense did not make adjustments to attack ND. It was as if they did not watch film or were focused on attacking NDs defense last year vs attacking this years defense (completely different team, 75-80% turnover in ND starters from 2012). Very frustrating for the future of BYU football, if BYU lost to ND purely on skill and the coaches did their best that would be one thing but when a fan can see they are making silly calls it is sad.



EIther way it was a sad day for both teams to playing with back-ups, fully acknowledge both sides have injuries. I continue to believe that NDs were more significant with regards to their season and position/importance of injuries/suspensions/losses.....a back-up QB (MAC level) was the starter, loss of 3 starters on the OL, loss of 2 starting LBs pre-seaons, loss of all american NT (base for the defense we run) etc etc (I could keep goining)......it would be like BYU losing Hill, Van Noy, Hadley etc etc. BYU no doubt had injuries to starters, but fortunately it was not to your QB nor AA players. Just wanted to answer that, no excuse or arrogance but a statement I was shocked they pushed BYU around after getting pushed around by Navy and Pitt.

Notre Dame has D1 caliber backups that were 4 star recruits..



We don't have MAC level backups at corner... we barely have DII level backups.. and we had to use the backups to the backups... but Trammel and Johnson are shut down, ball hawking difference makers.... our dropoff at corner is greater than NDs dropoff at QB. Hadley is that guy too. Can you imagine the damage we can do to another teams run game if our linebackers could concern themselves with the run and our secondary handily covers the receivers and tight ends?



They didn't push BYU around nearly as much as you think (it was our offense that lost the game and it wasn't because they got pushed around, it's beause we didn't exploit the obvious weaknesses of NDs defense) . This game was winnable by BYU and Notre Dame maximized everything they had out there. Congrats to the Domers for winning and getting everything out of who they put on the field (we certainly did not); but as a ND fan you still don't appear to realize how arrogant it sounds that you lost your starters and that was a big deal... yet don't seem to think that losing Johnson, Trammel, and Hadley were enough to turn our season around.



Notre Dame was a better team last year and we were not, yet BYU should have won that game if it weren't for a QB with the yips. BYU exposed what was later realized when ND got ripped by Bama... ND won because BYU cannot play on the road our team is young and Robert Anae has not coached himself or this offense well enough to make this new offense work.



All other variables remaining constant, with Johnson and Trammel, we win at Virginia, we beat Utah, we beat ND. With Johnson and Trammel... we are a top 5 defense. Without Johnson and Trammel, we run Mike Hague and Skye Povey out there (or less)... night and day difference. If you're only as good as your weakest link... then BYU took the biggest hit with injury.

All true. Only adding Golson to ND and we potentially are undefeated.....injuries kill. Ugly for both sides.



Next year BYU and ND will be significantly better on offenses. Defensively BYU will be a bit better and ND.....we better score a lot of points.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

If Max Hall was out their calling the plays instead of Anae, we win in a shootout. For the Nth time in N games, teams have realized that Robert Anae has no clue on offense and that all they have to do is run out the clock and don't give the ball away. If you give Anae 10 tries into the endzone, he will make you pay less than half. Up 2 scores early in the 4th ND went ultra conservative and stopped going downfield (opting to run).



If Hall was in (or at least calling the plays) he would have put up an easy 35 points on that defense, and that would have forced ND to go air it out. That would have been a heck of a game. Instead we got to watch ND play small ball, and Robert Anae run up the middle with no timeouts. Because apparently our offense operates on a wheel of fortune type spin wheel with the playcalls being called out by happenstance and gravity, with no bearing to down, distance or silly things like clock management or maintenance.

BlueIsBetter wrote:
If Max Hall was out their calling the plays instead of Anae, we win in a shootout. For the Nth time in N games, teams have realized that Robert Anae has no clue on offense and that all they have to do is run out the clock and don't give the ball away. If you give Anae 10 tries into the endzone, he will make you pay less than half. Up 2 scores early in the 4th ND went ultra conservative and stopped going downfield (opting to run).



If Hall was in (or at least calling the plays) he would have put up an easy 35 points on that defense, and that would have forced ND to go air it out. That would have been a heck of a game. Instead we got to watch ND play small ball, and Robert Anae run up the middle with no timeouts. Because apparently our offense operates on a wheel of fortune type spin wheel with the playcalls being called out by happenstance and gravity, with no bearing to down, distance or silly things like clock management or maintenance.

Not sure that's any different than Doman calling the plays, except last year I felt awful for the defense. They won the Boise State and Notre Dame games... the offense lost them.

BlueIsBetter wrote:
If Hall was in (or at least calling the plays) he would have put up an easy 35 points on that defense, and that would have forced ND to go air it out. That would have been a heck of a game. Instead we got to watch ND play small ball, and Robert Anae run up the middle with no timeouts. Because apparently our offense operates on a wheel of fortune type spin wheel with the playcalls being called out by happenstance and gravity, with no bearing to down, distance or silly things like clock management or maintenance.

Max Hall played 15 games agaisnt FBS teams that won 8 or more games. He was 9-6 in those games. He scored 35 or more points five times and fewer than 20 five times.

Nice stats, Spiff. But we have nothing to compare them with. It's true that we have had four seasons now post Hall, but three of them don't count: 2010 - extremely disfunctional offensive coaching staff with infighting among the coaches along with disunity in the players locker room, 2011 and 2012- BD -nuff said. Also 2013 rookie year for Anae without the soap opera coaching problems along with a rookie starter at QB. Can't compare any of this with a three year starter at QB under more favorable coaching harmony (though some of the disharmony in the offensive coaching staff may have started during Hall's tenure - don't think it was quite as bad then, plus Hall had Harvey Unga for 3 years.) A big part of our downhill slide on offense starting in 2010 was because off the field problems led to no big running game threat in 2010. The bottom line in most of this is that Bronco hasn't been a good Bishop. Bishops main job is to keep harmony in his ward.

My stat was simply to dispel the notion that Hall would have scored 35 on Notre Dame. The chances were equally as good that he also wouldn't have scored 20.



ND was a better team than we were. We had our chances, but we couldn't take advantage of them. Maybe next year we will be able to.

ND wasn't a better team than we were. They out coached our offensive coach, who couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag. As far as talent on the field, it was pretty close between our offense and their defense. Wisconsin was the better team, far and away. ND wasn't. Utah wasn't. Virginia sure as Hades wasn't. And Houston (almost) wasn't.



We have serious issues at the coaching position. We can't afford to give away winnable games, and ND was one of those winnable games for us this year, and last year.

BlueIsBetter wrote:
ND wasn't a better team than we were. They out coached our offensive coach, who couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag. As far as talent on the field, it was pretty close between our offense and their defense. Wisconsin was the better team, far and away. ND wasn't. Utah wasn't. Virginia sure as Hades wasn't. And Houston (almost) wasn't.



We have serious issues at the coaching position. We can't afford to give away winnable games, and ND was one of those winnable games for us this year, and last year.

Blue, I love your passion and your frustration is palpable. I am curious as to what your expectations were heading into this season taking into account a Sophomore untested QB at this level, an unexperienced and untested O-Line, a new O-Coordinator, a new RB & WR coach, and an entirely new O-system. Taking out your complete disdain for Coach Anae and factoring in what is mentioned above, and any other unmentioned factors, have you seen anything in the offense this year where you have said to yourself "wow that was impressive" or "you know, there might be some hope for the future", or "this is a work in progress and at times things are heading in a positive direction". For me personally, 8-4 is about where I "hoped" this team would be. I thought the Texas and Utah games would have different results, and Virginia is just the oulier that I am willing to throw out. I thought we would be competitive with Wisconsin and ND but figured we wouldn't have the horses to get it done on the road. I was definitely dissappointed in the overall "effort" and "heart" aspects of both those games. Never thought the team quit, but never felt the team totally believed in themselve enough to get the win at the end of the day. I for one think the future is bright and am optimistic that Coach Anae will continue to fine tune things in the off season. The biggest key IMO for next year hinges on improvement in personnel, performance, and execution along the O-Line.

I think ND was slightly better than we were. Throw in the home field and it's pretty easy to see how this game was going to play out.

SpiffCoug wrote:
I think ND was slightly better than we were. Throw in the home field and it's pretty easy to see how this game was going to play out.

Yes. Some of their backups were just better than our backups or even some of our starters.

Wolverine wrote:

ND wasn't a better team than we were. They out coached our offensive coach, who couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag. As far as talent on the field, it was pretty close between our offense and their defense. Wisconsin was the better team, far and away. ND wasn't. Utah wasn't. Virginia sure as Hades wasn't. And Houston (almost) wasn't.



We have serious issues at the coaching position. We can't afford to give away winnable games, and ND was one of those winnable games for us this year, and last year.

Blue, I love your passion and your frustration is palpable. I am curious as to what your expectations were heading into this season taking into account a Sophomore untested QB at this level, an unexperienced and untested O-Line, a new O-Coordinator, a new RB & WR coach, and an entirely new O-system. Taking out your complete disdain for Coach Anae and factoring in what is mentioned above, and any other unmentioned factors, have you seen anything in the offense this year where you have said to yourself "wow that was impressive" or "you know, there might be some hope for the future", or "this is a work in progress and at times things are heading in a positive direction". For me personally, 8-4 is about where I "hoped" this team would be. I thought the Texas and Utah games would have different results, and Virginia is just the oulier that I am willing to throw out. I thought we would be competitive with Wisconsin and ND but figured we wouldn't have the horses to get it done on the road. I was definitely dissappointed in the overall "effort" and "heart" aspects of both those games. Never thought the team quit, but never felt the team totally believed in themselve enough to get the win at the end of the day. I for one think the future is bright and am optimistic that Coach Anae will continue to fine tune things in the off season. The biggest key IMO for next year hinges on improvement in personnel, performance, and execution along the O-Line.

Good post Wolverine, because I agree with it. It would be nice if the team and the coaches were better but they are not. I do believe they are pretty good and that, as you say Wolverine, (I want to throw in canyon) they will get better. That includes Anae. I don't agree with Blue. While there may be offensive coordinators doing a better job he will get better as well.

I'm not so sure if Anae can get better on his own. If BYU gets better players, he will get better. Hill has compensated for Anae (and sometimes made him look worse).

But I'm not so sure GFGH has warranted the trust that Anae asked of his players. Needed unity, yes. But one more year of this we'll see. Bronco has sacrificed his D a bit by going with this GFGH gimmickry.

Cougs_Rule wrote:

I think ND was slightly better than we were. Throw in the home field and it's pretty easy to see how this game was going to play out.

Yes. Some of their backups were just better than our backups or even some of our starters.

What I was trying to say the other day....We aren't as deep

I like to think I'm a fairly knowledgeable BYU fan. But there were some players out there that I had never heard of - that how far down the depth chart we are at some positions.