What I Saw

First, off, I love my team. And I am posting hopefully without stepping off the ledge. But right now we are not a good football team. We would have lost that game WITH Hill playing and Fua playing. We have a secondary, for whatever reason, that cannot stop the big play. In fact we have a defense that cannot make stops. 41 points and 400 yards in one half is mind boggling. But it doesn't stop there. We have an offense that was designed for Hill; it most assuredly is not designed for Stewart and it shows. We are predictable. And predictability can be defensed. 21 points of offense will not win games for you either. The thing about the defense is we are not good. Bronco called this game defensively and that was their worst performance yet. So now we have a DC with no confidence, a D that continues to get worse, and nothing magical to pull out of the hat. I did not see a team that quit tonight. But I saw a team that was outplayed, out coached, out schemed and out classed. How far we have fallen in four weeks. It is going to be a rough day tomorrow here in Boise. But I'll be wearing my BYU hat congratulating my BSU neighbors and hoping the players and coaches can dig deep to find themselves.

Consider the possibility that Boise State has a better team this year and a home field advantage that few have ever cracked. When Stewart quits overthrowing the deep ball, fumbling - yes he fumbled again - luckily we recovered it, and throwing interceptions, the offense will fit him better.



JW did not play until 2nd quarter. Apo was in. #9 out early. Probably injury related.



Hedrick > Stewart and more experienced

Ajay > JW especially with JW limping



BSU had better receivers and tight ends given Leslie limping. Our TE was busy committing penalties and dropping passes.



BSU had more speed.



They are better this year. Quite a bit better. Bills was not 100%. Things are tough.



If we started the season over with the current status of the tesm, we would beat UCONN, UNLV, and S State and have our hands full with any of the others.



MTSU could very possibly best us next week.



Or Not.



love my Cougs. Can't wait to see them fight back.



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Unless we get the defense fixed, we are going to lose to MTSU next week. Something happened to this team against UCF and they have played worse every week since. That loss must have affected them worse than they have been admitting.

My son asked me, after the UCF game, what happened? I told him that in the 47 years since I first attended BYU, and with few exceptions, it generally takes our opponents 4-5 games to realize that they don't have to play to their strengths or follow their regular game planning. All they have to do is have their QB take a 7 step drop and throw the ball downfield as far as he can and they will beat us every time. How many mediocre QBs have set new passing records for themselves this year?



Having said that, I remain always and forever, a loyal supporter of Cougar football.



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This loss was not on the Defense alone. The offense stunk on ice too.



I found myself yelling at the TV to put the second string defense in and get some guys who wanted to play.



BoiseBYU, I think you hit it about right.



What broke in the team in the UCF game? I think it was their belief in themselves AS A TEAM. There are some good individual efforts and performances, but they don't play as a unit ... maybe that is why they looked so confused or disorganized last night. Their confidence in one another is missing. Which says the leader is missing. Last week the leader was Lasike ... this week he was barely used. They want CS to be the leader ... but the team isn't stepping up behind him, the team seems to be looking somewhere else. Time to find out who that is and let/make them lead. JW and Lasike COULD lead ... but it can be awkward (too bad, if they are the unspoken leaders, then have them lead). Defensively, the leaders have recently been guys who sat most of last night. Takitaki lead a week ago ... did he get in last night? Bills was simply poor last night.



The Cougars need a player who steps up, puts the team on his shoulders and says, "follow me boys!" If the team will accept him as the leader, they can recover. If not, this team will continue to flounder.



Sometimes coaching is less about calling the perfect play and more about finding the leader and letting him make a difference on the field.



With blue goggles still on, I am hopeful for next week. I've seen Bronco pull it together before and am pulling for him to do it again.

This was definitely a total team beat down. All the way around.



You know........

wait, that is a separate thread.



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