Time to be who we are?

Watching the Bowl game on Saturday, I came to a realization: BYU needs to stop trying to be anything other than who we are.



What does that mean?

1. Admit and accept that our #1 purpose should be on being good representatives of the Church over winning. Sure we keep trying to be a successful program, but its more important to be good examples rather than win every game. Gotta get rid of "dirty" play.

2. If we cannot get a Big 12 invite within the next year, go back to the MWC.

3. Continue to schedule as big as we can, but accept our status. It worked for us in the Edwards era. The only reason we are thinking that we "deserve" Power 5 status is our desire not to be left behind by Utah.

4. Quit measuring ourselves by what Utah does.

5. Embrace our uniqueness. The service academies do this quite well. BYU is not the same as the academies, but we are not like other FBS programs either. Let's be who we are and enjoy it more!!

cougarapologist wrote:
Watching the Bowl game on Saturday, I came to a realization: BYU needs to stop trying to be anything other than who we are.



What does that mean?

1. Admit and accept that our #1 purpose should be on being good representatives of the Church over winning. Sure we keep trying to be a successful program, but its more important to be good examples rather than win every game. Gotta get rid of "dirty" play.

2. If we cannot get a Big 12 invite within the next year, go back to the MWC.

3. Continue to schedule as big as we can, but accept our status. It worked for us in the Edwards era. The only reason we are thinking that we "deserve" Power 5 status is our desire not to be left behind by Utah.

4. Quit measuring ourselves by what Utah does.

5. Embrace our uniqueness. The service academies do this quite well. BYU is not the same as the academies, but we are not like other FBS programs either. Let's be who we are and enjoy it more!!

1. So be the best "intramural" program we can be? I agree get rid of dirty play but don't get the rest of it.

2. And give up the ESPN TV contract for a minuscule share of the MWC revenue? Have you looked at the per-team pay outs of their deal?

3. Aim high. BYU is by many accounts as P5 as many P5 teams. There wasn't a P5/G5 split in the Edwards era.

4. Yes, stop doing that.

5. Who doesn't accept BYU's uniqueness? I thought that is what the Utah media and other Utah school's fans had a problem with--BYU pitching that they are different or special.

cougarapologist wrote:
Watching the Bowl game on Saturday, I came to a realization: BYU needs to stop trying to be anything other than who we are.



What does that mean?

1. Admit and accept that our #1 purpose should be on being good representatives of the Church over winning. Sure we keep trying to be a successful program, but its more important to be good examples rather than win every game. Gotta get rid of "dirty" play.

2. If we cannot get a Big 12 invite within the next year, go back to the MWC.

3. Continue to schedule as big as we can, but accept our status. It worked for us in the Edwards era. The only reason we are thinking that we "deserve" Power 5 status is our desire not to be left behind by Utah.

4. Quit measuring ourselves by what Utah does.

5. Embrace our uniqueness. The service academies do this quite well. BYU is not the same as the academies, but we are not like other FBS programs either. Let's be who we are and enjoy it more!!

#1 OK



#2 Disagree wholeheartedly. I can't see how that is positive (to go back to MWC if we can't get into P5 conference) and I really want to be in a conference. For basketball and other sports I believe the MWC is okay, but not football. I don't want to go back to Laramie, et al. Not interested. I'm more interested in either a new conference or the American, but besides having the opportunity for games to mean something for a conference championship, I still like playing loaded schedules against the P5 teams.



#3 I don't disagree whatsoever that Utah deserved to be invited to the PAC 12 and TCU to the B12, but that's where it ends. Besides not having gone to a BCS game, BYU, across the board, taking into consideration sports/athletics/fan support/etc. was and is ahead of both of those teams. We got shafted and I don't see how you can debate that. You can't say with a straight face that BYU doesn't deserve or isn't at the level of most P5 and are above many others. It doesn't have anything to do with Utah, only they keep snubbing their noses at us now, when they were for decades the "little brother". I'm still not convinced that if Utah had a stadium the size of the big boys that they could even garner as much attendance as BYU. There is no indication of that. I do believe, over time, that could change as I've lived in Utah county for 14 years now and the amount of Utah fans has increased considerably because BYU keeps admitting more non-Utah people than anyone else and they don't tend to stay here after school is done. That does affect local support big time. At this pace, with most Utahans having only the option to go to any college other than BYU, it's going to have long term affects. It's great for when BYU goes on the road, because it "appears" that we travel well. The truth is our newest BYU fans are in everywhere but Utah.



#4 I don't believe most of the rank and file BYU do, so I disagree with this observation. Having to co-habitat the same location in Utah, I don't ever remember seeing either team not constantly measuring themselves against one another. That's what I loved about the article last week by the ESPN writer that said for as much as Utah fans claim they don't care about the rivalry, they sure spent a whole lot of time arguing the topic. He got it--they do care and always will. They believe that by "pretending" they are this much bigger program than BYU, that they don't have to look at us any more, after having been decidedly the "little brother" during the LaVell era. That's all hogwash.



#5 I'd have to say that I believe that was what was driving Bronco more than anything. It sounds more to me that a lot of BYU fans want us to shift back to focus on what wins the games and not be that flagship that BYU portends. It's a very difficult balancing act, because it is hard to be both. We have a BOT that understands the perspective that BYU fans, I believe, should have, but then we're playing in a real sport and we want to win AND be seen as the good guy. I don't know if that is possible. To do so, you almost have to cheat to get there. How many times have you watched an NCAA football game and if players on a particular team are adept at being able to hide that they hold receivers, etc. (cheating in my book) that they are applauded and hailed for their coaches to have been successful in teaching their team to effectively get away with it. I don't know if anything boils my blood more than to see that happen over and over again. It's not bad if you don't get caught mentality. Do you believe that will ever change? I don't, so it's almost like in today's game, BYU football will never be highly successful using the metrics that are used on everyone else. Does that mean that I don't believe that some of that stuff isn't taught to our players? I'm not that naive, but really should it? Upon that topic I struggle and why it's good to have a secondary team (for me Ohio State because of where I grew up) that I can cheer in this secular world we live in, but my heart belongs to BYU.

cougarapologist wrote:
Watching the Bowl game on Saturday, I came to a realization: BYU needs to stop trying to be anything other than who we are.



What does that mean?

1. Admit and accept that our #1 purpose should be on being good representatives of the Church over winning. Sure we keep trying to be a successful program, but its more important to be good examples rather than win every game. Gotta get rid of "dirty" play.

2. If we cannot get a Big 12 invite within the next year, go back to the MWC.

3. Continue to schedule as big as we can, but accept our status. It worked for us in the Edwards era. The only reason we are thinking that we "deserve" Power 5 status is our desire not to be left behind by Utah.

4. Quit measuring ourselves by what Utah does.

5. Embrace our uniqueness. The service academies do this quite well. BYU is not the same as the academies, but we are not like other FBS programs either. Let's be who we are and enjoy it more!!

1. If the church is serious about the team being a missionary tool/advertisement for the church, they need to fully fund it at whatever level it takes.



2. No. If we relegate ourselves back to a conference, go to the American Athletic. Their money is better. Their exposure is better. Much more competitive conference. Outside of when Boise is good, the MWC is lacking in all the important items.



3. If anyone thinks we can go back to the Edwards' era of college football, they need to have their head examined. If you don't understand how the landscape has changed (ie teams like Baylor are actually trying at football now), not much I can do to help you.



4. Wasn't one of people's biggest complaints about Bronco was not treating Utah any differently than other teams? (and that was always taken out of context anyway, obviously prepared for each individual team, but never over prepped for anyone) BYU and Utah are both good teams, and we should all accept that. Also, so us USU.



5. Like having firesides? Like emphasizing the church and honor code in recruiting? What else is there that you'd like us to embrace?

Let's be honest, independence was a pure reaction to Utah getting a PAC-12 invite and BYU being "left behind." It was never a sustainable model permanently. It has been moderately successful monetarily, but have we increased the program's reach or reputation? Not really. We were already seen as one of the best of the non-Power 5 teams, and that has not changed a single iota, only we don't even get the benefit of being the best of the non-power 5 as we are excluded from their NY6 bowl bid.



What has changed is that BYU football has become an afterthought both regionally and nationally each year once we lose a single game. Our late year schedules are utterly meaningless and our home schedules disappoint our fan base. We have become more and more defined by being in Utah's shadow, as they progress and we keep losing to them with no significant achievements of our own. We need a new path to relevance, or risk becoming totally irrelevant



There are at least two ways to deal with this: (1) get into the BIG 12 and ascend, or (2) accept an invite to a non-Power 5 conference and build something to play for later in the year. If there are other ideas, I am glad to hear them. But once again, let's be honest, the BIG 12 doesn't want us. If they did, we would have gotten an invite by now.



So the only viable path is non-power 5 conference membership. If the AAC has offered it, I think we would have heard that by now. The MWC commissioner has been outwardly vocal about having us back. Does that prospect make me happy? NO! But it may be the most viable way to keep BYU football from fading into obscurity.

cougarapologist wrote:
Let's be honest, independence was a pure reaction to Utah getting a PAC-12 invite and BYU being "left behind." It was never a sustainable model permanently. It has been moderately successful monetarily, but have we increased the program's reach or reputation? Not really. We were already seen as one of the best of the non-Power 5 teams, and that has not changed a single iota, only we don't even get the benefit of being the best of the non-power 5 as we are excluded from their NY6 bowl bid.



What has changed is that BYU football has become an afterthought both regionally and nationally each year once we lose a single game. Our late year schedules are utterly meaningless and our home schedules disappoint our fan base. We have become more and more defined by being in Utah's shadow, as they progress and we keep losing to them with no significant achievements of our own. We need a new path to relevance, or risk becoming totally irrelevant



There are at least two ways to deal with this: (1) get into the BIG 12 and ascend, or (2) accept an invite to a non-Power 5 conference and build something to play for later in the year. If there are other ideas, I am glad to hear them. But once again, let's be honest, the BIG 12 doesn't want us. If they did, we would have gotten an invite by now.



So the only viable path is non-power 5 conference membership. If the AAC has offered it, I think we would have heard that by now. The MWC commissioner has been outwardly vocal about having us back. Does that prospect make me happy? NO! But it may be the most viable way to keep BYU football from fading into obscurity.

Let's be honest. Indy is way better than MWC and more money. BYU controls their own future and has been 100% more visible. When BYU returns to the MWC I'll stop watching BYU.

Let's be honest....The entire G5 is an afterthought even before losing a game.



You do realize that we were the talk of college football for the first 3 weeks of the season, right?



BYU makes more money and gets more viewership annually than any G5 school. Even if BYU were the participant in the NY6 bowl every year from the G5, they would lose money from where they are.



Recruiting has improved immensely since leaving the MWC.



You go to the American (and yes, they'd take us in a second) because it gets you out of "flyover" country all the time.

BroncoBot wrote:
When BYU returns to the MWC I'll stop watching BYU.

Mostly because they simply won't be on TV anymore (or at least on a TV that most people can watch)

ABYUFAN wrote:

When BYU returns to the MWC I'll stop watching BYU.

Mostly because they simply won't be on TV anymore (or at least on a TV that most people can watch)

I just won't have the time/energy to find where to watch the game and the games won't matter if we are playing Wyoming caliber teams most of the year.

Also, the "screw it, let's give up," and the "it's too hard," stuff is really freaking annoying.

The MWC is BYU's best bet for and easiest path to obscurity. The AAC is about to dominate the G5 bid to the NY6. The MWC offers little else except for games against Boise St. and Utah St. and occasional road trips to California....benefits BYU already enjoys as an independent.



And, did you notice on what channel BYU played @ SJSU and @ Utah St.? CBSSN. That channel should be in the College Football Dictionary under "obscurity."

Even if the original poster was right about us not being able to consistently compete with P5 teams - and that's debatable to say the least - it's still better to stay independent and make our own schedule than go back to the irrelevant MWC so we can be under Hair's thumb and try to win relatively meaningless MWC championships.



I've often wondered if BYU should have this kind of an indy schedule -



1. Utah

2. Utah State

3. Weber State/SUU

4. Hawaii

5. Boise State

6. Notre Dame

7. Army

8. Navy

9. Air Force

10. Open

11. Open

12. Open



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

cougarapologist wrote:
Watching the Bowl game on Saturday, I came to a realization: BYU needs to stop trying to be anything other than who we are.



What does that mean?

1. Admit and accept that our #1 purpose should be on being good representatives of the Church over winning. Sure we keep trying to be a successful program, but its more important to be good examples rather than win every game. Gotta get rid of "dirty" play.

2. If we cannot get a Big 12 invite within the next year, go back to the MWC.

3. Continue to schedule as big as we can, but accept our status. It worked for us in the Edwards era. The only reason we are thinking that we "deserve" Power 5 status is our desire not to be left behind by Utah.

4. Quit measuring ourselves by what Utah does.

5. Embrace our uniqueness. The service academies do this quite well. BYU is not the same as the academies, but we are not like other FBS programs either. Let's be who we are and enjoy it more!!

I disagree with everything in this post.

Hard to represent the Church if no one sees you. Kinda pointless, actually. We go back to the MWC and we just lost millions of viewers. If the BoT is really serious about BYU football as a missionary, they'd go all in. You know, like those million dollar billboards on Times Square.



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

We've been seen by way more eyes being an independent than we ever have or would being in a G5 conference (and probably even being in a P5, look at how hard it is to watch away games).

I just don't get it: why it's so essential to have a G5 conference championship to play for. As if that would bring any "relevance," or as if that would compensate for not being on National TV. So what if BYU's Indy schedule is front heavy? If BYU gets past that September/early October gauntlet unbeaten, then the Cougs will remain the talk of the Nation as they coast the rest of the way. What's so bad about that? And anyway, what is so meaningful about playing for a MWC championship, while conceding that we don't belong on a National stage? And to say that we should crawl back to the G5 tier just because of what Utah has become..... Well, that's just lame.



Such talk should cease. It sounds suspiciously utard.



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