2016 vs 2017

Found this highlight reel.

[BBvideo=560,315]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdDmPgGnpX4[/BBvideo]

Watch the highlights of the first couple games. Even the BSU game. Where is the drive and determination that was on that team? I've got my theories, but it was interesting to see how completely relaxed and soft both sides of the ball were this year vs 2016. I had high hopes for Sitake after nearly knocking off UU and nearly putting together a superb season last year.



The trend is troubling. Why didn't BYU come out against PSU and put up 21 in the first Q? Why did it seem the team just did NOT care most of the time. Where was the pride that was evident in 2016? All troubling questions for me.

I remember stores from 2016 that the defense was practicing pursuit drills on their own because the coaching staff wasn't doing it. I also remember the "pillows and feathers" interview with Nick Kurtz. The signs were there, it just took a year and players who had no clear leader to work the team hard when the coaches weren't. This will not change with a new Ocoordinator. It will only change with a new staff and maybe new AD.

I wrote this during the UCLA game last year:

This is the second game in a row where the sideline reporter has talked about the lack of energy on the BYU sideline. The offense is mentally out of it. Where's the leadership? This offense is beat before they even snap the ball, you can see it in the demeanor of the players.

This trend was rearing it's ugly head even early last season. Hard for me to see it changing anytime soon

This year’s highlight film will be brief, that’s for sure.

When the coaches play politics with one another and with the team ... why should anyone care?



Do you follow tweets from people on staff? I knew when KJ Hall was going to have a big game last year ... Jack Damuni sent out a tweet talking about how Jack had baptized KJ's Dad ... next game he's run and run and run until he can break 100 yards of rushing. How many of you really believe KJ is better than Squally, and the others? .. but he has a connection, and so he will be played over them and given preference in practice and films. Reno praises him ... and slams Squally, and others ... destroys their confidence ... and then uses that as an excuse for why they don't play (yes, there have been debates between coaches (and overheard by players) about why so-and-so isn't getting more playing time ... and that alone is enough to kill the possibility of leadership by players, and team unity, etc).



Coaching level politics is a massive problem. That comes from hiring friends who don't have experience as coaches, they haven't learned the way to handle having guys that you like, or have a connection to but who don't have the skill to start over the others ... you don't know how to build players and skill sets.



On the Defensive side of the ball, they have fewer excuses ... the coaches at least have experience. But apparently they don't have the wisdom ... or they are prevented from exercising wisdom because either the HC or DC have limited their options (short practices or no practices, etc).



I love Kalani. He's a great guy! I REALLY want to see him succeed ... but if he wants to succeed, there has to be a real change of culture and change of philosophy from him down. And changes like that, after having established a pattern, are not only tough for him to accept ... but worse, are tough for everyone below. I wish him the best of luck. I hope he can save it next year ... otherwise (for the sake of the program) I hope it is his last year.

mtnradio wrote:

When the coaches play politics with one another and with the team ... why should anyone care?



Do you follow tweets from people on staff? I knew when KJ Hall was going to have a big game last year ... Jack Damuni sent out a tweet talking about how Jack had baptized KJ's Dad ... next game he's run and run and run until he can break 100 yards of rushing. How many of you really believe KJ is better than Squally, and the others? .. but he has a connection, and so he will be played over them and given preference in practice and films. Reno praises him ... and slams Squally, and others ... destroys their confidence ... and then uses that as an excuse for why they don't play (yes, there have been debates between coaches (and overheard by players) about why so-and-so isn't getting more playing time ... and that alone is enough to kill the possibility of leadership by players, and team unity, etc).



Coaching level politics is a massive problem. That comes from hiring friends who don't have experience as coaches, they haven't learned the way to handle having guys that you like, or have a connection to but who don't have the skill to start over the others ... you don't know how to build players and skill sets.



On the Defensive side of the ball, they have fewer excuses ... the coaches at least have experience. But apparently they don't have the wisdom ... or they are prevented from exercising wisdom because either the HC or DC have limited their options (short practices or no practices, etc).



I love Kalani. He's a great guy! I REALLY want to see him succeed ... but if he wants to succeed, there has to be a real change of culture and change of philosophy from him down. And changes like that, after having established a pattern, are not only tough for him to accept ... but worse, are tough for everyone below. I wish him the best of luck. I hope he can save it next year ... otherwise (for the sake of the program) I hope it is his last year.

This is illuminating and frankly sad.