Thoughts on BYU's future schedules, for better or worse

https://247sports.com/college/byu/Article/Thoughts-on-BYUs-future-schedules-for-better-or-worse-124099289/



Sounds like he reads the fan board. However he has added some research for his points on what is best for the program.



On the issue of money. I wonder how much more ESPN will pay under the next contract. Can those funds then help the program in the near future.

scott715 wrote:

https://247sports.com/college/byu/Article/Thoughts-on-BYUs-future-schedules-for-better-or-worse-124099289/



Sounds like he reads the fan board. However he has added some research for his points on what is best for the program.



On the issue of money. I wonder how much more ESPN will pay under the next contract. Can those funds then help the program in the near future.

Yeah, it does sound like he reads the board.



Well, Jeff, I can get behind what BYU is doing by wanting to play with the big boys. But unless BYU wants to be a P5 punching bag, with a whole bunch of 5/7 or 6/6 or 7/5 seasons, we need higher caliber coaching, recruiting, etc.



BYU fans don't want to just see their team play P5 opponents. They want to see them beat P5 opponents...consistently. And that includes the elite P5s on occasion and not just the P5 bottom dwellers.



The problem isn't that BYU wants to schedule like a P5. It's the half-measures involved while they do it.

KingCoug wrote:

...

BYU fans don't want to just see their team play P5 opponents. They want to see them beat P5 opponents...consistently. ...

Granted. Any fan base wants that. But this brings up an interesting point to consider.



Which would you rather see happen in LES? BYU losing by two touchdowns to Michigan State, or BYU losing by one point to Northern Illinois? How about Beating McNeese by 20, or losing to Alabama by 1?



See I think that while no one likes losing, fans would prefer to see BYU losing in P5 games over winning against nobody schools. And if that's what fans prefer, that will keep the ESPN dollars rolling in.



Backing off the current scheduling track would be a HUGE mistake. I do think this team's woes seem like obvious coaching problems so hopefully, that can be fixed.

scott715 wrote:
On the issue of money. I wonder how much more ESPN will pay under the next contract. Can those funds then help the program in the near future.

There's a bitter, bitter irony in the fact that Bronco's success facilitated the ESPN partnership that put BYU on solid enough footing to pay Kalani and his coaches more than they ever would have contemplated for Bronco's staff, and now Kalani's expensive failures may lead to significant financial handcuffs in future staffing if a new ESPN deal isn't as lucrative.

snoscythe wrote:

On the issue of money. I wonder how much more ESPN will pay under the next contract. Can those funds then help the program in the near future.

There's a bitter, bitter irony in the fact that Bronco's success facilitated the ESPN partnership that put BYU on solid enough footing to pay Kalani and his coaches more than they ever would have contemplated for Bronco's staff, and now Kalani's expensive failures may lead to significant financial handcuffs in future staffing if a new ESPN deal isn't as lucrative.

The bottom line is that anybody can schedule and lose to a P5 opponent. It takes committment to beat the opponent. BYU's administration isn't committed given today's cost, financially and morally. We'll soon see if ESPN recognizes this lack of committment. It's not a good tease, "Tune to ESPN and watch BYU lose again."

jadesroom wrote:

scott715 wrote:
On the issue of money. I wonder how much more ESPN will pay under the next contract. Can those funds then help the program in the near future.

There's a bitter, bitter irony in the fact that Bronco's success facilitated the ESPN partnership that put BYU on solid enough footing to pay Kalani and his coaches more than they ever would have contemplated for Bronco's staff, and now Kalani's expensive failures may lead to significant financial handcuffs in future staffing if a new ESPN deal isn't as lucrative.

The bottom line is that anybody can schedule and lose to a P5 opponent. It takes committment to beat the opponent. BYU's administration isn't committed given today's cost, financially and morally. We'll soon see if ESPN recognizes this lack of committment. It's not a good tease, "Tune to ESPN and watch BYU lose again."

Yeah, we could schedule a murderer's row of elite P5 teams every year. But you end up scheduling yourself out of relevance by all the losses. Who wants to finish 2-10 every year even if you are playing big time programs?



On the other hand, you can't schedule so weakly that your powder puff schedule makes you irrelevant. BYU needs a balance more than any other team in the country, given the position it's in. The question is, what schedule gives us that?



I still maintain that BYU should at least these 6 core games it can count on every year -



1. Utah

2. Utah State

3. Hawaii

4. Boise State

5. Notre Dame

6. Academies (rotating)



Obviously 2 P5 opponents plus Boise State are in that. It can be debated how we would round out the schedule.

KingCoug wrote:



I still maintain that BYU should at least these 6 core games it can count on every year -



1. Utah

2. Utah State

3. Hawaii

4. Boise State

5. Notre Dame

6. Academies (rotating)



Obviously 2 P5 opponents plus Boise State are in that. It can be debated how we would round out the schedule.

I agree. The hard part would be getting Notre Dame and the academies to agree to the schedule.

Stop playing Boise. They mostly just kick our ass.

KingCoug wrote:

Yeah, we could schedule a murderer's row of elite P5 teams every year. But you end up scheduling yourself out of relevance by all the losses. Who wants to finish 2-10 every year even if you are playing big time programs?



On the other hand, you can't schedule so weakly that your powder puff schedule makes you irrelevant. BYU needs a balance more than any other team in the country, given the position it's in. The question is, what schedule gives us that?



I still maintain that BYU should at least these 6 core games it can count on every year -



1. Utah

2. Utah State

3. Hawaii

4. Boise State

5. Notre Dame

6. Academies (rotating)



Obviously 2 P5 opponents plus Boise State are in that. It can be debated how we would round out the schedule.

Early on in independence Holmoe indicated he was trying to get the service academies on the schedule but it doesn't seem like they have reciprocated interest. Especially Navy and Air Force who have very limited OOC spots. I wonder if he has given up on that wish.



And Notre Dame certainly hasn't been interested in keeping BYU in the mix now that they have an ACC semi-schedule eating up chunks of their games. We are still waiting for that first H game in Provo.

KingCoug wrote:





I still maintain that BYU should at least these 6 core games it can count on every year -



1. Utah

2. Utah State

3. Hawaii

4. Boise State

5. Notre Dame

6. Academies (rotating)



Obviously 2 P5 opponents plus Boise State are in that. It can be debated how we would round out the schedule.

I'm not sure what you mean by "It can count on" Notre Dame is not happening. Utah already walked away once. The Acadamies are not sitting around waiting for us to schedule them.

I'd add Arizona and Cal. BYU needs to recruit California, Arizona, and Utah above all else. People talk about scheduling the dregs of the power conferences. Notre Dame got all those great records scheduling Purdue and Northwestern. In the west those teams are Arizona, Cal, Or St (but we don't need to recruit Oregon). Rotate in a MWC California team each year and maybe SMU. Add UNLV for another game close to home.



ND and Army aren't going to happen regularly so we should all pray Liberty becomes a great team for BYU to schedule for a game in the south every other year. I don't think we need a conference but rivalry games would help so I'd have a core of 7-9 games.



Utah

AZ

Cal

USU

Hawaii

Boise

UNLV

SMU

Liberty

A MWC California team

A marquee P5 team

A FCS team



Every game is winnable. If ND or Army want to schedule every year replace SMU or UNLV. 7 home games per year. No scheduling any 2:1 or one and done games.

jvquarterback wrote:

I'd add Arizona and Cal. BYU needs to recruit California, Arizona, and Utah above all else. People talk about scheduling the dregs of the power conferences. Notre Dame got all those great records scheduling Purdue and Northwestern. In the west those teams are Arizona, Cal, Or St (but we don't need to recruit Oregon). Rotate in a MWC California team each year and maybe SMU. Add UNLV for another game close to home.



ND and Army aren't going to happen regularly so we should all pray Liberty becomes a great team for BYU to schedule for a game in the south every other year. I don't think we need a conference but rivalry games would help so I'd have a core of 7-9 games.



Utah

AZ

Cal

USU

Hawaii

Boise

UNLV

SMU

Liberty

A MWC California team

A marquee P5 team

A FCS team



Every game is winnable. If ND or Army want to schedule every year replace SMU or UNLV. 7 home games per year. No scheduling any 2:1 or one and done games.

I get Utah and California for recruiting but why Arizona?



California, Texas, and Florida always seem to have the most recruits.

I would pick Arizona more for our fan base down there and our ability to compete against them, than for recruiting. BYU has 2 wins over the wildcats in the last 3 years and has had good fan attendance at the two AZ road/neutral games. It's nice to see ASU on future schedules.

Yzzazz wrote:

...

BYU fans don't want to just see their team play P5 opponents. They want to see them beat P5 opponents...consistently. ...

Granted. Any fan base wants that. But this brings up an interesting point to consider.



Which would you rather see happen in LES? BYU losing by two touchdowns to Michigan State, or BYU losing by one point to Northern Illinois? How about Beating McNeese by 20, or losing to Alabama by 1?



See I think that while no one likes losing, fans would prefer to see BYU losing in P5 games over winning against nobody schools. And if that's what fans prefer, that will keep the ESPN dollars rolling in.



Backing off the current scheduling track would be a HUGE mistake. I do think this team's woes seem like obvious coaching problems so hopefully, that can be fixed.

Maybe I'm in the minority. I would take a win over Wyoming, or UNLV, or San Jose State rather than lose to USC, Stanford, or Washington every single time. We built up our program by beating a bunch of irrelevant teams, and that's OK.



I think the most sensible schedule is to play Utah, Utah St., Boise St., a FCS team, 1 other Pac-12 team, 1 other P5 team, and 6 other G5 teams every year. That schedule would be challenging, but also a pathway to win 10 games a year and finish nationally ranked.



If we want to have a run like '78-'85 or '06-'11 with our current schedules we will need to be better than we have ever been. I don't think that is likely.

So just a Mountain West schedule, then. Why do that schedule and stay independent?

“Just a MWC schedule”???? it’s working just fine for USU!!!! And it worked just fine for BSU for years.

BYU does not have P5 coaches! BYU does not have P5 Money. And BYU has very few P5 recruits recruits! Why in the heck does anyone think we can play 5-7 P5 teams each year??

Wait till the ESPN contract ends and BYU has to grovel just for a 33%-40% draw down on our next contract and then BYU is not much better than a MWC take.

This is unsustainable and it gets worse or as bad the next few years.

Whoever typed “Bama by 1” suffers from the same (but way worse) delusion that TH, big donors, and certain fans suffer believing that BYU can compete at that level.

cougarapologist wrote:

So just a Mountain West schedule, then. Why do that schedule and stay independent?

Money. We make more as Indy. Also, it would still allow us to play all over the country. However, I wouldn’t be against going to the MWC.

Cougs_Rule wrote:

“Just a MWC schedule”???? it’s working just fine for USU!!!! And it worked just fine for BSU for years.

BYU does not have P5 coaches! BYU does not have P5 Money. And BYU has very few P5 recruits recruits! Why in the heck does anyone think we can play 5-7 P5 teams each year??

Wait till the ESPN contract ends and BYU has to grovel just for a 33%-40% draw down on our next contract and then BYU is not much better than a MWC take.

This is unsustainable and it gets worse or as bad the next few years.

Whoever typed “Bama by 1” suffers from the same (but way worse) delusion that TH, big donors, and certain fans suffer believing that BYU can compete at that level.

You're hitting on what I keep saying. Holmoe is scheduling more and more like we're a P5 team but isn't devoting P5-level resources to it.



Other than just shutting it down (a quick death), could there be a more effective way to destroy the program than what Holmoe is doing/not doing (a slow death)?



It's like Holmoe is hoping he's the one guy who can have it both ways, i.e. competing consistently with P5 programs on the cheap.

Would this season REALLY be that much better had we been in the MWC?



We *might* be 6-3, instead of 4-5, and in 3rd place in the MWC Mountain - at best. Actually, we'd probably be 5-4... We wouldn't be ranked and we would be debating on whether we can sneak into the Armed Forces Bowl to face Tulsa or Tulane instead of the Idaho Potato or New Mexico bowl against NIU or Louisiana Tech.



May be last year we could have beaten Nevada or New Mexico instead of losing to ECU or UMass? May be finish 6-7 and play UTEP in the Albuquerque bowl and feel better about ourselves...



Ooo...ooo...may be we could still play a couple of games on Versus - or hey! Facebook! - and our numerous fans outside of Utah could drool over box scores and text-based gamecasts.

KingCoug wrote:

I'd add Arizona and Cal. BYU needs to recruit California, Arizona, and Utah above all else. People talk about scheduling the dregs of the power conferences. Notre Dame got all those great records scheduling Purdue and Northwestern. In the west those teams are Arizona, Cal, Or St (but we don't need to recruit Oregon). Rotate in a MWC California team each year and maybe SMU. Add UNLV for another game close to home.



ND and Army aren't going to happen regularly so we should all pray Liberty becomes a great team for BYU to schedule for a game in the south every other year. I don't think we need a conference but rivalry games would help so I'd have a core of 7-9 games.



Utah

AZ

Cal

USU

Hawaii

Boise

UNLV

SMU

Liberty

A MWC California team

A marquee P5 team

A FCS team



Every game is winnable. If ND or Army want to schedule every year replace SMU or UNLV. 7 home games per year. No scheduling any 2:1 or one and done games.

I get Utah and California for recruiting but why Arizona?



California, Texas, and Florida always seem to have the most recruits.

Not sure how AZ snuck in there for the recruiting part. California and Utah need to be the recruiting base. Not sure if it matters anymore but a yearly game against Hawaii used to mean something for recruiting Polynesian kids. AZ should be a yearly game because we can win that game.