As the game closes in, I have been thinking a lot about how BYU needs to play in order to come out of Rice Eccles with a win. After watching film I am sure a win is possible as long as a few aspects of the game swing in our favor.
I have looked at every statistical category from TFLs allowed to Time of Possession to Punting and it all adds up to one very exciting, and very close game. On paper the difference between BYU and Utah comes down to the decimal point, almost all the way across the board. So what are the factors that will put BYU over Utah on the field? I think this game is going to come down to 3 things, all controlled by the big boys in the trenches.
I, too, praise Quinn for keeping this blog running and for the unique insight that is given daily. Not only that, but thanks to him for taking the TIME to do it. Quinn tried to elicit my assistance a couple of months ago and I agreed to help out with the blog, only to (more…)
Photo by Miller
I got a text from Quinn asking me if I would write a little bit about 2006’s final drive. Detailing my thougts and feelings on the final drive. I think for the rest of my life whenever it is the BYU vs Utah week I will always be reminded of that game in 2006. Even as I sit here typing, I have above me on a shelf the ball I took the final knee with. I wanted the ball that Johnny caught, but I don’t know if anybody knows where that ball currently resides. I just held on to the next best thing.
Well where do I begin.
Photo by Ravell Call
At this point of the season there really isn’t a person on the field that is 100%. If you have endured 11 games without some sort of injury, you’re a stronger man then I ever was. That being said there are different levels of injury. Harvey is probably the most banged up player on the team, but that’s because of the style. Add in the fact that he touches the ball the most and you have a recipe for some sore Sunday mornings.
Most of Harvey’s injuries will only heal with time. Sorry folks, one week isn’t enough time for an aggravated nerve to settle down and go away. But his injury can be managed with some R and R during the week, physical therapy, and lots and lots of treatment, daily I vitamin, and massage therapy. I think he’ll still be very effective on Saturday and what he isn’t able to do, Fui will pick-up the slack.
After thinking about the Cougar’s and Ute’s situations I am left wondering if the build-up and anticipation of Saturday’s game is diminished because of BYU loss? The Utes lived up to their end of the bargain and enter the game with an unblemished record. BYU suffered a demoralizing loss to TCU, but has since rebounded and is once again playing good football.
Here are just a few reasons why i love the BYU vs. Utah rivalry. The games have everything a fan could every want. Each game is filled with raw emotion, legal/illegal hits, good plays, bad plays, 4th down conversions and more.
The first video is from BYU’s last win at Rice Eccles and the second video is from Lavells final win against Utah, in Rice Eccles.
The first video picks up around the 2:52 point, I got chills remembering where I was when John threw that pass to Johnny. Enjoy, but don’t get in trouble at work.
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This is probably the funniest thing I remember from the Air Force games. It was in 2005 when Cameron Jensen was roaming the middle at linebacker -Kelly Poppinga did something similar, but I remember it more distinctively from 05′-06′.
Doug Pensiger/Getty Images
The Colorado State defense has been about as consistent as a defense could be, especially in limiting offense’s big play. They use well-schemed pressures and athletes in different positions in order to create mismatches. Sometimes their scheming works and sometimes it hurts them. Early this season the defense had to play a lot of snaps and learned quickly that if they don’t give up the big plays their team will have late opportunities to win the game. They are also a “bend, not break” type of defense.
Scheme:
When I -Markell- am asked about CSU down the road, I will remember three things:
1)The Power run game with pulling guards.
2)Always running to the same O-Linemen (They had strong and weak Guards and Tackles, not left and right. They would rotate to where the majority of the runs went)
3)Scissors. Coach Mendenhall would have the scout team running that route every other play.
But each year had it’s own memories as well…
In 2004 I was a walk-on freshman and converted LB, previously a safety. I had started the first two games of the season, but I wasn’t ready for the college game yet. I hadn’t figured out the (more…)
The one thing I didn’t mention in the Post Game wrap-up was the turnovers, which came early and often. I didn’t talk about them in the wrap-up because my post was turning into a novel. What hurt us the most last night were the turnovers came early in drives, which resulted in exceptional field position for the TCU offense. They were also very ugly turnovers. The defenders were just sitting there waiting for the interception, and the fumbles are a result of lack of concentration.
We put our defense is bad positions all night and they were unable to stop the Horned Frog offense on a consistent bases to give us a chance to win.
This game was defining for all the wrong reasons. The streak is over, the -not a quest for a perfect season- Quest for a perfect season and the hopes of a BCS game have been dashed on the rocks of frustration and humility at the hands of the Frogs. That game was hard to watch and is hard to write about. Normally I look for the positives of our teams performance, but after last night I can only wait to see what happens next week. It was a serious slap in the face by a team that honestly wanted it more than we did. We might of wanted not to lose it more than the Frogs, but we didn’t want to win it like they did. (I hope you get what I mean. It was like an MMA fight where one guy wants to punch and knock their opponent out and while one guy is eating fist, the other fighter is trying to pull him to the ground. They are both still fighting but one fighter is on the offensive and the other fighter is fighting not to get knock-out.)