“Hell week” or just getting ready for Air Force, you make the call.
The Air Force practice week is unique to say the least. Each day the game draws closer the Coaches work harder and harder to insure every player is keeping their eyes in the right spots and performing their individual assignments.
Scout team players tend to pick-up the tempo as they sense the Coaching staffs urgency throughout the week. Gone are the Wednesday’s with little contact and less running. Helmet practices turn into full speed practices without the contact and walk-throughs turn into track meets as everyone’s expectations expand in anticipation of playing Air Force.
It’s not that the team feels inadequate or less prepared, but instead the practices and urgency demands a heightened sense of concentration. Assignment concentration for 75 plays is going to be key to winning in Colorado Springs. The cadet’s work ethic is comparable to BYU’s. The cadet’s heart and determination is also similar to BYU’s. So what sets us apart? In the past few years it has been our team ability to concentrate throughout every series and down until the final horn sounds.
The Air Force weeks practice schedules are designed to test a player’s concentration throughout practice. Practices normally get shorter as the week goes on, but during the Air Force week the intensity from practice will linger until Sorenson sends the ball through the thin air and out of the endzone.
I remember my first AFA practices when Coach Mendenhall had the defense practicing against two scout team offenses -in order to double the amount of reps during practice. It was a wild week of practice, but it paid off. BYU went into Colorado Springs and dropped the hammer -and I didn’t even play that year.
I wouldn’t expect any changes in AF preparations. This game means everything to Air Force and we can’t afford to travel north into red country coming off a loss. BYU has two games left to define their season and one game -this week- to set them up for the biggest game in the Holy Wars history.
This game is a whole lot more important then some might think.
Hey Gooch,
This is off topic and I posted a related comment on Wagner’s update. As a defender have you ever noticed how frequently an ‘almost’ play on defense (typically a near interception or inability to recover a fumble) is followed by a huge play by the offense on the followiing play? This season it happened in the New Mexico game. In the fourth quarter we nearly pick off the screen pass deep in UNM’s end of the field and I said to myself “next play will be huge for New Mexico”. Sure enough they find the tight end on the next play and it goes for 40+ yards.
Maybe I only make a note of it when it happens and I ignore when it doesn’t. Have you ever noticed this?
That is an interesting trend and I think it all relates to momentum and trying to create emotion within your team.
If a defense make a play they can swing the emotion of the game into their favor, so an offensive coordinator wants feels like he needs to make a statement for his team and dials up a big play.
That’s my two cents and it revolves around emotion.
Yeah, remember Texas almost picked off that Texas Tech pass at the end of the game. Then TT made a BIG statement…in every remaining play.
I agree this game is huge and make no mistake AFA is good this year, really good. Bronco has their number though i think we win it but not by much.
GO COUGS!
or the 2006 boston college game where Criddle dropped an INT in the endzone. The next play Matt Ryan threw a TD.
I depart Friday morning headed to Colorado Springs for the game. I think the Cougs win this game, but road games have been to close this year.
The AFA really wants to win this game and make a statement on their season. The Cougs MUST get tough and win this game in preparation for the 22nd.
Why don’t they put Kozlowski in more??? He has great hands and is a tough kid he should get more credit. I hope to see him play against airforce we need more tough guys on our team
I feel if BYU over looks or the Falscons we can Kiss any MWC good bye!
Quinn and Markell,
What do you think of the coach’s decisions to start Bradley over Howard at FC this week? How do you like the bigger lineup in the secondary of Bradley, Fowler, Tafuna and Rich?
Well Howard came up lame last week, so I think it is great to start Bradely. Also against Air Force we’ll need a more physical corner to come up against the run and make tackles.
I think we’ll be just fine with those four in the game. So many people wanted Bradley to get in and mix it up and now he gets his chance. We’ll all know if he can play or not after this week.
I think this group will preform well enough to win. Next week is where this group may struggle, but lets hope this game gives them the confidence they need.
People like to talk about how hard it is to recruit Mormon athletes who will follow the honor code, but to be honest Air Force has a much harder time recruiting intelligent athletes who can hang at AFA academically and who are WILLING TO DIE for their country. They will always be a step behind BYU, in just about every sport (just think of their baseball team).
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