Where are they now? Nate Meikle
So fall of ‘07 I’m sitting at football practice and Greg Wrubell, the KSL play-by-play commentator, approaches me and asks, “Nate, have you ever thought about getting into broadcasting? James Dye can no longer do the sideline reporting due to his business pursuits and we need someone to take his place. We’d pay for your trips to every game, give you a little extra money as payment for your services, and just ask that you don’t miss a single game. You’d be watching the game from the sidelines and would just talk about what you see happening from field level.”
So you’re telling me I can make a little money watching my friends play football? Not to mention the free vacations with my wife every fall? It’s not all gravy though. Try and interview Coach Mendenhall at half time of TCU when we are losing 23-0.
Aside from my one day a week KSL gig, I am working with a real estate development company in Utah County. Anyone in need of the best Class A office space in Ut County, with freeway frontage, give me a call☺
Reading Markell’s post inspired me to write about one subject that many fans don’t know a whole lot about – Coach Anae.
Having played slot receiver at BYU, I spent the better part of two years with Coach Anae as he was my position coach. I had more contact with Coach Anae over my career than any other coach. All the defensive sissies (Quinn, Markell, the General☺) talk about how hard it was to play for Coach Mendenhall running pursuits, but they never had to sit in meetings with Coach Anae and take a mental beating like only he could dish out. Only when you deserved it though which I can respect (some coaches have bad days and they take it out on everyone). Nothing inappropriate, nothing I can’t repeat, just the most demanding coach I have ever played for – and one of my all-time favorites.
Some coaches tell you, “If you get your hands on the ball, you better catch it” all the while recognizing that if the ball’s a little high, or a db’s on your back, you’re probably not going to. Not so with Coach Anae, he means what he says – and keep dropping balls and you’ve just wasted the last three years of your life cause you’ll never see the field again. The effect is that you expect more of yourself and play at a ‘higher level’ than you ever have before. That is unless he breaks you down first. But if Coach Anae can break you down in meetings, how do you expect to deal with the pressure of game day? (That being said, some guys get injured which is different than getting broken down.) Lots of coaches say lots of things. When Coach Anae says something, he means it. I don’t know if I’ve ever met a tougher person in my life. I’ve seen coaches throughout all my years of athletics get nervous and intimidated by other teams. Coach Anae has never been intimidated by anything or anyone in his life. If Coach Mendenhall is Moroni, Coach Anae is Teancum – at least I thought so the night we played SDSU in 2005 when he just about took that javelin the SDSU coach was throwing around and shoved it into his heart.
I’d be living in a high rise in Dubai if I had dollar for every time I heard someone criticize Coach Anae. Is he a perfect O Coordinator? No. Is he one of the best in the country? A resounding yes – especially considering he’s only been at it for 3.5 years. The critics say “He’s too predictable, he’s not creative enough.” I say ask the D Coordinators he’s faced the last three years and they’ll tell you differently. I’m not saying he’s flawless, but I am saying lets not pull another Norm Chow. He understands that creativity comes at the cost of inconsistency – that he must strike a fine balance. As Coach Mendenhall said last week, “The easy thing to do (when you’re struggling) is go out and create a new play.” The numbers from the last three years speak for themselves:
BYU National Rankings
2005: 13th Total Offense, 24th Scoring Offense
2006: 4th Total Offense, 5th Scoring Offense
2007: 25th Total Offense, 47th Scoring Offense
Avg: 14th Total Offense 25th Scoring Offense
Southern Cal National Rankings
2005: 1st Total Offense, 2nd Scoring Offense
2006: 21st Total Offense, 18th Scoring Offense
2007: 29th Total Offense 34th Scoring Offense
Avg: 17th Total Offense 18th Scoring Offense
Some of you are saying Southern Cal plays tougher teams. I’m saying Southern Cal has better athletes.
Coach is also Smart (that’s right a capital S). His Ph.D. suggests it and getting to know him over two years confirmed it. And the guy has an imagination like you wouldn’t believe. One of my favorite activities each day was telling Cam, Kayle, and Dustin the daily metaphor Coach used to get his point across. I’m not saying they were dirty or inappropriate. I am saying they were effective and hilarious.
In closing here’s hoping that the 2008 BYU team does something that no BYU team has done in over a decade – lose only one game. Let’s not forget we still have the best WR in BYU history, one of the grittiest QB’s to ever play the position, one of the most athletic TE’s in a long line of great TE’s, and one of the most physical, talented RB’s we’ve ever had the pleasure of watching – just ask Steve Tate.
Nate-
Are you allowed to cheer when you are on the sidelines?
I am a huge fan of Wrubell. Any cool stories or experiences to share about him and what it is like to work with him? To me he seems very inteligent and very prepared for each game (basketball and football). Your team does a great job broadcasting each week-I depended on it pre directTv days. Now, we still turn down the TV and get N’Sync with ksl. What are game days like for the braodcast crew? Are they all die hard Cougars?
I’m not really sure if I’m “allowed” to cheer from the sidelines or not but I do. On air I try and be a little less biased but I’m also not speaking to the opposing teams fan base.
Getting to know Greg, Mark, and the entire KSL crew has been the highlight of the job. When I first started I was blown away by how hard Greg works to get ready for each game ie) at TCU I saw Greg before the game and asked him if he wanted to grab some lunch. He tells me he’d love to but that he needs to spend a couple hours memorizing all of the names, numbers, key stats, of each player for TCU. Not to mention he had probably already spent 30 hours prepping for other aspects of the game. One small example, but I think everyone would be blown away by how much prep time Greg puts into each game. And not that Greg is a slow learner either. He is one of the wittiest persons I have ever met. But just like anything, if you want to be good at it you have to work hard at it. Greg figured that out long ago.
Marc Lyons is incredibly funny. It took me a few weeks to catch on to his sense of humor, but now I’m hooked. I don’t know if there is a nicer more genuine person in the world than Marc. I think both Greg and Marc’s personalities compliment each other nicely.
Gameday is crazy for the crew. Our engineers typically put in 16 hour days. It takes a lot of work to make sure an 8 hour show comes off without a hitch.
So who is the Next nate Meikle? Will that position ever make a comeback?(as in not played by a TE). People of talked about guys like Mahuika, Matt Marshall, Koslowski all having the potential to fill that void yet nobody has. What ever happened to that Tervort kid? I remember a lot of people before last season saying he was having a great camp, he’s a real sleeper yada, yada, yada. Did he just never wake up?
Please don’t take this as criticizing Anae. I’m just curious if the offense has evolved and that position is gone.
This isn’t really a comment about Nate, but I love this site. Extremely good info. Most other sites don’t give me my football fix. This site does.
Keep up good work!
Hey Nate! Do you believe in the Riddell Revolution Helment curse?
Thanks for the insight about the ksl crew. I envy your job! Keep up the great work.
Solid post, Nate. I think I speak for everyone when I say your toughness was unmatched, and BYU could always use a player like you.
You 2006 guys are all awesome. You all have a special place in the fleshy tables of my heart.
I am one of those that Criticized Coach Anae, his first couple of years (even though the offense was good, I think mainly because of Beck) his play calling was average on a good day. Having said that, I think that after the AZ game in 06, his play calling has been very good. I am glad to have him and hope we can keep him for a long time. We should give the guy credit where it is due, he was a rookie play caller when he got here and has steadily improved since his rookie year.
Every team can use a Wes Welker and no one understands that better than Coach Anae. When Coach first came to BYU he gave me all the Texas Tech film and told me to study number #27 (who Anae had coached for the last 3 years). The guy was unbelievable. He’d get open every time and made plays all over the place. Since I had never played receiver before I just tried to mimic everything #27 did. From stemming routes to making breaks – everything I learned about slot receiver was from that #27 at Texas Tech. I always wondered if that guy made it in the NFL and then sure enough in 2007 he comes out of no where playing for the Patriots and leads the NFL in receptions. If anyone understands how valuable a slot receiver can be it’s Coach Anae, since he coached one of the all time greats in Wes Welker (by coaching though I mean coached for the same team. Anae was doing O line at Tech).
Coach has been trying to fill the position but just hasn’t found a good fit. Bryce has been used to add depth to the outside and has never really been able to just focus on slot. Plus Bryce has had to battle through a number of injuries so there hasn’t been much consistency in the off seasons to really develop the position. Tervort transferred to a juco. I thought Kos would be given a shot there but the Coaches decided to keep him at the outside receiver position. Matt Marshall has a chance. Everyone says he’s pretty talented as he ran the scout team last year.
Of course I believe in the Ridell Revolution Curse. If you look good you feel good and if you feel good you play good. I learned that back in pop warner. Too bad other guys haven’t learned that lesson yet:)
My bet is Marshall in 09′.
Nate,
You forgot to mention one thing…remember that one player who sat you down on the indoor turf and told you you should switch from RB to slot? I can’t remember his name, but he sure was a genius. Who was that again?
I’ve been looking for a place to post this, but I wanted to say thank you to Nate and the KSL crew for the broadcasts. I live in one of those crappy “no Mtn Channel on your cable system” areas of the country and have since I left Provo in 2000. I have listened to more games over the Internet than I have watched and while I was listening to the UNLV game this week, I thought, “Wrubell REALLY does a nice job”.
So Nate, could you do me and many others a favor… let Greg, Marc, and the crew know that Cougar fans outside of Utah REALLY appreciate the broadcast. Greg does a great job of painting a mental picture of exactly what is going on and plus… I’ve always wanted to know who the leading receiver in UNLV history was…. you never know when you’ll need that type of info
Great job!
Nate,
Thanks for the update. We were all bummed when they didn’t review the Wyoming kick off…as we all know you were robbed. Thanks for being an awesome ambassador for BYU football.
You even helped get my in-laws interested in football again. My wife’s grandma is a Meikle from Rexburg and even though the relation is distant at best (I think she said her dad and your grandpa are brothers or something) she’d still clip out all the IF and Rexburg articles about and give them to us. You were the only reason I got to watch BYU football when we’d stay at her house. Thanks!
Thanks for the in depth reply Nate. And tell Marc and Greg that you all are doing a great job!
Wow, I always thought Aaron Wagner was a genius, but hearing that he had the foresight to encourage Meikle to switch positions, man, that just cements it for me. Tell Aaron thanks for all of Cougar Nation.
Wagner’s post will be running in a couple of weeks. I got his back a little while ago, but there were a few peoples who came in first. I might have to run another one on Friday or something.
My concern is the disparity between Total O and Scoring O? It appears as though teams have found a way to shut us down better as we get closer to the goal line. Other than John’s senior year, that disparity is pretty dramatic. Last years game against the utes was a perfect example of us not finishing drives. That game should have been a 10-17 point ball game, but we just struggled to finish off drives. Why do you believe that is?
OK Jared…I posted that for a selfish purpose, I admit, so now I am going to have to put that rumor you started to rest…
It was I who told Nate to switch. We could never cover Nate in one-on-one drills with the LBs and RBs…and since the slot works mostly against LBs I told him to switch, because he was not going to beat out Fahu, and Curtis.
Of course it wasn’t until Anae approached him about it that he really gave it any consideration.
Staff is right. He was the first person on the team that told me I should switch to receiver. I knew he was right but there was one small problem…I couldn’t catch. But I do remember the day well Staff when you told me to switch cause I got butterflies thinking if you realized I’m better suited for slot, the coaches probably would to. But if they ever moved me, I would certainly let them down as soon as John threw me the ball. Thank goodness for the tennis ball machine in the weight room that taught me to catch.
Scott and Adam,
Thanks for the kind words guys. It’s quite the transition playing in front of thousands of fans one day and retiring the next. It’s always nice to be remembered.
QC Coug,
I’ll be sure to pass your message along to Greg and Marc. It’s always nice to feel appreciated for the work you do. And you are right on about those little facts. I’m always trying to remember when the last time was we went into half time tiedJ
Gene,
Good question and that is a valid concern. I wish I had the answer for that one. I will say I know the coaches are aware of the stats and care more about scoring offense than total offense. One of the main statistics Coach Mendenhall cared about as a D coordinator was total defense. When he took over the head coaching job his mindset shifted into worrying only about scoring defense. Coach Anae is wired the same way. As important as total offense is (ball control, time of possession, etc), scoring offense is the more important gauge.
My first thought in understanding the disparity is that it is probably a pretty complex issue. An over-simplified answer would be that the more experienced teams (2006, 2008) have a much smaller disparity (2008’s current status is Total O – 24th, Scoring O – 23rd). Another simple answer is that it is harder to score than just move the ball since the field becomes shorter the closer you get to the goal line. And since we aren’t a big play offense, we don’t benefit from long scoring plays, which would help the ratio. Another simple answer I’m sure the critics would point to is the “lack of creativity.” Whether or not any of these are the real contributing factors is up for debate. From what I have heard, Coach Anae spends as much time as any coach in the country working on blue zone offense, which is an important component of the issue. I’d be interested to hear others thoughts on the matter.
Quikandskinny,
Yeah I wish we would have reviewed it as well, and I would have told them to do so had I known what was going on. I hit my head on the play and got pretty dazed and didn’t find out until 5 or 10 minutes later that we hadn’t actually scored on the play. Thanks for the kind words and I’m happy I was able to help you out with your in-laws:)
Nate:
My nephew, Casey Collins, played HS ball with you at Hillcrest; he told me to give you a “hello.” What is up with Hillcrest and the single wing offense?
Kelly,
Oh yeah Casey was our star LB back in the day. Tell him I said hi. I would love to see Hillcrest play this year. Sounds like they have a real deception oriented offense that has been working well. Hope we can get that elusive football state championship.
IMO, the difference between Total O and scoring O is a number of things. I do believe we have been a little more creative in the Blue Zone. The play action passes have worked very well down there this year. Last year, it seemed a lot of times we just tried to play smash mouth football each time we got around the 5. Our opponents have definitely made some very nice adjustments to our I formation. Coach Anae and the other O coaches made some good adjustments to counteract our opponents adjustments. John was amazing his senior year, which had a lot to do with the 2006 numbers. Max is doing well, but it seems the only time the O has trouble is when Max starts locking on and forcing balls. I was a little disappointed with the play call on 4th down against TCU.
All in all I do believe Coach Anae is doing a much better job of varying his play calling quite a bit more this season. It seemed like last year he would get into ruts at times. That may also be a case of the players not executing.
In fall camp I noticed them using JJ in the slot from time to time. I am wondering if they have looked at option? He reminds a lot more of you. No flat out fast, but shifty and quick.
Nate, you’re one of the many BYU players that we’ll never forget. Your contribution to BYU football is much appreciated. You’re doing a great job with the game broadcasts too. You’re on a terrific team. I’ve talked to Greg and Marc a few times and they are both such nice guys. Thanks to all of you for bringing the game to us. If I’m watching on TV, I’m listening on KSL.
Thanks Nate–I love reading the former player’s insights into the program!
Do you think there is any chance Diluigi could see time at HR? I remember reading during his recruitment or after his signing that he was told he would be playing slot his first year. Of course, he ended up hurt last year–but I was hoping that this year, since he is getting so few reps behind Unga, that he might be used at HR.
I have read he needed some work on his pass protection (which may be part of the reason he is not getting many reps at RB), however, he is supposed to have great hands, he is shifty, and can make people miss when he has the ball (sounds a bit like a #9 who used to play HR). So what do you think?
Thanks for all the great memories Nate–always loved your heart and dependability for the offense.
Nate,
A buddy of mine sent me this blog today and I almost didn’t open it assuming it was just another crazy BYU fan blog where those commenting have only experienced a football game from the bleachers. Needless to say, I was pleasently surprised when I opened it and saw a familiar name. If the Cougs end up in SD in December (I’m still optimistic that they won’t) we’ll have to get together. Also, if HHS plays in the title game, I may have to make a trip up there.
By the way…enough with the “I-couldn’t-catch-and-I’m-the-Cougar-Rudy” mantra. You may have been a bit undersized but you have always been a tremendous athlete (with fine hands). I hope you are doing well. Keep up the great sideline reporting.
Gene – all good points. I have been waiting for them to “unleash” JJ but would be curious as to why he hasn’t gotten much play yet. He was a terriffic high school player and does have good quickness and also has a knack for getting yards when he carries the ball. Granted he is still only a freshman.
N Garn,
It’s always good to hear from your childhood hero:). My wife and I would love to get together again if we are playing in the Poinsettia, but like you, I’m still optimisitc as well. I was thinking about you the other day when Coach Mendenhall was talking about “Facing the Brutal Facts” and I knew you would appreciate that line from your friend Stockdale.
You make a good point about Hillcrest – next BYU home game I’m planning on driving up Friday to watch them play and then driving back early Saturday for the BYU game. And in my defense, I had some serious struggles at summer football camps during the 7 on 7 games cause I could always get open but I was only about 50% on hauling it in. I was never the worst player on the field, but I really ticked off some summer camp coaches in my day:) Good to hear from you and I hope your family is doing well.
Lucas,
I have wondered the same thing and really don’t know the particulars of why they haven’t moved him to slot. I do trust they are putting him in his best position to succeed and help the team, but would be interested to know the details. I’m looking forward to him getting some more time next year as he gains a little more experience throughout the off season. He’s shown he has great vision and a knack for getting a few extra yards when he touches the ball.
Rick,
Thanks for the support and kind words. I love everything BYU and it’s such a pleasure to be associated with it still.
Nate,
I realized that your are still answering people, so I thought I would also take advantage of this and give my props to KSL and the crew. I also have to frequently listen to KSL internet radio over seeing the games, and makes it a whole lot more bearable when you have great broadcasters. I like the fact that all of your big BYU fans, and even though you try to be “subjective” you all are still obviously true blue.
I’m also a big fan of James Dye. I’m curious if you ever watched film on him. He had some sweet returns my freshman year of 96′. Being the star armchair quarterback that I am, I’m curious and love talking to people who are legit.
Thanks for your post Trey. Yeah I have been a big James Dye fan ever since the first time I saw him play. I also remember very clearly the first time I met James Dye because I had always looked up to him so much. He then began coaching me up on punt returns whether it was in practice or in the games. I loved hearing what he had to say, because there are very few people who can relate to what it is you see out there on a punt return. Fortunately I still see him on the sidelines occasionally. I always enjoy bumping into James especially since he taught me a lot of techniques over my two years.
Staff,
Yeah, I could tell you were reminding Nate of your advice to him. I just couldn’t resist turning the thread on its ear. I’ve really appreciated your willingness to share your thoughts and memories here.
Go Cougs!
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