The difference in this year's team

[Lawboy]

I will take it a step further--BYU 2012 will go as far as RN can lead them. He is that important to high level success for 2012, and I think the reality is that everyone on the team knows it. We have the defense to be great this year, but need the O to pulls its weight, or at least not create negative situations for the D like happened in losses to Utah, TCU. The kid works hard, the kid rallies the team, and the kid has the respect of his team. He deserves loads of credit for that because I think it was earned.

I just want him to play smarter to limit injury risk. BEcause BYU has ZERO experience behind him.

[byucougar1]

I also believe that we need to have a strong running attack which compliments the Lawson game. Looking back over the years of success - R. Jenkins, B. McKenzie, Curtis Brown, Jamaal Willis, Luke Staley, Harvey Unga and our FBs that could block, run and catch the ball: Fahu Tahi, Fui Vakapuna, Manase Tonga. We need Alissa, Juice, Hine, Williams - someone to become a force and be able to be a threat to score from anywhere on the field by any manner - not just 3rd and short.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[SpiffCoug]

I will take it a step further--BYU 2012 will go as far as RN can lead them. He is that important to high level success for 2012, and I think the reality is that everyone on the team knows it. We have the defense to be great this year, but need the O to pulls its weight, or at least not create negative situations for the D like happened in losses to Utah, TCU. The kid works hard, the kid rallies the team, and the kid has the respect of his team. He deserves loads of credit for that because I think it was earned.

I just want him to play smarter to limit injury risk. BEcause BYU has ZERO experience behind him.

I agree with this. Riley has earned everything he's gotten so far. He is the key cog to BYU's success in 2012.

[Brayden Green]

I will take it a step further--BYU 2012 will go as far as RN can lead them. He is that important to high level success for 2012, and I think the reality is that everyone on the team knows it. We have the defense to be great this year, but need the O to pulls its weight, or at least not create negative situations for the D like happened in losses to Utah, TCU. The kid works hard, the kid rallies the team, and the kid has the respect of his team. He deserves loads of credit for that because I think it was earned.

I just want him to play smarter to limit injury risk. BEcause BYU has ZERO experience behind him.

I agree with this. Riley has earned everything he's gotten so far. He is the key cog to BYU's success in 2012.

I disagree. The Oline is the key. It was last year, and it will be this year. We were very near to dead last in running against above .500 teams. And if you minus the qb running, it is very nearly zero.

THe line couldn't pass protect or run block - under Heaps or Nelson. I think that Heaps, Nelson, Lark or whomever would have done a much better job last year if the line could hold a block for more than a second or two.

That is the key. IF they suck this year, kiss this season goodbye. It'll be an 8-5 or 9-4 season literally no matter who is under center. We can win half our schedule by running sweeps to the outside. The other half we'll be screwed for, and our D will win us a game or two.


To the OP: Riley is the "team uniter" and all of that, but what happens when he continues to struggle against average or good teams? Does the team stay "united" then?

- We punted 8 times against an average Tulsa defense last year in the season ender, and turned the ball over another 3 times (and we were lucky to not have a couple more TOs. One INT in the end zone was called back, and another surefire pick 6 was dropped.)

That is the only question I have: Are they rallying around Riley until once again the offense can't the job done, like his predecessors? Will they cut out and give up again?

[Lawboy]

Fair question, but I think RN has way more slack with teammates than Jake ever had.

I think Oline play will be big too. But I personally think they will be good enough. Perhaps not great, but good enough.

From there, it's on RN's shoulders. Gotta stay healthy.

[Cougarbib]

I will take it a step further--BYU 2012 will go as far as RN can lead them. He is that important to high level success for 2012, and I think the reality is that everyone on the team knows it. We have the defense to be great this year, but need the O to pulls its weight, or at least not create negative situations for the D like happened in losses to Utah, TCU. The kid works hard, the kid rallies the team, and the kid has the respect of his team. He deserves loads of credit for that because I think it was earned.

I just want him to play smarter to limit injury risk. BEcause BYU has ZERO experience behind him.

I agree with this. Riley has earned everything he's gotten so far. He is the key cog to BYU's success in 2012.

I disagree. The Oline is the key. It was last year, and it will be this year. We were very near to dead last in running against above .500 teams. And if you minus the qb running, it is very nearly zero.

THe line couldn't pass protect or run block - under Heaps or Nelson. I think that Heaps, Nelson, Lark or whomever would have done a much better job last year if the line could hold a block for more than a second or two.

That is the key. IF they suck this year, kiss this season goodbye. It'll be an 8-5 or 9-4 season literally no matter who is under center. We can win half our schedule by running sweeps to the outside. The other half we'll be screwed for, and our D will win us a game or two.


To the OP: Riley is the "team uniter" and all of that, but what happens when he continues to struggle against average or good teams? Does the team stay "united" then?

- We punted 8 times against an average Tulsa defense last year in the season ender, and turned the ball over another 3 times (and we were lucky to not have a couple more TOs. One INT in the end zone was called back, and another surefire pick 6 was dropped.)

That is the only question I have: Are they rallying around Riley until once again the offense can't the job done, like his predecessors? Will they cut out and give up again?

If you are going to kiss this season goodbye at 9-4 kiss it goodbye right now. 8-5 or 9-4 depending on who the Bowl Opponent is happens to be exactly what the world outside of Provo expects from this team. Anything less will be viewed by the world as underachievement. Anything more - overachievement.

If you want to label every season where this team merely meets objective expectations a failure - prepare yourself for a life of continued disappointment.

Or you could relax - have fun watching the team do their best given their limitations - and celebrate any tiny bit of overachievement.

This team will punt a lot against defenses. Opponents will punt a lot vs our defense. We will have some close games. Climatic endings.

And Riley may even find a way to top his high five of the ref. He just might.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Cougs_Rule]

I'm not sure Riley wants to have the legacy of "the high fivin qb". It sounds kind of like "the gunslinger" or "The Snake". But I guess if it's good to find a unique niche, that would qualify. I just hope he leaves a larger legacy than "The High Fiver."

[northerncougar]

I will take it a step further--BYU 2012 will go as far as RN can lead them. He is that important to high level success for 2012, and I think the reality is that everyone on the team knows it. We have the defense to be great this year, but need the O to pulls its weight, or at least not create negative situations for the D like happened in losses to Utah, TCU. The kid works hard, the kid rallies the team, and the kid has the respect of his team. He deserves loads of credit for that because I think it was earned.

I just want him to play smarter to limit injury risk. BEcause BYU has ZERO experience behind him.

I agree with this. Riley has earned everything he's gotten so far. He is the key cog to BYU's success in 2012.

I disagree. The Oline is the key. It was last year, and it will be this year. We were very near to dead last in running against above .500 teams. And if you minus the qb running, it is very nearly zero.

THe line couldn't pass protect or run block - under Heaps or Nelson. I think that Heaps, Nelson, Lark or whomever would have done a much better job last year if the line could hold a block for more than a second or two.

That is the key. IF they suck this year, kiss this season goodbye. It'll be an 8-5 or 9-4 season literally no matter who is under center. We can win half our schedule by running sweeps to the outside. The other half we'll be screwed for, and our D will win us a game or two.


To the OP: Riley is the "team uniter" and all of that, but what happens when he continues to struggle against average or good teams? Does the team stay "united" then?

- We punted 8 times against an average Tulsa defense last year in the season ender, and turned the ball over another 3 times (and we were lucky to not have a couple more TOs. One INT in the end zone was called back, and another surefire pick 6 was dropped.)

That is the only question I have: Are they rallying around Riley until once again the offense can't the job done, like his predecessors? Will they cut out and give up again?

If you are going to kiss this season goodbye at 9-4 kiss it goodbye right now. 8-5 or 9-4 depending on who the Bowl Opponent is happens to be exactly what the world outside of Provo expects from this team. Anything less will be viewed by the world as underachievement. Anything more - overachievement.

If you want to label every season where this team merely meets objective expectations a failure - prepare yourself for a life of continued disappointment.

Or you could relax - have fun watching the team do their best given their limitations - and celebrate any tiny bit of overachievement.

This team will punt a lot against defenses. Opponents will punt a lot vs our defense. We will have some close games. Climatic endings.

And Riley may even find a way to top his high five of the ref. He just might.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

If BYU loses 4 games this season, and I have been saying for months that they will, then this season is a failure. All the talk about unity, leadership, 29 seniors, O-Line being in so much better shape, having a fantastic set of WR's, great young RB talent, etc., etc., etc. is the same old garbage we have been hearing every year.

Nothing will have changed. If improving just means that we lose to the same teams each year, then we suck. Plain and simple.

[Cougs_Rule]

I agree. There is this certain odor or aire of inconfidence. I have even called it an "apologists" approach to account for The gap between how much the team has improved: heaps gone and not involved, Sr QB, Defense better, Offense better,more unity, non 1st year OC, etc, etc.
Is the schedule that much harder??? Or what??
So maybe we need a survey or something.
Is the gap between last years team and this years team wider than the gap between last years schedule and this years schedule. Not sure how to ask the question.
If last years team was a 6 out of 10 (taking into consideration the whole year, heaps and all), is this years team an 8?
And what of the schedule difficulty? Last year a 6? This year an 8?
The delta between the two could prove a very interesting analysis, notwithstanding the difference in hindsight vs foresight between last year and this upcoming year.

[YNot]

Defense gets a 8.5. Top 25 defense last year - 20 points/game, 316 yards/game - should improve with 7 returning starters and a lot of experience and depth, especially in the front 7.

Offense gets a 7+. Slightly above-average offense with 30 points/game, 410 yards/game. 7 returning starters, including Senior QB and experienced receivers, running backs, and O-line should improve.

Special teams 8. Above-average 42 yards/punt and 23 yards per kick return, 11 yards per punt return. Top 20 kicker - 8/12 from 30-30 yars, 5-8 from 40-49 yards, 100% PAT.

So that puts the team at an 8. The team should definitely show improvement over 2011.

There will be a schedule difference, although not as drastic as some think and definitely shouldn't be an overly difficult one when compared on the national scale. 2011 = 4.9; 2012 = 5.5.

2012 schedule = 5.5. Road games against Boise, Utah, Georgia Tech, and Notre Dame are 8-9 on the difficulty scale. Home games against Washington State, Oregon State, USU, and Hawaii are 5-6; road games versus NMSU and SJSU are 3-4 difficulty. Home games against Weber and Idaho are 1-2 difficulty.

2011 schedule = 4.9. Road games at Texas and TCU = 7-8. Road games at Mississippi and Oregon State = 6-7. Home game v. Utah = 7. Home games against USU and UCF and at Hawaii = 5-6. Home games against SJSU, NMSU = 2-3. Home games against Idaho and Idaho State = 1-2.