Have your expectations changed?

[blue42]

Curious to see how everyone's expectations are now for the season.

Those who were predicting BYU to win 6-7 does that now mean BYU doesn't make a bowl game?
8-9 is BYU lucky to now make a bowl game?
10+ does BYU fall back the 8-5 season for the 4th year in a row?

I was in the 9-10 wins this year with a healthy Taysom and Williams. When Williams left I was still optimistic that Taysom would still take us to the same win total, but now both are gone I don't know how I see it.

Don't get me wrong Tanner will be a very good QB and I believe he will shatter all of BYU's Freshman QB records that were set by Heaps, but there will still be growing pains and it may lead to 1or 2 games lost. If Heaps had a great Freshman season in a Doman run offense, wouldn't Tanner have even more success in Anae's system?

A positive for the team is most of these players already had to deal with Taysom and Williams going down last year and had to adjust to it, (coaches included) so I don't think there will be as big of adjustment that will happen this year with both Taysom and Williams gone again.

I think a negative will be, last year we still had Lasike and he picked up the slack in the run game. This year we don't have Paul so someone really needs to take control of the run game, no more sitting in the shadows letting someone else pick up the slack, and become the true feature back.

What do you guys think?

[vancouvercougar]

I had us at 13-0 like i do every year. So my expectations are downgraded to 11-2.

[frdbtr]

I had a 10 win season in mind with Taysom Hill. I now think BYU will make a bowl game but barely, unless the defense plays really good this year. Tanner Mangum is going to be really good if he is able to build on what I saw in his limited time against Nebraska. Having said that this year he is going to go through growing pains. If he doesn't he is going to go (if he stays healthy) down as the greatest BYU QB and it won't even be close. He would also end up a #1 draft pick and may go to the NFL early.

One more thing, Heaps was a Freshman in 10 and Anae was the offensive Coordinator that year. He played better that year under Anae then he did any other time in his career.

[Cougarfan87]

I had a 10 win season in mind with Taysom Hill. I now think BYU will make a bowl game but barely, unless the defense plays really good this year. Tanner Mangum is going to be really good if he is able to build on what I saw in his limited time against Nebraska. Having said that this year he is going to go through growing pains. If he doesn't he is going to go (if he stays healthy) down as the greatest BYU QB and it won't even be close. He would also end up a #1 draft pick and may go to the NFL early.

One more thing, Heaps was a Freshman in 10 and Anae was the offensive Coordinator that year. He played better that year under Anae then he did any other time in his career.

That's a good point. I am one who thinks that Mangum's arm coupled with the height of our receivers coupled with Anae's ability to create a substitute for a good running game means we are going to win plenty of games...as long as the defense plays well. I am still in the church of the undefeated until we see our first loss. I've had a feeling this was going to be a special season...whether that is undefeated (which would be otherworldly) or just the preview of great things to come with a very good season (9-3 or 10-2), I am excited about this season.

[BoiseBYU]

Odd, but my expectations have gone down, but my excitement has increased....

[snoscythe]

With a greyshirt frosh QB, I'll be okay with 7-6, 9-4 would be great. Anything more and I'm ecstatic. I fully expect Mangum to cost us a game or two just as he gets up to speed.

[blue42]

One more thing, Heaps was a Freshman in 10 and Anae was the offensive Coordinator that year. He played better that year under Anae then he did any other time in his career.

Doh! My mistake, you are correct I got my years mixed up! Maybe that is the best argument for those who think Anae couldn't coach his way out of a wet paperbag

[EM_Puma]

Actually my expectations improved in watching the game. I saw us as an 7-8 win team. But with TH now out for the season, I'm back to wondering how good we are. These next 3 games will tell me a whole lot with UCLA and Boise being the hardest. If we are 2-2 after 4 games, I wouldn't be surprised. I'm just tickled that we pulled out the NE game. Incredible to be on the positive side of a 29 year old string of victories ending.

With the hail Mary, Husker fans will, like UCLA with their 59-0 pasting, always have a sour taste in their mouths when BYU is mentioned. I already have that same taste for Boise as I was at that game where Matt Payne hooked left that FG to win the game.

[redneckjedi]

My biggest concern is actually Tuiloma and the run D. Bronco's defensive philosophy hinges on stopping the run first, and force you to execute consistently and repeatedly in the passing game. We got burned in the 1st against Nebraska, but after that Bronco's adjustments had things under control, and they totaled 37 rushing yards in the first half. After Tuiloma goes out, suddenly we can't get them off the field, until the 4th when we could sell out against the run because they were trying to kill clock - and even then we got torched by a fake screen.

If the D can step up to be an average Bronco D, especially against the run, I think Mangum has the tools and the weapons at his disposal to at least have us in every game. The biggest danger will be any pass-happy teams that can really expose our secondary.

[jonnylingo]

I was expecting 7 to 8 wins with healthy team. my expectation is about the same as the offense came out way better than it would and our defense looked like it had potential to be better after suspensions. my expectations increased when I saw that to thinking 9 wins or better was a real possibility.

even with a crappy defense, a healthy senior taysom that CAN beat you with his arm, is impossible to stop. my expectations started to skyrocket. then..... down he goes. then down goes tuiloma.

so with injuries, I am back to 7 to 8 wins. which is great in my opinion. if we win 8 games with these kinds of schedules (p5 type) and keep winning big games on national television our recruiting will get not just maintain but get better and independence is going to work.