BYU Football 2016: Jamaal and Taysom vs the Red Falcon

I'm an old school gaming fan. Many were the the summer nights of youth that you'd find me and my Nintendo occupying the TV after my dad's evening news and Jeopardy! habit was fed.

So back in 2014, hyped for a coming BYU football season that featured Taysom Hill and Jamaal Williams as a fabulous 1-2 punch of offence, I made a design for a t-shirt featuring the duo in the style of gaming's first great co op, Contra.

Who would have guessed that it would still be on point in 2016?

Even for the blue-blooded Cougar fan, there's always a few things to make you anxious in any new football season. This one?

Toughest schedule ever, chock full of P5s and rivals? Check. Brand new coaching staff with new schemes, including first time head coach and coordinators? Oh yeah. Big 12 expansion looming over it all like a giant alien ship that will either land with a welcoming party of Vulcans, or go all Independance Day on you without provocation? You bet your big shiny Texas belt buckle.

Some analysts have even said that even getting enough wins for a bowl game (which would be a continuing BYU record 11th consecutive invit) would be quite the accomplishment. Regardless of where a play here or there slides the win total, this I guarantee:

With Taysom and Jamaal, there will be more lighting and fireworks on the field than anything that will be fired off into the sky.

To be sure, a squad of good linemen and receivers are needed to unload the full arsenal. But even with only a little help, these two will have plenty of guns to keep BYU within firing range deep into the 4th quarter of every game.

Taysom Hill strikes a figure of superheroic proportions--only people can't seem to decided if he's Cap or Thor. His name strikes fear into the hearts of many a Longhorn, and when it doesn't it's at least met with a wince and an exclamation of, "What, that guy hasn't graduated yet?!"

And this year, with Columbus Touchdown Club of Columbus Freshman of the Year Tanner Mangum in the wings, Taysom is just going to Taysom, only harder than ever. Should the hero falter, the Miracle Man is ready, but until then, Coach Sitake has essentially given licence to BYU's senior quarterback to run wild and smash the twigs of linebackers and DBs under his might--when he isn't unloading to an open man on a nice timing route. At 26, he is close to his physical peak, and may never be stronger, faster, or more dominating.

In addition to his playmaking power, the emotional value of Taysom cannot be overstated. His return from a third season ending injury, staying with BYU even with a new coaching staff, the reason he changed his jersey number for 4 to 7---a mountain of rehab and work and rededication have put him emotionally in a much different place than ever before. Doubtless, he has his eyes on the next level, but he's buying the same thing that the best fans buy each year:

The singular sensation, granted during a small space of time, of standing on the field, hearing the faithful screaming as he takes off, breaks two tackles, and drags a DB like an annoying little brother at the kiddie pool into the end zone. The feeling of representing the team you chose, on the field and in life. The experience of college football itself. "This cannot be replicated. I am going to take advantage of it for as long as I can." 

Taysom (along with Jamaal, and fellow seniors Harvey Langi and Kai Nacua) was recently voted by the players as their captain. It doesn't take a sociology professor to guess why.

And then there's that other guy.

The college football world seems to have forgotten about Jamaal Williams. A year and a half away from the field is a decade in media years, and national pundits have moved on to the latest flavor of clickbait. Even local coverage seems to just check Jswagdaddy off like gold star at the top of the sheet, and move on to analyse fresher faces, like Troy Warner or Jonah Trinnaman. No doubt, those guys have exciting potential worth talking about. But Jamaal Williams is both a proven commodity, AND still has just as big of a potential as the new guys to be even better.

The man is only 21. (A 21 year old redshirt senior at Brigham Young is like coming home to find Sasquatch raiding your fridge--yeah, it might happen, but seldom seen and even less frequently believed.) Jamaal clearly has his best football years ahead of him. If coaches, media observers, and a glance at his rippling shoulders are to be believed, he used his time off to level up what was already a Division 1 body, and not a little. The mix of size, speed, and vision that have had him eyeing the Y's rushing record has improved with age. His ceiling is, as of yet, an imaginary place, vaguely outlined by the talking heads and the dreams of the Cougar faithful.

And it's not as if he's fragile--one season ending injury doth not a glass player make. He's not error prone, either. To date, he has yet to lose a fumble. 979 touches. No lost fumbles. Gold.

And aside from that little snafu at Virginia in 2013 (and let's be fair, the ball was sixty pounds and greased like an eel in that monsoon down on Harrison Field), he's a pretty sure handed catching the passes, too.

Jamaal Williams is everything BYU could ask for in a running back.

There are plenty of other talented players on both offense and defense that will come up big for BYU football this year. But the best running and gunning, the best firepower, the best chance to put points on the board at any given moment they are on the field are in the hands (and legs) of this senior duo.

They're ready for the invasion of Wildcats and Utes and Bruins, and they are loaded for bear.

It's almost too bad they aren't running the Spread any more. For naming aesthetics alone, that would have been almost too perfect.

BYU Basketball 2015-2016---An In Depth Roster Breakdown

A New Year, A Very New Team

This year's Cougar basketball team has a LOT of new faces. Only five of BYU's 16 rostered players saw active playing time last season. Nevertheless, the team appears appears to be very deep and varied, with a number of notable players with distinct skillsets. 

You might be wondering what all these new players bring to the table. Or you might be a newcomer to watching the Cougars, and want a feel as to who makes up the team. You might just want a review after a long offseason. If any of these apply, this blog post is for you. 

Below is an in-depth look at the complete 2015-2016 BYU Basketball roster---their basic measurements, some biographical notes, and a breakdown of what they bring to the court. I have ordered them by most likely to least likely to see minutes by position, but the talent on this team is good enough that any number of them could step up.

Guards:

PG Kyle Collinsworth

HT: 6'6" WT: 217 lbs Year: Senior Jersey #: 5

Notes: Collinsworth returns for his senior year having shown himself as one of the most versatile players in college basketball. Mr. Triple Double tied the NCAA career record for getting double digits in three stat categories, and set a new record for these in a season with 6. One more and he will own the career record to himself. Kyle was a freshman starter on the Jimmer-led Sweet 16 team, but has not had as much success in post-season play since. It was largely on Collinsworth's excellent play that BYU was able to topple #3/2 Gonzaga in the Kennel last year, one of the best wins in BYU basketball history.

Breakdown: Kyle's length and ball-handling at his position make him a match-up nightmare for most guards across the country, and when he's in the game he generals the BYU offense with experience and acumen. He's a very skilled slasher and transition passer, and finishes around the basket well. He also does well bothering the opposing point guard on defense. Once an average-to-bad free throw shooter, his accuracy improved vastly last year, and as he's around the basket frequently, this is a most welcome improvement. Collinsworth's weakness hitherto has been an inconsistent mid-range game and sub-par 3-point shot. The latter should not be a large issue, as he has plenty of eager shooters to pass to who can put it in the hoop from deep, but he will need to show progress in the former in order to be a complete player. Seeing how much he improved from previous off-seasons, it would be unwise to doubt him.

PG Nick Emery

HT: 6'2" WT: 180 Year: Freshman Jersey #: 4

Notes: Nick Emery comes in as one of the first of perhaps BYU's most highly touted recruiting class in its history---certainly the most in Dave Rose's tenure. He was part of a Lone Peak team that won three straight Utah state titles, and the team that was awarded a Maxpreps National Championship. Nick also has great lineage ties--his older brother Jackson was one of the best defenders in BYU history, and that backing in addition to Nick's offensive arsenal can only help him. He's been described as a "step on the neck" type of player, and in a few short games watching him work at the D1 level, that is beginning to emerge.

Breakdown: Nick is aggressive and capable of all sorts of trickery. He's got sharp dribbling as a true point guard type in body and style, and in high school he had a deep and deadly range. His blend of craftyness, aggression, shooting, and slashing may just prove him to be one of the most dangerous point guards to come to BYU. In fact, Emery has drawn favorable comparisons with not so much his brother but with that other guy on Jackson's team---the Jimmer Fredette. As Nick grows more experienced and confident, his use of crossover and deep, transition threes may garner even more deja vu to His Jimmerness. Likely, Nick has a couple stat points lower in offence but a few higher in defense than BYU's only consensus National Player of the Year. That he's on the same team as Mr. Triple Double is one of the reasons this year could be very exciting. Emery appears to be the heir apparent and primary backup for Kyle, and getting the chance to be his understudy is a golden opportunity. Don't be surprised if his talent and will put him on the floor at the same time as Collinsworth, especially for certain matchups.

PG Cory Calvert

HT: 6'3" WT: 190 lbs Year: Sophomore Jersey #: 23

Notes: Calvert is still fairly fresh off his 2 year LDS mission to Boston, but Coach Rose deemed him in good enough shape to take him on the team's Spain trip. Unfortunately, this also resulted him an ankle injury for the sophomore guard, which may be lingering. Still, plenty of time yet to get it healed. Before his mission, Cory saw backup PG minutes in limited time behind starter Matt Carlino and senior Craig Cusick, which would be a tough rotation for a freshman to crack. Still, he played in 28 games,  

Breakdown: There really isn't much of a sample size to get a full appreciation of Calvert's game at the D1 level, but in spot time he appeared to have solid fundamentals as a PG in terms of ball-handling, and a go-to shot in from three. In fact, if memory serves, he hit a couple big shots from deep against Weber State. What was viewable from his court demeanor was a serious competitor and intense concentration. From his single post-mission interview on BYUtv, he showed a lot of poise and confidence. It's unclear in the relative glut of PGs where Calvert will fall, but from appearances he will at least be a steady presence for the Cougars for years to come.

PG Cooper Ainge

HT: 6'0" WT:180  Year: Freshman (RS) Jersey #: 10

Notes: Cooper is another gift from the fruitful tree of Ainge basketball kids. While none so far have quite broken new ground for themselves away from their illustrious father, the Ainges consistently prove valuable commodities to BYU basketball teams. Coop is an RM who redshirted the 2012-2013 season, so he's got enough experience and background to know what he's doing on the team. He is one of three walk-ons on the roster.

Breakdown: By all indications, Ainge isn't going to get a ton of playing time. This is not so much because he is personally lacking so much that the lineup for PG is so stacked with Collinsworth, Emery, Chatman. and Calvert. In fact, he appears almost to be a smaller, quicker version of Calvert in his limited playing time---solid in controlling the offence, a good deep shooter with good fundamentals, but at 6'0" (shortest on the team) basketball coaches who see two players of similar value will often pick the taller one. Still, it's comforting to know that whenever he is called upon, Cooper should at least keep the Cougar's steady.

SG Chase Fischer

HT: 6'3" WT:190 lbs Year: Senior Jersey #: 1

Notes: Chase transferred from Wake Forest after his sophomore year, and after having sat out the 2013-2014 season, joined the BYU roster as their starting SG. The Demon Deacons style likely didn't mesh well with Fischer's skillset, as they are a controlled possession team that limits shots and Chase is at his best as a volume shooter. As a junior, he hit 103 3-point shots for the Cougars, second most in BYU history to Jimmer Fredette, and also set the record for threes in a game with 10. Fischer's outgoing personality and southern charm make him a fan favorite. He is very, very confident, and largely manages this without seeming arrogant, so points for him.

Breakdown: While he's working to expand his offensive repertoire into the midrange, Fischer at his base is as a bomber from deep. He showed the capability on several occasions to get hot early and splash from progressively longer range with increasing difficulty as his confidence grows. On the flip side, he had trouble recovering from a slow start, especially in the same half of play, and could jack up four or five bricks before the ball had to be taken out of his hands. Still, overall his benefit outweighs his risk, as he is a steady ball handler, careful passer, and when the opportunity permits, makes attacks to the basket that mostly look good---but occasionally get swatted like a dizzy fly. His defense is solid, but unremarkable, and with this being his third year in the program, he should know the system and the plays fully. If he can improve his consistency from three and add a little more dimension inside the arc as he has stated he's worked on in the off season, Fischer can be a very dangerous weapon for the Cougars. He may even break Jimmer's record for 3-pointers in a season. Chase also is a big force for the Cougars in sheer personality. He's got a lot of talk in him---he encourages, jokes, shouts, and leads with vocal power. There was a reason he was made a captain his first year on the active roster.

SG Jordan Chatman

HT: 6'5" WT: 195 Year: Freshman (RS) Jersey #: 25

Notes: Jordan's father Jeff was an all-timer at the Y, and it seemed almost destined he would end up playing for the Cougars. He came back off of his mission right before the start of the season the previous year, so with a body that really wasn't ready for D1 and injury hampering him, Coach Rose granted him a redshirt for the year. On the plus side, a full year training with the team could really give him a leg up.

Breakdown: Chatman has a great combination of height, shot, ball handing, and athleticism. He's one of several all-rounders from the guard position on the team, and although you won't see him posting up much with his slighter frame, he isn't afraid to attack the basket and has some serious hops. During the brief looks at his game so far, his three point shooting looks very smooth. Unfortunately, he's shown a slight propensity toward injury in his young career, but the ones sustained in his first year could be attributed to his body not being ready post-missionary service. At 6'5", it would be good for him to put a little more weight. If he adds some protective muscle, Chatman could be dynamic with attacking the basket and finishing through contact in addition to his smooth shot and confident ball movement.

SG/SF Jake Toolson

HT: 6'5" WT: 205 Year: Sophomore Jersey #: 15

Notes: Jake is yet another from great BYU lineage, having players in his family tree both on the Toolson side and on his mother's (Ainge) side. He and Cooper Ainge are first cousins. Jake saw a lot of spot time in the 2014-2015 season---a fact coach Rose laments, as his skills are legitimate. It's just hard to squeeze a young player in the minutes of all-time scoring leader Tyler Haws or excellent seniors Anson Winder and Skyler Halford. Still, with a year more experience and a whole offseason with the team to polish his skills, it seems clear that Toolson is going to make a huge jump in his sophomore year. 

Breakdown: Yet another offensive weapon with a lot of balance, Toolson has shown very good ball handling for his size and enough speed to cut to the basket for an easy score. However, his most prominent trait on offense is his picture-perfect shooting form, which makes him a danger to score and score easily any time his feet are set. As a player, Jake is extremely confident---rivalling the swagger of Chase Fischer and former player Matt Carlino. In limited looks defending more talented players, Jake seems just adequate. It appears as if he's more focused on offense in general, but time will tell. Recently he's had a couple of looks with a back-to-the-basket moves against smaller guards, but at his size he seems more suited to be a 2 or 3 guard.

SF Zac Seljaas

HT: 6'7" WT: 215 Year: Freshman Jersey #: 2

Notes: Zac finished his high school career as the Utah Gatorade Player of the Year, continuing a run of recruits that the Y has managed to bring to Provo that received at least one of the the states POY honors. Others include Nick Emery(2x), Tyler Haws (2x), Jackson Emery, Kyle Collinsworth, and the upcoming T.J. Haws (Deseret News Mr Basketball each---Nick and Ty got both). The list of GPOY awardees also includes Chris Collinsworth and Chris Miles, the former a promising career cut short by injury, the latter a leader and starter for the Cougs. Looking at that list, it should give you a decent idea of the caliber of player Seljaas has the capability of becoming. 

Breakdown: Zac is long and shifty, and is capable of putting up a shot from all ranges. His 3 point shot has seemed a little streaky in the early season, but between his length and his shooting form (a stop-and-pop with a slight fade) his shot could be extremely difficult to stop when it's on. He's also shown flashes of attacking the basket for rebounds and putbacks, as well as a good step-in-and-fade or two from midrange. Early on, he has been a step slow against defenders, resulting in some foul trouble, but this could just be part of his adjusting to the speed of college players. He also doesn't seem the first choice for handling the ball too much, and seems mostly ideal as a small forward. He'll be fighting Toolson and Chatman for minutes at the 3 made available by Tyler Haws' graduation.

Forwards:

PF Nate Austin

HT: 6'11" WT: 245 Year: Super Senior Jersey #: 33

Notes: Ah, Nate. He is a fan favorite, and for good reason. BYU's exceedingly senior forward is the epitome of a team first guy. With his senior season last year cut short by injuries, he was granted a medical redshirt to continue his eligibility. The only problem was, BYU had a very full roster for this year---they had recruited with the expectation that Nate would not be around for a 6th season. However, instead of trying to transfer or pushing for another player to sit, Nate opted to walk on for his definitely last season. This is a man (at his age, definitely a man) who was a starter and heavy contributor his junior and senior years. So he is basically a free starter-class player added to BYU's roster without using a scholarship. Between he and Cooper Ainge and Alan Hamson (covered below), they form a pretty darn impressive walkon group. Those close to the court always know that Nate Austin is there by his distinctive roar, earning him the nickname and twitter handle @RexosaurusRex.

Breakdown: Hustle, rebounding, putbacks, hustle, post defense, drawn charges, and I feel it imperative to once again put hustle. Nate Austin is the man who will put his incredibly long frame on the floor for loose balls, scrabble after the ball when someone bricks a shot, and get your team 5-6 extra possessions a game just by outworking everyone else. That and his sheer length are his greatest assets. Although Austin has a good shot in certain situations (primarily a mid-range fade, from the elbows or around 15 feet from the basket) he has a bevy of shooters around him and more often opts to pass the rock, and gets the majority of his points the second-chance way. Like many who play with his style, and depending on the day's officiating, Nate is occasionally prone to foul trouble, but with so many bodies with high levels of skill on the floor, this may prove less of a hinderance than previous years. Mostly, Nate is the kind of guy everyone wants on their team---someone who loves to compete and win, and is willing to leave it all on the floor.

PF Kyle Davis

HT:6'8" WT:225  Year: Junior (RS transfer) Jersey #: 21

Notes: Kyle Davis, KD, has been a bit of a man on the transfer circuit in Utah. Starting his college basketball career at Southern Utah back in 2010-2011 when Jimmer, Jackson and the Cougars were painting the town blue, he went on a mission to Detroit (you know, that American city that filed for bankruptcy) before transferring to Utah State. With the Aggies, he started all but two games of the season, and scored just under 10 points and grabbed 7.6 rebounds a game under Stew Morrill's clock-eating offense--including 16 points and 9 rebounds in the Aggies' loss to the Cougars. His transfer from SUU to USU was likely due to the retirement of the head coach there, former BYU headman Roger Reid, but it's not entirely clear why he left the Aggies except, "just based on me wanting to pursue my basketball career in a different place. I felt like it was best for me in order to become the basketball player I could become" (KSL article). It's possible that KD may have seen the hand writing on the wall, as Stew Morrill also retired at the end of the following year, and the Aggies are in a bit of a rebuilding phase. In any case, the Cougars are glad to have a solid, talented inside presence inserted into their lineup. 

Breakdown: KD has strong, effective post moves that get buckets, and greater than expected athleticism. He's dogged and physical on both ends of the floor, and has a fair amount of shot-blocking ability. That post presence will be important for the Cougars this year, and a great boon to a largely outside shooting team from a year before by both scoring hard-nosed points and kicking it out for 3's and slashers. Add to that, KD has a lot of experience at D1, has had a full year under Dave Rose's system when he sat out due to transfer rules (without being released by USU to boot, so he did it without a scholarship) and is a very welcome veteran presence on a largely young team. While his offensive attack is effective, and he has a bit of midrange game, he's not so much a stretch 4 so much as a traditional one. There's really nothing overwhelming about his post game in terms of flash. However, in a meat-and-potatoes kind of way, it is largely effective, and could prove pivotal for the Cougars this season.

PF Jamal Aytes

HT:6'6" WT:235 Year: Sophomore (RS/transfer) Jersey #: 40

Notes: Jamal is another man with some transfer history, although much shorter than KD's. He was closely recruited by BYU, but instead chose UNLV for his college career. After a couple months with not much playing time to show for it, Jamal decided to give the Cougars a second try. He was intended to be a contributor starting the 2014-2015 season, but due to persistent injuries that included a surgically repaired ankle, he ended up using a medical redshirt instead. Now he's back, and although the BYU staff has been bringing him along slowly after a lot of recovery, he's shown flashes of being an important contributor down low for the Cougars.

Breakdown: There hasn't been much D1 footage or time yet for Jamal, but what we have seen and bits dropped by coach Rose indicate he's a powerful, shifty low post scorer and out-of-area rebounder that is used to going up against taller players. The coach compared his game to that of Keena Young---one of the best power forwards to play for Dave Rose. Much like KD, Jamal will be called upon to be a threat inside, and he has already shown some good passing acumen when the defenses collapses on him. So far, Aytes' main trouble is staying healthy---in addition to his lost year, he's already rolled an ankle (the other one) in the first exhibition. Here's hoping Jamal can get on pace and do some damage down low---he could make a huge difference against front court heavy teams like St. Mary's or Gonzaga.

PF Jakob Hartsock

HT: 6'8" WT:205 Year: Freshman Jersey #:34

Notes: Out of Bartlesville, OK comes the younger brother of Cougar great Noah Hartsock. Fresh off a mission to Las Vegas, Jakob may not have gotten as much publicity as shiny names like Haws, Emery, Mika, Dastrup et al, but if early signs are any indication, he may just steal a fair bit of their luster with his "next level offensive game" as coach Rose calls it. 

Breakdown: You may find a picture of Jakob next to "Stretch 4" in the dictionary---just like Noah's. Big bro himself admits that Jakob may be a bit more athletic and more polished earlier in his career than Noah---a better shooter, but a bit less of a banger down low. Already in the exhibition portion of the season, Hartsock has exhibited that silky, devastating turnaround jumper in an eerie mirror image of the ghost of Hartsocks past---only from further away and not always on the baseline. The sight of it splashing in the net brought goosebumps, and maybe a small tear. In the small sample size, it's not totally clear what kind of defender Jakob is, but if he really is more athletic than Noah, who was himself very underrated as a rim protector, he just might be really, really good. Between his recent playing days and the unmistakable similarities in their game/looks (much more so than between the Emerys) Jakob may be unfairly lumped in with Noah for a while yet, but really, that's not such a bad place to be.

PF Braiden Shaw

HT:6'9" WT:210 Year: Freshman Jersey #:31

Notes: RM Shaw may come at the end of this list of PF, but in limited exposure he hasn't shown himself to be a lesser piece by any means. An Eagle, ID native (you know, the same place as that Tanner Mangum guy---in fact, they both played on the basketball team together) he didn't exactly get a ton of exposure there, either. But seeing as his parents both played at the Y, Braiden decided to send a highlight tape to the school as his place of choice. This resulted in Shaw being invited to camps, getting a visit to campus, and then a scholarship offer. Coach Rose and then-assistant Mark Pope have a good eye for big men, so there's a good chance this will work out.

Breakdown: Shaw appears to be an understudy of the stretch 4 mold, with some early time showing more proficiency on the block. He has the right kind of body for Dave Rose's run-and-gun system, and some of his high school tape shows he has an aggressive mindset defensively. The second exhibition definitely put him in a favorable light: he moved well without the ball, got some open dunks, and hustled in a way that reminded strongly of Nate Austin. Down Kaufusi, Aytes, and Davis, Braiden showed he can step in and make a difference.

Centers:

C Corbin Kaufusi

HT: 6'10" WT: 255 Year: Sophomore Jersey #: 44

Notes: 2014-2015's most pleasant surprise returns with an additional year of post-mission conditioning and game experience to add to his freakish athleticism. Corbin is famously known as the player who was recruited to a football scholarship but came back from his mission to South Korea 6'10" instead of 6'7". A few pickup games with BYU's squad and some on-the-job learning through the season later, Corbin was the Cougars' starting center. As per raw potential, Kaufusi has perhaps the highest ceiling of any of the current hoopsters, and it's exciting to think what kind of progress he may make in the next couple of years. Imagine a Corbin and Eric Mika combo....

Breakdown: Even now, Corbin Kaufusi is still very raw. But his speed, hops, and rim-protecting ability make him a game changer, especially defensively. When those monsters in the Gonzaga front line start to pound it inside, he is BYU's best option to hold them off---as he did at Gonzaga in the last conference game of the year to help stun the 3rd ranked Bulldogs. Many of his fouls last season were the result being forced to help on dribble penetration passed the guards, so if that could at least be limited, and with the presence of so many other bigs, Corbin should be able to play a little more freely and more aggressively this year. If he has used his offseason effectively to develop some inside offencive technique, his power could easily overwhelm opponents.

C Alan Hamson

HT: 7'2" WT: 210 Year: Freshman Jersey #: 12

Notes: The younger brother of perhaps BYU's greatest female athlete, the two sport star Jennifer Hamson, Alan Hamson arranged while on his mission to walk on to the team. He returned from his two year service in California a scarce month before the season, however, and likely needs a considerable amount of time yet to acclimate to the rigors of basketball. Because of this, he was last off the bench in the Cougars' first exhibition. He wasn't very heavily recruited out of high school due to scoliosis surgery (a common malady for very,very tall people). Add his two years of recovery as a missionary (a questionable rehab schedule), and it makes it tough for a team to invest in him. However, there's also a chance he may be a diamond in the rough. He averaged 10.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6 blocks his last year of high school (his 123 blocks is the second highest record in the state after that Shawn Bradley guy), and is the tallest player ever to play for Dave Rose.

Breakdown: Well... he's really tall. Other than that, there's really not much known about Hamson's style and strengths. He does clearly need some adjustment time, and putting on 20-30 pounds of muscle at least would be nice---just looking at him makes people exclaim "somebody get that man a sandwich!"---if for no other reason than to prevent him from being broken in half when he goes out for a screen. At least he's gotten a fair amount over his senior of high school---he was listed at 180 at that time. He was basically a shot-blocking ghost. Offensively, likely due to this lack of weight, he didn't bang down low so much as get a decent mid-range position and put up a floating shot over his defender. Still, if your main trait of note at the beginning of a walk on career is that you clear 7 feet with a 7 1/2 foot wingspan, that's not really a terrible thing. As the man says, "You can't teach height."

Additional Notes

Team Legacy Recruit

Because of the type of school BYU is and the type of recruits it pursues, Cougar athletics really runs in bloodlines. On this year's squad, Cooper Ainge, Braiden Shaw, Jordan Chatman, Kyle Collinsworth, Nick Emery, Jake Toolson, Jakob Hartsock, Alan Hamson, and especially Corbin Kaufusi have had parents, siblings, uncles etc. in spades that have worn the Cougar Blue. If you're keeping count, that's 9 of 16 rostered players who have BYU in their DNA, some with big shadows cast by their forebears both recent and not. There may even be a few more on the list that I may have missed, and more are coming, with recruits like T.J. Haws and Payton Dastrup in the pipeline. 

It's hard to argue with the recruiting tactic. Recruits know what they're getting themselves into, and the school knows they are both prepared mentally and gifted physically via their gene pool to compete.

Moving On from an All-Timer

A big storyline that will follow the Cougars through the year is: how will they move on from Tyler Haws? The all-time leading scorer is plying his trade in Europe, and like the year after Jimmer left, he leaves quite the void. However, like every time a great player leaves, there's usually someone who steps in to fill the void. When Jimmer went on as the NBA's 10th draft pick, Noah Hartsock picked up as the focule point of scoring, and led the team well. When Noah graduated, there was Haws stepping in from his mission to fill it up. 

Scoring in general won't be an issue. There is enough talent on the team, as indicated above, that buckets will be had, even if its not so many to one person. The real question is, when you're down by a point or three, and the seconds are ticking off the clock, in whose hands do you want the ball? Collinsworth seems like the right choice, but what if you need a three? This is definitely a question the Cougars will have to answer to have a successful season. Or at least, it will really, really help.

Name Teams Fear Provo

A glance at the preseason schedule for the Cougars shows a lot of great teams... on the road, and at tournaments. Those with names that people on the east coast recognize will not be making as much of an appearance this season at the Marriott Center. Utah, Harvard, Colorado, and possibly Oklahoma (depending on how the Diamond Head Classic tournament works out) are great prospects for some names to be crossed off, but even though some will be decent for RPI by current guesstimation, one's ears don't exactly perk up at the notion of playing Belmont, Central Michigan, and Adam's State. Utah State may be fun, and a great game to see as a fan, but unfortunately it won't put many eyes on Provo. The big names know that likely as not, they'll be leaving the Marriott Center without a W, so this year in particular Coach Rose had trouble getting them there. BYU will have to play really well and drop almost no home games to get the votes they need come March, both inside conference and out.

The bright side is... winning in Provo seems to be the in thing this year. The women's soccer, women's volleyball, and football teams have or show every sign of finishing their seasons untouchable at home. They currently have a combined record of 24-0. It's reasonable to believe that, with this schedule, the men's basketball Cougars can do the same.

In any case, this has the look of a fun season. The Cougars are by no means perfect, but they do have the tools to be great. It's just a matter of how well this large and varied cast plays their part. That and defense. Oh defense, you elusive and cagy creature, you.

Women's Volleyball: The Phone Booth

Lexi Elman slammed another kill into the floor.

The outside hitter for the Pacific Tigers had been making the BYU defense look positively anemic, and the Cougars couldn't get the ball down. Alexa Grey swang and swang, but the Pacific team was on her every move. Elman hammered her point home like a dozen others so far that night---a solid pass, a very quick set, and between the outstretched hands of Cougar defenders.

Before long, Pacific was up 2-0 in the sets, and BYU was trying to not have thoughts about getting swept. They had tried both of their excellent setters, Camry Willardson and Alohi Robins-Hardy, but despite their and Grey's and opposite Cosy Burnett's best efforts, the offence wasn't coming. They had to find something quickly, or they were about to make a very early exit from Pacific's Spanos Center. Somewhere in that intermission, they found what they needed.

It was a phone booth.

They set it up in front of the net.

Pacific, who had been averaging just under .300 in the first two sets, never hit higher than .000 the rest of the night. The Cougars had gotten back to what the Cougars do.

Block.

It is their ultimate turnaround weapon. There is almost no lead in sets so great that cannot be taken away by the fear that every attack you make will be hammered right back into your face.

Historically, BYU volleyball teams have been strong in the block since the age of coach Carl McGown on the men's team, who was known as one of the foremost blocking coaches in the country. When Shawn Olmstead, a national champion libero from those years under McGown, took over the women's team in 2011, he made several immediate changes. For one, he made the libero a scholarship player. For two, he took with him the Carl McGown philosophy in blocking.

After a couple years, the BYU women's team's defense at the net began to flourish. In 2014, they had the most team blocks per set in the nation, with both the individual leaders in blocks in Whitney Howard and Amy Boswell. Now with Shawn gone to the men's team, his sister Heather Olmstead at the helm has the Cougars right back where they were. You can believe she had a thing or two to say at the intermission. It showed. That same duo of Howard and Boswell made that evident.

There is still no one at the collegiate level better at the net than the Cougars.

Not only did BYU stifle the Tiger's with 19 soul-crushing blocks as a team, but once their wall went up and the ceiling got lower, the number of errors for Pacific shot up---and out, and over. Lexi Elman, seemingly unstoppable after two, ended with 13 errors to offset her 23 kills on the night. When she wasn't shut down outright, she and opposite Maycie Labass were simply trying too hard to find some way, any way, to get steady production inside the white lines. What had been a 2-0 lead became a 3-2 loss. In total, the Tiger's had 39 errors as a team to the Cougars' 17.

And that was what turned the match.

One thing every successful team needs is an identity. People have to know their place, their position, their roll. Alexa Gray is the Ace on the attack. Ciara Parker is a the Defender Prime---a recording-holding libero for digs. And behind their indomitable middles Boswell and Howard, the Cougars are a blocking team.

Certainly, BYU is not unbeatable. Their 14-2 record is proof enough of that. Their blocking has shown some inconsistency compared to last year---they are merely the 5th best blocking team in the nation instead of the best. But when their front line is as dominant as it can be, as it is at its best, there are few indeed that can manage to get passed the Cougars.

Beware the Phone Booth.

Quick Hits

Basketball

Both men's and women's teams are now into the full swing of practice, getting a feel for new additions to their rosters. The men's team has the look of a deep, balanced team, and despite not getting any votes in the preseason coaches poll, many believe the overall makeup of the team could be better than last year's. That's even with losing all time leading scorer Tyler Haws. The women's team has to replace their rock in the middle, WCC Player of the Year Morgan Bailey, but according to Coach Judkins they have talent and athleticism in their new forwards, particularly New Zealand transfer JR Kalani Purcell. The women's teams has been perennial contenders in the WCC, knocking off frontrunner Gonzaga in the conference tournament twice, and consistently making trips to the NCAA. Frankly, they deserve a lot more fans showing up to their games than they have gotten. Both teams showcased their stuff with the 3rd Annual "Boom Shakalaka" on Friday night, which, if you're a 90's era gamer like me, is a name that warms the heart.

Women's Soccer

The Cougars continue to roll with the wins, even if they are a bit closer than desirable. With a school record 49 shots and 19 corner kicks, BYU only managed to out San Diego 1-0. Still, sitting pretty with a top-5 ranking and a 12-1-1 record, if the Cougars manage to improve their offensive accuracy and maintain their dominance in the WCC, they not only will take a fourth straight WCC championship, but have a chance to host up to four matches in the NCAA tournament. Their Elite Eight run in 2012 was one of the most thrilling things to happen on BYU campus in sports. Even with their second loss of the season coming this week at San Francisco, they still have a chance at that again with 20th ranked Santa Clara on the slate next.

Women's Volleyball

While the block was clearly evident in both the Pacific match and the Saint Mary's game that followed, BYU managed to put away scrappy Gonzaga in three sets with only 7 blocks. After a bit of a swoon for a large portion of the first set, the serve game of the Cougars was too much for the Bulldogs. Racking up 6 aces and a number more poor passes that weren't handled cleanly, the Cougs forced a lot of free balls and let their pin hitters Alexa Grey and Cosy Burnett do the demolition work. The pair had 21 and 15 kills, respectively, and both hit well over .500 for the match. The Cougars took care of business at home against Portland in similar manner. They have a road swing of their own this week against Pepperdine (who they dispatched 3-0 in a mostly one-sided match) and LMU. While you never know when a conference foe will jump out at you, there is little reason why the Cougars should not take the WCC title again.

Football

Oh, that BYU quarterback. There is no greater source of drama for the BYU football teams. Not the kind of teen drama you get on the WB. The drama of great, seemingly perfectly executed and time honored rising action---hopeful start, encounter adversity, toil for a while, and then rise above it.

Tanner Mangum is injured, is out---ECU uses this to start putting points on the board, ties it 38-38 with four minutes to go. And then to the roar of teammates and crowd, Mangum returns to the field. Suddenly, everyone on the blue and white was trying harder---wide receivers and offensive line blocking great swaths, running backs tearing up chunks of years with abandon. Tanner only passes three times, but each one is crisply caught for solid yardage as he calmly drives the field 75 yards for the score, leaving only 19 seconds on the clock. Everyone believed in him, and it was evident. Fans, coaches, and players knew as soon as he hobbled back under center, that things were well in hand. 

The next week, with that injured hamstring, Mangum looked hobbled in the first half against Cincinnati. The Bearcats had the nations 5th ranked offence and showed it in that first quarter. Still, with a lot of Cougars returning from injury and suspension on the defensive side of the ball, the Cougars rallied to a furious 4th quarter in which they held the Bearcats to -7 yards and scored 21 points themselves. With Wagner and Fresno State left on the home slate, BYU should almost certainly have a perfect home record on the season.

Upcoming Games

FTB	Oct 24, 2015 Saturday	Wagner	1:00 PM MDT	Cougar IMG Sports Network	BYUtv
WVLB	Oct 24, 2015 Saturday	Loyola Marymount*Preview	12:00 PM PDT		TheW.tv
SFB	Oct 24, 2015 Saturday	UNLV	1:00 PM MDT
WSOC	Oct 24, 2015 Saturday	Santa Clara*Preview	1:00 PM PDT		TheW.tv
MBKB	Oct 28, 2015 Wednesday	Cougar Tipoff	7:00 PM MDT	Cougar IMG Sports Network	BYUtv

Men's Basketball---Balance and Depth, First Look

This week we divert to basketball.

No, this is not all because the football team got utterly destroyed had some trouble last Saturday, and I'm avoiding that reality at least until the UConn game.

And if you buy that, I've got a bridge to sell you.

Nonetheless, BYU Basketball Media Day legitimizes a small peek at the upcoming season before the major preview comes down the line. Coach Dave Rose's Cougars start their first practice of the year this coming Monday October 5th, and the watch word for the 2015-2016 version is 'balance'.

With the loss of all-time leading scorer Tyler Haws, the question of who will be the go-to guy in the clutch hangs in the air, but unlike the guard-heavy line-up of last year, the Cougars show promise of a variety of sizes and depth at all positions.

Mr. Triple Double, PG Kyle Collinsworth, returns for his senior year looking to break the NCAA record for which he gets his nickname, and is flanked by prolific (if at times inconsistent) scorer SG Chase Fischer and all-time hustle-man PF Nate Austin. Nate returns via a medical redshirt for a final year, and has opted to essentially be a walk-on---foregoing scholarship status to add his 6'11" frame of pure competitive verve to the front court lineup.

The other big returner from last years squad (and one of those pegged by Coach Rose as having most likely locked down a spot) is Corbin "found money" Kaufusi. Last year's unexpected (and, by the end of the season, vital) addition to the 5-spot continues to draw raves from teammates for his athleticism, bolstered by reports of improvement in fundamentals. Rose did also note in his press conference, however, that the lineman-turned-basketball-center is still "a really aggressive player, and he'll have to play major minutes and figure out how to stay out of fowl trouble."

Also returning, SF/SG Jake Toolson saw only spot duty his freshman year, but has all the signs up making a big leap for this season---as many do after a year in the program.

Other than that, to one extent or another, everyone else is a fresh face. Those with prior D1 experience include PG Cory Calvert fresh off his mission (and a little banged up from the Cougars' Spain trip) who played his freshman year for the Cougars in admirable backup duty, and transfers PF Kyle Davis and PF Jamal Aytes. Both Davis and Aytes should bolster the Cougars' inside scoring that was so mediocre for the 2014-2015 season.

Highly-touted guard Nick Emery makes his debut in a Cougar uniform this year, and appears to be the heir apparent at point guard. When Collinsworth is getting rested, there's a good chance Emery will be getting minutes, and may also see some SG duty. Zack Selijaas was the Utah Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior, and with his length and shooting touch, could be a good option at the 3, but is fresh out of high school. Redshirt freshman guard Jordan Chapman showed some smooth three-point shooting during the team's trip to Spain---he just may be Fisher's back up for when the senior's inconsistency streak shows, and is yet another option for the backup point.

Lower on the list in terms of experience and accolades, forwards Jakob Heartsock and Braden Shaw and PG Cooper Ainge have the right genes, as does walk-on Alan Hamson, a 7'3" center of whom Coach noted, "You can't teach height." At least one or two of these will likely step up, but time will tell who among them will become solid contributors.

So to summarize, with good options at up to 6-deep for the guards and 5-deep for the forwards, the Cougars can and should have a more even distribution of points and points of a attack than last year. Additionally, Coach Rose hopes this will lend itself to better defense---forwards guarding forwards instead of guards matching up against superior height and weight. And who knows, among those looking to get some minutes, there may be another Josh Sharp waiting to emerge.

As the season draws closer, keep an out out for a complete breakdown of every player---their style, prospects, strengths, and weaknesses.

Until then, lets enjoy the fall sports---as much as we can.

Quick Hits

Football
Ugh. We're going to just pretend last week was a bye, the Cougars are now magically 2-2 instead of 2-1, and move on from there. The University of Connecticut has shown some ability on defense, and less on offense, but the friendly confines of Lavell Edwards Stadium and a powerful thirst for points by the BYU offense (for some reason) should put them in good stead. UConn will be by far the weakest team on the schedule so far, so trouble here would be very troubling for BYU's remaining games for the season. Thin depth at running back is a concern with Adam Hine and Algie Brown merely "possible" for Friday, but its hopeful Riley Burt and Francis Bernard can step in and provide at least some option for the run to take pressure off of Tanner Mangum. Nate Carter really hasn't been effective, but its hard to tell on his limited touches.

Women's Volleyball:
Conference play really is a different ballgame. The Cougar's experienced their first big upset of the season, falling to Santa Clara for the second year running. The Broncos clearly have the Cougars' number, as they have been less impressive (but by no means bad) in their other matches this season with at 10-4 record. Thankfully, BYU had a nice bounce back win at home against LMU Tuesday, although it was by no means easy. After dropping the first set, the Cougars battled close with the Lions, but took the match 3-1 on the strength of 13 blocks, 7 aces, and a strong night from Cosy Burnett (12 kills) and Amy Boswell (6 blocks, 9 kills).

The Cougars' blocks seem to come in spurts, one minute lost and the next setting up a phone booth at the net. Alexa Gray has had some early season consistency problems (12 kills but 7 errors vs LMU), as she is scoring well but committing more errors than the team's star should. On the bright side, her digs and defensive presence overall has improved from last year, and it showed against the Lions (13 digs). Hopefully, she can put her offense back on pace with her defense and isn't trading one for the other.

Women's Soccer:
The Cougars allowed only their third goal of the season, but took the game against Long Beach State 2-1. Her pair of assists garnered Michele Murphy Vasconsalos WCC Player of the Week honors, and Ashley Hatch and Elena Mederos both got on the board. This was an important improvement after tying  (*sigh* soccer) Cal Poly 1-1 last Thursday. The 6th ranked BYU team in the nation starts conference play at Gonzaga Thursday this week (who shouldn't pose too much trouble for the Cougs) and Saturday at Portland (who traditionally pose a whole lot of trouble). Neither have had stellar seasons to start, but as noted earlier, conference play is a different animal.

Quote of the Week:

I don't think its out of the question to say that we'll be a more balanced team.---Chase Fischer

Upcoming Games:

WSOC	Oct 1, 2015 Thursday	at Gonzaga	4:00 PM PDT	ESPN960 / Cougar IMG Sports Network	TheW.tv
FTB	Oct 2, 2015 Friday	vs Connecticut	8:15 PM MDT	Cougar IMG Sports Network KSL 1160 AM / 102.7 FM	ESPN2
WVLB	Oct 2, 2015 Friday	at San Diego	7:30 PM PDT		TheW.tv
WSOC	Oct 3, 2015 Saturday	at Portland	7:00 PM PDT	Cougar IMG Sports Network KSL 1160 AM / 102.7 FM	TheW.tv

Losing, and Fair Weather Fans

It seems obvious. But I recall Dave Rose, BYU's head basketball coach, saying it on several occasions:

Winning is really tough.

It is particularly hard to do consistently. Even harder to do it continually, without a misstep somewhere for an entire season.

BYU's fall sports are doing great---Women's Volleyball, Women's Soccer, and Football in particular. Ranked in the top 25 by sporting poles, beating good teams, at times looking dominant.

But none have a perfect record.

Soccer fell to then-2nd-ranked Stanford on the road, giving up the only marker against them to date. They rallied and had lots of dangerous looks late, but couldn't quite pull off an equalizer.

Volleyball got their blemish from a solid USC team that was considered the 22nd best team in the country at the time, but has since risen to #3 on an unbeaten record, above where the Cougars currently rest at #10. BYU was close in every set, but couldn't put the pedal down, and fell in a sweep.

Football led the 10th-ranked UCLA Bruins for all but about 3 minutes of their clash in the Rose Bowl, but couldn't stop Perkins and the Bruin running game late, losing by a single point.

All of those losses were very, very close. This is little comforting, but at the same time, it almost makes it worse.

This leads to another obvious truism: losing hurts. It hurts a lot, usually proportional to the amount of effort and investment put into the endeavor. This is the case both for the fan and the competitor. It's very hard to be good at anything without putting a lot of effort and investment and expectation into it.

And guess what? All the Cougar teams are very, very good.

For football in particular, this pain can seem compounded. As one of the most punishing sports on the planet, where the field of play is referred to as "the gridiron," injuries and fatigue in football limit the number of games. There are only 12 regular season games to be had. If you lose one, that's a good chunk of the season. Lose two, that's 1/6th. Three, and you've lost a quarter of all your games. With other major sports, there's a lot more margin for error. But football can be almost as punishing to it's fans as it is to the athletes.

Taking that kind of pounding can leave a mighty bitter taste in the mouth. A lot of heavy feelings that aren't easily shaken off. A lot of people can't take it. Once they experience a loss or two, they decide to cut themselves off. They can't care any more, because the caring has caused too much backlash when everything doesn't come up roses.

This is called a fair weather fan.

The Fair Weather Fan is a necessary evil. When times are good, they slink back into the stadiums and arenas, adding that extra bit of atmosphere to the game and money to the program. But when times are not good (and this inevitably happens to every team everywhere) they are more than content to ditch their team and latch onto whatever else is the hot item. Bandwagon-ers of the world.

Not only is this sad, but it's kind of counterproductive.

For one thing, the Fair Weather Fan (in addition to lacking basic loyalty and fortitude) forgets that the pain of loss has a magical elixir to counteract it. It only takes one dose to banish the bitterness and heavy feeling in the pit of the stomach.

It's called winning.

And guess what? Even though they have all dropped a game, the Cougar teams are going to do a whole lot more winning. Collectively, this season still has the potential to be one of BYU's best. Plenty more Unforgettable Moments to be had.

But let's just say more losses happen. (There's a good chance they will, somewhere). Let's say you're feeling the crushing weight of disappointment and that stiff feeling in your jaw. This is no fun, I readily agree. In fact, it's pretty terrible.

Right there, you can choose to cut ties with the team you cheer for. It's definitely the easy thing to do.

Or you can do the hard thing: suck it up, and double down.

Click on those news articles and follow those twitter accounts. Tweet, discuss, and share it on Facebook. Purchase gear, decorate, and show your pride---pride that no matter what happens, you're throwing in with the Team. Show up to the stadium for the next one, buy their overpriced concession stand food, and shout your face off.

Heck, you could even write a blog.

Because if you invest even a tenth of what the players and coaches and administrators do into Your Team, when that win comes you will have a part of it. It will be in a small way your win, because you gave what you could to Your Team. Loyalty in the tough times, along with the interest, money, and enthusiasm you bring with it, just might be the key to getting the better recruits, the better venues, and the better games.

And guess what those bring? Better wins.

Being invested may make losing all the more painful, but there is nothing so sweet to the Loyal as a win. The season is still early. BYU fans have already had a whole lot of sweet, even though there was a dollop of bitter. Somebody said once you'd have to experience one to truly appreciate the other.

And Cougar fans are spoiled a little. No, BYU may not necessarily be a national power in sports (well, except for in rugby---4 straight baby!) but they certainly all win much more than they lose.

Seriously. All of them.

So if that isn't enough to win you back after taking a loss or two, perhaps this isn't the team for you. Maybe try Alabama. Oh wait---they lost last week, and looked pretty mediocre while doing it.

As for me, despite how the losses hurt, there's so much to look forward to that I think I'll stick with the Cougars.

I mean, it's right in the song: day or night, rain or snow---loyal, strong, and true.

Quick Hits:

Football

After a third near-brush with a last minute win last week, the Cougars have historically-vaunted Michigan on the road this week to round out September. Despite retaining the 22nd ranking in the AP poll to the unranked Wolverines, the Cougars are yet again the underdog for betting lines, somewhere around 4 points under. It's said Michigan has a tough defense, especially at the line, but I suspect the Cougars are going to come out very hungry. Tanner Mangum will make steady progress yet again, and the defense will once again find its stride, particularly if NT Travis Tuiloma is back from injury this week. That man can clog the middle.

Women's Soccer

It was a nice break for BYU last week, with only a single match against yet another overmatched Pac12 opponent, Oregon State. Yes, the score was a slightly disappointing 1-0 in favor of the Cougs, but with yet another lopsided shot advantage of 26-9, the Beavers never threatened too strongly. The Cougars have a pair of away games to round out their pre-conference schedule this week, followed by two conference away games.

Women's Volleyball

BYU swept both Utah (for the fifth time in a row---oh yeah) and UVU (who the Cougars have never dropped a set to...probably ever) last week to stay on top of the state. This inexplicably resulted in dropping their ranking in the AVCA national poll from 9th to 10th. That's probably a result of what the voting coaches thought of their competition. Zing.

The Cougars dive right into conference play this week against San Francisco and Santa Clara, the latter of which was only one of two conference teams to hand BYU a loss last year. The Broncos were also only one of two teams to take the Cougars in a sweep---them and national champ Penn State in the title match.

Quote of the Week

"OK, any more generalizations I can give you guys?"

---BYU OC Robert Anae, at the end of the media interview session

 Upcoming Games

WSOC	Sep 24, 2015 Thursday	at Cal Poly	7:00 PM PDT	ESPN 960 AM | Cougar IMG Sports Network
WVLB	Sep 24, 2015 Thursday	at San Francisco	7:00 PM PDT
FTB	Sep 26, 2015 Saturday	at Michigan	12:00 PM EDT	Cougar IMG Sports Network KSL 1160 AM / 102.7 FM	ABC
WVLB	Sep 26, 2015 Saturday	at Santa Clara	1:00 PM PDT
WSOC	Sep 26, 2015 Saturday	at Long Beach State	7:00 PM PDT	ESPN 960 AM | Cougar IMG Sports Network

Opinion: It's the Game that Matters

As fun as college football is, I feel a lot of its viewership burden it with a lot of unnecessary baggage. 

The big commercial machine wants to tell you what your team is worth, have talking heads and wagging jaws quantify your school as this tier, this conference, this pay level. 

This is so the teams that are already at the top can stay there. Everyone is told that is where they belong---including the recruits. This is so that greenbacks can line the pockets of their boosters, sponsors, and television affiliates. This is why there are far too many award lists, poles and pre-poles, conferences breakups and realignments and jockeying for position.

They give those heads something to talk about, to fill air time, to get eyeballs on ads.

You may say, we have all those things because people want it. It may be true. A lot of people have come to cherish the money, fame, and pride of being on top.

This is my basic fan philosophy---it's the GAME that matters.

It's what has always mattered, and what should always matter. The individual clashes when one team has a showdown with another. The players, the plays, the passion---more than notoriety, conference affiliation, money, or even championships. Those are important (especially that last one) but they are not the Big Deal that is the Game.

I think people want and love the Game, love it so desperately that if they can't have it, they'll take whatever shallow facsimile they can get. We eat up the polls and ad-bait and conference realignment like a wino will stare down a bottle of rubbing alcohol.

This is why rivalries are important---why BYU, Utah, and Utah State should play every year. Almost without exception, there is no better game to watch in any sport than one with the history, passion, and investment that make it a rivalry. The reasons these and other great rivalries aren't played are all rooted in money and pride, and not love of the game. 

This is also why bowl games matter---not just for some random trophy, but because bowl games consistently produce better opponents and better games. Or at least, traditionally they did. The bigger the bowl, the bigger the opponent, the bigger the game.

And the result of wanting the money and fame more than the fun, chewing over them like a cow on its cud, is you have substantially less fun. You get caught up in comparing to others negatively instead of letting the competitive results on the field speak. You start letting your conferences affiliation (or lack thereof) dictate your worth. 

I didn't hate BYU being in the Mountain West Conference for the games, and the reason BYU left the conference they helped found wasn't because of money, pride, or even poor competition---even though they were consistently the bell-ringers in most sports there. (This mostly hasn't changed---the Cougars currently have a nation-leading five fall sports in the top 25 rankings.) It was, however, because of money and conference affiliation and pride that their greatest ally and rival was called away. It was because this was just the last straw on top of a heap of poor media access and broken promises that they went independent.

And then there's all the time people spend thinking about the money. How much you have, how much others have. I think someone once wrote something about what was wrong with loving money.

Now, lest I be misunderstood: money, conference affiliation, and especially championships are necessary and important. I still remember the thrill of BYU Men's Basketballs' pump-up pregame from 2009-10--- Back to Back to BACK Mountain West Conference Champions! The roar, the goosebumps. It's a great memory, and the feel of being on top---!

But is it better than watching a game? Better than playing well against today's opponent? Watching Jimmer splash from 30 feet or Andrew George missed by two defenders and run roaring into the end zone? Better than watching Women's Soccer's 2012 terrific home run to the Elite 8---one extra time slide tackle away from the Final Four? Did not winning it all make them any less enjoyable?

If it did, maybe a change of values is in order.

Its those great games that make a championship amazing, and not the reverse. Who wants a title that you played 13 dull, easy games to get? 

It's the chance to win great games that make getting into a P5 important, and not the cash and back slaps. Only fools wear their conference affiliation like a cape. Money is only the oil that keeps the sports moving--paying for uniforms, stadiums, and college educations.

So let's talk about the players, the plays, and most of all, the Game, and not get so caught up in that other stuff. The Game is where the fun is. There is a great game for football this week--a top-20 clash with the UCLA Bruins in the famed Rose Bowl. Prognostications of championship possibility can wait, pale in comparison to the emotion and possibility of that one game.

Even with a loss---guess what? The very next week, there is another great game, a battle with the Michigan Wolverines in the Big House. Regardless of what happens this week, new games will come, and each with the opportunity to win, to see amazing plays you will not forget. We've already had a few.

And that's what makes it worth being a fan.


Quote of the week:

It's been the funnest first two games of my coaching career and playing career.---Robert Anae, BYU OC

Quick hits:

Athletics
Last week, I wrote about the importance of winning at home. Guess what? The major BYU sports teams posted a perfect record of 6-0 last week in all home games, and are collectively at 9-0 in their respective venues so far for the season. In fact, for football, women's volleyball, and women's soccer, there's little reason why they can't stay perfect the entire season. Basketball has larger slate of games and some great opponents (Gonzaga) and so will be tough for both men and women, but I recall history having large home winning streaks at the Marriott Center, so it seems perfectly reasonable that this might happen again.

Way to go, Cougars. Fans and players alike.

Also, is there a school not in the Pac12 that plays more Pac12 teams than BYU? Just saying...

Football
I challenge you to find two more exciting, thrilling games back to back to open a season. For any year, for any school. Tanner Mangum had some freshman moments (as predicted---and they likely aren't done) and the defense seemed to follow its usual pattern of inconsistency in the first and third quarters. But oh, what a thing of beauty was that fourth quarter. Down by 10, when the clamps went on and the prayers flew and the ROC chanted Taysom's name... magic. The injured QB continues to inspire, and motivation in the quarter matching his jersey number sparked the most thrilling comeback you've seen since---well, last week.

Don't expect perfection in the next game. A top ten team at home is not to be taken lightly. Still, with all the momentum and positivity they could ask for, the Cougars more than merely stand a chance.

Women's Volleyball
The 5-set win against Idaho State clearly gave BYU a needed wake-up call. In their near double-header against Oregon State, who like Idaho State were a Sweet 16 team last year, BYU swept the Beaver's the first match and with some liberal substitution took them 4-1 in the second. This week they have no home games but stay in the state of Utah, with a showdown against Utah in Salt Lake and a match with UVU in nearby Orem. Playing the Utes is almost always a tough out, regardless of record, but frankly the Cougars should squash both these in-state foes under their block. Last year's match against Utah was gorgeous---a sweep where they downed the Utes 7-25 in the final set.

Women's Soccer
Having conceded only one goal in one loss on the season, the Cougars' defense has proven far better than could rightly have been expected, considering the youth and inexperience that makes up most of the back line. Rachel Boaz as keeper has proven aggressive and dominating when the ball nears her spot, but really the collective defense has allowed exceedingly few shots to do more than trickle softly to her hands. The Cougars followed a good outing against playing-not-to-lose Utah State with yet another 2-0 victory over UNLV. Due to a scheduling quirk and lack of TV coverage, I wasn't able to see this game (I was otherwise occupied) but will be taking in the Oregon State game tonight. Hopefully see you there.

Upcoming Games:

Sport	Date	Opponenet	Time	Radio	TV
WSOC	Sep 17, 2015 Thursday	Oregon State	7:00 PM MDT	Cougar IMG Sports Network ESPN 960 AM |	BYUtv
WVLB	Sep 17, 2015 Thursday	Utah	7:30 PM MDT		Pac-12 Network
WVLB	Sep 19, 2015 Saturday	Utah Valley	7:00 PM MDT
FTB	Sep 19, 2015 Saturday	UCLA	7:30 PM PDT	Cougar IMG Sports Network KSL 1160 AM / 102.7 FM	FOX Sports 1