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| BYU's public scrimmage held August 15, 2015 at Lavell Edwards Stadium |
The magic of Fall sports is here.
Let's dispense with the beautiful delusions of undefeated seasons and deep runs to tournaments. This kind of super-heightened expectation (what BYU fans commonly refer to as a result of "blue goggles") is fun to indulge in for brief periods (FINAL FOUR! NEW YEAR'S SIX!), but one must be careful to come quickly to earth.
Its kind of like getting a brand new sports car as a teenager. Your gleaming dragster looks like a dream in electric blue as you gaze at it in the dealerships lot, but you know a close encounter with the fender of an SUV at the grocery store or a near miss with a concrete curb is gonna get it scratched and dinged plenty before long, so you might as well pretend that it already is and spare yourself the anguish.
Even so, there is more than a little for the BYU sports fan to look forward to--and not just for one or two sports.
Although the USWNT recent victory in the World Cup has showered more attention on women's soccer than ever, BYU's squad has been a powerhouse worthy of eyeballs since long before that. With the extra notoriety that championship has garnered, Women's Soccer might just be the premier women's sport right now. It doesn't hurt for BYU fans that many of the Cougars' games are televised, and those that aren't often benefit from the prodigious talents of the Voice of the Cougars, Greg Wrubell, calling the games in addition to his football and basketball duties.
20-year veteran coach Jennifer Rockwood brings back a squad that was very young last year and had 13-game unbeaten streak to notch a third consectuive West Coast Conference title. Picked by the conference's coaches to take it a fourth year running, the Cougs are led by star junior Ashley Hatch who comes in with 25 career goals to her name, but is hardly the sole scoring threat, with Nadia Gomes and Michele Murphy Vasconcelos backing her up and a deep midfield.
There are some questions about how the defensive line will come together, but Rockwood has plenty of bodies to throw at the problem until she finds the right combination to support RM and veteran defender Page Hunt as she re-establishes herself post-mission.The home fans and BYUtv viewership (one of the university's most excellent assets) will get their first regular season chance to watch Women's Soccer August 28th as they host Colorado, the team who ousted the Cougars from the NCAA tournament the last two years. And don't think that the Cougs have forgotten.
Then there's Women's Volleyball. They're not too bad.
The 2014 National Runners-up may have lost the Jennifer Hamson (i.e. perhaps the greatest female athlete ever to wear the blue and white) to graduation and an L.A. Sparks WNBA contract, but the cupboard is by no means empty. Returning are AVCA second-team All-American and WCC Player of the Year Alexa Gray and her stellar outside attack, as well as both of the top two blockers in the nation last year, Amy Boswell and Whitney Young Howard. Starting setters in senior Camry Godfrey Willardson and sophomore Alohi Robins-Hardy return, as does BYU's rally era digs leader, libero Ciara Parker. The Cougers not inconsequentially lost their coach Shawn Olmstead to the men's team over the summer, but his associate head coach and sister Heather Olmstead looks by all accounts ready to step right in.
This combined firepower gives the Cougars a #11 national ranking to start the year, and they'll get their first test this coming weekend in the Women of Troy Baden Invitational as their slate includes matches with #7 North Carolina and #22 USC August 29.
If you haven't had a chance yet to experience the atmosphere surrounding a live game by one of these two teams, you're missing something special.
And guess what? Its finally, finally, almost football season.
If you've listened at all to the BYU Sports talking heads, you've probably heard a rendition or twelve in the key of "If Taysom can stay healthy" sharp. Between him and a pride of deep and lanky Cougar receivers led by Mitch Matthews, and a defense that is once again taken over again by head coach Bronco Mendenhall, the tools are in place to carry those BYU flags with spirit and honor onto the field.
Although the USWNT recent victory in the World Cup has showered more attention on women's soccer than ever, BYU's squad has been a powerhouse worthy of eyeballs since long before that. With the extra notoriety that championship has garnered, Women's Soccer might just be the premier women's sport right now. It doesn't hurt for BYU fans that many of the Cougars' games are televised, and those that aren't often benefit from the prodigious talents of the Voice of the Cougars, Greg Wrubell, calling the games in addition to his football and basketball duties.
20-year veteran coach Jennifer Rockwood brings back a squad that was very young last year and had 13-game unbeaten streak to notch a third consectuive West Coast Conference title. Picked by the conference's coaches to take it a fourth year running, the Cougs are led by star junior Ashley Hatch who comes in with 25 career goals to her name, but is hardly the sole scoring threat, with Nadia Gomes and Michele Murphy Vasconcelos backing her up and a deep midfield.
There are some questions about how the defensive line will come together, but Rockwood has plenty of bodies to throw at the problem until she finds the right combination to support RM and veteran defender Page Hunt as she re-establishes herself post-mission.The home fans and BYUtv viewership (one of the university's most excellent assets) will get their first regular season chance to watch Women's Soccer August 28th as they host Colorado, the team who ousted the Cougars from the NCAA tournament the last two years. And don't think that the Cougs have forgotten.
Then there's Women's Volleyball. They're not too bad.
The 2014 National Runners-up may have lost the Jennifer Hamson (i.e. perhaps the greatest female athlete ever to wear the blue and white) to graduation and an L.A. Sparks WNBA contract, but the cupboard is by no means empty. Returning are AVCA second-team All-American and WCC Player of the Year Alexa Gray and her stellar outside attack, as well as both of the top two blockers in the nation last year, Amy Boswell and Whitney Young Howard. Starting setters in senior Camry Godfrey Willardson and sophomore Alohi Robins-Hardy return, as does BYU's rally era digs leader, libero Ciara Parker. The Cougers not inconsequentially lost their coach Shawn Olmstead to the men's team over the summer, but his associate head coach and sister Heather Olmstead looks by all accounts ready to step right in.
This combined firepower gives the Cougars a #11 national ranking to start the year, and they'll get their first test this coming weekend in the Women of Troy Baden Invitational as their slate includes matches with #7 North Carolina and #22 USC August 29.
If you haven't had a chance yet to experience the atmosphere surrounding a live game by one of these two teams, you're missing something special.
And guess what? Its finally, finally, almost football season.
If you've listened at all to the BYU Sports talking heads, you've probably heard a rendition or twelve in the key of "If Taysom can stay healthy" sharp. Between him and a pride of deep and lanky Cougar receivers led by Mitch Matthews, and a defense that is once again taken over again by head coach Bronco Mendenhall, the tools are in place to carry those BYU flags with spirit and honor onto the field.
The defense in particular all offseason had to hear their secondary and pass rush maligned after a year with the 112th rated pass defense and far too few sacks, and you best believe that they are burning to turn things around. If a similar plague of ankle and other injuries can be avoided this time around (perhaps in thanks to new "football performance" coach Frank Wintrick) there's hope that they can at least get back to Mendenhall Standard.
BYU has to come right out of the gate with blue fire erupting from their mouths. At Nebraska, vs Boise State (not a state--thanks Studio C) at UCLA, and at Michigan to start a season is not Mr.-Rodgers-putting-on-his-shoes friendly. It's a downright gauntlet run, and while the foes aren't quite as daunting later in the season when it comes time for hurling challenges, none but FCS Wagner will be truly "easy". (Although 2016's slate may make them seem so.)
But the Cougars could very well be up to it. There are few if any games in that stretch of thigh-deep mud that most observers believe BYU will undoubtedly lose. With the awesomely freakish Taysom Hill (hear those choral renditions on health) at QB, each individual game is there for the taking. To say the team will be without defeats is a stretch, but singly no game is out of reach.
The BYU Cougar teams have a great table set. They just need a lot of fire, and a little Fall magic.
Quick Hits:
Men's Basketball
Some internet hocus-pocus called Periscope afforded fans a rare opportunity to see the BYU Men's Basketball team in action on their Spain tour this last week. The trip concluded with what could be called a series of dominant second-half-fueled victories, outscoring opponents by an average of 14 points in the last ten minutes alone. They blazed their way through the week, going 4-0 versus (admittedly suspect) professional competition. But how they did it can still send a thrill of hope to the Loyal, Strong, and True--through balanced, uptempo offensive scoring and furious, ball-hawking defense.
These were things that the BYU squad certainly seemed to lack betimes in their 2014-2015 season. Depth in front and back court was evident, and at times the Cougars looked (dare it be said) Gonzaga-like in their next-man-up rotations. Needless to say, led by a senior point guard like "Mr. Triple-double" Kyle Collinsworth, there is a lot to look forward to when the team sees action starting in November.
Women's Soccer
The team almost had an intriguing match-up against #3 Stanford after taking care of business 2-0 against #18 California, but the Hawaiian weather had other ideas, and the field was rendered unplayable--and no one was more disappointed than the Voice of the Cougars. As a consolation prize, they get a home-and-home with the Cardinal, but the Sept 7 re-try at Standford is nestled between the rivalry games of Utah and Utah St. The return game back to Provo is tentatively scheduled for 2017, so its probably a wash. Still, the Cougars will hopefully get a needed RPI boost win or lose.
Quote of the Week:
Upcoming Games (plenty this week):
WVLB Aug 28, 2015 neutral Chicago State 5:00 PM PDT Stream
WSOC Aug 28, 2015 vs Colorado 7:00 PM MDT TV BYUtv Radio ESPN 960/Cougar IMG Sports Network
WVLB Aug 29, 2015 neutral No. 7 North Carolina 12:30 PM PDT Stream
WVLB Aug 29, 2015 at No. 22 USC 8:00 PM PDT TV Pac12 Network
WSOC Aug 31, 2015 at Nebraska 7:00 PM CDT Radio ESPN 960/Cougar IMG Sports Network
BYU has to come right out of the gate with blue fire erupting from their mouths. At Nebraska, vs Boise State (not a state--thanks Studio C) at UCLA, and at Michigan to start a season is not Mr.-Rodgers-putting-on-his-shoes friendly. It's a downright gauntlet run, and while the foes aren't quite as daunting later in the season when it comes time for hurling challenges, none but FCS Wagner will be truly "easy". (Although 2016's slate may make them seem so.)
But the Cougars could very well be up to it. There are few if any games in that stretch of thigh-deep mud that most observers believe BYU will undoubtedly lose. With the awesomely freakish Taysom Hill (hear those choral renditions on health) at QB, each individual game is there for the taking. To say the team will be without defeats is a stretch, but singly no game is out of reach.
The BYU Cougar teams have a great table set. They just need a lot of fire, and a little Fall magic.
Quick Hits:
Men's Basketball
Some internet hocus-pocus called Periscope afforded fans a rare opportunity to see the BYU Men's Basketball team in action on their Spain tour this last week. The trip concluded with what could be called a series of dominant second-half-fueled victories, outscoring opponents by an average of 14 points in the last ten minutes alone. They blazed their way through the week, going 4-0 versus (admittedly suspect) professional competition. But how they did it can still send a thrill of hope to the Loyal, Strong, and True--through balanced, uptempo offensive scoring and furious, ball-hawking defense.
These were things that the BYU squad certainly seemed to lack betimes in their 2014-2015 season. Depth in front and back court was evident, and at times the Cougars looked (dare it be said) Gonzaga-like in their next-man-up rotations. Needless to say, led by a senior point guard like "Mr. Triple-double" Kyle Collinsworth, there is a lot to look forward to when the team sees action starting in November.
Women's Soccer
The team almost had an intriguing match-up against #3 Stanford after taking care of business 2-0 against #18 California, but the Hawaiian weather had other ideas, and the field was rendered unplayable--and no one was more disappointed than the Voice of the Cougars. As a consolation prize, they get a home-and-home with the Cardinal, but the Sept 7 re-try at Standford is nestled between the rivalry games of Utah and Utah St. The return game back to Provo is tentatively scheduled for 2017, so its probably a wash. Still, the Cougars will hopefully get a needed RPI boost win or lose.
Quote of the Week:
"We like tall receivers and we like rangy receivers, because most corners are shorter...That gives us an advantage, matchup-wise. Our outside receivers, we like tall--and we have a bunch of them."
Bronco Mendenhall
Upcoming Games (plenty this week):
WVLB Aug 28, 2015 neutral Chicago State 5:00 PM PDT Stream
WSOC Aug 28, 2015 vs Colorado 7:00 PM MDT TV BYUtv Radio ESPN 960/Cougar IMG Sports Network
WVLB Aug 29, 2015 neutral No. 7 North Carolina 12:30 PM PDT Stream
WVLB Aug 29, 2015 at No. 22 USC 8:00 PM PDT TV Pac12 Network
WSOC Aug 31, 2015 at Nebraska 7:00 PM CDT Radio ESPN 960/Cougar IMG Sports Network
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