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

Win at Home

Win at home.

That's what the collective teams of BYU's women's volleyball, women's soccer, and football teams have to do this week. That's tilts with Idaho State, Utah State, Oregon State (x2), Boise State, (here a state, there a state, everywhere a state state) and UNLV this week. All in the friendly confines of the Smith Fieldhouse, South Field, and Lavell Edward Stadium respectively for the Cougar teams.

It should matter. It should matter that your team is playing at home, that the opposing team has to go into the teeth of a roaring, enthusiastic, jam-packed crowd.

First of all, its just math. A team that might not otherwise perform as well gets a few percentage points boost when they are at home. While teams with better away records do happen, home records are most often better by a wide margin.

For BYU, there should be no such thing as not being favored in a home game. Especially this year, with the general excellence of almost all the major sports. Even if its only by .0001%.

Part of it is pride. No, not the "we're better than you" type--insert your standard disclaimer here. I of course mean the confidence and self-esteem you have when you see something that you have put emotional capital into, and attributed worth to, is threatened. Its a matter of possession. It is YOUR field. YOUR building. Even if you've never set foot on it and tossed a ball, that ownership of the fan and the team combined is what makes certain home advantages indomitable.

And it can't be one or the other. It has to be both team AND fans that buy into that pride in order for that magical mixture to be complete. Most of the time, BYU has had that.

But that doesn't mean there can't be some improvement. Woman's Basketball, for how good they are, deserves a lot more. A lot more. Frankly, this is the most disgraceful showing by the fans. In some ways it's understandable, as the women's team is sometimes forced to play at unfavorably early game times. But honestly--their tickets are incredibly cheap, you can sit right next to the action, and they are good--great trapping defense, uptempo offense, in every game. Lexi Eaton deserves a great audience for her senior year.

Attendance has fallen for men's basketball games, too. Not too long ago (during the Mountain West/Jimmer years) they were the hottest ticket in the state. Some of the luster of yesteryear has also worn off for football games--when was the last time there was a nice sellout?

There SHOULD be one for Boise State this weekend. A stadium of solid white--no Skittles for you!

If nothing else, #DoitforTaysom.

The Cougars are doing their part---they're all fielding exciting teams with amazing players that you--yes, you--should go support. Yes, the championships haven't been rolling in quite like they used to. Yes, sometimes it's nice to sit back and listen to the ESPN or BYUtv commentary from the comfort of your couch. But nothing is quite like being at the venue. That's where real fandom is made. That's where the real emotion--the true keystone of collegiate sports--is best felt.

Fans have done their part for soccer this year. But ramp it up a bit, and the overall excellence of the BYU sports could get that extra boost to be dominant at home, this week and every week.

Its something BYU should be known for. Be it for volleyball or soccer or basketball or football, teams should fear to come to Provo.



Quick hits:

Football:

For some reason, I seem to subconsciously look down on Boise State. It just seems like BYU should beat them. I can't come up with a logical explanation for this. I remember the 55-point shellacking from last year. I know that the Bronco's lead the series by a fair margin (4-1) and are 28-1 against Utah teams since 2000. It should be clear that a Tanner Mangum, a true freshman starting in his first game fresh off "the mish," is not going to mean all smooth sailing. (There WILL be growing pains, mark my words, but I think he'll have enough in him to win it). But it still seems like Boise State shouldn't win. Whether harsh reality soon shakes me from this delusion, or if I'm tuned into some sort of precognitive wave, we will soon find out. Either way, I expect the game to be close. After all--BYU is at home.

Women's Soccer:

One of the unfortunate sides of soccer is there are ties. This causes teams like Utah State to play the game pretty much seeking a tie. They packed it in defensively, making few forays into their offensive third (although some solid Cougar possession and passing was partially thanks to this) but from the way they delayed and maintained, it was clear the Aggies were thinking a tie was as good as a win. This led to a barrage of shots from the increasingly frustrated Cougars. Thankfully, it finally payed off when Bizzy Phillips launched in a goal from 55 yards off of free kick, the only of the match for both teams, spoiling the Aggie's spoiler strategy. Even so, Ashley Hatch seemed perhaps a bit too desperate to put something in, and was hitting a lot of balls very high--and she wasn't the only one. The bombardment tallied to 35-8 shots in favor of BYU, but only 8 on frame. If the Cougars keep the shots a little lower, they will go back to dominating instead of merely escaping.

Women's Volleyball:

Speaking of escapes, the Cougar spikers really got one by the skin of their teeth. After blowing out a seemingly over-matched Idaho State in the first set 25-7 with the help of Ciara Parker's three consecutive aces right out of the gate, the Cougars let down their guard and the Bengals took the next two sets--in fact, the home team never even managed to lead in them. It was gut-check time, and BYU had to step up and show some home court pride. They did, partially in thanks to the insertion of Danelle Parady into the lineup. A career high seven kills on some crafty hits from someone far off the scouting report, along with the re-emergence of the Cougar's famous block, combined to give the home team the tough win in 5. It wasn't without a fight, though--the Bengals rallied to keep it close in the fifth, but they couldn't stop the momentum the Cougars had built up behind a decent crowd of 1500.


Quote of the Week:

“All the guys who are concerned with the run game can go put on a hat and let them coach,” --Robert Anae

Upcoming games:

The Cougars are 2 of 2 so far in their big home stand week, but 4 more to go:

WVLB vs Oregon State Sep 11, 2015 7:00 PM MDT TV BYUtv
WSOC vs UNLV Sep 12, 2015 6:00 PM MDT Radio ESPN960 / Cougar IMG Sports Network
WVLB vs Oregon State (yes, again) Sep 12, 2015 6:00 PM MDT (no coverage, live stats only--go before the football game! It times out perfectly)
FTB vs Boise State Sep 12, 2015  8:15 PM MDT TV ESPN 2 Radio Cougar IMG Sports Network/ KSL News Radio 102.7 FM 1160 AM

Reaction: BYU Football vs Nebraska

Bittersweet.

One of the most amazing wins on the shoulders of one of the most amazing plays in BYU history.

Taysom Hill--quarterback, captain, lost for the season.

You know those unforgettable moments I was talking about? This was one of them. At Nebraska's vaunted Memorial Stadium. The team, down by 1. A backup, freshman quarterback. One second on the clock. 42 yards to the end zone. The ball in the air forever, uncertain. Receivers and defenders going up for it, and Mitch Matthews coming down with it.

Touchdown.

Touchdown.

Touchdown.

Game over, 33-28.

But it was an earlier touchdown that has dramatically altered BYU's season. Early in the second quarter, Taysom Hill saw an opening, and like he so often does, takes it in for a score. No one even touched him. 

And yet, there was something wrong.

Somehow in that run, perhaps when he planted it for that initial burst of speed, Hill had broken his foot. A particular kind of break called a lisfranc fracture that occurs in the midfoot where the five bones that make up the arch reside. In most cases, depending on the severity, it takes a full six weeks before you can put any weight on it. After that, you can begin to put partial weight on it for a period of several more weeks. It is, undoubtedly, a season ending injury.

Hill ran on it for more than two quarters. He missed a total of three plays to get it wrapped tight, and went out and threw another touchdown, and took off on a 37 yard run, and tackled a defender to save a touchdown after he threw an interception.

That he was in sever pain was almost imperceptible. But as Bronco Mendenhall put it, "This victory doesn't happen without him, from a leadership perspective, and from an ability perspective in how he played today....He allowed us to stay within striking distance."

Now BYU's Heisman hopeful is sidelined for the season, perhaps a career. After the dust had settled on Saturday's wonderful, heartbreaking game, BYUtv's Spencer Linton's tweet said it far better than I:

Also, Thank you Taysom. Thank u @T_Hill4 for the thrills, unforgettable plays, leadership, resilience, & courage. WARRIOR! HERO! #BYU #BYUSN

And the games go on. Boise State comes to visit next week. It would be too much to expect Tanner Mangum, three months off his Chilean mission, to immediately prove indomitable, despite his high school accolades. Likely he has his fair share of growing pains. All freshman do. It cannot, should not be expected for him to simply take up where Taysom left off.

But there is one thing that he and every member of the team can do to "stand behind Taysom, make sure that he's at the heart of everything we're doing." There is something that a hero going on before can inspire in a team far more than aspirations of championships and victory alone.

#DoitforTaysom

Flash Reaction: BYU W Soccer Keeps Beating Pac12, Utah

Oh, that BYU Women's Soccer team. They only know how to win 2-0.

Now with their fourth consecutive match with that score, the 4-0-0 Cougars took it to their rival Friday night. Utah fell (that has a good ring to it) to 2-2-1. Their series history is now 20-7-1 in favor of the Cougs. The beautiful, early goals by freshman Madie Siddoway and sophomore Nadia Gomes brought the mighty Utes low in front of a second consecutive record home crowd.

Perhaps such a thing as a "sell out" doesn't really exist for South Field. Perhaps they will just keep packing however many people show up at the gate with a ROC pass or ten-spot until somebody alerts the fire marshal.

And the atmosphere...

Personal experience: I hadn't sat in the ROC student section since my graduation in 2011. With my wife recently passing though the gauntlet of obtaining a masters, she was able to buy them as a student for us. It was fun to talk with the college "kids" before the match, get a feel for how much they knew about the team, about soccer, and about the rivalry... even though it made me feel a little old. Some of them were knowledgeable, some of them were not, but nearly all of them were into it.

Siddoway's goal caught us all a bit by surprise, the way it floated high into the air and dusted the cobwebs out of the far upper corner, and slipped inside the net just above the keeper's fingertips. That thrill of elation when the shout coming from you lips is echoed by hundreds all around you is palpable.

South Field is magical. The size and enthusiasm of the crowd really are the soul of it, but the field itself is pristine, the mountains are beautiful, and the banners of championships and NCAA Tournament runs and former greats hang like tapestries of battles in an ancient great hall. The Y may still lean on football and men's basketball to be the bell-ringers for campus sports, but I would say there are few collegiate soccer experiences anything close to what is to be had at South Field. Perhaps few sports experiences like it in general, even.

And the Cougars are good. Even more than their win record, their style of play is dominating, and their roster deep and talented. Gomes is a magician with her feet--passing, dribbling, turning on a pin for left-footed goals. Elena Medeiros is both quick and fast, and delivers the ball on the money when she isn't putting it in herself. Just try and stop Ashley Hatch--the Ute defenders tried, and had to foul her mere feet outside of the box, leading to Gomes' set piece goal.

And they are only the tip of the spear. There's tons of experience and confidence in Michelle Murphy Vasconcelos, Stephanie Ringwood, Paige Hunt... Marissa Nimmer Linehan, a passer nearly as phantasmal as Gomes, comes of the bench for goodness sake. They can throw 6+ new bodies in the final 15 and not let down.

So if you haven't had a chance to experience this show, I recommend giving it a whirl. The Cougars have something special going, perhaps especially this year. They'll face their stiffest test yet at #2 Stanford Monday. If they can over came this obstacle...

Well, don't be too surprised if they come home with another score of 2-0.

BYU Football: Another Season of Possibility, Unforgettable Moments

Taysom. Mitch. Bronson. Fred.

Offense. Defense. Special teams.

Long bombs. Punishing runs. Pick sixes. Goal line stands.

It's football week.

Welcome, BYU fans, to the 2015 season. No more grinding over tidbits dribbled from fall camp or re-watching last year's best moments just to get a fix. This week, the endless spirals of speculation give way to the clean spirals of the pigskin, and what we think and presume and guess will crash headlong into the reality on the field--for good or for ill.

Sports are not like movies. They both have drama, story lines, and characters, but there is no pre-prescribed ending, no carefully constructed rising action, no fabricated character development. Whether the good guys--your team, naturally--win is almost entirely up in the air.

At times, shepherds will slay giants. Others... well, giants will do as giants do.

That infinite uncertainty, or in other words, infinite possibility is what draws us. When two teams that have worked, and schemed, and trained, and bled to achieve an objective--the victory--even the greatest experts can seldom clearly predict the outcome.

But attempting to predict the season is the mana in the long desert of the offseason. Especially this year, when BYU fans got to spend the many months looking down the long list of big-name programs that await the Cougars in their fifth year of football independence:

Nebraska. Boise State. UCLA. Michigan.

And those are just September.

With such a mammoth schedule to overcome, guessing the product of the season brings even the most optimistic of fans closer to Earth. 8 wins, some say: that's a gauntlet, and they'll be lucky to get that many. 10 wins, others say: we've got that superhuman known as Taysom Hill at quarterback, and if he can--no, he will stay healthy and lead the team to a special, if not magical, season.

Undefeated? There are a few who even presume to dream that far.

In all likelihood, it won't pan out that way. There might instead be another 2014 UCF or (heaven forbid) another at Boise State--take your pick. But with this kind of schedule, even if the Cougars are unable to manage a miraculous clean slate, there's also another possibility: you might get another 2009 Oklahoma. Or, if the stars truly align, another 1990 Miami.

That's what we are all on the doorstep of. Unforgettable things can happen every year. The Cougars just need to take care of one thing first:

Nebraska.


Quick hits:

Women's Soccer
At times the Cougars were playing with fire against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, especially in the second half. Some sloppy passing and uneven play kept them from making much headway. Junior Ashley Hatch had an early goal in their sharp-passing period in the 16th minute of play, the 26th of her career.  But then nothing in the scoring column for 60 anxious game minutes of dangerous attacks by Nebraska until Michelle Murphy Vasconselos put in a lucky, bouncing goal with 15 minutes to go. It was good to see Murph get a reward for her hard work through the first three games. With the third straight 2-0 victory, the Cougars are 3-0-0.

The next one is against Utah Friday Sept 5 at 7:00 PM on BYUtv. The last three games between the Cougars and the Utes have ended 1-0 in favor of the home team--and usually by penalty kick. You should really watch this game.

YOU SHOULD REALLY WATCH THIS GAME.


Tweet of the Week:

@DurrantMark
"Utes seem offended I think BYU is the greatest school on Earth. I'm sad they don't feel that way about their school, but I totally get it."

Oh yeah... and #ThugMormons. Yes, that happened.

Quote of the Week

"That's one of the great things about sports and about football, there's some unexplained reasons why certain things happen. I've given up trying to figure it out." 

Lavell Edwards

Upcoming Games:

WVLB Sept 4, 2015 at Saint Louis 7:00 PM CDT Video Stream
WSOC Sept 4, 2015 vs Utah 7:00 PM MDT TV BYUtv Radio ESPN 960/Cougar IMG Sports Network
WVLB Sept 5, 2015 neutral Purdue 12:00 PM CDT Audio Stream
FTB Sept 5, 2015 at Nebraska 1:30 PM MDT TV ABC National Radio KSL 102.5 FM/ESPN 960/Cougar IMG Sports Network
WVLB Sept 5, 2015 neutral Arkansas-Pine Bluff 4:30 PM CDT Live Stats
WSOC Sept 7, 2015 at Stanford 7:00 PM PDT Radio ESPN 960/Cougar IMG Sports Network