Vanquish The Foe: FanPosts

BYU, the B1G, and the perils of 9 game schedules.

2013-05-20T16:46:36Z

We are not so different, BYU. On paper, us Big Ten schools and your fine institution could have the beginnings of a mutually beneficial partnership. You want exciting, higher profile matchups that allow you to showcase BYU (and by extension, the church) in markets outside of the Book of Mormon Belt footprint. We've been made fun of by the national media for the last few years on account of not only being terrible, but also boring, so we need to schedule some better out of conference opponents. Our people should call your people. It could be fun.

And so far, that's exactly what's happened. The Cougars head to Madison on Nov 9th of this year to take on the Wisconsin Badgers (sidenote: I am planning on being at this game. Come at me bros). In 2015, there are road trips to Nebraska and Michigan. 2017 should feature a return date from Wisconsin. We know that BYU and Ohio State at least talked about the season opener for 2013, and I'm pretty sure that if I keep tweeting about this, a matchup will eventually happen.

There are storm clouds approaching on this relationship though, which could limit BYU's ability to not just get Big Ten teams on the schedule moving forward, but major conference teams, period. The 9 game schedule.

Starting in 2016, the Big Ten switches to a 9 game conference slate, giving each team only 3 out of conference slots. Big Ten squads will alternate between having 4 and 5 home games a season, and virtually every athletic director in the conference, from Iowa to Ohio State, has said that the school needs 7 home games a season to meet their budget obligations. That means a Big Ten team can only play 1 road game every other year.

"But Matt" you say, "Why can't they just play a neutral site game? Surely Penn State vs BYU in the Jerrydome will make MILLIONS!". That might actually be true, but the B1G isn't just concerned about ticket revenue. Since virtually every league school is public, administrators are also concerned about the local economic impact...the bars, the hotels, the sidewalk t-shirt salesmen...all of them get zilch for a neutral site game. Even if Ohio State, Nebraska, etc could get away with playing neutral site games on a regular basis, there is significant political pressure to keep those games at home.

That's why on paper, even that 2017 home date with Wisconsin is in peril. The Badgers are already scheduled to play @ USF that season, and it will be impossible for them to play both games and meet this budget obligations. One game will need to be rescheduled, possibly to 2020, or later.

So if you're a Big Ten AD, you're faced with a choice. You either convince BYU to take a 1 season arrangement on the road, or you decide if you want to tie up a precious road game with BYU.

Not every Big Ten team even has a slot to offer. Iowa is tied into a long-term arrangement with Iowa State, meaning they'll never have a road game to offer for a home and home. Purdue has a similar situation with Notre Dame. Michigan State and Nebraska are scheduled "out" for the next several years as well.

If the Cougars are willing to just take a 1 game arrangement, they should have plenty of callers, as a team with schedule flexibility, a proven record of success and a brand still big enough for people to notice would be a welcome addition to most slates. Ohio State has openings in 2015 and 2017, Penn State has openings from 2015 beyond, Iowa badly needs schedule sizzle, as does Minnesota. The only question is if BYU is willing to accept those terms, since few schools from that list would be willing, or able, to go to Provo.

This may not just be a Big Ten problem. The Pac-12 also have a 9 game league slate that limits flexibility a little, and while the SEC is at 8 games now, it's probably that pressure from their new TV network will push that number to 9 in the next few years (gotta bump up that programming inventory and all). If the NCAA doesn't allow for an extra game, BYU might have a harder time getting games in the next decade.

Basically, what I'm trying to say here is that you guys should call Gene Smith and offer to come to Columbus in 2015. I've plenty of friends who will put up their couches for you, and maybe you can even camp at our Stake Center. A trip to Provo probably isn't in the cards, but you could still provide a valuable service.

I'm going to have to write about games with Buffalo and Florida A&M this year. This is terrible. Please help fix this.

So if you're a Big Ten AD, you're faced with a choice. You either convince BYU to take a 1 season arrangement on the road, or you decide if you want to tie up a precious road game with BYU.

I'm going to have to write about games with Buffalo and Florida A&M this year. This is terrible. Please help fix this.

Big Money Improves BYU Sports

2013-05-06T19:48:53Z

I smile every time I hear someone say that money has ruined college football. I contend just the opposite: Money has made it better.

The BYU Athletic Department brings in millions of dollars each year from earnings and donations. This money allows for scholarships to be given to athletes to help them receive an excellent education. The athletes, in turn, learn a strong work ethic that will help them through the rest of their lives.

The desire for money is what caused ESPN to give BYU a seven year contract that has allowed BYU Football to be seen by record numbers of faithful BYU fans, like myself. The money that BYU received from ESPN and elsewhere has been used to renovate the Marriott Center, improve South Field, and put in wheelchair ramps in LaVell Edwards Stadium.

Big money was used to build the Indoor Practice Facilities which are used--not only by varsity athletes, but by Intramural athletes--ordinary students--as well.

The Student Athletic Building is a welcome addition to campus, which I wish had been there when I was a student. It houses the BYU Hall of Fame, study rooms for athletes, and the world's first alcohol-free sports bar. =) Since many athletes regularly use the study rooms, it takes pressure off an already crowded Harold B. Lee Library.

Simply put, money is a tool--it's as good or bad as the person who uses it. But tools have a great potential to do much good, and at BYU sports money has been put to good use.

*Shane Fortune is a BYU Alum and the author of Nick & Myron's Double Diary.

I smile every time I hear someone say that money has ruined college football. I contend just the opposite: Money has made it better.

Big money was used to build the Indoor Practice Facilities which are used--not only by varsity athletes, but by Intramural athletes--ordinary students--as well.

Simply put, money is a tool--it's as good or bad as the person who uses it. But tools have a great potential to do much good, and at BYU sports money has been put to good use.

*Shane Fortune is a BYU Alum and the author of Nick & Myron's Double Diary.

BYU Football: Recruiting and the principles of Moneyball

2013-04-30T06:34:06Z

According to a recent study by Forbes, College football is a multi-billion dollar industry. Not really a big surprise. It’s always been a giant money maker but only recently has it started to act like one.

It started with the facilities arms race that rivaled the Cold War. Universities scrambled to build massive "athletic training centers" and plush indoor practice facilities. Then came the inflated salaries of head coaches followed by the most recent conference realignment mess. As much as university presidents want to claim that all of this is for the benefit of their student athletes, we all know it’s a money grab.

This isn’t the first time that I have seen money destroy a sport that I hold near and dear to my heart, that being baseball. I remember watching games when contract disputes we’re virtually unheard of and no one knew who Scott Boras was. It was a simpler time.

Now, college football is just like baseball (and every professional sport for that matter), heavily influenced by the almighty dollar. High school prospects, much like free agents, are lured to campuses by more than just beautiful coeds. Apparently high tech uniforms (Oregon) and the number of Chick-Fil-A’s on campus (Auburn) are high priorities. Big name schools like Texas and Florida have the magnetism of the Yankees and Red Sox.

So where does BYU fit into all of this? After looking at their recruiting classes of the past few year and the players who end up playing on the field in the fall, I have come to the conclusion that BYU is college football’s version of the Moneyball principled Oakland Athletics.

BYU might not being as tight financially as the A’s but the way that both organizations acquire talents is very similar. For one, both have a hard time getting marque players to come play for their team. (This is NOT me saying that BYU doesn’t have elite talent. They do, but it has been developed.) Oakland doesn’t have the money to pay big name stars and BYU has a strict academic and moral standard that limits their recruiting pool.

The largest similarity that I see between the two is the type of players that each team plays with. The novel and motion picture "Moneyball" illustrate how the A’s pieced together a team with players that might seem unattractive to other organizations but work for Oakland because they have specific skills that allow them to contribute. If you look closely at BYU’s recruiting classes you will see the same thing.

Let’s look at Dylan Collie, the product of the 2012 recruiting class and younger brother of the legendary Austin and serviceable Scott. Coming out of fall camp last year it sounded like Dylan was going to see some serious playing time but that never materialized and he ended up redshirting. Dylan reminds people a lot of Austin in that he runs crisp routes and is able to get good separation from defenders. He is however, three inches shorter than Austin and slower. He doesn’t have the speed or quickness that most other big time recruits have. He’s not going to wow anyone, but he fills a need in the BYU offense

Then there is Dallin Leavitt, a safety from Portland, Oregon from this year’s class. Leavitt looks like the prototypical Bronco Mendenhall safety in that he’s not the greatest physical specimen but he is a legitimate run stopper that has great instincts. His coverage skills might need some work at the next level but the same was said of Craig Bills and Daniel Sorensen. Other BCS schools probably thought that he would be a nice special teams player but BYU sees him as a future starter.

Most of the PAC-12 had their doubts about BYU’s budding start Jamal Williams. There were worries about his top end speed with his 40 time being listed at 4.9. To put that in perspective, Manti Te’o was blasted for his slow 40 time at the NFL combine and he ran a 4.8. Obviously it’s not the fairest of comparisons but you get the picture. Jamal was labeled as a nice shifty back that could run hard but just not fast enough to get past the second level.

This comparison goes beyond recruiting and into personnel pairings. Look at running backs BYU ran with in 2011. They had one that was quick (DiLuigi), one that was a strong downhill runner (Alisa) and one that could block (Kariya), none of them that was the complete package. The secondary might be the strongest evidence of Moneyball at BYU. While other schools didn’t look twice at guys like Scott Johnson, Andrew Rich, Ben Criddle, Justin Robinson, Corby Eason and Bryan Logan, they were serviceable for the Cougars.

Almost every player that BYU recruits will have some kind of flaw. Cody Hoffman was too slow. Kyle Van Noy played too stiff. Sure there are great talents like Tanner Mangum, Troy Hinds and Brayden Kearsley that don’t have many weaknesses but there are 22 starting spots to fill. Just like the 2002 Athletics who had to build around Miguel Tejada and Barry Zito, the BYU coaching staff will have to recruit some Scott Hatterburg and David Justice type players.

So does this Moneyball recruiting model work for BYU? Well we know that it wins games. In the same way that Oakland averaged 94 wins a year for seven seasons including a division championship in 2012, BYU has reached the 10 win pinnacle five times in the past seven seasons including a 6-1 bowl record. Similarly, the Cougars haven’t played in a BCS bowl game and Oakland has yet to advance past the ALCS in the Moneyball generation. What it comes down to is how you gauge success.

There are two key factors to BYU’s improvement in the Moneyball system, one is for them to remain highly relevant. Going independent and playing night games on ESPN helps, but getting big wins against elite programs makes a world of difference. Just ask Boise State. Once you start collecting big wins, players have more interest and you don’t have to recruit the J.J. DiLuigi’s and Corby Eason’s.

The second is to make sure that they are smart with their recruiting classes. And when I say smart, I mean they can’t miss on anyone. When Oklahoma recruits a big time prospect that turns out to be a bust, it doesn’t matter because the kid playing behind him was probably an All-American as well. When BYU misses on a three star recruit, they have to turn to a 25-year-old who just transferred from Snow College who doesn’t have any talent but has grit. BYU must make the most out of each roster spot.

There will never be an equal playing field in college football and baseball. The Goliaths will always be bigger than the David’s but there is always a fighting chance for the little guy. They just have to be smarter and more resourceful. They also have to be incredibly lucky.

So, can BYU scrap their way to the top using the Moneyball mentality? We’ll just have to wait and see.

BYU, Arizona agree to home-and-home football series

2013-04-12T17:27:41Z

BYU football has announced a three-game series with the Arizona Wildcats. The former WAC rivals will play a 2016 neutral-site game in Phoenix, followed by a 2018 game in Tucson, Ariz., and a return-trip in 2020 to Provo, Utah.

The Cougars, who last faced Arizona in a 31-21 loss at the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl, will make the announcement official Friday morning in a Google+ Hangout that included athletic director Tom Holmoe and former BYU tight end Chad Lewis.

The 2016 game will be played at University of Phoenix stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals.

“We’re trying to play these neutral games, and we have a couple on the docket in the future,” Holmoe said. “It’s a neutral venue, but it’s in Arizona, and I’m sure that Arizona fans will come out in droves. But outside of Utah, there are more members of the LDS faith in California and Arizona. Our fans will be right up there. I would think that our team would think this is a great opportunity to match up with the Wildcats and have a great home atmosphere in Phoenix.”

The last time a BYU team beat Arizona was in 2007, a 20-7 victory in Provo. The Wildcats, though, have won two of the last three meetings.

“This is big time," Lewis said. "It’s big-time competition and a big-time place to play. For us to play in a pro stadium, it’s going to be awesome.”

In the offseason, former Arizona co-offensive coordinator Robert Anae left the Wildcats to rejoin former boss Bronco Mendenhall at BYU as the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. That started a shakeup that saw four other new coaches for the Cougars' 2013-14 campaign, with the additions of running backs coach Mark Atuaia, quarterbacks coach Jason Beck, receivers coach Guy Holliday and offensive line coach Garett Tujague.

For full details of the announcement, see the following video.

“Tucson is our foundation. We have to be strong in Southern Arizona," Arizona AD Greg Byrne said. "But we are the University of Arizona, and we have a strong alumni network in the Phoenix area. We also know BYU has a strong following Arizona, as well, and we appreciate BYU’s openness to do this, as well.”

The 2016 game will be played at University of Phoenix stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals.

The last time a BYU team beat Arizona was in 2007, a 20-7 victory in Provo. The Wildcats, though, have won two of the last three meetings.

“This is big time," Lewis said. "It’s big-time competition and a big-time place to play. For us to play in a pro stadium, it’s going to be awesome.”

For full details of the announcement, see the following video.

Rewriting the Cougar fight song for Debbie Downer Cougars

2013-04-11T14:28:40Z

Follow Ryan on Twitter at SportsGuyUtah

OK, I’m just gonna come out and say it: Some of you need to relax.

Enjoy life. Be grateful. Don’t worry, be happy. Keep on truckin’. Other cryptically inspirational song lyrics.

Look, I’m all about constant improvement and top-level performance (not in myself, but others). And you should speak out about it. That’s part of what makes America great and it doesn’t lessen your fan loyalty.

I love a good dose of skepticism and wariness, especially when delivered with a witty quip or sarcastic barb. Ask my wife, she’ll tell you I don’t trust people. Or like people.

And I could write a list longer than a Ute rap sheet of things BYU could do to improve itself.

But some BYU fans just cannot stop themselves from constantly and incessantly bemoaning everything about the school and its programs. For many it’s complaining about conference membership (or lack thereof) with a sky-is-falling attitude.

"Football is fifth" is unacceptable to some, who are now already questioning Taysom Hill’s speed and throwing accuracy.

Others constantly bemoan a lack of BCS appearances and Final Fours, calling for the jobs of Bronco Mendenhall, Dave Rose and Tom Holmoe.

Again, it’s OK to grumble about an issue or two. But don’t be such Debbie Downers, folks. Everything could be better. But everything could be a lot worse. Don’t make me invoke the name of Gary Crowton to make a point.

So to accommodate the seemingly growing pool of Peter Pessimists out there on the message-boards and Twitter, I took the liberty of rewriting the precious Cougar Fight Song for you.

Apparently I have no shame. But at least I’m optimistic. Mostly.

Rise all fickle Cougars
Raise your grievance to Hol-Moe
Start a fight, wrong or right
Speak up, Bro

Riley’s gone it’s true
But Taysom might suck too
As we tweet our anger peaks
Come on bitchers it’s up to you

Oh rise and doubt
We want Bronco out
He won’t put football fo-urth

Rise and pout
Nat’l championship drought
Has us all up in an up-roar

On we’ll go
With Cougarboard woe
With unflinching pessimism

As we point out faults
In every wound, we will pour salt

We’ll take our Xanax well before noon
And despair over BYU

Wah, wah, wah, wah, wah
Wah, wah, wah, wah, wah
Aaaarrrgggghhh, Cougars!