HB Arnett’s
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Vol. 36, Issue 2 – August 17, 2015
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Long Season Trip Ahead
In Week One, Bronco Kicks the Tires, Checks the Oil and other Football Fluids to See What He Has
I don’t put much stock in the first week of fall football camps. It’s like a casting call for a new movie or play.
The stars of the show are easy to pick out. It’s the supporting cast and extras that we need to see to make an assessment on the prospects for a possible block buster production. The first week is all about controlled scenarios to see which player fits in a needed role.
I’m excited as the next BYU football fan that the defense looked good in the initial scrimmage last Saturday. I also have experienced enough fall practices to know that the showing was staged. Picking and choosing players and parts and putting them in certain stage settings can produce what the director (Mendenhall) wants.
When push comes to shove, it’s always about who can deliver at the box office and on the field. It is also about identifying who will be your future stars and then getting them into the right roles.
So let’s talk players and roles after one week of fall football camp. Here is my assessment.
Quarterback: Taysom Hill is still the star of the show. He looks healthy, rejuvenated and ready to go. He better be because from what I have seen and despite all the preseason hype of Hill not running as much this season as he has in the past, if Hill doesn’t run, BYU won’t win as many games as Cougar fans hope for.
I go back to my earlier assessment of a few years ago of Hill as being a Jake Locker clone. Locker, you may remember, was the big time athletic quarterback for the Huskies of Washington. He was a playmaker supreme…with his legs. So is Hill. His best asset is still his ability to run with the ball and wreak havoc with his legs.
Again, this is my opinion, but while Hill has made great strides throwing the ball and actually has a strong arm, he will never be known as a premier passer. That doesn’t mean he can’t play quarterback at the next NFL level. Locker actually started for Tennessee and another Hill look alike, Tim Tebow, has also started in the NFL.
Again, don’t misunderstand. Hill will be a good throwing college quarterback, but in my opinion, for BYU to be outstanding on offense this year and have any chance of a spectacular season, the Cougars need to play to Hill’s strength. That is still his playmaking ability with his legs.
The question with Hill is not his abilities, but his health. If he can survive a season, bet on BYU being exceptional offensively.
When it comes to backup quarterbacks for BYU, there is only one this season. That would be Tanner Mangum. His play during the first week of the preseason has Bronco gushing. This kid will be a superstar.
He should be praying and so should the fan base that Taysom Hill stays sound and sturdy for at least the first half of the season. Talent and throwing ability is not the issue for Mangum. What he needs is game experience with bullets flying.
The best scenario for this next BYU quarterback is to get that experience with the lights on in mop up action either because BYU is being mugged by an opponent or because Taysom Hill has done his deed and the Cougars are mauling an opponent.
The best BYU quarterbacks struggled in their debuts. If Mangum is thrust into the starting job in September because of an injury. He too will struggle. It’s a given. But give this kid a chance to get acclimated at this level, and Bronco bashers will be disappointed because Mangum and Bronco will be winning lots of games together in the future.
I carry in the trunk of my car, a flashlight, blanket and six pack of Dr. Pepper. For emergencies. Beau Hoge and Koy Detmer Jr. are the flashlight and blanket for this season. If we see them on the field this year, I will need something stronger, however, than Dr. Pepper in the trunk to drink because this will be a major emergency.
Hoge could be serviceable someday, but Detmer is extremely small. With a healthy Mangum for the future, Hoge may be the next Blaine Fowler. A legendary backup quarterbacks that never saw the field.
Running Backs…Even if Jamaal Williams was back and healthy, the best running back in the program is still Taysom Hill.
Don’t believe me. Bronco and his offensive staff must. They have been vociferous this past week in saying that they have good enough running backs to move the ball without Hill carrying the pigskin. The fact that they moved Riley Burt back from defensive back last week is a good indication that actions speak louder than words.
Here’s the deal, BYU will be okay with Algernon Brown running up the gut on the first two downs of a series, like the Cougars seem prone to do last season even with Jamaal.
But the bottom line is that BYU has no back that can get to the outside on a run and is a threat to take the ball the distance. That includes Burt, the incoming freshman from Brigham City.
Hope is always on the horizon when it comes to BYU running backs. Williams will be back next year. Squally Canada, the transfer from Washington State, looks like he can play after the mandatory NCAA sit out year.
And Bronco confirmed that if Charles West, the talented running back from Texas, can get his legal issues resolved, he could be on campus in January.
In other news, I personally have a multi-million dollar trust fund that will kick in as soon as I turn 95. Waiting for wealth and NFL caliber running backs at BYU is the epitome of “hope on the horizon”.
Receivers…This group of BYU offensive players will do more to keep Taysom Hill healthy than any trainer, physical therapist or doctor on the Cougar staff. If these guys can make plays, they will do more to keep Hill from running than any edict or play calling from BYU coaches.
I already mentioned that Hill is not a pin point passer and never will be. It’s not in his DNA. But he can throw it deep and high. That suits this cast of wide outs. They are tall and rangy and should win most jump balls.
Mitch Matthews is 6-6, Nick Kurtz is 6-6, Moroni Laulu Pututau, the returned freshman missionary who has raised some eyebrows with his first week play this fall, is 6-4. Josh Weeks has also shown flashes. He is 6-4. And don’t forget 6-5 Terenn Houk.
Speaking of flashes, Devon Blackmon, has also shown some flashes that he could live up to his former Oregon and high school hype. Hill also will have dependable receivers like Mitchell Juergens, Kurt Henderson and Colby Pearson to throw to. For future reference, I like the athleticism of freshman Akile Davis.
Bottom line. If one or two legitimate play makers or game changers emerge from this group, Hill’s chances of staying healthy will increase dramatically.
Offensive Line…Here’s the math formula for this group. 80-85 plays per game equals at least 7 or 8 linemen that need to perform on the field. Let’s count them. Tejan Koroma, Ului Lapuaho, Kyle Johnson, Ryker Mathews, Tuni Kanuch (if he can stay healthy), Brad Wilcox, Austin Hoyt and Jaterrius Gulley.
The more anonymous these guys remain the better they will be. Their notoriety comes by allowing a defensive end to get around them or a nose tackle to get through them to sack Hill. Those plays make opponents highlight reels and highlight just who missed their block or assignment.
An LDS General Authority once gave a talk about good, better and best. That describes this offensive line. They are no longer bad. They are actually good, but have lots of room to be better. The best of a Cougar offensive line is probably two more years away.
Defensive Line…So far this fall, this group is performing the way Bronco Mendenhall wants them to. That means that will remain mostly anonymous, maintain their gap responsibilities, set an edge and maintain containment on the outside and by toiling in the trenches without much fanfare, allow the linebackers behind them to get the headlines and most of the tackles. That is just the way Bronco draws it up.
His critical crayon for drawing up what he wants on the front line is Travis Tuiloma. He is the dominant color guy. How he plays will determine how the defense plays. Bronson Kaufusi is back on the line with his hand on the ground. Last year’s experiment as a linebacker didn’t work. Logan Taele, has gone from a walkon to a starter for Mendenhall. Those three guys will be the mainstays of the defensive line. Others seeing action will include Graham Rowley, Remington Peck, Moses Kaumatule and Kesni Tausinga.
Linebackers…Big Hat, No Cattle is how I would describe this group of players after last season and one week of fall camp. This is a much hyped group with honest to goodness athletic talent.
They just need to start making plays and earning their accolades. A lot more mooing (cattle to go along with the hat hype) and less cooing by fans would be a good start. Harvey Langi, Fred Warner and Sione Takitaki are as talented as they come as linebackers for BYU.
This season they need to play like it. Based on Bronco’s early fall camp comments, he thinks this trio will do exactly that. If he is right and these linebackers start making plays at the line of scrimmage instead of downfield, Bronco really will be back and so will the Cougar defense.
Defensive Backs…For the last 35 years following BYU football and the defensive backfield for the Cougars, it is apparent to me that a standard has been set. That standard is ordinary.
There have been some individual exceptions in that time, but not many. Let’s be real. BYU defensive backs are not what you will find in the SEC, Big 10, Pac 10 or usually even in the MWC.
This is certainly an improved group from what was put on the field last season. That group was less than ordinary. They were bad.
This group, in my opinion, will be functional. At BYU that is great news. Bronco with his schemes, just needs functioning defensive backs to be successful. He has them this year and actually may have a few guys who are a notch above functional.
He actually has legitimate athletes to man the corners this season in Michael Davis, Jordan Preator, Michael Sheldon and Micah Hanneman, if he can get healthy. He has some athletes for the future in Dayan Lake and Riley Burt when he comes back from running back next season.
Safeties like Kai Nacua and juco transfer Eric Takenaka are tough guys who fit the Bronco mold. This year should be at least two or three notches up from what we saw last year in the defensive backfield.
Kicking…Should be solid. Journeyman Trevor Samson has been consistent this fall camp. Corey Edwards was supposed to be the answer for BYU long term, but he has never been healthy enough to perform. He was diagnosed last week with some sort of torn muscle that might explain his problems. He looks to be at least 4-5 weeks away.
Punting…Looks to be light years away. Jonny Linehan, the rugby turned football punter, has his moments, but before fall camp closes those moments need to be closer together. I actually think before too long, he could be a decent defensive weapon with his leg. Time will tell.
Coaching…Dr. Bob (Robert Anae) is still a lightning rod, but it looks like he has found his groove with this go fast, go hard offense. It doesn’t hurt that he has talented quarterbacks and receivers to make plays, however.
Bronco is indeed back and the defense should show it.
Record….Early season (the first 4 games), I go with 1-0 at home for the Cougars and 1-2 on the road. That’s Nebraska, UCLA and Michigan on the road and Boise State at home.
Overall I still expect a minimum of 9 wins this season and if Hill has a phenomenal year, 10 is doable.
Names and Games
Nebraska’s numbers should be better than BYU’s. Mike Riley, the new head coach at Nebraska, has announced that 5 players will be suspended for the Huskers when they face BYU in the opener. No word from Riley on who those 5 are.
For BYU, Jamaal Williams won’t be playing. Neither will Sione Takitaki, the sophomore linebacker. He was suspended for the opener by Bronco Mendenhall after being cited for two alleged misdemeanor charges of theft in the athletic department.
There is still no word on suspensions for the first game as the result of the post season brawl against Memphis last December. Best guesses are that there could be four to five players disciplined for that mess that will miss the season opener.
Best guess from me is that Kai Nacua and Tejan Koroma will be at least two of those players.
Meanwhile, back to Jamaal Williams. If the real reason for Williams “withdrawing” from school was made available to the public, Bronco, BYU, Williams and his family would be complimented for the way they handled this situation. Williams will be back. Go to the bank on it.
Television Timetable
BYU vs. Colorado (Women’s Soccer)
Friday, August 28 at Provo
Start Time: 7:00 pm MDT
TV: BYUtv
BYU vs. Utah (Women’s Soccer)
Friday, September 4 at Provo
Start Time: 7:00 pm MDT
TV: BYUtv
BYU vs. Nebraska
Saturday, September 5 at Lincoln
Kickoff: 1:30 pm MDT
TV: ABC