HB Arnett’s
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West 800 South –
Vol. 34,
Issue 7 – September 16, 2013
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BYU vs.
Except for the 54-10 drubbing BYU took two seasons ago, it is a given
that when the Utes and Cougars match up, both teams will play good defense.
That should be the case again this Saturday night when the two rivals face each
other in
Good defense isn’t what the two quarterbacks of both teams saw in
their last outings. Taysom Hill ran wild against
Hill won his game against the Longhorns, 40-21, while
Putting up big offensive numbers by Hill and Wilson may eventually be the norm this season, but it won’t happen when the two face off this week. This game will be a battle of One-Hit, One-Game Offensive Wonders, in my opinion.
Neither Hill nor Wilson will have spectacular offensive nights. This game will be decided like most rivalry games. It will be defense, turnovers, field position and especially field goal kickers that determine the outcome.
Read Option won’t be a factor
In their last games, both Hill and Wilson made a living off running the read option and keeping the ball when the defensive end crashed inside. That won’t happen this week. Both defenses are too well schooled and coached to see big numbers on the ground given up by either team.
Taysom Hill currently has very ordinary passing stats. He will have to dramatically improve those numbers if the Cougars are going to move the ball. Travis Wilson is a better thrower, and you can bet that the Utes will be throwing it deep against BYU’s weakest defensive link; cornerback.
That said, we like BYU’s defense overall against the Utes. You can go to the bank on Bronco having a scheme that will work and BYU actually has a better front seven, than the Utes do on their defensive side of the ball. At least that is my opinion.
Speaking of one-hit wonders, BYU’s offensive line was a hit two
weeks ago. They will have to repeat that performance against
Here’s hoping this game isn’t decided by the kicking game.
Here are my keys to watch. If Jamaal Williams has a 100 yard or more game rushing the football, the Cougars win. If Taysom Hill has over 200 yards passing, which would be his first time in his career, BYU wins.
If
Kyle Van Noy has said for two week now that this game will be a blood bath and BYU will show up. Let’s hope so. The Cougars need a good winning transfusion to take away the sting of three straight losses.
Despite
BYU Basketball Gets Youngest Commit
Yet
If you are an aficionado of music, especially the rock genre, then when
I mention the name “
If you like gospel music, Mahalia Jackson should come mind and if you
are a country fan, how about Alan Jackson? Personally, a favorite entertainer of
mine named
If you’re not a fan of the two JB’s or didn’t go to high school in the late 60’s or the 70’s then do-not-watch this video or especially don’t watch this one. Personally, I think James Brown, the Godfather of soul and the founder of funk, was the most athletic performer I ever saw. He could have been a great cornerback for the Gamecocks of South Carolina, where he was born, or the Georgia Bulldogs, where he was reared.
What about the name Frank Jackson? Ring a bell?
He is the youngest basketball commit of whom I know that has told Dave
Rose that he will be a Cougar and play for BYU. Rose offered him early last
week, but is no stranger to
Jackson and his family moved from the Thanksgiving Point area of Lehi
to a home within the boundaries of
Here is what she wrote:
“Incoming Lone Peak sophomore point guard Frank
Jackson gave a verbal commitment to the BYU men’s basketball program
Thursday evening after he received an offer to play there during an unofficial
visit. “I feel really excited,”
He added that he was most looking forward to playing with
all the
Jackson said that while the decision takes some of the
pressure off as far as recruiting goes, it turns it up in another way.
“This is also a good motivator for me to get better,” he said.
“The work starts right now. I need to do everything I can to prepare
myself to be a positive contributor to the program.”
Jackson averaged 10 points, two rebounds and 1.3 assists per
game playing at Lehi as a freshman last season. The
Lewis knows that Jackson may be a little bit under the radar
right now, and some people may react by asking, “Frank who?”
“Unfortunately, I knew very well who he was after he dropped 30 points on
us last year,” the coach continued. That game was played on Feb. 15, with
the Knights winning 90-71. “He’s a smart kid who’s very
athletic and can make baskets,” Lewis said. “His game certainly
needs some refining, but that will come.”
Jackson and his family were later featured in a KSL piece describing their experience. Frank Jackson can be seen seated behind his dad in this video.
Who, When and Hopefully, Never What If
Last week it was announced by BYU that Dave Rose underwent surgery to remove some cancerous spots. No details regarding from where the spots were removed, but an assurance was given that a full recovery was expected and Rose would be good to go for the official start of basketball practice on October 7.
Since then it has been said that Rose’s surgery was successful and he doing well.
As all of us know, Rose’s story concerning his bout with cancer
is inspiring and miraculous. It has now been three years since he underwent
surgery in
When ever cancer is included in a sentence as it refers to a person’s health, the first responses are, at least for me, panic, prayer and then pragmatism.
I trust the prognosis of Rose’s doctors and respect Rose’s optimism, faith and courage.
Still as one who has some family experience with cancer, I admit, I am always uneasy when I hear that word. The best case scenario for BYU’s best and most respected coach is that he is good for another decade or two on the bench leading the Cougars to their best basketball ever. That is where my prayers are involved.
Pragmatist in Me
But, the pragmatist in me, wonders what would happen if Rose had to sit out a year during his on going battle. What about two years or more? Just a thought.
Who would BYU get to replace him or act as an interim coach for a season or two?
And what about Bronco? What if he had to lay down his beloved motor cycle in traffic and was injured to the point that he couldn’t coach for a season? Who would replace him?
While thinking positively about Rose and his continuing health issues, here is my pragmatic take on the candidates to replace him if he had to take a leave of absence or took another job elsewhere where the money was bigger and the prestige greater.
I think BYU would stay in house for the next basketball coach. My pick, and I’m pretty sure BYU’s pick, to replace Rose, if the occasion ever arose, would be Mark Pope, the assistant coach now in his second year on staff.
Terry Nashif and Tim LaComb, both have more seniority on staff and have
credentials and loyalty, but they don’t have Pope’s cache and
credibility in recruiting. Pope was the reason BYU was in the Jabari Parker
chase. Pope also has a better and more extended resume, having played and
coached outside of the state of
There are some other LDS assistants coaching at
Long Shot
If you are looking for an extreme long shot and willing to wait three
years until Steve Cleveland returns from his tour of duty as a mission
president in Indianapolis, there is an infinitesimal chance that BYU would pull
a
I and everybody else in Cougar nation and fan bases across the state and country who all respect Rose are hoping for a speedy recovery and a lengthy coaching tenure at BYU. But Pope is my pragmatic choice to be the replacement for Rose when and if it ever happens.
Those dreams of many of Danny Ainge someday coaching at BYU have died. Ainge has the best gig in basketball as the General Manager of the Celtics. He also has the power to hire and fire and he is hiring his sons to work in meaningful positions within the franchise. Maybe those with Ainge dreams should transfer those dreams to Austin Ainge, he is a more likely BYU hire these days than Danny is.
When and if Bronco needs a replacement, a year ago my money was on Brandon Doman. The charismatic former offensive coordinator, had some coaching issues the last two seasons, but underperforming as an assistant coach wouldn’t prevent him from being a good head coach and face of the program.
Just ask Tom Holmoe for a reference. Holmoe was horrible as a coach at
Doman is keeping visibility by making the rounds and becoming a regular contributor to radio and TV shows locally. Another year under his belt and people will forget that he struggled last season.
Wannabes
As for coaches currently employed on Bronco’s staff, they are all Bronco wannabes, but right now, none seem to have any reasonable chance to be the future face of the program.
The same holds for the staffs at
Stanford has an LDS assistant in Lance Anderson. He was the Cardinal
recruiting coordinator from 2007-11 and now is the outside linebacker coach and
admissions liaison. He worked with Jim Harbaugh at
Andy Reid is in the same boat or burial plot as Ainge in basketball. That ship has sailed. If we are talking NFL coaches, the top candidate now with wind in his sail to replace Mendenhall when the time comes, is in my opinion, Darrell Bevell, the current offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. He is active LDS, but most likely will be an NFL head coach before there is a head coach vacancy at BYU.
Our best bet for Cougar football and coaching is to keep Bronco off the motorcycle or at least make him ride with the Hell’s Angels or some other biker cult or group. Those guys never seem to crash or burn on their bikes.
Television Timetable
BYU vs.
Saturday, Sept 21 at
Kickoff: 8:15 pm Mountain Time
TV: ESPN2
BYU vs.
Middle
Friday, Sept 27 at
Kickoff: 7:00 pm Mountain Time
TV: ESPNU
BYU vs.
Friday, Oct 4 at
Kickoff: 6:00 pm Mountain Time
TV: CBS Sports Network
BYU vs.
Georgia Tech
Saturday, Oct 12 at
Kickoff: TBA
TV: TBA
BYU vs.
Saturday, Oct 19 at
Kickoff: TBA
TV: TBA