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hbarnett@fiber.net

1391 West 800 South – Orem, Utah 84058

Vol. 36, Issue 31 – March 7, 2016

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Moving, Missing and Kissing

Moving: So far after, after one week of Spring Football, here are most of the moves that the new staff has made in personnel and switching of positions. Stay tuned, this is a work in progress.

Francis Bernard…moved from running back to linebacker.

Micah Hanneman…moved from corner to safety

Micah Simon…moved from defensive back to receiver

Josh Weeks…moved from wide receiver to tight end

Cole Wilstead…moved from BYU baseball to tight end

Solomone Wolfgramm…reportedly rumors have him moving from bball player at BYU-H to tight end in BYU-Provo…Click here for short bio and click here for interesting photo with future BYU player Mo Langi when both were serving in Phoenix mission together

Trey Dye…moved from rb/slot to wide receiver

Kamel Greene…moved from Pullman and WSU to Provo a year ago, but finally on the roster this season as DB

Jonny Linehan…moved from full time rugby player and part time football player with no financial aid to full time punter with full scholarship

Tanner Mangum…moved from single to engaged to BYU volleyball star Alexa Gray

Taysom Hill…moved from Ann Arbor to Palo Alto and then to Charlottesville, to finally end his summer projected transfer itinerary and stay put in Provo for his senior season

Missing: This is a list of players that aren’t participating in spring ball because of injuries and the hated phrase of “other issues”.

Tejan Koroma…His other issues put him in Phoenix currently working out and getting ready for football in the fall…hopefully that will be in Provo. New Coach Kalani Sitake says that his return to Provo is up to Koroma

Kyle Johnson…starting guard is missing spring after surgery

Kai Nacua…have heard that his absence from spring drills is injury related but Sitake said last week he is working through “issues”

Isaiah Nacua…BYU fans have been waiting two years for the talented defensive lineman out of Timpview HS via Las Vegas. They will have to wait another two. He received an LDS mission call to Colorado Springs.

Handsome Tanielu…BYU’s top juco recruit, who will bolster and boost the defensive line, isn’t out on the field yet, but in school. Sitake says he is hopeful that he will be cleared soon for spring. Cleared is usually code for don’t hold your breath until fall

Kissing…This is a list of players that are happy to kiss the turf at LaVell Edwards Stadium after missing last season due to injuries and other issues.

Taysom Hill…Need I say more

Jamaal William…Click here to hear how Williams and BYU fans and coaches feel about the senior season return of Williams

Dayan Lake…moved from being academiclly ineligible because of high school transcript issues to now fully on the team at defensive back. The “issues” cost him a year of eligibility.

Talon Shumway…Can’t get his high school highlight reel with the summersault for a touchdown out of my head. Hopefully he can get injuries out of his body. If so, he will be special

Phillip Amone…maybe not be back until fall because of ACL, but is a big time player

Troy Hinds…Unlimited potential, but limited health last season

Squally Canada…Don’t let first impressions fool you. The first carry-first fumble label will disappear quickly when you see him on the field for more than one play

Sione Takitaki…BYU’s reigning king of issues is issue free this spring

For complete BYU Football Spring Roster, See Below

Baseball Looks Special, But Still Not Sold on Pitching

Hey, what’s not to like about the BYU baseball start? They are 10-1 without the benefit of a home game on their record. That will change with a nine-game home stand beginning this Tuesday.

It’s loud and clear that his team is loaded offensively. They can flat out hit all through the lineup and about five deep off the bench. Defense is not spectacular, but it is good.

You don’t have to watch much baseball to learn early that it is all about pitching. The good news for Mike Littlewood and his Cougars is that he has his best pitching he has had in his first four seasons as the coach at BYU.

It still isn’t good enough. Littlewood has two good right-handed starters in Michael Rucker and Maverik Buffo. He has a few decent to good guys coming out of the pen. When closer Mason Marshall is throwing strikes, he is special, when he can’t find the plate, he isn’t. We saw both last week.

Based on what I saw in the recently completed three-game series with Kansas last week, however, Littlewood still desperately needs a No. 3 pitcher and to have a staff that can find the plate.

I don’t care how improved BYU baseball is this year, they aren’t going to get out of the WCC, NCAA regionals or NCAA Super Regionals to Omaha, if they can’t consistently throw strikes.

The three game window I saw had me enthusiastic for offense, but thinking that this pitching is still a long way from being sound unless they can throw strikes.

In 27 innings against the Jayhawks, BYU pitching gave up 21 free passes. If Littlewood and his staff can fix that, they have the makings of a very, very special season. They even have their first real possibility in 15 years to make a return to NCAA post season play.

Despite the walks, they are certainly worth the walk to the box office to see this team play.

It looks to me like Littlewood is the real deal. He is making all the right moves in recruiting and just getting started. He also has his finger on all the right weather buttons. A nine-game home stand in early to mid-March actually looks doable.

When it isn’t, a copycat approach from Kansas might work in Provo. The Jayhawks had an all artificial turf field. Even for the days there is snow, it is much easier to remove than from grass. Just a thought for Tom Holmoe.

That would allow earlier in the year games to be played in Provo. Who cares if it is cold for the players, they are young and can take it. For the fans, it couldn’t be that expensive to enclose the current stands with some kind of Plexiglas cover and pipe a little heat in, could it? For the warmer months, just make the switch to air conditioning or windows.

If Littlewood is going to have good teams, a little inside weather adjustment for fans would make baseball a very good draw for Cougar faithful.

I’m Through Pounding the Pulpit on the Post

I’m through pounding the pulpit on BYU’s mediocre post play. At least until I see what happens against Gonzaga tonight in the semi-finals of WCC tournament action. The game will tip at 9:30 pm MST and shown nationally on ESPN2.

You may remember that last week I wrote the following: In BYU’s Mormon Solar System of recruiting there just aren’t that many legitimate post prospects out there.

So maybe, given that fact, Rose is actually doing spectacularly well as a coach by running an offensive system that is exciting and fun to watch and able to keep BYU hovering around and knocking on the championship door but never being invited in because of lack of legitimate post play.

That resulted from a frequent email responder who sent the following:

Was Araujo in "BYU's Mormon Solar System of recruiting"? (my Cougar Sportsline response was he wasn’t LDS, but his wife was)  A lot of those Gonzaga big men have funny foreign names. A lot of the Utah big men of late (Andrew Bogut, Jakob Poltl, and some others) have come from foreign countries. Why is Utah getting these guys?

Isn't BYU supposed to be the school with an international reach? "The World Is Our Campus." The University of Utah is a local school, with a large commuter population. It's ridiculous for Utah to beat BYU in the international market.

Likewise in football. Utah got the foreign players.  According to you (and your arguments make sense) it's why BYU got rid of Bronco and hired Sitake.

I don't buy the argument that there are no big men available to BYU. Maybe there are no big men available in America. But there's a great big world out there. Other schools are recruiting it. Why isn't Dave Rose? That's my biggest complaint about him. He's an unimaginative, and possibly just plain lazy, recruiter. Go out and find someone, Dave.

Name withheld  

Supreme Court and Supreme Volleyball: “I Know It When I See It”

The year was 1964. The case was Jacobellis v. Ohio. The Supreme Court Justice was Potter Stewart, who said, “I know it when I see it.” (If you need details, Google it.)

The year is now 2016. BYU men’s volleyball team is now 16-2 overall after taking two matches from Hawaii in Honolulu last week. In MPSF Play, the Cougars are 12-2 and currently ranked No. 2 in the nation behind Long Beach State.

Nothing new for the Cougars. They have had glossy records before. They have been highly ranked before. They have played great volleyball before. They have won national championships before.

That said, I am channeling my inner Potter Stewart, when I say BYU is now playing at a different level than they have ever played before. “I know it when I see it.”

Believe me, it is worth seeing. Either live or on TV. The Cougar’s next matches will be Friday, March 18 and 19 against Pepperdine in Provo. “See it and you will know what I’m talking about.”

BYU 2016 Football Spring Roster

Click on Name for Complete Bio

26	Rhett Almond	6-4	195	P	Sophomore	Valencia, CA
22	Phillip Amone	6-0	240	LB	Freshman	Orlando, FL
24	Zayne Anderson	6-2	198	DB	Sophomore	Stansbury Park, UT
59	Roman Andrus	6-4	282	DL	Sophomore	El Dorado Hills, CA
17	Chris Badger	6-0	191	DB	Senior	Provo, UT
89	Tanner Balderree	6-3	248	TE	Junior	Sherwood, OR
45	Sam Baldwin	6-3	198	DB	Freshman	Rexburg, ID
13	Francis Bernard	6-1	239	LB	Sophomore	Herriman, UT
84	Austin Brasher	6-0	183	K	Senior	Edmond, OK
19	Trevor Brent	5-10	172	DB	Freshman	Balch Springs, TX
24	Algernon Brown	6-1	245	RB	Senior	Magna, UT
32	Riley Burt	6-1	206	RB	Sophomore	Mantua, UT
10	Squally Canada	5-11	200	RB	Sophomore	Milpitas, CA
90	Chad Cather	6-6	265	TE	Sophomore	Shelley, ID
88	Tyler Cook	6-3	230	LB	Sophomore	Murrieta , CA
2	Akile Davis	6-2	191	WR	Sophomore	DeSoto, TX
58	Demetrius Davis	6-4	294	OL	Freshman	Pleasant Grove, UT
15	Michael Davis	6-2	190	DB	Senior	Glendale, CA
54	Parker Dawe	6-3	301	OL	Senior	Pleasant Grove, UT
36	Nathan DeBeikes	6-2	207	LB	Freshman	Thousand Oaks, CA
52	Darren Denucci	6-4	317	OL	Junior	Bountiful, UT
13	Koy Detmer Jr.	5-10	170	QB	Sophomore	Somerset, TX
36	Caden Dortch	6-0	185	DB	Sophomore	Saratoga Springs, UT
6	Trey Dye	5-9	179	WR	Junior	Abilene, TX
33	Corey Edwards	6-0	217	K	Sophomore	Hurricane, UT
35	Brayden El-Bakri	6-0	236	RB	Sophomore	Salt Lake City, UT
34	Bryan Engstrom	5-8	172	RB	Sophomore	Sandy, UT
55	Quin Ficklin	6-3	280	OL	Sophomore	Mesa, AZ
26	BJ Fifita	6-0	203	DB	Freshman	Westlake Village, CA
64	Matt Foley	6-1	210	DS	Sophomore	Temecula, CA
30	Kavika Fonua	6-0	215	DB	Sophomore	Syracuse, UT
32	Gavin Fowler	6-0	193	DB	Junior	Kaysville, UT
43	Rylee Gautavai	6-1	238	LB	Freshman	Bountiful, UT
10	Kamel Greene	5-11	189	DB	Junior	Mountain View, CA
77	Jaterrius Gulley	6-2	346	OL	Sophomore	Hoover, AL
2	Matt Hadley	6-0	210	DB	Junior	Connell, WA
20	KJ Hall	5-9	175	DB	Freshman	Spanish Fork, UT
7	Micah Hannemann	6-0	200	DB	Junior	Alpine, UT
30	Colby Hansen	5-11	195	RB	Junior	Clarkston, WA
34	Porter Hansen	6-3	215	LB	Sophomore	La Crescenta, CA
42	Austin Heder	6-2	240	LB	Senior	Pleasant Grove, UT
4	Taysom Hill	6-2	230	QB	Senior	Pocatello, ID
44	Troy Hinds	6-5	245	LB	Sophomore	Kaysville, UT
45	Toloa'i Ho Ching	6-1	241	RB	Junior	Sandy, UT
7	Beau Hoge	6-1	201	QB	Sophomore	Fort Thomas, KY
71	Austin Hoyt	6-8	282	OL	Sophomore	Ione, CA
47	Scott Huntsman	6-4	227	LB	Sophomore	Coppell, TX
25	Tanner Jacobson	5-10	182	DB	Sophomore	Southlake, TX
70	Jacob Jimenez	6-5	292	OL	Sophomore	Pflugerville, TX
22	Batchlor Johnson	5-9	157	WR	Sophomore	Katy, TX
67	Kyle Johnson	6-4	319	OL	Senior	Sandy, UT
37	Grant Jones	6-6	205	DB	Junior	Concord, CA
23	Garrett Juergens	5-10	184	WR	Senior	Houston, TX
87	Mitchell Juergens	5-10	181	WR	Senior	Houston, TX
78	Tuni Kanuch	6-3	325	OL	Junior	South Jordan, UT
49	Moses Kaumatule	6-2	262	DL	Sophomore	South Jordan, UT
80	Elliot Knox	6-4	196	WR	Senior	St. George, UT
25	Taggart Krueger	6-3	180	WR	Sophomore	Sammamish, WA
5	Nick Kurtz	6-6	210	WR	Senior	El Cajon, CA
5	Dayan Lake	5-11	203	DB	Freshman	Layton, UT
21	Harvey Langi	6-3	249	LB	Senior	South Jordan, UT
41	Paul Langi	6-1	228	RB	Freshman	South Jordan, UT
73	Ului Lapuaho	6-7	333	OL	Junior	West Valley City, UT
48	Tomasi Laulile	6-4	288	DL	Junior	Westlake, CA
1	Moroni Laulu-Pututau	6-4	211	WR	Sophomore	Hyrum, UT
22	Hiva Lee	5-8	181	DB	Senior	Ellensburg, WA
51	Lene Lesatele	6-2	245	LB	Junior	Artesia, CA
31	Jonny Linehan	6-0	201	P	Senior	Auckland, New Zealand
83	Inoke Lotulelei	5-9	195	WR	Freshman	Midvale, UT
12	Tanner Mangum	6-3	215	QB	Sophomore	Eagle, ID
98	Maurice Maxwell	6-4	260	DL	Senior	Las Vegas, NV
29	Austin McChesney	6-1	188	WR	Freshman	Highland, UT
33	Brayden McFadden	6-2	185	DB	Freshman	McKinney, TX
50	Tevita Mo'Unga	6-3	322	DL	Sophomore	Murrieta, CA
52	Sam Morell	6-1	233	LB	Freshman	Plano, TX
12	Kai Nacua	6-2	208	DB	Senior	Las Vegas, NV
35	Va'a Niumatalolo	6-2	231	LB	Junior	Annapolis, MD
39	Connor Noe	6-2	192	DB	Sophomore	Mason, OH
65	JJ Nwigwe	6-5	278	OL	Sophomore	Rockwall, TX
41	Taylor Parker	6-3	193	P	Sophomore	Hurricane, UT
38	Butch Pau'u	6-0	223	LB	Sophomore	Anaheim, CA
3	Colby Pearson	6-0	203	WR	Senior	Blackfoot, ID
28	Sawyer Powell	6-1	194	DB	Junior	West Richland, WA
20	Jordan Preator	6-0	180	DB	Junior	Plain City, UT
41	Adam Pulsipher	6-1	227	LB	Sophomore	Temecula, CA
72	Addison Pulsipher	6-5	268	OL	Freshman	Temecula, CA
68	Brian Rawlinson	6-7	305	OL	Junior	Oologah, OK
89	Steven Richards	6-3	247	TE	Sophomore	Sandy, UT
53	Creed Richardson	6-1	244	LB	Junior	Provo, UT
85	Bryan Sampson	6-4	245	TE	Senior	Pleasant Grove, UT
93	Nate Sampson	6-2	240	TE	Junior	Pleasant Grove, UT
46	Rhett Sandlin	6-3	249	LB	Sophomore	Draper, UT
95	Cody Savage	6-6	252	TE	Freshman	Lovell, WY
18	Michael Shelton	5-8	175	DB	Sophomore	Raleigh, NC
56	Thomas Shoaf	6-5	265	OL	Freshman	Columbus, IN
23	Rickey Shumway	6-2	200	WR	Freshman	Provo, UT
11	Talon Shumway	6-3	202	WR	Freshman	South Jordan, UT
1	Micah Simon	6-1	189	WR	Sophomore	Dallas, TX
29	Cody Stewart	6-3	188	WR	Junior	Mesa, AZ
62	Logan Taele	6-2	299	DL	Senior	Columbus, OH
33	Eric Takenaka	5-10	210	DB	Senior	Salt Lake City, UT
16	Sione Takitaki	6-2	240	LB	Junior	Fontana, CA
54	Merrill Taliauli	6-2	293	DL	Sophomore	Salt Lake City, UT
57	LeRoy Tanoai	6-4	306	OL	Freshman	Sherman Oaks, CA
3	Johnny Tapusoa	5-10	225	LB	Freshman	Laie, HI
94	Kesni Tausinga	6-1	309	DL	Junior	South Jordan, UT
31	Sae Tautu	6-4	245	LB	Senior	Alpine, UT
91	Travis Tuiloma	6-2	301	DL	Senior	Topeka, KS
27	Morgan Unga	6-5	205	LB	Freshman	Ogden, UT
4	Fred Warner	6-4	227	LB	Junior	San Marcos, CA
11	Troy Warner	6-1	192	DB	Freshman	San Marcos, CA
16	Josh Weeks	6-4	232	TE	Sophomore	Show Low, AZ
75	Brad Wilcox	6-7	320	OL	Senior	Edmond, OK
21	Jamaal Williams	6-2	218	RB	Senior	Fontana, CA
86	Cole Wilstead	6-4	239	TE	Junior	Washington, UT
82	Jake Ziolkowski	6-1	200	WR	Senior	Island Lake, IL

Television Timetable

BYU vs. Santa Clara (W Basketball)

Monday, March 7 at Las Vegas

Tipoff: 1:00 pm MST

TV: BYUtv

BYU vs. Gonzaga (M Basketball)

Monday, March 7 at Las Vegas

Tipoff: 9:30 pm MST

TV: ESPN2

BYU vs. UVU (Baseball)

Tuesday, March 8 at Provo

First Pitch: 6:00 pm MST

TV: TheW.tv

BYU vs. Niagara (Baseball)

Thursday, March 10 at Provo

First Pitch: 6:00 pm MST

TV: TheW.tv

BYU vs. Niagara (Baseball)

Friday, March 11 at Provo

First Pitch: 3:00 pm MST

TV: TheW.tv

BYU vs. Niagara (Baseball)

Friday, March 11 at Provo

First Pitch: 6:00 pm MST (doubleheader)

TV: TheW.tv

BYU vs. Niagara (Baseball)

Saturday, March 12 at Provo

First Pitch: Noon MST

TV:TheW.tv