801 372 - 0819 <mailto:hbarnett@fiber.net> hbarnett@fiber.net 1391 West 800 South – Orem, Utah 84058 Vol. 36, Issue 16– November 23, 2015 Click Here To Order or Renew Your Subscriptions <http://cougarclicks.com/product/Order-Cougar-Sportsline?ID=3173> Excuse the delay in delivery of this week’s newsletter: My wife and I have Church callings in an YSA Stake that serves UVU and surrounding areas. We offered to host Thanksgiving dinner for those who won’t be going home for the holiday. To make ready for the dinner, I spent this morning buying Spam and Tuna for a tasty casserole. My wife and I have also been brushing up on our YSA Table conversational skills. She says, “He dude, pass the turkey. I say, “whattup with that? You dissin’ the Spam? We’ll see how it goes. Who knows it might go viral. At least the spam left over on the table will be plenty viral if not salmonellany. Happy Thanksgiving to all, hb The “N” Word and BYU Football I love the first amendment. It allows me to use three “N” words as it may someday relate to BYU football. Niumatalolo, Navy and Next. Which also conjures up the “B” and “HC” words. Bronco and How long will he Coach. And subsequently someday allow BYU football to legitimately use the “PP” phrase as in Polynesian Pipeline. So let’s get started with this “PC” (possible consideration) conversation now. I used to think “Trending” described my suits and ties. I found that if I keep them long enough in my closet, they will be back in style at least three times during my lifetime. The problem is that my waistline keeps trending upward and outward. A better definition of “Trending” as it applies to BYU football would be Ken Niumatalolo, the current head football coach at Navy. In case you haven’t been paying attention, Navy is currently ranked No. 16 in the polls, has a 9-1 record and is the odds on favorite to win the conference championship of the AAC and get a big boy bowl invitation. Niumatalolo is now trending as the “next” possible replacement for the “BBB” crowd (Bye Bye Bronco). He has replaced Andy Reid, Kalani Sitake and Darrel Bevell as former “BBB” trenders. So in the spirit of GG (greener grass) for the BBB crowd, here is my take on Niumatalolo as a MSHC (maybe someday head coach) at BYU. He has the cards in his wallet that are necessary to be a head coach at BYU. He has the ecclesiastical endorsement card and the Spirit, Honor and Tradition card beside it. You can’t coach at Navy without the SHT card and you can be employed at BYU as a head coach without the EE card. Back Pocket He should have the PP card in his back pocket also. Born and reared in Laie he is or should be well connected to the Polynesian Pipeline which will be necessary for BYU to become dominant again on the line of scrimmage. If you can recruit at Navy, you would think recruiting at BYU would be easy. ER or easy recruiting at BYU is the ultimate oxymoron which should not be confused with the PM and PC (plain moronic play calling) that we sometimes see on the field by past and current Cougar coaches. Niumatalolo’s football lineage is one of option football. BYU fans can relax. He is only one good offensive coordinator hire away from keeping the BYU offense from becoming option oriented. The question remains: Does Niumatalolo want to remain in Annapolis where he is still a MMMS (Meet the Mormons Movie Star) and be wined and dined by Admirals and Beltway Bigwigs or relocate to Provo for weekly cameo appearances on “Inside BYU Football” and be wined at dined at the Cougar Eat and Carl’s Jr.? Here’s another PC (pay and compensation) factor. Would you rather be on the government payroll where over paying and over rides are common or on the BYU payroll where mint brownies from BYU catering are usually your Christmas bonus? And here is one more TDT (Too Darn Tough) factor for the Niumatalolo crowd crowing for him to be the next head football coach at BYU. In 2016 would you rather face Fordham, Air Force, Army, Notre Dame (in Jacksonville) SMU, Tulane, Tulsa, Memphis and Houston in your AAC West Division, or BYU’s schedule of games with Arizona, Utah, UCLA, West Virginia, Michigan State, Mississippi State and Boise State? And finally, there is the FFFB and FS factors in play. It is Far Fetched to think BYU will Fire Bronco after a season, that at worst will be 8-5 and at best 10-3. And then there is the Frank Solich factor. Nebraska fired Frank Solich after a 9-4 season. How did that work out for Husker fans three coaches later (Bill Callahan, Bo Pellini and Mike Riley)? Boycotting I’m in the BBBB (Boycotting Bye Bye Bronco) Club…at least for another two seasons. Here’s why. He will have a proven and talented quarterback for at least two more years. He may even have two proven and talented quarterbacks depending on what Taysom Hill decides. You can’t tell me that a very good offensive coordinator can’t find a way to utilize at times both in the same backfield. The very good offensive coordinator is another discussion for another time. Bronco’s recruiting pipeline should be finally proven or discredited after 11 years on the job. Next year is the put up or shut up season for him and his staff. As is the custom, there is always a burner at wide receiver in the pipeline. This year it is juco commit Jonah Trinnaman from Snow College. The entire starting defensive backfield, except for Michael Wadsworth returns. So does Moroni, not the statue on top of temples, but the talented freshman Laulu-Pututau returns along with Nick Kurtz. At BYU, every season is determined by quarterback play and play at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The QB play should be exceptional. The line of scrimmage play is still to be determined. If it hasn’t been or been improved in two more seasons, then Bye Bye Bronco and Hello Ken or whomever is the latest LDS coach of the future will be trending parabolicly. I firmly support Bronco for another two years, I am just hesitant on how I feel about this Saturday’s game against Utah State in Logan. Yes, I know that is contradictory, but so is Broncos recent record against in-state opponents. I reiterate, seasons at BYU are determined by quarterback play and line of scrimmage performances. I like BYU’s quarterback chances, but am hesitant to unabashedly back the Cougars’ line of scrimmage play against the Utah State. So too, apparently is Las Vegas. BYU is only a 2 ½ point favorite over the Aggies. That said, I’m still a BYUHH (BYU homer and honk) and call the Cougars 31 USU 24. Bronson Kaufusi Michigan and Missouri Maybe Worth Millions Last week Bronco called Bronson Kaufusi the “PP” (perfect player) for BYU. He was referencing his football abilities and his embracement of the program, standards and values of Cougar football and its sponsoring institution. Based on what happened at Michigan and Missouri this year, Hilary Kaufusi, Bronson’s wife and a former BYU soccer player, could now have a better definition for PP. It just might be “perfect paycheck”. The previous rap on Kaufusi by some NFL scouts has never been his inherent talent to play at the next level, but his motor, or lack of it. That motor has undoubtedly been revved up to a new high since the Michigan game when the Wolverines shellacked the Cougars and chewed up BYU’s defensive line. In my opinion, it was a wake-up call for Kaufusi as he saw what real NFL talent looks like and how hard they play every down. Since the Wolverine whipping, Kaufusi has been on fire and so has his motor. To say he has been a dominant defensive force would be an understatement. He has had his ticket punched to the NFL combine and if he can keep his new found motor oiled and tuned, he can not only play in the “League”, he might even get “Ziggy” status and money. Trust me, he will definitely pass all the physical and character tests. The only thing he needs to do now is keep his the rpm’s on his motor high and he is what Bronco says he is: a perfect player and what his wife hopes he is: a perfect paycheck. His latest defensive efforts have been absolutely astounding and first round selection worthy. Because his first round efforts are late in coming, however, in my opinion, I look for him to be a second or third round selection. Whatever the round, he has made himself, family and BYU proud and monetarily well off. Initially Speaking, BYU Basketball is a HCO Away From Having a Great Season It’s way early, but here is my WEP (way early prognosis) for BYU basketball based on just a few games: This is going to be a very exciting and talented team to watch. It just won’t be a team that will win a conference title or make any kind of run in post season tournaments. Those accolades and honors are reserved for coaches and teams that can actually play half-court basketball. Tempo, pushing the ball up the court and shooting threes are nice to watch and witness as fans, but they are non-existent in teams that compete for championships and tournament advancement. Name the last team that plays BYU’s current style of play that went deep into NCAA tournament play. There are times when teams can run, but when the money is on the line, they win with half-court defense and offense. Gonzaga is not an up tempo team. Duke isn’t run and gun. Just a couple of examples. I hate to keep beating an old drum, but despite all his faults, Roger Reid could beat teams, including Utah and win championships, because he was the master of the half-court game. Our current coach, Dave Rose, has an up tempo coaching lineage. Guy Lewis at Houston and Steve Cleveland at BYU. Those teams are fun to watch until they face teams with defense and money ball offenses. I’m referring to a half court system to get the ball into the paint, draw fouls and score points with the game on the line. As mentioned, this is a 20-plus win BYU basketball team. They have some exciting guard line players and serviceable inside players. That is a serious upgrade from last season. Scoring points won’t be a problem, until facing teams that can limit possessions and make every possession count. This is my opinion only. But I have watched this BYU program for the last 11 years. They are fun to watch and will continue to be so. They just won’t be a team that can compete or finish seasons when the money is on the line. It just isn’t in their up tempo and sans half-court game DNA. Again, this is strictly my opinion, but BYU has enough offensive players to play with most college teams, but to play with the best teams they have to go the Wisconsin way and get bigger and better bangers inside. BYU seems to be on that road, and Rose is trying to rein in his helter-skelter-first-guy-across-the-half- court-line heave it up mentality, but BYU is still a year or two away from being able to be good enough to bang inside for Rose to change his style of play. This assessment isn’t going to stop me from thoroughly enjoying this team this year on the offensive side of the ball, but it has already stopped me from expecting anything but a cup of Postum in the post season. I plan on drinking another steaming cup this March. Nothing would suite me better than have to eat my words along with sipping my Postum come March. Here’s hoping this team can force feed me my words. Nothing would make me happier. Television Timetable BYU vs. Utah State (W Basketball) Tuesday, November 24 at Provo Tipoff: 11:00 am MST TV: BYUtv BYU vs. Pepperdine (W Volleyball) Tuesday, November 24 at Provo Start Time: 7:00 pm MST TV: BYUtv BYU vs. Mississippi Valley State (M Basketball) Wednesday, November 25 at Provo Tipoff: 7:00 pm MST TV: BYUtv BYU vs. Utah State (Football) Saturday, November 28 at Logan Kickoff: 1:30 pm MST TV: CBS Sports Network BYU vs. Belmont (M Basketball Saturday, November 28 at Provo Tipoff: 7:00 pm MST TV: BYUtv BYU vs. Utah (M Basketball) Wednesday, December 2 at Salt Lake Tipoff: 8:00 pm MST TV: Pac-12 Network