BYU's 2016 Dream Season

There are plenty of questions surrounding the Cougars for this up coming season. Who will start at QB? What will the offense look like? Is BYU ready for such a challenging schedule? Is Kalani Sitake ready to be the head coach of a FBS program?  There is no doubt that the departure of Bronco Mendenhall and hiring of Kalani Sitake has breathed a breath of fresh air into the program, But will it pay off?  Currently there are no answers to these questions but one thing is for sure, there will be plenty of attention on the Cougars IF they rise to the occasion.

Schedule Predictions:

Sep. 3 - Arizona

Prior to this game no starter has been announced at QB. On BYU's first play of the game though Taysom Hill trots on to the field to field and calls out the signals.  Taysom is physically and mentally ready to be back out on the gridiron.  The Wildcats are no slouch of a team either though and BYU and Arizona proceed to put on a great show. With BYU down 3 and less than one minute left in the game Hill takes a snap near midfield drops back, scans the defense and then takes off running and weaving his way to the end zone for the game winning score. BYU leaves the desert with an impressive and dramatic 35-31 victory in University of Phoenix Stadium to start the season on the right foot.

Sep. 10 - at Utah

BYU hasn't beat Utah since 2009. Kalani Sitake and company are bent on changing that. As always, this game is intense from the start.  The Utes have a solid defense, but their offense has yet to find a groove which levels the playing field in the first half.  In the second half however, Utah's defense begins to fatigue in large part due to their offenses inability to sustain drives. Slowly but surely Taysom Hill, Jamaal Williams and friends pull away from Utah snaring a 27-13 victory and snapping a 5 game losing streak to their bitter rival. Following back to back wins against PAC-12 teams BYU finds itself ranked in the top 25.

Sep. 17 - UCLA

Last season UCLA stole one from BYU.  This year the Cougars won't give the Bruins the opportunity to sneak out a victory.  BYU scores early and often in this one putting # 10 UCLA away well before the final whistle. Taysom Hill is dominant in this game burning the Bruins through the air and on the ground, throwing for 200 and 2 TDs, and running for 85 and another 2.  BYU wins this one 42-20 leaving no doubt that the Cougars are legit and spring boarding Taysom into the Heisman discussion.

Sep. 24 - West Virginia

BYU has started white hot, improving each week and now ranked 18th in the nation. West Virginia is good, but not that good.  Once again BYU hits the ground running in this game with Taysom Hill and Jamaal Williams leading the way.  Still the Mountaineers don't go down without a fight making a late surge to make the score seem closer than the game truly was. BYU wins this one 45-35 at FedEx field, and improve to 4-0 on the season

Sep. 30 - Toledo

Toledo is a nice team, with some good players and an up and coming coach. Traveling to Provo is a challenge for them but they are determined to make a splash against #15 BYU.  The first half is hotly contested with BYU up by just a field goal at halftime.  But that is where the competition ends.  BYU's depth and experience help the Cougars pull away in the second half and BYU wins this one comfortably in the end. BYU 52 Toledo 24.  The fans are excited, the team is 5-0,focused, and the stage is set for a huge game on the road against Michigan State.

Oct. 8 - at Michigan State

BYU is ranked #15. Michigan State is ranked #11. The stakes are high for both teams, and this game does not disappoint.  Like two heavy weights exchanging blows for three rounds this one comes down to the last play.  BYU has played itself into a 2 point lead but the spartians have the ball on the 33 yard line setting them up for a 50 yard field goal attempt to win it. The snap, the hold, the kick.......It's long enough....It is.......DOINK.....No good! The attempt bounces off the right post and BYU's players jubilantly celebrate the victory as Michigan State's fans and players look on in disbelief.

Oct. 15 - Mississippi State

The Bulldogs come to Provo to take on the #10 Cougars. For the second week in a row BYU finds itself in a real dog fight. Every time one team seems like it might pull away the other comes charging right back. In the final moments of this one the Cougars are up 7 but the Bulldogs are able to punch it into the endzone with 3 seconds left, and it looks like this one is going to overtime.  But wait whats this? MSU is leaving the offense on the field...they are going for the win.  The play is a fade to the right corner of the end zone, he catches it, and the officials arms go up! The Bulldogs are up by one and BYU's season has come to an end. "The previous play is under further review" announces the ref. The replay on the video board zooms in on the Bulldog recievers right foot and its clear, his toe was out of bounds. "After further review the ruling on the field is over-turned" and LaVell Edwards stadium erupts. BYU has escaped a miraculous 35-34 victory.

Oct. 22 - at Boise State

Nothing comes easy on the Smurf Turf. BYU is 7-0 and ranked #8. Boise State is 6-0 and ranked #14. Neither team is going to back down. It's a clash of non P5 titans. Taysom and the Cougars find themselves down 7 with less than a minute to go and driving. It's 4th and goal from from the 3. Taysom takes the snap fakes the hand off to Jamaal and runs a naked boot to the left. He dives for the pylon and he is in with only 3 seconds left on the clock! Now all they need is the PAT and we'll see what happens in OT...but wait...the offense is staying out there to go for 2. The play is a fade to the right corner, and it is caught, but the official signals incomplete! "The previous play is under further review.  For the second week in a row the hopes and dreams of Cougar Nation hang in the balance. The replay zooms in on the receivers right foot but it may be too close to call. Here comes the announcement from the ref. "After further review, the ruling on the field is over-turned, the two-point conversion is good." The final score BYU 36 Boise State 35

Nov. 5 - at Cincinnati
After a bye week BYU has had a chance to recover from three of the most incredible finishes in the history of football.  The Bearcats do their best to keep up with Taysom and company but they are no match for the # 6 ranked BYU Cougars. Taysom puts up huge numbers 300 passing with 3 TDs, 150 rushing with 2 TDs, and solidifies his position as the front runner for the Heisman Trophy. BYU Cruises to a resounding 52-17 victory.

Nov. 12 - Southern Utah
The T-Birds have some great uniforms. That's about the only positive for them in this one. BYU is ranked #5. The game is over and the starters are out 5 minutes into the second quarter. Plenty of playing time for the back-ups in this one. BYU 84 SUU 3

Nov. 19 - Massachusetts
UMass? They have a football team? BYU is still ranked #5. Same story as last week only worse. BYU sets a school record for points and margin of victory winning 105-0.

Nov. 26 - Utah State
Finally a real opponent for BYU. Despite the HUGE wins the past two weeks, BYU's ranking dropped to #6 becasue those weren't real games. But the Aggies have actually put together a good season to this point and find themselves ranked #25 coming into Provo. A resounding victory over a ranked opponent is exactly what the Cougars need, and they deliver.  BYU takes control of this game from the start and never lets go. Taysom once again displays his almost superhuman abilities on the football field shredding the Aggies for 200 yards in the air and 90 on the ground with 1 passing and 3 rushing TDs. For the first time since 2001 BYU is 12-0 after disposing of USU 45-10. This victory over a ranked opponent is just enough to bump BYU into the playoff picture when 4th ranked Oklahoma loses in it's conference championship game to 15th ranked Oklahoma state, a team they beat earlier in the season (this debacle puts major pressure on the Big 12 to expand) and 5th ranked Florida State loses to 20th ranked Duke in the ACC championship game.

BYU's End of season CFP ranking #4
Taysom Hill wins the Heisman Trophy
Jamaal Williams wins the Doak Walker Award

CFB Semifinal- Ohio State
BYU has never been here, and The Ohio State has. Many people people have more or less written BYU off in this one for that reason alone. But from the opening kick off its clear the BYU belongs in this game.  Remember how Utah stuck it to Alabama back in '08? That about how this one goes. BYU hits the ground running, and before the Buckeyes realize whats hit them this one is out of reach with Heisman winner Taysom Hill leading the way. BYU 38 OSU 17 

CFB Final- Alabama
BYU is poised, cool, and collected before this game. So is Bama. The Tide and Cougars battle back and forth all game long. This one is going to come down to the wire. The tide own a three point lead with 4 seconds left but BYU has driven to the 15 yard line and is lined up for the game tying field goal to send it to OT. Alabama sends an all out block and one of BYU's ends sneaks down field.  BYU's holder, who is none other than Back-up QB Tanner Mangum tosses a high arching floater just before being drilled by the Tide rush, but they are too late. The pass floats right down in to the hands of BYU's wide open receiver in the end zone and BYU wins 38-35 in the most dramatic ending to a national championship game ever! 

Open letter to the Utah Jazz

Dear Jazz Management, 

Thank you for putting together a decent team for the 2015-16 season. They played some good ball at times. Won some games against good teams, lost some against bad teams, and once again finished so close and yet so far away from the playoffs. That's pretty much par for the course the past few years for the Jazz.

This is 4 years in a row missing the playoffs. 6 years since we won a playoff game. It's been tough sledding. 

Now, don't take this the wrong way, but I think it's time to admit that the guy who is going to take this team to the next level is not currently on the roster. Gordon Hayward is a nice player, but making him the center piece of an NBA team? I think we all know that is a stretch. D-Favs, I like how he plays the game but, once again he isn't great. There are lots of nice players on the Jazz! But the team is lacking one thing that you have to have in order to be a contender in the NBA, a superstar. That's right, I said a superstar, the likes of which the Jazz haven't had since Stockton and Malone. So, I'm just going to come right out and say it. It's high time the Jazz did something to bring a superstar in. 

There are two ways you can bring in a superstar: Draft one, or bring in a free agent. Let's start with the later. 

Every year there are a few stars on the free agent market, but a superstar becoming a free agent? That only happens once every 3 or 4 years, so when there is one you gotta take a shot at him. This off season happens to be one of those years, with Kevin Durant hitting the open market. Please don't watch his free agency unfold from the sidelines. I know it seems like a long shot but, as Wayne Gretzky said "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take."  Put your best foot forward. Charter a jet for the guy, bring him to SLC, wine and dine him, and then offer him enough money to make him think "hey, maybe Utah should be on my radar." So take a shot! If you miss, well be no worse off than we were before, but IF you hit, it would alter the future of this franchise.

Bringing a superstar in through the draft? It's a bit of a crap shoot! You hold the 12th pick in the draft. Odds are that at 12 the cream of the crop will be long gone. The way I see it, you have two choices. The first is to stand pat and take your chances at 12. The second is to package that 12th pick along with a guy who is good and has value but who might not be quite working out for the Jazz (maybe like Trey Burke) and move up the board.

Whatever you do, please don't stand pat like you have the past few years. Please throw your hat in the ring with KD! Don't let him sign with another team without at least making a competitive offer. Please don't draft another project from Europe. It's time to start making some real progress. It's time to show the fans that you are serious about making this team a contender again. 

Sincerely, 

A life long Jazz fan 

#ThisIsY I love the Y 4

It's the first game of the 2009 season. It couldn't be on a bigger stage, the first ever college football game played in Jerry Jones' brand new billion dollar stadium affectionately coined Jerry's World. It couldn't be against a bigger opponent, #3 ranked Oklahoma, who played in the BCS championship game last year and returns last year's Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford. Oh, and don't forget that this one is nationally televised on ESPN in prime time. This is a big one.

I've been looking forward to this game since the final whistle of last year's bowl game. Still I have to temper my expectations. After all, this is Oklahoma. On top of having the reigning Heisman winner under center, they've got DeMarco Murray in the backfield, tons of speed at receiver, and a defense that couldn't be any more stingy. They are legit. Too legit.

But you know what? The Cougars aren't a slouch of a team either. Max Hall, Dennis Pitta, Andrew George, and Harve Unga (not playing in this game) on offense. Jan Jorgensen, Colby Clawson, and Jordan Pendleton on defense. This is a solid BYU team.  If ever we had a good chance to win a huge game on a big stage, this is it. 

From the opening kickoff it's clear that the Cougars have come to play, and we aren't going to let the Sooners get out to a big lead. BYU goes toe to toe with Oklahoma in the first half, with the defenses dictating the flow of the game. Sam Bradford goes down with a shoulder injury in the second quarter, complements of a hard but clean hit from Colby Clawson. The Sooners hit a field goal as time runs out in the half to give them a 10-7 lead at the break. 

As the teams head in to the locker rooms, an ESPN camera follows Cougar signal caller Max Hall to the tunnel. As he passes a crowd of BYU fans he can be heard shouting  "We're gonna win! We're gonna win!" to the blue clad spectators. I love the confidence. 

The third quarter features more stout defense. Nether team scores and the offenses jockey for field position. In the weaning moments of the third however, the Sooners mount a drive into the red zone. 

The 4th starts with the Sooners threatening to score, on the door step of the goal line. The Cougar defense is determined though, they aren't going to let the ball break the plane, turning in one of the most impressive goal line stands in program history. The Sooners get 6 shots at the end zone, and are turned away every time settling for a field goal and a 13-7 lead. 

The Cougars get the ball and it's clear, it's now or never. They resound by putting together an iconic drive, chewing up time and even converting on 4th down. With 3:03 left Max Hall finds McKay Jacobson open in the end zone for the go ahead score. After the PAT we're up 14-13. At this point I start experiencing some real anxiety. We left too much time on the board. I've seen this happen too many times to my Cougars. The Sooners are going to put together a winning drive...it's how it always happens. 

Sure enough, they move the ball down the field to the extreme edge of their kickers range. Finally the defense makes a stand. The Sooners are going to have to try a long field goal of they want to win this one. I'm a wreck. I know he is going to hit it. Here comes the snap, the hold, the kick...He missed it! HE MISSED IT!  WE WON!  We won! I can't belive it! I have been waiting for this moment my whole life as a BYU fan and it's finally happened! We finally won a big game against a big team! Thank you BYU! Thank you! 

 

 

#ThisIsY I love the Y 3

It's February, 2011 and the Cougars are tearing it up! Jimmermania is in full swing, and I'm not afraid to admit that I might have just a little bit of a man crush.  BYU is ranked 7th in the nation and the only thing standing between the Cougs and a top 5 ranking going into the post season is 6th ranked San Diego State. It's totally bogus that SDSU is ranked higher that us by the way...we beat their trash earlier in the year, Jimmer dropped 43 like it was nothing on those clowns in the MC. If only we hadn't dropped the next one on the road to New Mexico we would be talked in the top 4 for sure. Oh well, I'm sure the team learned their lesson from that and won't let that type of thing happen again...right? 

It's tip off time for the SDSU game. I know that we can beat them, but as the game starts I can't help but be a nervous wreck. Luckily my Cougars put my fears to rest early and often. 

Jimmer is dropping threes from DEEP like it's nothing and handing out dimes. Abouo is having himself a game. Hartsock and Emery are chipping in too. The whole team is focused and the Aztecs can't do a thing about it. HAHAHA!

Not only do we beat the Aztecs on the road...we dominate them, winning by 13 in their building. This BYU team is legit! We are top 4 for sure. Nothing can stop us! NOTHING! Bring on March Madness!

#ThisIsY I love the Y 2

It's November 2006. I've been on my mission for 13 months and haven't watched any sports in as long. I'm serving in Moberly Missouri with a greeny. The work is good. My parents and siblings usually include sports updates in their letters and emails. BYU has been having a good season, and I know that last Saturday was the holy war. To be honest though, I've been really focused on the work, and haven't given much thought to it since I read the last letter.

It's p-day. We usually go to the library to check email before grocery shopping. I log in. Four emails this week. Wow, my brother wrote. He doesn't write every week.  I'll read his first. He cuts straight to the chase describing the the 2006 holy war to me. He tells me about the final play. Beck to Harline with no time left! I know it was painful for him to write, he's a utah fan.

I can't belive it. We haven't beat utah in how many years and now I miss it because I'm out here in Missouri! A little voice in my head says,  "you could just look up the highlights on YouTube." No! I can't do that! I'd be breaking mission rules! Internet time is strictly for emailing family. That  voice comes back "nobody will know, Elder Horton can't even see your computer screen." Ok! Ok! Fine, I'll look it up, but I'm only going to watch it once. That's all. WHAT?! THAT'S AMAZING! Where did the receiver even come from? Well now I have to watch it again, and again, and again....okay okay...one last time. That's it...and I'm going to record a video of it on my digital camera, just incase I need to see it one more time.

Then I realize...I just spent 45 minutes watching that video. Crap! I quickly read the rest of my emails and reply saying, "I'm short on time today. I'll send you a letter." It's not like I'm lying...Right?

That evening I watch the video on my camera over and over...it's my dirty little secret. I end up keeping it on my camera for the rest of my mission. It's not like I'm watching TV...right? 

The #ThisIsY I love the Y series is a series of entries about reflecting on the moments that make me love the Y. This is the second installment.

#ThisIsY I love the Y

The #ThisIsY I love the Y series is a series of entries about reflecting on the moments that make me love the Y. This is the first installment. 

It's November 24th, 2000. I'm 14 years old. I'm at the Delta Center, about to watch the Jazz take on the Nets. I'm sporting my Stockton jersey. I love the Jazz! This is our year! I know it!

The dentist my mom works for gives our family his lower bowl tickets to one or two games every year. Great seats. A great team. Usually I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself. But not tonight, I'm distracted. My mom thinks it's a girl...she's wrong. My dad thinks it's because he had to get on my case earlier about my school work...he's way off. You see, the whole reason we are at the Jazz game is because the dentist had someplace else to be that night. So what!? Why does a 14 year old care about where the dentist is? Because the dentist is at the one place that I would rather be. The holy war, at Rice Eccles Stadium.

When we walk into the arena, they have the holy war playing on all the tvs and the jumbotron. What a relief! It's Lavell's last game. I have to see this game.

But here's the problem, once the Jazz game starts, they take the BYU game off the jumbotron! So I tell my mom I need to go to the bathroom. She knows I'm lying. I find a TV with the game on. There are only a few seconds left. My Cougars are down. Time is ticking away,  but we are on the 5 and we have momentum. Doman takes the snap. QB sweep right. 34 throws a huge block! He. Is. IN!  We won! We won! YES! YES! YESSSSSSS! Me and every other Y fan around that TV take it in for a few minutes, while the ute fans hang their heads and drag their feet back to their seats. Even 14 year old me know's that if 34...what's his name? Oh yeah Sitake...hadn't made that block Doman doesn't get in. Ok. Ok. Gotta get back to my seat now.

Now hop in the DeLorean Marty, we gotta get back to the future.