What are the odds that Arod gets fired?
I say 30 to 40% right now, but if we don’t go to the championship I say it crosses 50% if we lose our bowl game make it 70 t0 80%
Our thoughts:
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Electric atmosphere, and a blast of an experience. Not the outcome we wanted, but what an exciting, thrilling nailbiter up to the Hail Mary that came up just short. As has been said, we dug ourselves too big of a hole in the first half.
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There wasn’t any BYU hatred, just football opponent energy. Night and day different from Utah.
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We couldn’t stop Skattebo. He twisted for yards after contact every time except twice. Short yardage situations were a nightmare, and when he got outside . . .
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They wanted it more than we did early. The inside kick was gutsy, but also a sign that they weren’t scared of our running game.
4a. We were completely unable to run the ball in the first half, but kept trying to.
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Other than overthrowing to a wide open receiver for the game winner at the 2:00 mark and the interception right after, I thought Retzlaff had a good game. I’m glad we get him back next year, with this year’s experience under his belt — especially with his experience in these thrilling backs to the wall final drive situations. You can’t duplicate that in drills or or practice, and he has experience coming out on top (OK at. and Utah).
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I’m wondering if there is a rule change, b cause the clock ran after first downs while the chains were being moved. All told, we lost at least two minutes that way in the second half. The clock also ran on some incomplete passes and plays out of bounds. We were wondering why the refs didn’t catch this, and why BYU wasn’t bringing it up. Each second ended up being critical.
Wonderful experience, despite the last second loss. They were terrified with our big second half . momentum shift, and we came up just two yards short.
Maybe it felt different at the game and thanks for the report, but he did not have a good game. Retzlaff had a good half, as in the second half but BYU has put itself into too many situations like this all season and the losses are starting to catch up to them because of it. It has been remarkable that they have won 9 games, of which a majority have been in the waning moments of the game I think. For sure at least half their wins…
Also, I’m starting to have “be careful what you wish for” thoughts about defensive holding. It was the controversial (for Utah fans) key to the Utah game, bit I’ve never seen it called so much as in the Big 12. Four times this game (on both teams). It’s a bummer when it’s a gut punch or momentum killer.
That said, if it’s interference, then call it. I think he refs tried to call a good game, and did.
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I agree that the first half was rough, but our ability to pass was hampered by the complete inability to run the ball. I also thought ASU covered our passing game very well in the first half. In the second, Retzlaff carved them up other than the interception and overthrow (he also underthrew a guy on a two-point attempt).
If we had been as anemic in the second half, it would have been brutal. They doubled our time of possession in the first half with long drives (unable to stop Skattebo).
I think you’re right that it is very different being there in person.
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The crowd was also about 55% ASU 45% BYU. When they went for it on 4th down from the ten instead of kicking the field goal (to try to bleed the clock more), and we held, the BYU fans were going nuts (Skattebo was a decoy, and Leavitt kept it). We had all the momentum there, down 5.
Too bad Retzlaff missed the wife open guy down the left side. He had at least ten yards on the defender.
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By next year, Retzlaff should be able to make the throws he’s missing this year. Not sure about the OL but we will be more experienced. Retzlaff should have Beck work with him and maybe we go undefeated next year. This year is awesome and a lot to cheer for.
Why next year? He has made lots of throws this year. The problem is the inconsistency and decision making. Too often he panics and starts to run or he makes a bad throw to a wide open guy and then a good throw to someone that is well covered.
The problem is you never know what it will be because he is so wildly inconsistent. I can’t remember him ever having a consistently good game where he made the throws he needed to, particularly the wide open guys. That one might have won the game today.
We’ve seen this any times where there is a big advancement from Junior to Senior. And this idea that he panics and runs around. He does not. He stays in the pocket until he has to get out.
So, what does he need to improve on?
- Hitting open receivers on deep passes.
- Reduce passes that are too high and too low.
You make a good point that he’s had enough reps in two juco years and a complete D1 season to think that there probably won’t be any more great strides in accuracy, decision-making, and being a gamer. He is what he is at this point.
But . . . his body of work this year in many extreme stress, crunch time situations leads me to think he will be the better for it next season. He has been in the refiner’s fire pretty much the whole season (final, high stakes drives for the ball game). Sometimes he nails it (OK St. and Utah), sometimes he doesn’t (KS and ASU). But, he’s faced these situations, and faced them well (he’s largely why we had a Hail Mary chance today, with his clutch drives to come within 5 after being way down).
Unless Retzlaff has stellar games next week and hopefully plays quite well in games after that I would DEFINITELY go to transfer board and get a pretty talented qb.
His problem is not mechanics- he has made amazing throws- it’s between the ears. What jcoug and others have been talking about. He still gets the yipps too much of the time. He’s had 15 games to get better at handling pressure and he shows glimpses of resolving but reverts back way too many times.
9-10 wins is a great season with a qb that will 50/50 win tight games and lose tight AND crucial games
I just want him to prove us “doubters” wrong just ONE game. just one please.
I hope he can
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He needs to hit open receivers on short passes too. He has made accurate deep throws.
In other words he needs to be more consistent. I think that is what I said.
and he made the classic mistake on a hail mary of not getting the throw into the end zone. BYU’s best receiver made the catch, the ball just wasn’t thrown deep enough…
Exactly my sentiments. I just want one game where the decisions are the right ones, most of the time. I just want one game where he doesn’t panic early and immediately try to run. I just want one game where he hits the wide open guy in a critical moment of the game. I want him to be successful most of the time.
I didn’t see him taking off early. He has to move when defenders are moving in on him.
I’d like to see improvement with hitting the long passes with more consistency too. Another summer with Beck should do it.
Like the video said that I posted earlier this week, his percentages go down when he’s Blitz or pressured. I think he’d be doing a lot better if our online perform better. The rush is getting to him and the running backs aren’t getting the blocks they need. I also think that our receivers aren’t running the best route. One of the things that made BYU so good in the past was our receivers were so good at running their routes. Now having said all of this I don’t think he’s the best QB I’ve ever seen, But he’s also not the worst. He’s improved this year and I hope he does better next year. I hope the new coach for the o line can sure things up next year just like Jay Hill did. one problem that I hope is gone next year is Arod. We need someone with more vision and better play calling than him.
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We would have to lose next week to see Arod potential fired. The problem with a new OC is the players have to learn a whole new system. In my opinion, it would be better to keep Arod next year and then evaluate him for 2026.
Retzlaff is inconsistent. No question about it. He is also far better than I expected him to be based on
last season. He’s been more good than bad and is better than a lot past BYU QBs, but not among the best for sure. I hope he can have a great senior season. He has the tools other than his sidearm delivery. I don’t think you change his throwing motion at this point. You have to live with it and hope his consistency and accuracy improve. I think those are things that can be improved. He’s made a lot of improvement from last year. It is possible he can make some more strides next year.
One of the things I think is a pity is the total waste of the talents of Bohanon. When you have a big athletic guy you use him in wildcat situations. I know he said he didn’t want that but it seems that is where the coaches need to talk to him and tell him he has talents that the team can use and there is role for him that will help the team win games even if he clearly didn’t win the starting spot. To have a former starter on a Big 12 championship team make only two appearances in mop up time his senior year seems to be a monumental waste of his talent.
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I am usually 99% in sync with you Aros, but maybe just 70% on this one. Your last paragraph is spot on. First and Second paragraphs are just trying to be nice, but they sound like “loser speak” or put differently, “resignation speak” with a long sigh.
I’ve harped before that this is a business, a big business with highly paid employees. The model is improve what you have and UPGRADE UPGRADE UPGRADE to increase returns on investements. If they do not transfer in a high rated qb to compete I will be greatly disappointed. They should have launched AROd last year - still should consider it after this year but kinda stuck with him. Again, upgrade, just like they did with Hill. Sometimes you gotta cut a man loose. (Remember the Titans).
This isn’t a movie. It’s with real people with real families. Sitaki said it best after last week’s loss, go home to your families and be a man. We aren’t like other schools.
Aro is spot on like most posts. Unemotional and logical. You all forget last year wasn’t Retzlaff’s first year. He was thrown into the fight late in the season. Played only 4 games. And all the clamoring about he played 2 years of Jr. college football have no idea the difference there is between that and playing in the Big12.
Here’s the thing about Arod, he was thrown in there too with an inexperienced QB that still is inconsistent. I believe he can make great strides with his throwing motion and accuracy. He will get coaching to do just that. You think the pros don’t have coaches to improve their games?