Happy New Year’s! Excellent advice. Reading on Facebook and in here, sometimes patience is missing. One thing that I could add is that the coaching staff on the defensive side looks very strong. With a new strength coach I’m hoping to see improvements from the players who are replacing the starters who are leaving. It’s on the offensive side that is still a question with many of the OL leaving. The question will still be the play calling struggles and utilizing all 11 players especially the TE. No Nacua to run the ball.
I for one, have some “realistic” views that it will take time to recruit players that will help BYU grow and be competitive in the BIG12.
It took Utah 10 years to get to the PAC12 Championship game and then on to the Rose bowl.
I think BYU because they were independent, it may take a little longer to get there.
I love our new Defensive coaches being hired; I am not sure we have the same level on the offensive side (Think ARod here).
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I agree with you about the challenge on the offensive side. They will have to prove the coaches have gone to some clinics to learn about play calling. I do think that our independence has been a plus with respect to the caliber of P5 teams we will be playing. We’ve had some recent tough schedules.
I agree that recent tough schedules have prepared BYU for Big 12 competition better than an AAC schedule would. I’m also optimistic because many of our coaches and our incoming quarterback have played P5 competition at the highest level and because our defense–hopefully–won’t be any worse than last year.
In addition, our offense will most likely continue to be the strength of the team next year and Big 12 teams are not known for their great defenses. I’m hoping for an 8-4 overall record and either 5-4 or 6-3 conference record. With a few breaks we could be better. With a few injuries we could be worse. We don’t know the schedule yet, but I can’t imagine that all our opponents are in the upper echelon of the Big 12 nor in the lower echelon.
One thing is for sure, I’m not going to feel that the season is pretty much empty after one or two losses. Even a five-loss season puts us in a pretty good bowl.
agreed,
How the Big 12 fared in 2022 bowl games (usatoday.com)
Bowl Game Payouts: The Cash Paid for All 42 Bowl Games + CFP (fanbuzz.com)
NM bowl, BYU - SMU 1 million payout
Alamo, Tex-Washington 8.25 million payout. Tex, ranked 3rd in Big 12
Cheese it, Ok-FSU, 6.07 million payout OK, ranked 7th
Texas Bowl, OkSU-Ol Miss, 6.4 million payout OStU ranked 5th
Liberty bowl, Kan-Ark, 4.7 million Kan ranked 8th
1-No. 3 TCU
2-No. 9 Kansas State
3-No. 20 Texas
4-Texas Tech
5-Oklahoma State
6-Baylor
7-Oklahoma
8-Kansas
9-West Virginia
10-Iowa State
All bowls are big paydays compared to what BYU has been used to.
So, BYU should shoot to be bowl eligible in its first year. Win 1 conference road game and win 3 home games plus our early 2 home games. That is doable.
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I think the 1+3+2 for six wins and bowl eligibility is doable, but in my mind the minimum expectation.
I’d like to see BYU get seven or–yikes–eight wins. The thing I primarilly look at is that BYU’s offense will be its strength next year, but the defense should improve. The Big 12 is not renowned for its teams having great defenses. I like the schedule you posted but I don’t see us playing both Far East teams–ucf and West Virginia–next year and would replace UCF with Kansas St. The question then becomes “where are the probable wins”. Sam Houston and Southern Utah are probable wins. Kansas, West Virginia, and Iowa St. seem to be the easiest of the Big 12 teams on paper. So that makes five wins. I like to think that the new attacking defense will help BYU get a few more wins (Arkansas, for example). The more I write, the more I sense a lot of hope I my part. Oh well, that’s what being a fan is all about.