The comments about the poor technique in blocking, tackling and pass rush from former players and announcers almost feels like mutiny. Mostly on defense from key players and strange poor play on offense. Only 14 points? Holker leaving? Big defensive linemen seemingly wrapping up running backs and QBs and letting go or letting them drive for another 10 yards. The linebackers hesitating. DB not looking for the ball and making little effort to knock the ball down.
I’m just throwing this out there…
Answer, BYU football players quit!
What is the reason I’m driving at?
No. That goes against the athletes code of ethics.
But having said this, I recall that back in 2003-2004 I was a member of Cougarboard (I am so glad I escaped that hell hole). The name of one poster–who supposedly was a group of players posting on Cougarboard under the same name–was “pineapple banana” or something like that. Anyway, the player(s) mentioned that when they got their off-season workout schedule they laughed and threw the paper on the floor and that they had lost respect for all the coaches except Bronco. I lost all respect for the posters because they said they had purposely quit.
So I guess it’s not unheard of for players–even those on a team that I love–to lose respect for their coaches and to quit playing their hardest.
if the players feel that the coaches always blame them instead of accepting some of the blame, that will cause players to stop trying or quit if you like.
Whatever is the cause, there is something happening behind the scenes at BYU that is causing them to play poorly.
It was looking very orchestrated and on purpose. If so, those players will never make an NFL team anyways. No coach would want players who purposely won’t make plays. And they should lose their scholarships as well. Those who on purpose took bad angles and then wouldn’t properly tackle as well. But, that doesn’t excuse the coaches either. After the 1st quarter, Brooks and Rex never saw the ball after driving in for two touchdowns.
What i saw last week was a defense that was confused, with everyone running on and off the field. players had no idea where they were supposed to be. And an offense that played well, but had to abandon its game plan because the D was so bad.
This week I saw a defense that sunk from confusion to apathy and an offense that pressed too hard to try to make up for the D and then degenerated to complete desperation and then maybe on to apathy of its own. Watching Puka and Jaren joking around with each other during the replay review where the refs took the int away from Liberty was jarring. But no, I cannot believe any of this is intentional.
Apathy is intentional by definition. Ya, I saw them smiling and laughing towards the end of the game. That’s double embarrassing. Is it a prepared attempt to get coaches fired? It was more than apathy. It was in many respects, mistakes found in high school or maybe pee wee league.
I agree with a lot of what you’ve said recently - But…
Your quote from another thread: “they are sabotaging the ones that will anyways, the coaches and the fans. Now, it’s not all that are in on this conspiracy. But enough are. And it may not be an organized one. Just players who are infant minded and selfish.”
A players’ conspiracy?? Time to take off the tin foil hat and move out of the double-wide hopperman. Yes, and the moon-landing was done in a studio and there was a second shooter behind the grassy knoll.
You base your accusation on - well, can’t even really tell. They missed tackles and were out of position? Players on the sideline during a break “joking around” (maybe)? You can’t think of a better explanation than a conspiracy for poor play and coaching?
How do you get to conspiracy by the players so quickly? You need better evidence. Something concrete would be good. And BTW, O.J. is still looking for the killers and Giuliani is still gathering evidence on the election fraud.
I’m waiting for your explanation why experienced top football players look like they reverted back to pee wee football. It’s not just missed this and that. It’s all the techniques they were doing all of last year and the first two games this year that many have suddenly show signs of Alzheimer’s.
It’s obvious that players are trying to do things Tuiaki won’t and ending up out of position and not playing team ball. However, it’s more than that. Many have reverted back to pee wee league technique. Why? Why would players on purpose perform completely opposite of how they have been trained at this level? There’s more to it. Where there’s smoke there’s fire.
During Saturday’s post game show, Brian Logan discussed the similarities between Saturday’s defense and the defense played by BYU in 2010 when Jaime Hill was fired. He mentioned that when Bronco took over the defense the discipline increased and live tackling (rather than what I perceived to be touch tackling) became the norm during practices. You’ll recall that in 2010 BYU had lost four straight and the defense was in disarray. As I recall, Hill refused to coach in the second half. You’ll also recall that BYU ended the season with a 6-2 record their last eight games (losses to ranked TCU and Utah but a victory in the bowl game). A turn around is possible. BTW, BYU is not the first team to lose three in a row after being ranked in the top 15.
Did you see any improvement Saturday? Sitaki was running the defense and like I said, there was worse technique and effort on some of the players.
It is not overnight fix
Thing! I am ready for college basketball season
The D doesn’t know how to tackle or stunt or cross or play man pass defense. They don’t know how to loop lineman or backers to get to the QB. Even when they attempt to blitz the DB’s are mostly in zone coverage. It is crazy bad teaching and coaching. We may all have a different perspective on Holker now. This can’t be fixed this season. Only small steps can be taken. Yes, it is that bad. The players aren’t throwing the games.
You just gave a laundry list of skills this team knew last year and the first two games this year. Something happens and Holker leaves and all of a sudden players are forgetting how to use the skills they learned? Explain. Maybe they aren’t deliberately throwing games but they certainly aren’t using what they recently used to win games that could be attributed to the poor coaching.
There a reason practice is important
Whew. Where to start.
Some things are certain: the sun rises in the east, death and taxes, and Hopper will double and triple down on his ridiculous assertions, inuendos, and in this case claims of conspiracy (and therefore collusion) by the players to purposely miss tackles, take bad angles etc. etc.
And then, of course, Hopper’s predicable “I’m waiting for your explanation” that we have to somehow prove his negative.
It’s called “burden of proof” You made the claim of player conspiracy, you have the burden of proof to prove your claim. The rest of us don’t have to (and can’t) prove a negative that there isn’t a conspiracy. It’s an old trick your trying. But it doesn’t hunt.
You’ve even enlisted the “mentally ill” Holker (your accusation) leaving the program as part of this conspiracy. Again, all conjecture, no proof or even a hint of evidence.
Kind of sad to go right to the worst indictment of players possible (conspiracy, throwing games) as the explanation when other explanations are available and have been expressed by others on this board.
I would suggest rereading the comments that there are reasons athletes fail to perform at the level they should. But notice no one has agreed with you there’s a player conspiracy to throw games.
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I haven’t seen anything else presented but the symptoms of what is going on. Not the causes. Tuiaki was supposed to be the problem according to you. So, Sitaki takes over and it gets worse on both sides of the ball. That wasn’t the problem then. Prove otherwise now. You can’t. On offense, it’s much more clear that the problem is the OC who calls the plays. Rex gets two passes and a touchdown while Brooks rushes three times for 8 yards a carry. Then, they don’t touch the ball again. Instead, we throw to Nacua 12 times and have him run with 3rd down and 10 for a first down.
Here is one reason your “conspiracy” does not make sense, “The Transfer Portal” if players quit on the coaches, they would have followed Holker to the Portal, they did not do that,
My opinion is more in line with what Tom said, that the players are frustrated and demoralize. I would tend to believe that Tuiaki has created a hostile environment where the players know of his connection to Kalani and therefore won’t confront him about his “best friend” and how he treats the players, So they simply do the minimal amount of effort.
If this is true that what I posted or Tom posted, then the captains of the players need to have a “Come to Jesus” meeting with Kalani about the issues and Kalani has to listen and be open about solving the problems.
And, as expected, Hopper quadruples down.
One more time. YOU claim there’s a player conspiracy and they are throwing games. You have the burden of proof to prove your claim. We can’t prove a negative. What is so hard about this for you?
There have been a number of readers who have thrown out some of the possible causes. Floyd just responded with causes echoing Tom.
Just keep throwing it out there tho’- something may stick. It’s the same methodology as a certain, current 79 year old president. I know you don’t want to be like him!