After being away from the board last week, I decided to come on and see what folks are saying after the Liberty game/debacle. Somehow the football category seemed to have more messages about religion and politics than football. If you wonder why fewer guys are posting…
I continue to be very critical of Tuiaki and his full time prevent defense. Not only does it allow teams to continually gash us for monster yardage totals, but even worse, IT RUINS THE VIEWING QUALITY OF THE GAMES!!! I DO NOT want to watch Toledo, USU, USF, and Liberty execute a bunch of 12 play drives, while 8 of our guys literally run backwards on the snap of the ball. For three quarters against BSU, we played AGGRESSIVELY and CREATIVELY on defense, and managed to SHUT DOWN a superbly athletic team. Then in the 4th quarter, against the same guys, we went back to our prevent, got GASHED, and ALMOST blew the game. Then for some reason we did the same against USU and Liberty, with similar results. BYU has better players and better athletes than USU and Liberty, and I’m sick of watching us play “not to lose” as if our coaches are afraid that our players are soooo bad, that we will just sit back, let the opposition do whatever they want, and pray to G-- that the other QB makes some stupid mistake.
Sitake needs to own this: either come out and say our players are just not good enough to defend with aggression, or fire Tuiaki and take over the defense and practice what he preaches. He talks about toughness and aggression and then plays the softest, most boring defense any of us have every seen.
I agree with what you say tlarimer. It is boring and maddening at the same time with this prevent (?) defense. But let’s all remember, it is Sitaki’s defense and offense in the final analysis. Sitaki has to own that (as you say), particularly given his oft verbalized rhetoric, as well as Holmoe. While I continue to watch the games, I have quit listening to the after game show with all the repeated drivel, each week.
While some folks may stay away from the forum due to religion and politics, I believe many are just bored with the team and the program, during the past 7 or 8 years. I think Sitaki needs to go and yes I understand the difficulty in hiring LDS head coaches.
However, perhaps mediocrity is the name of the game for the program from the admin. Right now, I am thinking predominately about not watching any of the games next year and stopping my donations. I am old now and not so sure I want to waste my remaining few years with mediocrity.
Actually, the number of participants in the forum went down when the new format happened.
As far as politics and religion, for the most part, we keep the comments in context with comments on who can be a head coach and the money issue and views about socialism. I don’t see the problem.
My issue with the team isn’t so much the defense. It’s the offense. People have forgotten that the glory days were full of BYU giving up lots of points and just outscoring opponents. There were many games we barely won against poor teams even in our great years.
We lost two games we should have won because we stopped trying to win and played not to lose. The prevent defense and getting too conservative on offense too soon. And, calling weird plays at weird times. Much like our basketball team did against SDSU. Is it a talent issue that causes the freeze or do our coaches play preventative too soon?
I can see Bronco M. would have fired DC Tuiaki long time ago like in early 2017. Everytime during 4th qtr we played to prevent to lose. Like what we saw against Boise State. We scored some 21 points in 3rd qtr and Boise start storming back in 4th qtr.
I hate to break you. Coach Kalani Sitake will get an extension sometime next season when it is his 4th year contract.
I know we do have “Off Topic” section but I don’t bother to look much. I am mostly about SPORTS on this CougarFan Board.
I sure hope we don’t see another bad game against Idaho and Umass. SDSU will be ready and Coach Sitake better take over the defense.
Off-topic could be good again during the 2020 campaign season.
Sitaki is fine. The teams will continue to do well and recruit well. We are lucky to have 3 deep at QB because of Sitaki. And, the runningbacks are solid. The line is getting better. The defense healthy next year will also be better.
Tom,
I was watching local sports last night, the sports caster made a statement that made me pause. Of the 22 starting players on the football team, 11 of them are either true freshman or red-shirt freshman. That may explain some of the issues the coaching staff is facing.
I happen to agree with you about Tuiaki, I do not believe he is the right man for the DC position. I think he lacks understanding and skills on how to manage and make adjustment during the game.
I have hated the “Prevent Defense” ideas since DC Ken Schmidt started it under Lavell Edwards era.
I do not mind the drop 8 to help prevent good QB who can throw the ball from getting big yards, but not to stunt or blitz, mixing it up so that the opposing offense does not know what is coming.
Kalani is going to own this one way or the other, because his job depends on it. The question I have is simple: “Is Kalani more worried about his job or his friendship with Tuiaki?” because the answer could be the reason that Kalani is given his walking papers.
CougarFan was for sports
Football categories are for football subjects
Basketball categories- likewise.
If you want to talk about church related things, take it elsewhere
If you wan to talk politics, likewise… Please
Fair assessment. I like Sitake and face it, the Poly pipeline has been critical to BYU’s success but this boring defensive scheme sucks. 3rd and short and we drop 8. I mean, who does that? Wonder why BYU doesn’t get more athletes and speed? who wants to play assignment defense when you could blitzing and all the glory that comes with sacks. Tuiaki needs to go.
I know this may sound strange, but I really believe Kalani can bring BYU back. He started by getting some really talented offensive coaches (most of who were OC’s at one time or the other). Like you said, the poly pipeline is important and Kalani has a good feel for that pipeline.
I just wish he would totally take over the DC position or at least hire some better coaches on the defensive side.
I don’t think our DB coaches are bad
I don’t think our Linebacking coaches are bad
I just think the overall philosophy of the Defense is sad. DC has got to change.
Well several of us have moved to another board to discuss things without Hopper around. I agree with Fish that this board would be better served by sticking to the sports issues. But as you all know, Hopper will disagree and want to argue about it for weeks.
Chris, I think you are saying what I tried to say, just more succinctly–give me a break, I AM a lawyer after all : our philosophy on defense is BBBBBOOOOOOORRRRRIIIINNNNGGG! I love BYU and love BYU football and basketball, but I don’t get my validation from it. I just want it to be fun to watch, and I want to be proud of my school. Watching our defense turn and run away on every snap, and watching the other team pile up 400, 500 yards of total offense, is NOT fun. We can’t put teams away because they simply have the ball too much, our D doesn’t get enough bit impact plays, it’s too easy to convert 3rd downs against our prevent D, and our less than dynamic playmakers can’t strike fast enough in the limited time we have the ball. And I can’t be alone in thinking this is boring, because BYU sure seems to play in front of a lot of empty seats at LES.
: our philosophy on defense is BBBBBOOOOOOORRRRRIIIINNNNGGG! I love BYU and love BYU football and basketball, but I don’t get my validation from it. I just want it to be fun to watch, and I want to be proud of my school. Watching our defense turn and run away on every snap, and watching the other team pile up 400, 500 yards of total offense, is NOT fun. We can’t put teams away because they simply have the ball too much, our D doesn’t get enough bit impact plays, it’s too easy to convert 3rd downs against our prevent D, and our less than dynamic playmakers can’t strike fast enough in the limited time we have the ball. And I can’t be alone in thinking this is boring, because BYU sure seems to play in front of a lot of empty seats at LES.