BYU's players, age, etc...

Re: BYU\'s players, age, etc...

I suspect Coach Gailey will try to grind it out on the ground. A couple of reasons. He has a freshman QB and probably hopes to take pressure off of him. We have a good offensive line too. But, we are also thin on the defensive line and it will be important to keep them off the field as much as possible given the altitude in Provo. A blizting defense does offer some opporunities for big plays though, especially for a burner like J. Smith. If Ball can read the blitzes, it could be a long day for BYU.

Oddly enough, I think pass happy BYU will probably want to pound the ball up the middle all day on account of the defensive line. The BYU passing attack would normally be my primary fear, but I feel good from what I hear about our secondary. Of course, with our defensive line, we may be blitzing too.

Sports Forum West, I've never seen a 3-3-5 before. Is it hard to disguise a blitz in that? I'm guessing you put an extra safety in and walk one or two of them up to the line (particularly if you want to stop the run). Any observations?
 
Re: BYU\'s players, age, etc...

My daddy was right... question a man's myths and his life as he's comfortable knowing it will end. I read where one of you said something about Southern Football being better than in the west or midwest or east, etc.

Look I'm just a dumb football writer but that argument smacks of some of the most outrageous bias and perhaps the worst kind... uninformed bias. Please tell me you are kidding and bantiying about these comments as a joke because you can't be serious.

I mean is a 4.4 40 longer and faster in Georgia than it is in Utah or Oregon or Colorado? I will from an engineering point of view accept that mountain density can affect realative measurements of weight when moving from Atlanta to Say Salt Lake (LOL) but an ounce or two hardly means much on the field so I think a 235 lbs kid that runs that fast, benches 350 lbs and hits like a freight train is pretty much the same whether he plays at Georgia, FSU, Fresno State or UCLA. What I do notice is that other than the University of Tennessee and Alabam in recent years, few teams from the South seem to leave their comfort zone. I don't see SEC teams going up to the Shoe or Ann Arbor, Provo or Boulder to play very often. Tech is to be commended because they accepted a home and home slate. Keep in mind that BYU is a bigger, more modern venue than Bobby Dodd Stadium and Historic Grant Field. BYU actually has nicer, more modern facilities than many of GT's ACC rivals. They play before 65,000 every home game good or bad... and while that's not the 90,000 you see at an SEC game, it's a big crowd for a sleepy little place like Provo, Utah. Look I am no apologist for BYU. Beat them, show them the superioroty of Souther Football by doing it there. Blame their kids ages or something if you lose. But the fact is, one of you said something about limiting age. Really! Age is a factor. Well my dad was a fighter pilot (NAVY) and like the kids that just won a war in IRAQ younger than some of BYU's players. So you are right about mental maturity, but no physical maturity. Last time I checked, 285 was still 285 wether in Atlanta or Provo (LOL). So if you don't like my reading and commenting, fine... go out and defeat BYU in Provo. I just think its a much taller order than you think and if GT doesn't win, then it's not because of age or altitude or anything else. It's because on any given day the better team will usually win. Do I think BYU is better? NO! But the season hasn't started you and so I would be a fool to predict one way or the other beyond my objective analysis. I think the 3 point spread is about right.

A funny bounce or the kicking game might make the difference. Yes altitude helps BYU's kicking game as well as GT's... But then Matt Payne is an All American and hit on 13-16 FG's last season as a sophmore. He lead the nation in punting and net punting and a guy like him named Ray Guy (USU) and some other Mountain Region kickers/punters have found NFL homes because their legs were great and accurate, not just the thin air.

Hey it's no skin off my nose. I would think you guys would want my take on USC and Auburn as well. I think SC and Auburn fight to the end a pretty low scoring game and open it up in the last seven-10 minutes. I think Auburn wins at home by something like 24-21 or 21-17.
 
Re: BYU\'s players, age, etc...

SFW, I was disappointed you didn't address the things that I pointed out, but in the points you did address I have a few comments:

"Please tell me you are kidding and bantiying about these comments as a joke because you can't be serious. I mean is a 4.4 40 longer and faster in Georgia than it is in Utah or Oregon or Colorado? . . . I think a 235 lbs kid that runs that fast, benches 350 lbs and hits like a freight train is pretty much the same whether he plays at Georgia, FSU, Fresno State or UCLA.

I don't think you're getting the point. It's not that the talent of the kid is any different, but the quantity and exploitation (for lack of a better word) of them. FSU has more and does more with them.

"Keep in mind that BYU is a bigger, more modern venue than Bobby Dodd Stadium and Historic Grant Field."

I don't think you've seen BDS lately, we just spent 70 million in updating it.
 
Re: BYU\'s players, age, etc...

2002 conference bowl records:

ACC: 4-3
Pac-10: 2-5
Mountain West: 0-3 (ouch)

Whose living a myth.
 
Re: BYU\'s players, age, etc...

Last year's stats for both conference offensive yards appear to be basically the same.

MWC
Team G Yds/G PassYds RushYds 1stD/G 3rdM 3rdD% 4thM 4thD% Pen PenYds TOP
San Diego State 13 439.2 4302 1407 21.6 66 33.8 5 20.8 82 685 27
UNLV 12 438.1 2341 2916 20.6 59 34.5 9 47.4 93 786 28
Colorado State 13 429.1 2510 3068 20.8 87 45.3 13 76.5 44 430 30
Brigham Young 12 420.7 3129 1919 20.5 65 34.6 17 40.5 99 779 28
Air Force 12 420.5 1084 3962 22.8 84 49.1 16 72.7 48 368 32
Wyoming 12 408.9 3357 1550 21.1 69 39.7 17 65.4 50 405 27
Utah 11 399.2 2291 2100 20.1 68 38.0 10 52.6 81 750 32
New Mexico 13 351.5 1800 2769 16.6 75 38.7 9 42.9 92 788 31


ACC
Team G Yds/G PassYds RushYds 1stD/G 3rdM 3rdD% 4thM 4thD% Pen PenYds TOP
Florida State 13 428.8 2808 2766 21.6 70 38.0 8 72.7 104 898 30
Wake Forest 12 424.9 1929 3170 20.9 71 38.4 10 43.5 80 669 28
Maryland 13 419.7 2548 2908 19.5 63 39.4 7 58.3 82 764 28
North Carolina State 13 418.2 3213 2224 20.0 89 47.6 6 37.5 91 794 32
North Carolina 12 407.7 3198 1694 19.8 68 38.4 10 50.0 95 792 29
Georgia Tech 12 402.9 2526 2309 19.8 76 40.2 9 52.9 90 737 30
Clemson 12 393.8 2838 1887 19.8 70 40.0 6 35.3 74 714 28
Duke 12 391.5 2399 2299 18.3 73 36.5 9 42.9 65 532 32
Virginia 13 379.6 3026 1909 19.5 70 40.0 8 57.1 62 475 28
 
Re: BYU\'s players, age, etc...

FYI: Since 1978, out of 25 chances, the ACC has won 4 NCs, the SEC has won 6 NCs, and Miami (who is in the south and will be part of the ACC) has won 5 NCs. That's 15 of the last 25 NCs. The MWC had one (BYU) in 1984.

Not dispositive proof of southeastern football dominance, but close.

Bowl Championship Series
Year School Selecting organization
2002 Ohio State BCS
2001 Miami (Fla.) BCS
2000 Oklahoma BCS
1999 Florida State BCS
1998 Tennessee BCS

Consensus national champions
Year School Selecting organization
1997 Michigan
Nebraska AP, FWAA,NFF
USA/ESPN
1996 Florida AP, FWAA, NFF,USA/CNN
1995 Nebraska AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1994 Nebraska AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1993 Florida St. AP, FWAA,NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1992 Alabama AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1991 Washington
Miami (Fla.) FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
AP
1990 Colorado
Georgia Tech FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, AP
UPI
1989 Miami (Fla.) AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1988 Notre Dame AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1987 Miami (Fla.) AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1986 Penn St. AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1985 Oklahoma AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1984 Brigham Young AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1983 Miami (Fla.) AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1982 Penn St. AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI
1981 Clemson AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1980 Georgia AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1979 Alabama AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1978 Alabama
Southern California AP, FWAA, NFF
UPI
 
Re: BYU\'s players, age, etc...

On the 3-3-5 defense, I did answer your questions about that under another post. But about the blitz. The problem is with that defense, 6-9 players will start in the box and it's never the same 6-9 players.

There will be a lot of players moving about, distracting the lineman's field of vision as he gets into his stance. The man he thinks he is going to block with his right shoulder will suddenly shift back or to the left after the lineman offers a committed lean. GT will probably get a lot of holding calls as their lineman lunge or leave their feet to try to compensate for the shifts and changes.

The defense shoots gaps with so many different players approaching and then backing off the line. It becomes difficult to know who to commit a double team too. I've seen OL's so confused, great lines in fact, so turned around that BYU, Utah, USU, Texas Tech had three or four lineman all trying to take out what turns out to be one guy in the end, while four defenders are dancing on the head of a team's quarterback (figuratively speaking).

It's (3-3-5)just a bunch of blurred jerseys in a sprint and you never know exactly where they are going to be, when you'll get blindsided. They work at making sure you never know where they are going to actually be when the ball is snapped. It's disruptive and tyring and so only a team with depth can pull it off. BYU has depth.
 
Re: BYU\'s players, age, etc...

Originally posted by Sports Forum West:
On the 3-3-5 defense, I did answer your questions about that under another post. But about the blitz. The problem is with that defense, 6-9 players will start in the box and it's never the same 6-9 players.

There will be a lot of players moving about, distracting the lineman's field of vision as he gets into his stance. The man he thinks he is going to block with his right shoulder will suddenly shift back or to the left after the lineman offers a committed lean. GT will probably get a lot of holding calls as their lineman lunge or leave their feet to try to compensate for the shifts and changes.

The defense shoots gaps with so many different players approaching and then backing off the line. It becomes difficult to know who to commit a double team too. I've seen OL's so confused, great lines in fact, so turned around that BYU, Utah, USU, Texas Tech had three or four lineman all trying to take out what turns out to be one guy in the end, while four defenders are dancing on the head of a team's quarterback (figuratively speaking).

It's (3-3-5)just a bunch of blurred jerseys in a sprint and you never know exactly where they are going to be, when you'll get blindsided. They work at making sure you never know where they are going to actually be when the ball is snapped. It's disruptive and tyring and so only a team with depth can pull it off. BYU has depth.
Click to expand...
<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">With the experience up front we have and playing the likes of UGAg, FSU, Virginia and State last year means that a bunch of hopping and jumping around isn't gonna accomplish much. I'd worry more about Auburn with their hosses and speed up front on D than BYU moving around everywhere. They better make sure they ain't wondering around when the ball is snapped or they may see a white and gold streak fly by to the endzone.
 
Re: BYU\'s players, age, etc...

As far as I'm concerned they are doing us a favor by not loading up the front. If the BYU DC thought they had sufficient talent on that defense he wouldn't resort to smoke and mirrors. We will pound the ball down their throats and instead of an LB or DL being there to make the tackle there will be a DB who's gonna get flattened.
 
Re: BYU\'s players, age, etc...

SFW,
&lt;quote from SFW&gt;
My daddy was right... question a man's myths and his life as he's comfortable knowing it will end. I read where one of you said something about Southern Football being better than in the west or midwest or east, etc.

Look I'm just a dumb football writer but that argument smacks of some of the most outrageous bias and perhaps the worst kind... uninformed bias. Please tell me you are kidding and bantiying about these comments as a joke because you can't be serious.
&lt;/quote&gt;

Your comments inspired me to do a little research. I figure the NFL is a pretty good judge of football talent so I went to the list of NFL alumni by college (currently in training camp in 2003) as published on theinsiders.com. The average per PAC10 school was 26.8 (268 total). The average per ACC school was 27.4 (incl. Mia and VT) (301 total). The average per SEC school was 31.1 (373 total).

With 70 million residents in the southeast and 49.3 in the PAC10 states, that's 9.62 NFL players per million residents in the SE and 5.44 million for WA, CA, OR, and AZ.

Even worse if you add in the 3 other D1 programs (San Diego, Fresno, and San Jose) for the West Coast (53 total) and the 14 other D1 programs in the SE ( Memph, Ark St. UCF, ECU, La-La, La-Mon, La Tech, Louisville, Mid Tenn, USF, So Miss, Troy St, Tulane, and UAB) (162 total) you get an average of 11.94 NFL players per million in the SE and and 6.51 on the west coast. If I missed some programs out west please let me know.

Of course not all players on a school's roster come from that region of the US, but its close enough. So you may be "in the business" but you sound condescending in your quote above, and worse, you're wrong and condescending and that makes you sound a bit like a jack ass. Prior to that post I enjoyed your takes.
 
Re: BYU\'s players, age, etc...

Originally posted by Sports Forum West:
He lead the nation in punting and net punting and a guy like him named Ray Guy (USU) and some other Mountain Region kickers/punters have found NFL homes because their legs were great and accurate, not just the thin air.
Click to expand...
<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">What does USU stand for? I hope you don't mean Utah State University??

If you are referring to the Ray Guy that is the greatest punter of all time, I do believe that he attended Southern Miss.

Can anyone confirm this please? It's a little before my time, but I'm pretty sure my mom went to Southern Miss the same time that he did around 1970.....
 
Re: BYU\'s players, age, etc...

Dear CUJACKET....

Hey I think it's odd to call BYU's 3-3-5 smoke and mirrors... or any offense or defense which is unusual something like that. Some people still think standing there reading and reacting and getting your bellies pounded by 305 lb lineman at 3 yards a pop is football, and it is. But the name of the game is getting TD's and stopping them. Who cares if a team's specific defense works? If it works I am sure Croton will be continuing his smoke and mirrors all the way to a bowl game. If it doesn't work, then his head is on the block anyway. I'll tell you this, in the 2001 season BYU scored something like 93 TD's and the only team that really had success setting them down was New Mexico. Of course like their two losses, Luke Staley (Doake Walker Winner) wasn't around, but the fact is, that 3-3-5 is difficult to break down. South Carolina is pretty successful with it.
 
Re: BYU\'s players, age, etc...

People, can I put to rest a myth about the Vegas odds makers? Are they good? Heck yes! Are they accurate in the final score? Occasionally, but far fewer times than you think...and the reason is this:
Vegas odds makers are trying to set the line at the exact point where 50% of the people will bet on one team and 50% will bet on the other. When they place the original line, if everyone starts betting on one team and that team wins, then the house loses. And the house don't like to lose!
smile.gif


So that's why they adjust the line. For instance, when the original line came out for the Tech - BYU game tonight, it was at 2 1/2. Evidently most peeps were putting their money on BYU, so the oddsmakers said, "Hold on, I'll make it more interesting for you. I'll put the line at 3 1/2 points". Now more people either start betting on Tech (and as far as the bookies are concerned, hopefully get it back to 50% on each side) or they will raise the line again.

AGAIN, THE ODDSMAKERS ARE NOT SAYING THAT THEY THINK TECH IS 3 1/2 POINTS WORSE THAN BYU. THEY'RE SAYING THAT ACCORDING TO PUBLIC OPINION, IF THEY SET THE LINE AT 3 1/2, THEY CAN GET PEOPLE TO BET ON EACH TEAM....SO THEN THEY GET THE VIG WITH NO AT RISK MONEY. And the house loves that!!!

GO JACKETS!
 
Re: BYU\'s players, age, etc...

JJacket, good post. I also looked at the bowl records for the various conferences and the ACC records are very good, with Tech and FSU two of the highest.
 
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