In what is not a surprise move, Boise State will remain in the Mountain West Conference. The MW will pay BSU's 10 million dollar exit fee. San Diego State is expected to follow as they will not be required to pay an exit fee. The Big East deal for both BSU and SDSU was that there would be no exit fee if they were the only team west of the Rockies. SDSU is now the only team west of the Rockies, therefore, no exit fee.
I expect that the MW will break into divisions.
Mountain Division
Air Force
Boise State
Colorado State
New Mexico
Utah State
Wyoming
West Division
Fresno State
Hawaii
Nevada
UNLV
San Jose State
San Diego State
The latest rumor is that the MW wants to expand to 14. UTEP, SMU, Houston, Tulsa and, of course, BYU are considered to be the candidates. If the MW allows BYU to keep their ESPN TV deal and puts the Cougars and the USU Aggies in the same division, BYU may consider it. The MW has allowed BSU to have a separate TV deal with their home games, they could give BYU the same deal. They should also allow BYUtv to rebroadcast all of their games.
Idaho and New Mexico State still hoping.
More to come.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Friday, December 28, 2012
Time for the WAC Football Funeral
It was once the nation's first super-conference. However, when San Jose State defeated Bowling Green in yesterday's Military Bowl, the last football game involving a member of the Western Athletic Conference was played. The conference may live on as a non-football conference from some Rocky Mountain teams, and may be resurrected as an FCS conference, but it has likely seen it's last FBS game played.
There were some highlights to the old conference. The Fiesta Bowl was invented in 1971 as a place for the WAC champion. The Holiday Bowl came about in 1978 when Arizona State left for the PAC-10. After the Holiday Bowl outgrew the WAC, there was no set aside place for the champion.
The highlights of the WAC include Arizona State's unbeaten records in 1970 and 1975. BYU's 1984 National Championship season and their 14-win 1996 season. And Boise State's 2006 and 2009 seasons.
Alas, we knew thee well. The WAC, the springboard to better things.
Most dominant football teams in WAC history
1962-1963: New Mexico
1964-1965: Parity
1966-1968: Wyoming
1969-1977: Arizona State
1977-1985: BYU1986: San Diego State
1987-1988: Wyoming
1989-1991: BYU
1992-2001: Parity
2002-2010: Boise State (Hawaii won the championship in 2007).
There were some highlights to the old conference. The Fiesta Bowl was invented in 1971 as a place for the WAC champion. The Holiday Bowl came about in 1978 when Arizona State left for the PAC-10. After the Holiday Bowl outgrew the WAC, there was no set aside place for the champion.
The highlights of the WAC include Arizona State's unbeaten records in 1970 and 1975. BYU's 1984 National Championship season and their 14-win 1996 season. And Boise State's 2006 and 2009 seasons.
Alas, we knew thee well. The WAC, the springboard to better things.
Most dominant football teams in WAC history
1962-1963: New Mexico
1964-1965: Parity
1966-1968: Wyoming
1969-1977: Arizona State
1977-1985: BYU1986: San Diego State
1987-1988: Wyoming
1989-1991: BYU
1992-2001: Parity
2002-2010: Boise State (Hawaii won the championship in 2007).
BYU Season in Review
I believed that I was all set to write a good season in review post for BYU this year, then I read this letter to the editor.
The question that I want to answer is this, did the BYU football team live up to their potential in 2012? This reason for this question is the point that the author of this article brings out. 8-5 is not a bad season. It is much better than the average college football team. 8-5 would be a good record if BYU was truly living up to their potential for 2012.
The main question that needs to be answered: Doesn't BYU normally have a stellar season with a senior quarterback at the helm? In 2012, BYU was quarterbacked by senior Riley Nelson. He started 9 of BYU's 13 games this year. But he was the quarterback for all 5 of BYU's losses. There were at least 3 games, that we know of, where Riley played injured in 2012. All three; Utah, Boise State and San Jose State were losses. But he can't really blame his injuries for at least one of those losses.
Against Utah, the game turned on a play in the third quarter where the center snapped the ball when Riley was not ready for it. Riley tried to save the play instead of falling on the football and securing it. The fumble was returned by Utah for a touchdown. On the next drive, Nelson was clearly shell shocked and the Cougars lost 13 yards. That was followed by a bad punt, and Utah started the ensuing drive on the BYU side of the 50 yard line. On first down, John Hays threw a deep ball that was caught for a touchdown. In just a matter of a couple of minutes, Utah scored 14 points. That was the difference in the game, not the missed field goals at the end. If Nelson falls on the loose ball, there is a loss of yardage, BYU punts, but they probably win the game.
Those two minutes of breakdown were mistakes that even average football teams do not make. Mostly, the problems can be blamed on the offensive line. But a senior quarterback should know how to rally his team behind him, even right after a big mistake.
Compare how Nelson was as a starter to other recent senior BYU starting quarterbacks.
James Lark 2012: 2-0 (Note: Won Poinsettia Bowl)
Riley Nelson 2012: 4-5 (Note: due to injuries, Nelson started 9 games for BYU. Freshman Taysom Hill started 2 games early in the season. Senior James Lark started the last regular season game and the Poinsettia Bowl. Both of the other starting quarterbacks were each 2-0).
Max Hall 2009: 11-2* (Note: Won Las Vegas Bowl)
John Beck 2006: 11-2* (Note: Won Las Vegas Bowl)
Brandon Doman 2001: 12-2* (Note: Lost Liberty Bowl)
Steve Sarkisian 1996: 14-1* (Note: Won Cotton Bowl)
Ty Detmer 1991: 8-3-2* (Note: Tied Holiday Bowl)
Steve Lindsley 1986: 7-4 (Note: Lost Freedom Bowl, but Lindsley did not start, nor did he start in the regular season finale against Air Force. BYU was 8-5 in 1986.)
Robbie Bosco 1985: 11-3* (Note: Lost Florida Citrus Bowl)
Steve Young 1983: 11-1* (Note: Won Holiday Bowl)
Jim McMahon 1981: 11-2* (Note: Won Holiday Bowl)
Marc Wilson 1979: 11-1* (Note: Lost Holiday Bowl)
Gifford Nielsen 1977: 3-1 (Note: Marc Wilson started the majority of games in 1977, after Neilsen's season -ending knee injury. BYU finished 9-2 and turned down an invite to the Fiesta Bowl because it was played on Sunday that year.)*
Mark Giles 1975: 1-4 (Note: Giles started the first 4 games of 1975 and on last game of the season against Southern Mississippi, was benched in the 2nd half of the New Mexico game, which BYU won after Gifford Nielsen came off the bench and rallied the offense. Nielsen started the next 6 games and was 5-1 as a starter. BYU was 6-5 that season.).
Gary Sheide 1974: 7-4-1* (Note: Lost Fiesta Bowl).
Note: LaVell Edwards began his career at BYU in 1972. This list is for all senior quarterbacks who played at BYU during the Edwards/Crowton/Mendenhall tenures at BYU.
*Indicates conference championship
Compared to other BYU seniors, Riley Nelson had the worst overall record as a starter since Mark Giles in 1975. Giles was benched in favor of Gifford Nielsen after Nielson led a 4th quarter comeback against New Mexico in the 4th game of the season and BYU salvaged a winning record after beginning 1-3. Giles, as a senior, was allowed to start the final game of the 1975 season when it was determined that BYU had nothing to play for in the last game of the season against Southern Mississippi.
As BYU was independent in 2012, we don't know if BYU would have won a conference championship, but they did play two of the three MWC co-champions. BYU lost to Boise State with Nelson starting and BYU beat San Diego State with Lark starting.
The other two quarterbacks that did not win conference championships as seniors had one thing in common, they were not starters as juniors. Nelson started more than half the season in 2011 as a junior and had a very good record.
The other indicator of not living up to a school's potential is the would-have/could-have/should-haves. We already discussed the play against Utah. There were similar plays against Boise State, Notre Dame and San Jose State. Take back one bad mistake by Nelson in 4 of BYU's 5 losses, and BYU is 11-1 in the regular season and playing against Florida State in the Orange Bowl. Compare this to Ty Detmer's senior season, where BYU also had fewer than 10 wins. BYU's 3 losses did not turn on 1 mistake, they were blow outs where BYU was outmatched. One mistake turned turned the Holiday Bowl that year from a win to a tie. But there was nothing that Ty Detmer could have done better in any of the three losses.
This is all underscored by the stellar performance of BYU's defense. A defense does not win games if the offense can't score, with few exceptions. But there was only one such exception in the 2012 season, the Poinsettia Bowl where the defense (actually one defender) scored two of BYU's three touchdowns.
Nelson was not entirely at fault for what happened this season, there were play calls, particularly late in the San Jose State game, that could have saved a victory. But those plays were not properly called. Nelson did not enjoy the best of protection this season, and there were injuries on the offensive line from the beginning of the season. In fact, the BYU spring game was changed because there were too many offensive line injuries. This could be because the offensive line is too small to contend against BYU's defensive line in practice. Perhaps BYU needs return to recruiting bigger and stronger offensive lineman.
8-5 is not a bad season, and there have been many seasons where the BYU team has been worse and been considered a success. I would conclude that 8-5 was not a good season for BYU because they did not live up to their potential mainly because one player made one too many mistakes in at least 4 games.
In 2013, BYU looks to struggle to have a winning season unless they make the needed improvements. Another 8-5 season may be considered a success because the level of competition is much stronger. BYU has one more game to schedule in 2013. They could schedule 2 more game with the Hawaii exception. It could be Tulane, Boston College or an FCS school. It should be a winnable game because there are a lot of good teams on that schedule already. They open the season at Virginia have nother game at Notre Dame, a game at Gary Anderson's new team, Wisconsin and home games against Utah, Texas and Boise State. BYU will have to win at least one of these games just to make a bowl game.
Quarterback Taysom Hill looked good in the games he started. Running back Jamaal Williams also looks promising. They could have as many as 3 of the awesome front 7 will be back pending Kyle Van Noy's decision on the NFL draft. In addition to Spencer Hadley, they could get medical redshirts for Eathyn Manumaleuna and Ian Dulan, which would soften the blow of losing Ziggy Ansah, Uona Keveinga, Romney Fuga, Brandon Ogletree and Van Noy. But some of their other young players will have to step up and fill the gap. Bronson Kafusi and others will have the chance to prove themselves.
BYU will have to improve on offense to get to a bowl game in 2013. That could mean a coaching change, but they need a more consistent offensive line even if they do not change coaches.
2012 could be a turning point for BYU. They could use it to address weaknesses in their system and get better, or it could be the beginning of many years of mediocrity. 2013 will tell us which way it will go.
The question that I want to answer is this, did the BYU football team live up to their potential in 2012? This reason for this question is the point that the author of this article brings out. 8-5 is not a bad season. It is much better than the average college football team. 8-5 would be a good record if BYU was truly living up to their potential for 2012.
The main question that needs to be answered: Doesn't BYU normally have a stellar season with a senior quarterback at the helm? In 2012, BYU was quarterbacked by senior Riley Nelson. He started 9 of BYU's 13 games this year. But he was the quarterback for all 5 of BYU's losses. There were at least 3 games, that we know of, where Riley played injured in 2012. All three; Utah, Boise State and San Jose State were losses. But he can't really blame his injuries for at least one of those losses.
Against Utah, the game turned on a play in the third quarter where the center snapped the ball when Riley was not ready for it. Riley tried to save the play instead of falling on the football and securing it. The fumble was returned by Utah for a touchdown. On the next drive, Nelson was clearly shell shocked and the Cougars lost 13 yards. That was followed by a bad punt, and Utah started the ensuing drive on the BYU side of the 50 yard line. On first down, John Hays threw a deep ball that was caught for a touchdown. In just a matter of a couple of minutes, Utah scored 14 points. That was the difference in the game, not the missed field goals at the end. If Nelson falls on the loose ball, there is a loss of yardage, BYU punts, but they probably win the game.
Those two minutes of breakdown were mistakes that even average football teams do not make. Mostly, the problems can be blamed on the offensive line. But a senior quarterback should know how to rally his team behind him, even right after a big mistake.
Compare how Nelson was as a starter to other recent senior BYU starting quarterbacks.
James Lark 2012: 2-0 (Note: Won Poinsettia Bowl)
Riley Nelson 2012: 4-5 (Note: due to injuries, Nelson started 9 games for BYU. Freshman Taysom Hill started 2 games early in the season. Senior James Lark started the last regular season game and the Poinsettia Bowl. Both of the other starting quarterbacks were each 2-0).
Max Hall 2009: 11-2* (Note: Won Las Vegas Bowl)
John Beck 2006: 11-2* (Note: Won Las Vegas Bowl)
Brandon Doman 2001: 12-2* (Note: Lost Liberty Bowl)
Steve Sarkisian 1996: 14-1* (Note: Won Cotton Bowl)
Ty Detmer 1991: 8-3-2* (Note: Tied Holiday Bowl)
Steve Lindsley 1986: 7-4 (Note: Lost Freedom Bowl, but Lindsley did not start, nor did he start in the regular season finale against Air Force. BYU was 8-5 in 1986.)
Robbie Bosco 1985: 11-3* (Note: Lost Florida Citrus Bowl)
Steve Young 1983: 11-1* (Note: Won Holiday Bowl)
Jim McMahon 1981: 11-2* (Note: Won Holiday Bowl)
Marc Wilson 1979: 11-1* (Note: Lost Holiday Bowl)
Gifford Nielsen 1977: 3-1 (Note: Marc Wilson started the majority of games in 1977, after Neilsen's season -ending knee injury. BYU finished 9-2 and turned down an invite to the Fiesta Bowl because it was played on Sunday that year.)*
Mark Giles 1975: 1-4 (Note: Giles started the first 4 games of 1975 and on last game of the season against Southern Mississippi, was benched in the 2nd half of the New Mexico game, which BYU won after Gifford Nielsen came off the bench and rallied the offense. Nielsen started the next 6 games and was 5-1 as a starter. BYU was 6-5 that season.).
Gary Sheide 1974: 7-4-1* (Note: Lost Fiesta Bowl).
Note: LaVell Edwards began his career at BYU in 1972. This list is for all senior quarterbacks who played at BYU during the Edwards/Crowton/Mendenhall tenures at BYU.
*Indicates conference championship
Compared to other BYU seniors, Riley Nelson had the worst overall record as a starter since Mark Giles in 1975. Giles was benched in favor of Gifford Nielsen after Nielson led a 4th quarter comeback against New Mexico in the 4th game of the season and BYU salvaged a winning record after beginning 1-3. Giles, as a senior, was allowed to start the final game of the 1975 season when it was determined that BYU had nothing to play for in the last game of the season against Southern Mississippi.
As BYU was independent in 2012, we don't know if BYU would have won a conference championship, but they did play two of the three MWC co-champions. BYU lost to Boise State with Nelson starting and BYU beat San Diego State with Lark starting.
The other two quarterbacks that did not win conference championships as seniors had one thing in common, they were not starters as juniors. Nelson started more than half the season in 2011 as a junior and had a very good record.
The other indicator of not living up to a school's potential is the would-have/could-have/should-haves. We already discussed the play against Utah. There were similar plays against Boise State, Notre Dame and San Jose State. Take back one bad mistake by Nelson in 4 of BYU's 5 losses, and BYU is 11-1 in the regular season and playing against Florida State in the Orange Bowl. Compare this to Ty Detmer's senior season, where BYU also had fewer than 10 wins. BYU's 3 losses did not turn on 1 mistake, they were blow outs where BYU was outmatched. One mistake turned turned the Holiday Bowl that year from a win to a tie. But there was nothing that Ty Detmer could have done better in any of the three losses.
This is all underscored by the stellar performance of BYU's defense. A defense does not win games if the offense can't score, with few exceptions. But there was only one such exception in the 2012 season, the Poinsettia Bowl where the defense (actually one defender) scored two of BYU's three touchdowns.
Nelson was not entirely at fault for what happened this season, there were play calls, particularly late in the San Jose State game, that could have saved a victory. But those plays were not properly called. Nelson did not enjoy the best of protection this season, and there were injuries on the offensive line from the beginning of the season. In fact, the BYU spring game was changed because there were too many offensive line injuries. This could be because the offensive line is too small to contend against BYU's defensive line in practice. Perhaps BYU needs return to recruiting bigger and stronger offensive lineman.
8-5 is not a bad season, and there have been many seasons where the BYU team has been worse and been considered a success. I would conclude that 8-5 was not a good season for BYU because they did not live up to their potential mainly because one player made one too many mistakes in at least 4 games.
In 2013, BYU looks to struggle to have a winning season unless they make the needed improvements. Another 8-5 season may be considered a success because the level of competition is much stronger. BYU has one more game to schedule in 2013. They could schedule 2 more game with the Hawaii exception. It could be Tulane, Boston College or an FCS school. It should be a winnable game because there are a lot of good teams on that schedule already. They open the season at Virginia have nother game at Notre Dame, a game at Gary Anderson's new team, Wisconsin and home games against Utah, Texas and Boise State. BYU will have to win at least one of these games just to make a bowl game.
Quarterback Taysom Hill looked good in the games he started. Running back Jamaal Williams also looks promising. They could have as many as 3 of the awesome front 7 will be back pending Kyle Van Noy's decision on the NFL draft. In addition to Spencer Hadley, they could get medical redshirts for Eathyn Manumaleuna and Ian Dulan, which would soften the blow of losing Ziggy Ansah, Uona Keveinga, Romney Fuga, Brandon Ogletree and Van Noy. But some of their other young players will have to step up and fill the gap. Bronson Kafusi and others will have the chance to prove themselves.
BYU will have to improve on offense to get to a bowl game in 2013. That could mean a coaching change, but they need a more consistent offensive line even if they do not change coaches.
2012 could be a turning point for BYU. They could use it to address weaknesses in their system and get better, or it could be the beginning of many years of mediocrity. 2013 will tell us which way it will go.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Utah State 2012 season in review.
It was the best season in Aggie football history. No team, before 2012, had ever won more than 9 games. For some perspective, let's look at some highlights of previous Aggie greats.
Merlin Olsen arrive on campus in 1958. Back then, freshmen were not allowed to play on the varsity team. USU was 3-7 that season. In 1959, USU improved to 5-6. 1960 and 1961 were USU's best years prior to 2012. The Aggies finished 9-2 in 1960 with their two losses being to Utah in Salt Lake City and to New Mexico State in the Sun Bowl. 1961, the Aggies did not lose in the regular season, but endured a 6-6 tie to Wyoming in Laramie. They lost to Baylor in the now defunct Gotham Bowl. Merlin Olsen was name the winner of the Outland Trophy in 1961 and was drafted in the first round in 1962 by the Los Angeles Rams and went on to a Hall-of-Fame NFL career.
In 1962 the Aggies were just as good, going 8-2 and they had the same record in 1963. But what followed is one of the most painful episodes in USU football history. The newly-formed WAC decided not to include USU and the Mountain States Conference folded leaving the Aggies to years of independence, followed by a stint with what would become the Big West Conference.
1960-1963 was the best 4-year stint in USU football history. They finished 34-7-1 (.829) in that era, and had a head coaching change in that time period. John Ralston left after the 1962 season for Stanford where he had some modest success.
They also had a conference change in that era, and now history seems poised to repeat.
USU was 11-2 in 2012 and have just seen the departure of coach Gary Anderson for Wisconsin. The pieces are in place for USU to be successful over the next few season. On offense, the Aggie running game was good in each of their 11 wins and the defense was consistent in all but one of their 13 games. There will also be a new conference for USU in 2013.
The only lapse on the defensive end came against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, but USU was able to pull off a thrilling overtime victory.
Otherwise, there were lapses on special teams at the wrong time. Kicks that could have tied the game at BYU and won the game at Wisconsin were missed.
Sure, it could have been better, but USU fans have a great season to look back on. If history is a good lesson, there are at least three good seasons to look forward to.
Merlin Olsen arrive on campus in 1958. Back then, freshmen were not allowed to play on the varsity team. USU was 3-7 that season. In 1959, USU improved to 5-6. 1960 and 1961 were USU's best years prior to 2012. The Aggies finished 9-2 in 1960 with their two losses being to Utah in Salt Lake City and to New Mexico State in the Sun Bowl. 1961, the Aggies did not lose in the regular season, but endured a 6-6 tie to Wyoming in Laramie. They lost to Baylor in the now defunct Gotham Bowl. Merlin Olsen was name the winner of the Outland Trophy in 1961 and was drafted in the first round in 1962 by the Los Angeles Rams and went on to a Hall-of-Fame NFL career.
In 1962 the Aggies were just as good, going 8-2 and they had the same record in 1963. But what followed is one of the most painful episodes in USU football history. The newly-formed WAC decided not to include USU and the Mountain States Conference folded leaving the Aggies to years of independence, followed by a stint with what would become the Big West Conference.
1960-1963 was the best 4-year stint in USU football history. They finished 34-7-1 (.829) in that era, and had a head coaching change in that time period. John Ralston left after the 1962 season for Stanford where he had some modest success.
They also had a conference change in that era, and now history seems poised to repeat.
USU was 11-2 in 2012 and have just seen the departure of coach Gary Anderson for Wisconsin. The pieces are in place for USU to be successful over the next few season. On offense, the Aggie running game was good in each of their 11 wins and the defense was consistent in all but one of their 13 games. There will also be a new conference for USU in 2013.
The only lapse on the defensive end came against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, but USU was able to pull off a thrilling overtime victory.
Otherwise, there were lapses on special teams at the wrong time. Kicks that could have tied the game at BYU and won the game at Wisconsin were missed.
Sure, it could have been better, but USU fans have a great season to look back on. If history is a good lesson, there are at least three good seasons to look forward to.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Of Conference Realignment and Other Musings
I have not posted any commentary about the seasons of BYU and Utah State yet. In a way, I am glad that I have not, because I needed time to wrap my head around the whole Gary Anderson/Matt Wells situation. Anderson changed the culture at Utah State much the way that Urban Meyer changed the culture at Utah. I suspect that the Aggie football program will remain forever better because of what happened the last 4 seasons and I am not worried that the Aggies will return immediately to their annual doormat state.
CBS Sports is reporting that Colorado State and New Mexico have approached BYU and Boise State about dumping the MWC and forming a new conference. If a conference is to be a power in the west, and replace the Big East as the 6th major conference, it needs to have at least 6 schools. Air Force, Boise State, BYU, UNLV, Fresno State and San Diego State. Boise State and their success on the gridiron bring a large level of respect. BYU, due to their religious affiliation, brings a national following. The other four schools are in the largest markets in the west that are not already owned by a team in a major conference. I've been to Albuquerque and know that the market has potential, however.
At issue is whether or not the Mountain West is strong enough to improve their TV situation. Right now the conference has 10 schools going into 2013 and only 12 million dollars between them. That is the reason that Boise State and San Diego State are leaving for the Big East. 4 million per school, which is what the Big East is worth, is much better than 1.2 million per school.
Steve Fisher and the Viejas Arena have turned SDSU into a basketball power, San Diego is also one of the largest markets in the US that does not have an NBA franchise, and it does not look like they will be able to lure a team to San Diego any time soon. It is almost a similar situation in Las Vegas, where Dave Rice has almost restored the Rebels former glory. There are pieces in the west to form a conference that would be strong in both football and basketball.
One problem for the new conference would be Air Force. You want the Falcons in football. The tradition and strength of any military academy is a plus for football. There are big Air Force bases near cities like Dallas (Sheppard AFB), Washington DC (Langley and Andrews AFB), New York (McGuire AFB)...you get the picture. Air Force academy alumni are everywhere. Air Force has managed to take the limits that come with recruiting to a service academy and turned out a consistent winner in spite of them.
But basketball is another problem. Name the last NBA superstar, other than David Robinson, to come from one of the three service academies. If you are familiar with Robinson's story, you know that there was a rarity there.
The reason the service academies have NCAA sports teams is to assist with recruiting. No just for athletes for the academies, but for the entire service. But, it is hard to recruit a decent basketball team when you require the full 4 years in college, and a 4-year commitment afterwards. Air Force needs to be in a conference where they can compete.
One weakness of the MWC in this day and age of college sports is their belief that a school must field a team in all of the sports that they sponsor. They have only made an exception for Hawaii. I would argue that a new conference could allow Air Force to be a football-only member. They could put their non-football sports in the Summit or the non-basketball WAC and have an honest shot at an NCAA tournament bid every once in a while. The new conference would do well to invite Gonzaga as a non-football playing member.
One word of caution to Colorado State and New Mexico. A new conference, if it is going to make your schools some decent money, has to have every member field a quality team. You may be the conference doormat, but you need to win the bulk of your non-conference games. If you play an 8-game conference schedule, you play 4 non-conference games. If you win all 4, you only have to win 2 conference games to become bowl eligible. In a 12-team conference, you have to have 8 bowl-eligible teams to have national respect. Those are the kind of teams a new conference would need to field. Colorado State and New Mexico are not those kinds of teams. Neither is UNLV. Two more weaklings, and your new conference is no better than the MWC and it will not garner much more TV money, it will not be worthy of it. A proposal like this one probably should leave Wyoming and UTEP behind.
With that long discourse, here is my new proposal for a 14-team conference that would include Colorado State and New Mexico
East division:
Air Force (Football only)
BYU
Colorado State
Houston
New Mexico
SMU
Tulsa
West Division
Boise State
Fresno State
Nevada
San Diego State
San Jose State
UNLV
Utah State
Bowls: Las Vegas, New Mexico, Armed Forces, Poinsettia, Potato. (Would need at least one or two additional bowls...Liberty, Ticket City and Texas are possibilities).
For basketball, don't divide into divisions and have Gonzaga replace Air Force.
The MWC could look like this:
Idaho
Eastern Washington
Hawaii
Montana
Montana State
New Mexico State
Portland State
UTEP
Wyoming
Bowls: Hawaii, Armed Forces, Poinsettia, Potato (Potato bowl only a possibility if MAC does not renew contract)
CBS Sports is reporting that Colorado State and New Mexico have approached BYU and Boise State about dumping the MWC and forming a new conference. If a conference is to be a power in the west, and replace the Big East as the 6th major conference, it needs to have at least 6 schools. Air Force, Boise State, BYU, UNLV, Fresno State and San Diego State. Boise State and their success on the gridiron bring a large level of respect. BYU, due to their religious affiliation, brings a national following. The other four schools are in the largest markets in the west that are not already owned by a team in a major conference. I've been to Albuquerque and know that the market has potential, however.
At issue is whether or not the Mountain West is strong enough to improve their TV situation. Right now the conference has 10 schools going into 2013 and only 12 million dollars between them. That is the reason that Boise State and San Diego State are leaving for the Big East. 4 million per school, which is what the Big East is worth, is much better than 1.2 million per school.
Steve Fisher and the Viejas Arena have turned SDSU into a basketball power, San Diego is also one of the largest markets in the US that does not have an NBA franchise, and it does not look like they will be able to lure a team to San Diego any time soon. It is almost a similar situation in Las Vegas, where Dave Rice has almost restored the Rebels former glory. There are pieces in the west to form a conference that would be strong in both football and basketball.
One problem for the new conference would be Air Force. You want the Falcons in football. The tradition and strength of any military academy is a plus for football. There are big Air Force bases near cities like Dallas (Sheppard AFB), Washington DC (Langley and Andrews AFB), New York (McGuire AFB)...you get the picture. Air Force academy alumni are everywhere. Air Force has managed to take the limits that come with recruiting to a service academy and turned out a consistent winner in spite of them.
But basketball is another problem. Name the last NBA superstar, other than David Robinson, to come from one of the three service academies. If you are familiar with Robinson's story, you know that there was a rarity there.
The reason the service academies have NCAA sports teams is to assist with recruiting. No just for athletes for the academies, but for the entire service. But, it is hard to recruit a decent basketball team when you require the full 4 years in college, and a 4-year commitment afterwards. Air Force needs to be in a conference where they can compete.
One weakness of the MWC in this day and age of college sports is their belief that a school must field a team in all of the sports that they sponsor. They have only made an exception for Hawaii. I would argue that a new conference could allow Air Force to be a football-only member. They could put their non-football sports in the Summit or the non-basketball WAC and have an honest shot at an NCAA tournament bid every once in a while. The new conference would do well to invite Gonzaga as a non-football playing member.
One word of caution to Colorado State and New Mexico. A new conference, if it is going to make your schools some decent money, has to have every member field a quality team. You may be the conference doormat, but you need to win the bulk of your non-conference games. If you play an 8-game conference schedule, you play 4 non-conference games. If you win all 4, you only have to win 2 conference games to become bowl eligible. In a 12-team conference, you have to have 8 bowl-eligible teams to have national respect. Those are the kind of teams a new conference would need to field. Colorado State and New Mexico are not those kinds of teams. Neither is UNLV. Two more weaklings, and your new conference is no better than the MWC and it will not garner much more TV money, it will not be worthy of it. A proposal like this one probably should leave Wyoming and UTEP behind.
With that long discourse, here is my new proposal for a 14-team conference that would include Colorado State and New Mexico
East division:
Air Force (Football only)
BYU
Colorado State
Houston
New Mexico
SMU
Tulsa
West Division
Boise State
Fresno State
Nevada
San Diego State
San Jose State
UNLV
Utah State
Bowls: Las Vegas, New Mexico, Armed Forces, Poinsettia, Potato. (Would need at least one or two additional bowls...Liberty, Ticket City and Texas are possibilities).
For basketball, don't divide into divisions and have Gonzaga replace Air Force.
The MWC could look like this:
Idaho
Eastern Washington
Hawaii
Montana
Montana State
New Mexico State
Portland State
UTEP
Wyoming
Bowls: Hawaii, Armed Forces, Poinsettia, Potato (Potato bowl only a possibility if MAC does not renew contract)
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Putting the D in Dominate.
BYU 23 SDSU 6
It did not look like, at first, that the Poinsettia Bowl was going BYU's way. San Diego State drove the ball deep into Cougar territory and scored 2 quick field goals. BYU's offense couldn't manage to get deep into SDSU territory at all, except for one drive, and the Aztecs took a 6-3 lead into half time. That was also the score at the end of the third quarter. Then Kyle Van Noy broke the game open on defense.
SDSU was backed up inside their own 5 yard line, when Van Noy knocked the ball out of the hand of QB Adam Dingwell as he was getting ready to through. Then Van Noy jumped on the lose ball for the touchdown. SDSU then gave the ball up on their very next offensive play. BYU responded with a Jamaal Williams touchdown on the very next play. Within less than 1 minute, the Cougars were ahead 16-6. Just for good measure, Kyle Van Noy would later add a pick 6.
If this bowl was an NFL audition, three Cougars helped their chances in San Diego. Van Noy, who as a linebacker was the best offensive weapon for the Cougars. Ziggy Ansah played a very good game as well. And punter Riley Stephensen contentiously pinned the Aztecs deep in their own territory. Expect these three players to get NFL contracts.
If tis bowl was a way to save the job of Offensive Coordinator Brandon Doman, that was not successful at all. The BYU offense was terrible.
BYU MVP: LB Kyle Van Noy
It did not look like, at first, that the Poinsettia Bowl was going BYU's way. San Diego State drove the ball deep into Cougar territory and scored 2 quick field goals. BYU's offense couldn't manage to get deep into SDSU territory at all, except for one drive, and the Aztecs took a 6-3 lead into half time. That was also the score at the end of the third quarter. Then Kyle Van Noy broke the game open on defense.
SDSU was backed up inside their own 5 yard line, when Van Noy knocked the ball out of the hand of QB Adam Dingwell as he was getting ready to through. Then Van Noy jumped on the lose ball for the touchdown. SDSU then gave the ball up on their very next offensive play. BYU responded with a Jamaal Williams touchdown on the very next play. Within less than 1 minute, the Cougars were ahead 16-6. Just for good measure, Kyle Van Noy would later add a pick 6.
If this bowl was an NFL audition, three Cougars helped their chances in San Diego. Van Noy, who as a linebacker was the best offensive weapon for the Cougars. Ziggy Ansah played a very good game as well. And punter Riley Stephensen contentiously pinned the Aztecs deep in their own territory. Expect these three players to get NFL contracts.
If tis bowl was a way to save the job of Offensive Coordinator Brandon Doman, that was not successful at all. The BYU offense was terrible.
BYU MVP: LB Kyle Van Noy
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Every Man Has His Price.
It's bad for the players and the fans, but Gary Anderson has been offered the job at Wisconsin for quite a bit more than he was earning at Utah State. This is too bad, but college football is a business and Utah State can't compete with a BCS school that can more than double his salary.
Anderson has built a program in Logan, and he would need to be replaced by someone who can keep the momentum going. Therefore, his replacement should be someone nearby. In fact, someone both LDS and polynesian may do the trick. Perhaps, and this is just my musing, Utah's Kilani Sitake or Navy's Ken Nuimatalolo or BYU's Steve Kafusi.
USU's turn around was powered by good recruiting. It was as much niche recruiting as Bronco Mendenhall has done at BYU. USU won't immediately go back to where they were, but if they get the right coach, they could still be good next season.
What should concern people is the disparity between the haves like Wisconsin and the have-nots like Utah State. One of the reasons why the smaller colleges can't catch up on the field is because they can't keep up on the sideline. Someone even hints that they are building a good program at the smaller colleges, they are snatched up by bigger ones.
The same thing happens in business. If you build a successful small business, either your CEO gets a better job or your company gets purchased by a bigger competitor...or your employees move to companies that can pay them higher salaries.
There will never be another LaVell Edwards or Jim Sweeny. LaVell would have gone to a big program after the 1974 Fiesta Bowl Season. Jim Sweeny would have never even landed in Fresno. Utah State will have to build their program on the shoulders of successive coaches, not just one. Here's to their hope for success.
Anderson has built a program in Logan, and he would need to be replaced by someone who can keep the momentum going. Therefore, his replacement should be someone nearby. In fact, someone both LDS and polynesian may do the trick. Perhaps, and this is just my musing, Utah's Kilani Sitake or Navy's Ken Nuimatalolo or BYU's Steve Kafusi.
USU's turn around was powered by good recruiting. It was as much niche recruiting as Bronco Mendenhall has done at BYU. USU won't immediately go back to where they were, but if they get the right coach, they could still be good next season.
What should concern people is the disparity between the haves like Wisconsin and the have-nots like Utah State. One of the reasons why the smaller colleges can't catch up on the field is because they can't keep up on the sideline. Someone even hints that they are building a good program at the smaller colleges, they are snatched up by bigger ones.
The same thing happens in business. If you build a successful small business, either your CEO gets a better job or your company gets purchased by a bigger competitor...or your employees move to companies that can pay them higher salaries.
There will never be another LaVell Edwards or Jim Sweeny. LaVell would have gone to a big program after the 1974 Fiesta Bowl Season. Jim Sweeny would have never even landed in Fresno. Utah State will have to build their program on the shoulders of successive coaches, not just one. Here's to their hope for success.
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