"6) The secondary. I love the guys we have this year. BUT. Expect to see much, much more speed in the secondary. I'm repdicting G Pittman as the next Morgan. Howard has already proven that he's quite capable--I have no worries about him. I think the CB position will be every bit as strong as it was this year, but a LOT quicker. Just think--If Coach Hill can compensate for lack of athleticism with our current DB's by teaching them the fundamentals, think what that teaching could mean to someone with more athletic ability. Crazy.

I don't expect to see Tafuna, and I'm not sure Fowler will keep his job. I think before the season started there were freshman that were competing for the starting job. I just think Bronco wanted to keep these guys in the wings if he could."


McGregor do you think that Brandon Bradley will finally get some PT this year be it at corner or safety?

PO_POcoug wrote:

McGregor do you think that Brandon Bradley will finally get some PT this year be it at corner or safety?

I expect that he will be moved to FS. The question will be whether he can learn the position in enough time.

It's hard to predict who his competition will be. As I said earlier, Jordan Pendleton looks to be a contender. Also, you have Chris Warner coming back off injury. I'm not sure Fowler will be able to fend off the competition. I'm also not sure where Andrew Rich will fit in.

I guess athletically, I'd like to see Bradley and Pendleton as starters. I'm confident that whomever Coach Hill puts out there will be the best.

A wild card I wonder about is how well players will return from injuries. A case in point is Vakapuna, who appeared to have lingering effects from last year's ankle injury most of the season.

Specifically, is Harvey's ankle sprain more than the team will admit to, and will it affect him in '08? And I wonder the same about Hall's shoulder separation. Will it have a continuing effect next year?


By the way, excellent posts McGregor. One sign that there's no immediate justice in the world is that you only have three times as many karma points as me...when it should approach infinity more.

I am sure you meant to respond to me and not McGregor on the AP title option. I know the human polls show less respect for BYU this season than the computer polls, which is usually opposite. BYU would have to dominated most every game and there can be no undefeated teams in the BCS. BYU has had back to back 11-2 seasons so if they run the table and beat a quality BCS opponent in a BCS bowl, I can see the AP voters giving it to BYU. It would take a perfect storm, no doubt, but it is possible.

cruiser wrote:

McGregor wrote:

Many have heard me say this before, but a BCS title game is not the only road to a NC championship. I think if BYU plays the best football in the country, even with their schedule and are the only undefeated team left, the AP voters would love to stick it to the BCS and vote a team like BYU the NC. I'll take a split title any day.

Interesting thought, one I hadn't entertained. Currently, AP and the other polls that are voted on have us at 19. Only the BCS, which factors in computer rankings, has us ranked 17. It seems that the computer gives us more respect than coaches and writers. I believe this is at least partially a result of our limited television coverage. Will this change next year? Is it possible that coaches and writers will give us more respect even without being able to watch many of our conference games?

However, I like your thinking. If we can beat Washington and UCLA on national TV, then keep winning, I believe the road to #1 is potentially available outside the BCS. But it will mean winning consistently and convincingly--a tall order.

McGregor wrote:
[quote]1) In general, we need to be careful about asking Anae to "open it up." Essentially, we're asking for Gary Crowton. He opened it WAY it. It achieved the goal of keeping the defense off guard, but at the same time, we had players on the field that were not confident about their assignments. Anae, on the other hand, hates risks, and hates anything less than 100% execution. So over the past few years, there have been plays that the team has worked on in order to get those plays to be predictably safe to where all team members know their assignment.

I will say this: I think Anae is more in favor of keeping the play book thin, but using various formations to run the same play. That's why you've seen odd formations, or at least guys you did not expect to see there (like So'oto as a fullback).


I agree with you and I really like Anae and miss the podcasts from the 2005 season when he would come on and field caller's quesitons. I really could see philosophy and was completely on board with him.

I do have to say that sometimes I feel like there is no magic though. Bronco and the defense have magic against whoever we play. Not so much for the offense. You could quote the 4th and 18 (didn't Max call that one at the line?) and some of the other close plays, but where were the adjustments at half time in Vegas. Hard to describe, it seems like Bronco makes the adjustments (I wish they would have switched Dulan and Jan up a little bit or put Moses in there for Jan on some of those runnig plays to the left side) and our offense just keeps banging their heads. Robert Anae...show me some magic!!

McGregor,

I am sure I can speak for all of cougarblue when I say thank you for this thread. We all respect your decision to not post so in depth per Bronco's wishes. I for one feel like a crack junkie who just got a fix after a long hiatus.