For the heck of it, I applied to the Bleacher Report for BYU football. Highly doubt I'd get accepted, or would do it even if I was. But, I always thought being a sports writer would be awesome.
With 2012 just days away, I have been thinking of some New Year's resolutions I will set (which I will most likely give up on in a few days). I also have some resolutions I want the BYU football team to set for next year (with hopefully more resolve than myself).
Resolution #1: Win a Big Game
This year's team has the potential to win ten games with a bowl win over Tulsa. However, it might be the least satisfying ten win season anyone in Cougar Town can remember. The only "quality" win was a comeback victory, at home, against a Utah State team that finished 7-6. BYU did not beat anyone else with a winning record and went 0-3 against the other bowl bound teams it faced. Next year, the Cougars will have great chances to make a statement in games against Utah, Boise State, and Notre Dame. Winning these games will keep fans interested in the otherwise uninteresting match-ups against WAC teams in the latter half of the season.
Resolution #2: Get the Ball to the Tight Ends
Granted, this year's team was much more effective in getting the ball to our tight ends. The emergence of Riley Nelson made a clear difference in the spreading of the ball across the field. While this year's by-committee approach yielded better results (55 catches, 4 touchdowns) than last year's non-existent tight end production (34 catches, 0 touchdowns), it is still well short of the typical tight end production in Provo (by comparison, tight ends in 2009 accounted for 93 catches and 13 touchdowns). I look for Richard Wilson to have a big 2012 if Doman utilizes the tight end more in his schemes.
Resolution #3: Get to the Quarterback!
When Bronco Mendenhall came to BYU as a defensive coordinator, he was known for his go-for-broke, aggressive scheme. In the last few years, he has utilized more of a traditional bend-but-don't-break scheme that fans in Provo are used to. While this has minimized points allowed, it has also steadily declined BYU's sack total (tied for 79th in 2011). As we saw against UCF and Ole Miss, getting to the Quarterback can quickly change games in favor of the boys in navy.
Resolution #4: Beat Utah
After last year's heart breaker and this year's travesty, BYU has now lost three of four to the hated Utes. BYU gambled by going and then staying independent. Continued losses to the team up north after they moved to the PAC-12 will hamper recruiting and lead to widespread discontent in Happy Valley. BYU needs to avenge this season's ugly loss when they travel up to Salt Lake next year; there is perhaps more riding on this game for the Cougs than any other "Holy War" in decades.
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