Fallout from BYU Utah Game
Where to begin after that 54-10 debacle on Saturday night?
Rarely will a team win a football game when committing 7 turnovers. BYU totally imploded. However,
The really ugly part of the evening was when BYU just rolled over and quit as the second half progressed. That is inexcusable. That’s one of harshest things you can say about an athlete or a team but we all saw it. And the blame belongs squarely on the head coach. Sure, the offense stinks, the coordinator is in over his head and the highly touted quarterback is not getting it done. However, the buck stops with Bronco. In his defense, he did accept full responsibility for the humiliating defeat in the post game press conference.
Referring to the rivalry game early last week and how the community gets into the game he said the following: “All the rest of it, in terms of how my neighbors and anyone else react to it, I could do without……….I would just like it to be a first-class rivalry. The games certainly indicate that, that they’re going to be down to the last play and they’re going to be very competitive. I don’t know how it will affect all the surrounding fans and the stadium conduct.”
“Really, the rivalry isn’t really so much noticeable to me when you play the game………..It’s all the things in the community leading up to it. I haven’t been out in the community enough yet this week to grasp it yet.”
Of course the head coach isn’t running up to Salt Lake to paint the U on the hill blue or anything like that but these quotes give us an idea of how Bronco really feels. It’s just another ball game. Sure it’s probably a nuisance to a coaching staff to put up with overzealous fans. However, I think Bronco is missing the big picture. His job exists because of the fanatics. The BYU Utah game is practically a state holiday in
We all know that perception is reality and the perception is that Bronco just wants to coach his guys, hope they execute, host a couple firesides and represent the University. That’s all great except for the fact that 63,000 fans plus the tens of thousands of others around the
How often do you see a new hire at a big time school and the first thing out of their mouth is something about winning the rivalry game? Remember when Steve Spurrier was at Florida and he quipped the famous, “You can’t spell Citrus without UT” referring to one of their biggest rivals, the University of Tennessee, routinely finishing the SEC season second fiddle to Florida and ending up in a bowl game like the Citrus instead of a top tier game. Fans ate that up and loved Spurrier. And he just fanned the flames. How about when Urban Meyer got to
There are no guarantees that 63,00 fans will continue to show up for a mediocre product. Again, college sports is about entertainment. And if your product does not deliver, fan interest is going to wane. Based on what the school seems to be trying to accomplish with their football program, they sure seem to have the wrong personality in charge. Maybe BYU ought to get a fella like the Clemson head coach. Check out his act after snapping
Of course Bronco is not going anywhere. He’s won way too many games. He is a good coach. He simply chooses not to embrace the fans and for whatever reason, does not seem to get his team up for big games. (TCU the past 3 years in addition to Saturday night)
However, let the fans be fans and stop humiliating the program on national TV against your arch rival. Until the intensity and expectations are both revved up a bit in Provo, don’t expect any greatness out of what has been a great football school with a great fan base.