# Florida ST-versus-BYU



## coyoteslayer (Sep 10, 2007)

GO BYU!!!! *()* *()* *()* *()* 

Ok I hope BYU wins this game, but in order for this to happen then 3 things need to be accomplished

1. Jake Heaps is the QB the entire game (I remember someone said in a press conference that he would save BYU)

2. BYU shows up on defense/offense, and special teams (Basically do the opposite of last week's game)

3. Hold on to the ball especially before entering the endzone. (No turnovers unless it's with strawberries)


BYU 45

Florida ST 21

P.S. Make sure Heap doesn't get sacked because then he might be a HEAP of _________________ on the field.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

I think BYU might be headed into a buzzsaw with FSU. They are going to be on the war path after what Oklahoma did to them. Or, and this is what I hope is OU took everything outta of them and BYU can get a win.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Well, the way I see it, I sat among the chanting, chopping, and otherwise fairly classy FSU contingent that came to Provo last year as the Seminoles put a major butt whoopin' on my boys in Blue. And that was a BYU team with the best TE and RB ever to wear Cougar blue, and the winningest QB ever in the history of the school. BYU lost that game on the line of scrimmage, where the line was blown off the ball from both sides. FSU was just faster and stronger on the line. FSU had three yards of push on every play before anything had a chance to develop. 

So here we are this year. Defense is weaker than last year, the hot shots on BYU's offense are all gone, we don't have a solid QB/RB/TE this year. And oh yea, we are going into a stadium of 60,000 chanting/choppers. I can't even pretend to be optimistic about this one. FSU is going to kill us. 

I will say this - the FSU fans that traveled to Provo for the game last year were absolutely great. Very classy, solid, great football fans. I received several invites to join their tailgate parties in Florida if I'd come out to the game. Seriously, they were great fans. If I hadn't been to Florida twice in the past 4 weeks, I'd go again just to tailgate with the FSU fans. 

My prediction: FSU - 45 BYU 13.


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## mm73 (Feb 5, 2010)

GaryFish said:


> And oh yea, we are going into a stadium of 60,000 chanting/choppers. I can't even pretend to be optimistic about this one. FSU is going to kill us.


Don't you mean 80,000 chanting choppers? Doak Campbell stadium seats 82,000 and I am sure it will be a sell out.

As much as I would like to disagree with you Gary, I think you are right. This could be another embarrassing loss for the Cougars. The only prayer they have is if Heaps gets a majority of the snaps and is able to exploit the Seminoles' secondary the way Landry Jones did, but that is A LOT to ask of a true freshman playing in front of a huge crowd on the road. It is more likely that the pressure will be simply too much for him and he will make lots of bad reads and throw several interceptions. Plus, the Cougars' receiving corps have not exactly been making the highlight reel with spectacular catches so far this season. But if Nelson gets the majority of the snaps then the Seminoles will simply do what the Falcons did (only better because they have better athletes) and drop 3 into coverage and then load up the box with 8 to stop him from running, forcing Nelson to beat them with his arm, which he is not equipped to do.

I will be happy if BYU can keep it as close as their loss in Colorado Springs last Saturday.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Bronco announced that Nelson is starting. Which led me to a VERY scary thought that in all honesty, hadn't occurred to me yet. What if Nelson isn't starting because of promises or politics. What if Nelson is starting because Heaps just isn't good enough to play D-1 ball? I know he was all that and all the scouts everywhere were all excited. But Troy Smith, Ty Detmer, and Tim Tebow all fancy dancy trophies and honors in college, but never translated it to the next level. What if that is the deal with Heaps? What if Nelson really is the best we've got? Wouldn't that just suck!


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## coyoteslayer (Sep 10, 2007)

> Bronco announced that Nelson is starting. Which led me to a VERY scary thought that in all honesty, hadn't occurred to me yet. What if Nelson isn't starting because of promises or politics. What if Nelson is starting because Heaps just isn't good enough to play D-1 ball? I know he was all that and all the scouts everywhere were all excited. But Troy Smith, Ty Detmer, and Tim Tebow all fancy dancy trophies and honors in college, but never translated it to the next level. What if that is the deal with Heaps? What if Nelson really is the best we've got? Wouldn't that just suck!


Well you would think they would play him more if he really was that good. They also would have made their decision in football camp if he was really that good. He hasn't shown anything better than Nelson otherwise Heap would be starting instead of Nelson.

The BYU team knows a lot more than we do.


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

On your comment about fans from other conferences and the "classiness".... I was amazed by how polite most of the folks in Oregon were when we went there last year, thanking us for coming out to watch games in their stadium and stuff.... it was pretty eye opening. I hope the Cougs put up a good fight, but I'd like to see FSU do well in their first year without Bobby too. That loss against OU was pretty nasty but I'm sure Jimbo Fisher will have them amped up and they'll be on the warpath, like Mike said.


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## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

Nelson is going to be starting because he can help them run the ball and possibly win the time of possession battle. If BYU puts Heaps in the game that's going to bring the pass rush and guarantee a Seminole player on the field who has nothing on his mind but breaking on the ball once it leaves the QB's hand. BYU's only hope in this game is to bring in a big polynesian dude off the practice squad that can run between the tackles...because DiLuigi, Kariya...are you kidding me??? Those guys can not and will not run between the tackles. That will open up play action for a Jacobsen pass deep down the middle (wouldn't even bother throwing to Chambers unless they got a pine tar cooler next to the water cooler on the sideline). Possession and turnovers will be everything in this game.
28-17 FSU


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## mm73 (Feb 5, 2010)

GaryFish said:


> Bronco announced that Nelson is starting. Which led me to a VERY scary thought that in all honesty, hadn't occurred to me yet. What if Nelson isn't starting because of promises or politics. What if Nelson is starting because Heaps just isn't good enough to play D-1 ball? I know he was all that and all the scouts everywhere were all excited. But Troy Smith, Ty Detmer, and Tim Tebow all fancy dancy trophies and honors in college, but never translated it to the next level. What if that is the deal with Heaps? What if Nelson really is the best we've got? Wouldn't that just suck!


Heaps is just a freshman, and Bronco has a real aversion to playing freshmen. Always has. The fact that Bronco is even willing to play Heaps as a freshman is a real compliment and a testament to how talented he is. The other side of the issue is that Nelson is a Junior who has "paid his dues", and Bronco has always favored those players, even when they are less talented then their backups. It is just the kind of coach that he is. You know, that whole "Band of Brothers" stuff. But Bronco has already stated that they are trying to mold Heaps into the future starting QB. He knows Heaps is the future, not Nelson. Heaps will be the starter by the end of the season, mark it down.


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## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

BYU justs looks bad this year. Even though they won the Washington game, they still looked bad. From the start of Bronco's head coaching career at the Y he has always taken the blame when the team played bad. This year he seems to be letting the blame fall on assistant coaches. That to me is a big signal that things are not alright in Provo right now from the top down. Maybe I'm reading more into it, but something doesn't seem right. Maybe all the summer shuffling has taken concentration off team preparation.


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## mm73 (Feb 5, 2010)

I really don't think BYU has much of a chance in this game, but if they are going to get the W in Tallahassee then here is what I think needs to happen.

1) McKay Jacobsen, Oneal Chambers and Luke Ashworth need to have BIG games. Last year these 3 accounted for over 60% of BYU's passing yards. So far this year they account for only 20%. Jacobsen especially can be the playmaker but he did not even have the ball thrown to him against AFA. This has to change if BYU is to have a prayer against the Seminoles, who have a very good run defense, but are very vulnerable against the pass, as Oklahoma showed last week. But who will throw the ball to them?

2) Jake Heaps needs to get more snaps than Riley Nelson. This is not to say that Nelson can't have a big impact in this game - he can - but he does not have the arm to stretch the field vertically and take advantage of BYU's trio of veteran receivers. It may be too much to expect of the freshman, but he is the only one who has the arm to do it. 

3) Somehow, some way, the defense MUST contain Ponder. They were able to contain Jake Locker, so that game plan will have to be successful twice. If Ponder runs wild on them like he did last year then this will be another major embarrassment for BYU. 

4) Special teams must be the X-factor. Probably the biggest thing the Cougars can do to contain Ponder and the Seminoles offense is to win the field position battle the way they did against the Huskies. Riley Stephenson was outstanding in that game, but horrible against the Falcons, so whatever he needs to do to have another performance like his first game, and not like his second, he needs to do it because a lot will ride on him.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Last year's game had nothing to do with the skill players. It was all about the line of scrimmage. When FSU was on offense, their line were faster and stronger than BYU's defensive front, and had a solid, three-yard push on every snap. They were so fast off the ball, that in several plays, Ponder or the RB had to wait before moving to the hole so the timing was better. But that wait allowed them to see what was developing and they ran all over BYU.

On the other side of the ball - when BYU was on offense, FSU's front four were quicker and stronger than BYU's O-Line, and were through them before Hall could set up, or the receivers could make their cuts. This forced Hall to throw early, on the run, to guys that weren't ready for the ball to come yet - which resulted in intercepted and knocked down passes. And the way FSU clogged the holes, the RBs had no where to go.

FSU simply dominated the line of scrimmage from both sides. So unless BYU has figured out how to deal with that, its gonna be a long day for my Cougars.


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## Dodger (Oct 20, 2009)

The Thursday odds, which I watch faithfully, have Fl. St. by 10 in this game. 

I've been watching the odds for 4 years - I had to learn how they work for an old job. In 4 seasons, a bet on BYU based on the Thursday odds would have only paid out twice. Once for Oklahoma last year and two weeks ago against Washington. That means the odds makers have been right around 38 out of 40 times based on the Thursday odds.

To be honest, I think 10 points would be merciful. The odds makers are expecting the Cougars to show up for this game.


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## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

Young BYU team. Unsettled at QB. Blame game from last week still circulating. There's something wrong in Provo right now. I can sense it. I'm not sure all the players down there are settled in with what is expected of them which is really surprising for a Mendenhall team. They may eventually sort it all out but right now it has a catastrophic feel to this season. They will be blown out again. Maybe not as bad as last year but still a bad loss. This loss will put a real damper on the moral of this team and a steady decline in peformance will result. A few "lesser" teams will seize on this and pull off some upset wins. Utah State will beat the Y for the first time in a long time and the cougs will have at best a 500 season.


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## mm73 (Feb 5, 2010)

HighNDry said:


> This loss will put a real damper on the moral of this team and a steady decline in peformance will result.


I don't disagree that BYU will most likely lose in Tallahassee, but do I disagree that such a loss will send the Cougars into a tailspin that will wreck their whole season. For one thing, I think the QB controversy will come to an end if the Cougars lose badly this weekend. I think this game is going to be Riley Nelson's last chance to prove that he, as the upper-classman, has what it takes to lead this team in big games. He was able to do that against the Huskies in Provo, but he failed miserably against the Falcons on the road, and if he fails again this week then I think you will see the coaches start to turn the reigns over to the freshman. There will still be lots of growing pains for the team as Heaps learns to be the signal caller of a Division 1 offense, but I think he will pick it up quickly, just as Jordan Wynn did for the Utes last year, and the Cougars can still finish the season 8-4 or 9-3, and play in a bowl game. But that all depends on the coaches having the stones to end this QB controversy once and for all and name a single starting QB and then unite the team under that person. If they stubbornly persist with this 2-QB situation then your scenario is more likely.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Thing is, most people were predicting the Cougs to go 1-3, or 2-2 at best in September. Most optimistic predictions for the seasons are 8-4, or some fans on weed saying 9-3. Its early in the season. Lots of ball to be played.


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## hockey (Nov 7, 2007)

Bunch of freaking armchair quarterbacks/coaches. I will give you the only 2 facts that matter:
BYU has enough talent to beat anybody in the county on a given day
BYU does not have enough talent and can get beat by anybody on a given day


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## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

Wow, That is brilliant! Why not just come out and say the team that score the most points in any given game will win. These boards are for discussion and voicing our observations and ideas. That's what makes sports fun. Why don't you just read the box scores in the paper if you don't like reading our opinions?


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

HighNDry said:


> Wow, That is brilliant! Why not just come out and say the team that score the most points in any given game will win. These boards are for discussion and voicing our observations and ideas. That's what makes sports fun. Why don't you just read the box scores in the paper if you don't like reading our opinions?


He could go into more detail but then, we just wouldn't understand.


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

Well, that went about how I expected it to. Terrible thing is, Washington go blown up too. Their defense is HORRIBLE!!! (this could actually apply to both the Cougs and the Dogs :? )


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

Add ND to that RR. That is two weeks in a row that we have lost on the last play of the game in both games to the end and just couldn't close the deal. I bet at best the irish go 3-3 or likely 2-4 to start...


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Been going 100 MPH all day today and didn't get to watch the game. Thank the good lord for TiVo. I'll do my Arm Chair Quarterbacking/Coaching after I watch it. Because really, what matters more than the opinion of a Loyal Cougar Fan on a hunting/fishing website? I know, I know. You can hardly wait for my breakdown.


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## mm73 (Feb 5, 2010)

Riverrat77 said:


> Well, that went about how I expected it to.


Same here. I was happy with the way they played in the 1st half, but for the second game in a row now the Cougars completely collapsed in the 2nd half.

Here are my observations...

1) Heaps should be named the starter so the Cougars can start building their offense around him. His numbers weren't that impressive, but he was very poised and looked very comfortable running the traditional BYU offense. Nelson is a great competitor but he is a terrible passer (his passes remind me of a salmon trying to leap over a waterfall) and when he is in the game the running game stalls as well because defenses have figured out that he is not a passing threat so they stack the box to shut down his running. It was amazing to watch how the running game opened up as soon as Heaps came in the game because the defense respected his passing ability. I think Nelson should be converted to a halfback and used as a wild cat option.

2) The O-line is vastly OVERRATED! Once again, they got totally exposed by faster, more athletic defenders. Just like Air Force, the Seminoles were able to get pressure on the QB by rushing just 4, allowing them to drop 7 into coverage so that Heaps was not able to find any open receivers. Braden Hansen got beat on almost every down, and Matt Reynolds' was not much better. I don't think he will be leaving early after this season now because his draft stock probably took a nose dive after the last two games.

3) BYU has no TE's right now. It's pretty sad when you see O'neill Chambers lining up at TE because the real TE's can't run routes or get open. The TE's are a critical part of the Cougars' system so this is a major hole in their offense.

4) The defense needs to learn how to tackle!! I have never seen so many missed and broken tackles in one game. I counted 5 on one of Ponder's scrambles! I am sure fatigue was a big part of it, because the majority of them occurred in the 2nd half when the defense was on the field a lot, but it was still RIDICULOUS! It is obvious that Bronco needs to spend less time with special teams, and go back to working with Jaime Hill on defense. Next week is Kaepernick and the Wolfpack, who looked pretty dang good against Cal yesterday. Kaepernick is going to give the defense the same problems that Ponder did so they better figure out how to contain and how to wrap up and make tackles or they are going to be looking at a 1-3 start to the season.


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## mm73 (Feb 5, 2010)

GaryFish said:


> Been going 100 MPH all day today and didn't get to watch the game. Thank the good lord for TiVo.


The game is being rebroadcast on BYU-TV right now. You gotta love ESPN!!!


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

I've got it on. Thanks.


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## coyoteslayer (Sep 10, 2007)

I wonder if Dodger will get upset if I comment on the 8 sacks that BYU allowed or the 47 miss tackles?

Nevada thumped Cal 52-31. There is no way BYU will be coming away with a win against Nevada even at home. I would be surprised. I also think that Utah state will give BYU a lot of problems.


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## Dodger (Oct 20, 2009)

coyoteslayer said:


> I wonder if Dodger will get upset if I comment on the 8 sacks that BYU allowed or the 47 miss tackles?
> 
> Nevada thumped Cal 52-31. There is no way BYU will be coming away with a win against Nevada even at home. I would be surprised. I also think that Utah state will give BYU a lot of problems.


Nope, it was a pretty lousy showing for the Cougars. The offensive line had a pretty bad outing yesterday. It wasn't entirely their fault, I think there was some pretty terrible play calling and no quarterback support.

I don't know anything about Nevada this year. I know it's tough to come into Provo and win, but if there was ever a chance to do it, it is this year.

Did you get a nice speedgoat?


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

My single largest disappointment was the O-line, that was supposed to be about the only bright spot, but they looked worse than any other, at least we already knew that teh worst spot to hit a receiver was in both palms.


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

coyoteslayer said:


> I wonder if Dodger will get upset if I comment on the 8 sacks that BYU allowed or the 47 miss tackles?
> 
> Nevada thumped Cal 52-31. There is no way BYU will be coming away with a win against Nevada even at home. I would be surprised. I also think that Utah state will give BYU a lot of problems.


Nevada looks GOOOOODDD this year. I think the game they play against BSU is going to be awesome!!


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

My take on the game. First the bright spots.
-Riley is done as the starter. When he is in the game, the offense is one-dimensional and easy to defend. With Jake, at least the opponent has to respect the pass.
-Jake looked good in the 2nd quarter. The offense will only improve when he starts getting the majority of snaps in practice, and the receivers actually get balls thrown to them. The pourous line and stone-handed receivers killed him in the 2nd half. 
-JJ DiLuigi is certainly a bright spot for the offense. He is proving to be a half-decent back, and can catch some passes. He needs to continue if BYU is to have any success. I still think there is significant drop-off from what we've had in Unga and Brown over the past 7-8 years, but he is the best we've got right now.

Not So Bright Spots.
-Defense front 7 - VERY weak against the run. Air Force exploited it, Florida State did too. And Nevada will keep at it. And the runs that are killing us are nothing special. FSU got the edge and that was all she wrote. Pathetic. If I'm game planning BYU, its just runs off the 5 and 6 holes, with some counters mixed in to get the flow misdirected. No need to do anything special when basic plays yield first downs that easily.
-Offensive Line - Just like last year's game against FSU, the O-Line got owned by smaller, faster, and stronger defensive linemen of FSU. Giving up 8 sacks is inexcuseable. The O-Line was suppossed to be the anchor to this offense - what would give a freshman QB a fighting chance. But not so. They were pathetic.

Lastly - OH how we miss you. Five key players from offense last year are all in the NFL right now. We were VERY spoiled with Hall, Unga, Tonga, Pitta, and George. Pitta, George and Tonga's blocking abilities are VERY missed, in addition to their catching abilities. I've got tickets to the Nevada game this week. It could be a very ugly game unless the line on both sides of the ball can make a major transformation.


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

Gary, it almost makes me want to try and get tickets to the game because I think the Utah game is going to be another yawner....


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## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

yeah the first half of Utah's season is a cakewalk...


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

stablebuck said:


> yeah the first half of Utah's season is a cakewalk...


As long as they keep just owning teams they should beat by a lot, its all good... when they barely scrape by (and this goes for any team with a high ranking) a team they should be blowing away, then the ranking goes down. I think there is way too much credit given for a win being a win instead of looking at how teams are playing. Reward the teams that are just killing everyone unless they're playing another team ranked in the top 25 when it should be a closer game anyway.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

120 FBS teams, BYU's total defense ranks 98th. 

Yes, the line needs to improve and Heaps looks just like John Beck as a youngster. Remember when Beck held the ball all day and used to take sacks like crazy? Then by his senior year Beck almost never took a sack. I expect the same progression from Heaps as he learns the game. 

I have faith that the offense will come together. I'm pretty nervous about the absurd 275 rushing yards allowed per game and the nearly 1,000 yards of total offense BYU allowed its opponents in the last two games.

Let's face it: BYU just isn't that good this year. They're very young. They've been trying to learn and run two completely different offenses for the two QB's and it shows. Not many players on that BYU squad are assignment-sound right now. Their tacklers are made out of rubber and their decision making from the top down has been poor.


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## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

BirdDogger said:


> Let's face it: BYU just isn't that good this year. They're very young. They've been trying to learn and run two completely different offenses for the two QB's and it shows. Not many players on that BYU squad are assignment-sound right now. Their tacklers are made out of rubber and their decision making from the top down has been poor.


As much as I hate to agree with this statement, to do anything else would be asinine. I've been in a bad mood two Saturdays in a row, and with the way Nevada's running game looks, I'm not to sure I'll be in a better mood this Saturday. Even still, I'm going and I'll still stay till the last seconds tick off the clock.


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## Comrade Duck (Oct 24, 2007)

willfish4food said:


> As much as I hate to agree with this statement, to do anything else would be asinine. I've been in a bad mood two Saturdays in a row, and with the way Nevada's running game looks, I'm not to sure I'll be in a better mood this Saturday. Even still, I'm going and I'll still stay till the last seconds tick off the clock.


Birddogger is exactly right. It's hard to find success when the team is as young as they are, but it makes it even harder when the Coaches are so indecisive. I'm hoping the guys will improve as positions are assigned on a more definite basis. Fingers crossed that the Jake Heaps era has officially begun.

Willfish4food, I'll be there as well. I hope we see a different team than the one that has been on the field the last two weeks otherwise it could be a long evening.

Shane


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