Oct 30 2006
Game Balls: AFA
Week by week, the Cougars begin to look more like the Cougars of old: quiet, confident, hated, dominant. BYU’s performance was all steak with very little sizzle. The offense just executed and the defense played great, limiting Air Force to more than 100 yards less than their rushing average. In what was supposed to be the toughest game remaining on the schedule, the Cougars sent a clear message to their four remaining opponents–don’t get your hopes up.
No team left on BYU’s schedule is ranked higher than 35th in scoring defense (Wyoming holds that rank, surrenduring 17.7 a game). Considering BYU has robustly outscored every opponent’s average in scoring defense, that doesn’t bode well for any of those teams. Here are the records of the teams left on the schedule:
- Colorado State: 4-4 (1-3)
- Wyoming: 4-5 (3-2)
- New Mexico: 5-4 (3-2)
- Utah: 5-4 (3-2)
Less menacing opponents would be tough to find. Not that BYU will take any of these games lightly. The collective attitude of BYU players under Coach Mendenhall is well documented.
Here are this week’s Game Balls:
- John Beck: Beck keeps on keepin’ on. Distributed the ball outstandingly and made some heady decisions while scrambling with the ball.
- Secondary: Air Force only came up with 39 yards passing and no big passing plays. Criddle did exceptionally well in run support, as did the safeties.
- Offensive Line: Beck had all day to throw the ball. Travis Bright had a holding call, but other than that, the offense just clicked thanks to these guys.
- Curtis Brown: didn’t put up huge numbers, but was still very effective. Brown was still dragging tacklers despite suffering from a stomach virus. He spent the plane ride to Colorado laying in the isle, then received 3 liters of intravenous fluids at the team hotel the night before the game. Gutsy performance.
Honorable mentions go to Johnny Harline, Fui Vakapuna and Bryan Kehl.
5 Responses to “Game Balls: AFA”
My favorite play of the game was watching Fui miraculously steam rail his way through who knows how many Falcons for a leaping touch down making it just over the line. He’s down, he’s down…wait, he’s still going!! It was awesome!
One of the big reasons Beck had all day to throw was not necessarily that the line was blocking well. Air Force was sending just 2-3 man rushes and dropping everyone else in coverage. I’m not saying this to say that the O-line don’t deserve game balls, they do, but to point out that Air Force thought this might slow Beck down. It didn’t . As Jeff Call from the Deseret News said “Not only did Beck have enough time to read the defense, he had enough time to read a novel. Then he’d find an open receiver.” I really don’t know what kind of defense you can use against us and be successful. Good job, team.
I’d just like to add a quote from Bobby Giannini, an Air Force Safety. (I’m sure most of you have probably already read it.) “He’s (Beck) the best I’ve ever played against–and that goes against Cal’s old quarterback (Aaron Rogers) and (former Utah quarterback) Alex Smith. He looks you off, he knows defenses and he’s just an excellent quarterback.”
Whether it’s a flick-of-the-wrist long bomb or a chest pass, Beck is really showing everyone something.
Beck is even showing up on ESPN’s Heisman Watch. He’s the lowest player listed, but still. Imagine if people outside of four Mountain West TV markets could actually seem him play…
Gotta give a stinker to Dan Coats! We could’ve had another TD instead of a FG if he’d have just caught the 30 yard pass that hit him right in the hands! Could’ve moved me closer to the lead in the weekly pick-em game!