Jul 27 2007
Bold Predictions for BYU football in 2007
We’re getting soooooo close to the start of fall camp, which is the real start of the season for Cougar Legionnaires. With MWC media day in the rear-view and fall camp on the doorstep, it’s time to break out the henceforth annual Bold Predictions for BYU Football. Please return all carry-on items to the overhead compartments, fasten your tray tables and return your seats to their upright position. Here we go…
- Starting us out slowly, Brandon Bradley will emerge as a star at field corner. He’s got the physical tools. He’ll be fully recovered from the knee injury that sidelined him last fall. All he has to do is outperform Kayle Buchanan.
- BYU’s defense will do a dang good imitation of last year. Defensive leaders Cameron Jensen and Hala Paongo left big gaps to be filled. Justin Robinson came on strong after costing BYU their two losses early in the year. In come Kelly Poppinga, Russell Tialavea and the aforementioned Brandon Bradley to plug those holes. All are perfectly capable of performing up to the expectations set last year. The only thing the Cougars need to be careful of is injuries in the secondary, as there isn’t much depth there.
- Max Hall will pass for over 3,000 yards this season. Hall is widely considered to be a question mark coming into the season, but the truth will be made known to the masses. I’ve been touting Max Hall since before spring ball. Hall brings all of the intense preparation and leadership that made John Beck a second round NFL pick. Hall, however, hasn’t been saddled with 2 years of Gary Crowton to crush his confidence and beat the snot out of him. Hall steps into an offense with which is he is completely familiar, with a supporting cast of experienced and productive backs and receivers. He also has arguably the deepest offensive line in the nation keeping defenders off him. That’s a recipe for success.
- BYU will win AT LEAST 11 regular season games and run the table again in the Mountain West Conference. The only game on the entire schedule that I will concede a possible loss is the UCLA game. It’s on the road and early in the season against a very fast and talented opponent. It’s a winnable game, but it remains to be seen if this team will be as steady on the road as last year’s squad. Everybody in the media is so high on TCU and their vaunted defense that TCU’s offense is getting a free pass to the league crown. Everybody should know by now that you can’t win in the MWC without some offense. The reason TCU couldn’t win the league last year was because they didn’t have a go-to receiver like Cory Rodgers to open up the running game. If I’m not mistaken, they still don’t have that go-to receiver, not to mention breaking in a new QB. Defenses will be able to commit more players to run defense until TCU can prove they have a passing game. Utah’s offense got a major upgrade with Brian Johnson back on the field, but will their defense be able to stop anybody with the departures of key starters? Eric Weddle won’t be doing everything for them this year. BYU starts a winning streak on the Utes.
C’mon, Josh! You’re crazy! How can all of that possibly happen this year?! A lot has to go right for the Cougars this year if this stuff is going to happen, but I’m not going to be one who puts a ceiling on the possibilities for this team. I really believe all of this is possible and am looking forward to seeing it come to fruition. Go Cougars.
16 Responses to “Bold Predictions for BYU football in 2007”
I pretty much agree with a lot of these predictions. The only potential losses I see on the schedule are arizona, ucla, tcu, and utah. I think the two hardest games of the year are going to be ucla and utah. Ucla because they have talent and utah because they only play their best agaisnt the cougs. If the cougs go 9-3 or 8-4 I will be somewhat dissapointed, but will always be there supportin! Love the new website guys
thanks
11 wins!! I dont think so. They will not win at UCLA that is for sure and the Cougars should beat Arizona at home. The only 2 games that are real threats are TCU and Utah and I think they will lose one of those games. I say 8 or 9 wins is what I expect from BYU and 10 if things really go well.
Thanks for the feedback on the site, Luke. Look for even better site features in the coming days and weeks leading up to kickoff against Arizona!
I can feel the competitive juices flowin’ while I read this post. GRRRR! I just want to see Kelly Poppinga or David Nixon level somebody! I think you honestly have to give the cougars a chance to beat UCLA. BYU’s team defense is strong enough to compete, and our offensive line will give us a chance to move the ball and score some points. The pressure is all on UCLA because they are SUPPOSED to be a great team and in a better conference. BYU is going to be coming off of a great win against AZ and there confidence is going to be there for them to win that game. A BYU team that downs UCLA will run the table on the MWC. 11 wins is achievable.
UCLA has talent but is somewhat inconsistent (i.e. beating UCS then losing to an average FSU team in their bowl game). BYU can most definitely beat UCLA an anyone who says differently doesn’t real know what they are talking about. BYU is a very talented team. They have athletisicm and talent. If BYU plays defense and limits turnovers like they did last year I see them winning a somewhat close game (24-14). On the flipside UCLA has plenty of talent to beat BYU (same with Arizona and Utah).
The only way TCU is going to beat BYU is if TCU’s defense scores 21 points. They just don’t have the horses on offense to beat BYU, or Utah for that matter.
Make no mistake, if BYU manages to beat UCLA, it’s going to be a CLOSE game–close like 21-20. The odds are not in BYU’s favor to win that game, at least on paper. While I don’t expect them to win that game, I don’t think it’s too big of a stretch to say BYU’s got a shot in that one. My main hope for that game is that we don’t lose anyone to injury because it’s going to be a really physical game. Probably the most physical game of the year including Utah.
…Which means (good comments, by the way, Luke) that the UCLA game and other tough games are going to come down to who executes and who is inconsistent. I like BYU’s chances in those types of games because execution and consistency are at the top of Bronco Mendenhall’s list. I am sure that we are going to see after a few years, that a trademark of BYU football is execution at a high level. This is what Bronco instills in his players. This is a reason (there could be more) why BYU will win the big games this year despite losing last year’s big guns.
The UCLA is a road game so I think I would give the edge to UCLA but like Josh said I think it will be close, but dont think the Cougs can win that one.
Josh also about Utes not having the horses on offense, I beg to differ with Brian Johnson who can actually run the option instead of Ratliff, and all the receivers back. The Utes should have a top 20 offense nationally. Just cant wait for the season less then 4 weeks away
(Brentar arrives at Cougar Legion)
A real website. Cooool.
So first off, I really like bold predictions and am glad that it is now an annual tradition. It’s what being a fan is all about. In my opinion, all of Josh’s predictions here, though they may be bold, are very plausible. I’ve been known to make wild, off the charts optimistic predictions (ie I thought BYU could beat FSU in the 2000 Pigskin Classic) Good arguments backing up your predictions. Here’s my take
I can really see Brandon Bradley doing awesome. I think we’ll remember him for a long time.
I can honestly see BYU’s defense doing better than last year. One year of the 3-4 already established, really good players at every position, I don’t expect any letdown.
Max Hall 3000 yards? I’m pretty sure that’s attainable. I still think he may start slow though, while he gets used to real game speed. Nothing can prepare you for this. I think he won’t be great this year, but if not good, very solid. I don’t know why I’m a little skeptical here. I’m never skeptical! Maybe I still remember me saying stupid things like “I think Matt Berry will be AWESOME this year!”
Every other game besides UCLA is a “should win”. Playing Arizona and TCU at home helps. We need to start strong against Arizona and stay consistent, being ready for games like Wyomin’ in Laramie, which is always tough no matter how much better BYU is, and Utah who really does always give us their best game. The consistency and execution of Bronco’s program should have the Cougs ready. Hopefully we can be consistently consistent.
UCLA will definitely be a tough game, but to say BYU has no chance is being way too cynical, pessimistic, anti-MWC, anti-BYU or whatever anyone who says that is. It’s not like UCLA is picked to win the national title and BYU is a bottom of the barrel team. If BYU is ready, it’s going to be a great game.
Jeremy, I think what Josh was saying is that TCU doesn’t have the horses on offense to beat BYU or Utah. It is TCU that has no offense, not Utah.
Yeah, Jeremy, I was saying that TCU doesn’t have a good enough offense to beat BYU or Utah. I’m not crazy–Utah is going to have a good offense this year, especially if someone rises up at running back.
If anyone saw the tcu offense last year agaisnt utah you know what everyone is talking about. Jeff Ballard was out and the #2 looked absolutely horrible agaisnt a descent utah defense. Sure Aaron Brown is a stud but if you can’t open up any running holes or stretch the field with a passing game. To my knowledge, and correct me if I am wrong, tcu doesn’t have a great wide receiver. Do they still have Harmon?
TCU still has Harmon and DePriest, both of whom are seniors this year. They are both athletic but haven’t really translated that ability into significant production to this point in their careers.
Aaron Brown is an interesting subject for discussion. Nobody can doubt his game-breaking speed and he’s a great pass catcher out of the backfield, but his durability hasn’t been tested like it will be this year. TCU was much more productive last year when they had Lonta Hobbs as their every-down back with Brown subbing in to give Hobbs a rest.
TCU’s run-oriented offense is going to try and relieve the pressure put on their new QB, Jackson, which means that Aaron Brown is going to absorb a lot more punishment this year. It will be interesting to see how he holds up over the course of the season.
i must have just misread what you wrote josh
darn they have harmon and depriest. those two are descent, of course if their quarterback doesn’t improve a lot then it doesn’t matter. Look at Oregon in the Vegas Bowl. Their recievers we big, athletic, and talented but their quarterbacks sucked so they couldn’t do anything. If our defense plays anything like last year don’t expect tcu to put up many points. In my mind they are the third best team in the mwc right now (fall may prove me wrong) behind byu and utah.
Update on the Harmon/DePriest thing: both of those guys are gone apparently. I originally looked at a depth chart for TCU that I found online and had both of those guys listed as juniors, but maybe TCU has trouble getting current information on their team on their website.
A Fox Sports preview today said both of those guys are gone and that Donald Massey is now their #1 receiver. Massey is wicked fast, but smaller and less able to break tackles than his predecessors.