[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by jay santos

Looking back, these are the key points, which have been hashed and rehashed.

1. Changed the passing offense from being balanced between WR/TE/fullback/running back to a WR based system too quickly with no WR talent to do it. The Chow offense was predicated on timing and route running. The Crowton offense was based on offensive threats and matchups. We didn't have the talent in the system to make that switch.

2. Failure to use JC quick fixes at key positions, especially OL.

3. Failure to utilize Norm Chow holdovers Reynolds, Bosco, etc to help him acclimate to BYU and help him ease into things slowly and not change too much too fast. Success in 2001 probably did him in there.

4. Lack of QB development. Probably not all his fault, because he didn't have the most to work with, but the biggest mistake was going from Engemann to Berry. Engemann to Olson would have been OK, but Engemann to Berry was a nightmare decision.

5. Not going conservative in 2003 and running with Braithwaite, Whalen, and Vakapuna when the passing game is not there and run and playing defense will win you the game. i.e. Stanford, AFA, Wyoming 2003 and 2004 UNLV

6. Pissing off fans by continually making excuses for everything.

7. Hiring Bronco instead of KW. A good defense in 2004 probably would have gotten him a winning record and kept his job.


Things that weren't his fault.

1. Recruiting thugs. Nobody set out to recruit thugs and the guys that got in trouble all promised to sign the Honor Code, and most of them were perceived to be good character guys.
2. Making sure his kids kept the Honor Code.

I don't think the HC scapegoat thing was fair for Crowton--or for Hale.

The Honor Code scapegoat was mormon ninniness at its finest. Throw in the HC issues because then it demonstrates that we at the BYU are interested in higher issues. However, the reality was that he just was not a very good coach and his shortcomings were exacerbated by the situation.