I have some coaching advice for Bronco

[SoCalCoug]

I didn't actually play football in college (or even high school - okay, I've never played organized football other than intramural flag football - I was a great rusher!). However, I watch it all the time on television - at least one or two games per week during the season! And I know Bronco's got a little more football experience than me, but I think he's missing some obvious problems with the team, as well as some really cool wrinkles that I just know would catch the other team off guard, and ensure an undefeated season:

1. Since we clearly are much stronger at defensive line and linebacker, but not at cornerback, Bronco should switch to a 3-4 or a 4-3 defense because, of course, the more big guys we can send at the quarterback, the better it is for the cornerbacks, right? Next year, if we have more cornerbacks, we can just switch back, no problem. Plus, with more people up front, it will, of course, be better against the run. I don't know why he switched to that silly 3-3-5, anyway, when the other types are clearly better for BYU.

2. I just don't trust Bronco's decision to start Beck over Berry. I hear that Berry's doing pretty well in practice, and the other day, he threw for a higher completion percentage and fewer interceptions. But I have a solution. We did this with my flag football team. Bronco should just play with two quarterbacks. Berry could be the main quarterback, and Beck could line up like a running back. Then, at the snap, Beck could flare out to one side or the other. If the wide receivers downfield aren't open yet, then Berry can just lateral to Beck, and he can throw it downfield to an open receiver. Of course, with the wide splits I've been hearing about, this will mean that one of the defensive ends may be closer to where Beck would be, so maybe Anae needs to really narrow the OL splits, so they're all bunched up at where Berry will be. Then they'll really have a long way to go to get to Beck after Berry laterals it to him.

3. Bronco's making the players work too hard. I mean, come on - they don't run beep tests during games! They're just opening themselves up to more injuries! Look at how many players have been sitting out of practice with hamstring or groin injuries. They need to slow it down to just one a day, and they shouldn't have any contact, because there just isn't enough depth on the team, and we can't risk players being injured in practice. I hear Brian Mitchell even played CB during a practice because there weren't enough healthy CB's! (This wouldn't be the case if we were using the 4-3 or the 3-4 defense!)

4. Bronco's taking too much on himself by being BOTH the head coach and the defensive coordinator. LaVell wasn't a coordinator. Crowton was. Case closed. I think he should make Brian Mitchell the defensive coordinator. BYU needs to have a black coach in a high position. Plus, I remember when Brian Mitchell played, and he was really good. He would be a great offensive coordinator. Plus, I heard an interview with him, and he talks real good.

I'm sure there's a bunch more things. I'll try to think of them while I'm watching TV tonight.

[Disclaimer: for the humor-impaired, please imagine me saying the above with a very sarcastic and mocking tone - not directed at Bronco, but at some of the Cougarboard posters who have said similar things]

[MikeWaters]

I played basketball a few times with Brian Mitchell (when he was a coach, not a player). It was kind of fun. He talks a lot of smack, and I talked a lot of smack back. I like nice competitive friendly smack.

But nope, not a coordinator. We can only have a nonmember coach in the "black positions."

[SoCalCoug]

I think one of the silliest arguments I keep hearing over and over is "If we aren't so deep at DB, why don't we switch from the 3-3-5 to a more traditional 3-4 or 4-3?" Our problem isn't DB's our problem is more specifically CB's, and we have the same number of those in the 3-3-5 that we would in a 3-4 or 4-3. Consider how the safeties (particularly the Cougarback) are more similar to linebackers anyway - see Brian Urlacher, KC Bills.

The one argument I see that is close to reasonable is that the 3-3-5 leaves the cornerbacks in man coverage much more often. But if that becomes too much of a problem, there are 3 safeties to slip back into coverage to help out.