Running Backs

Harvey Unga is a perfect fit for our offense. He is a very effective runner with great vision, power, desire and quick feet. He doesn't have breakaway speed although he is faster than he looks. The thing that puts him over the top is his ability to catch the ball. He has such soft hands and has the ability to catch while moving so he can get YAC. I know some people don't think Harvey will have an impact in the NFL but I disagree. I remember Lorenzo Neal being a great tailback at Fresno St. and then became a great fullback. I also watch Le'Ron McClain at Baltimore run. I think Harvey could be utilized as either player in the NFL and be very effective for a long time.

Fui Vakapuna's career hasn't gone the way most thought it would but he is still a very vital cog in the BYU offensive machine. Fui doesn't have the quickness he used to have but he is much bigger and has become a devastating blocker. Fui still has decent feet for a RB but he has still has a big problem. He wants to bounce every run outside and he doesn't have the speed to do it consistently. It is too bad he can't seem to understand his strength is finding safeties and cornerbacks in the secondary and making them hurt severely for trying to tackle him. Fui has improved in his pass catching abilities but I doubt it will be used a lot as he still isn't anywhere near the level of Manase Tonga as a receiver.

Wayne Latu showes occasional glimpses of greatness. He has decent size and good speed. I don't think he has the greatest vision in the world but he is a threat to pop a big play. I would hope he can step up and play a little bit more over the next few weeks so that Harvey can be fresh at the end of the year.

J.J. Diluigi is a victim of his own hype. He has had such high expectations that it seems as if he has been very disappointing. I think he will be fine as he gets more reps. He is easily the most elusive of our backs. I think he will start to shine as he sees success and his confidence grows.

Brian Karyia is a great luxury. A walk-on with some ability. I look for him to end up playing a role as a 3rd down FB as his career goes on. I also think he will get occasional carries and receptions like Joe Semanoff but he has more ability to make a play than Semanoff did.

I have already talked about Pritchard and Friel earlier so I won't rehash that here.

Wide Receivers

I truly hope Austin Collie comes back for his senior year. I would really like to see him at full health just dominate. Right now, he has to be in the discussion of best receivers in BYU history, but I can't help but think it wouldn't be much of a discussion if he could just be totally healthy. Austin normally runs very crisp routes and he is very smooth with above average speed. He also has good size for a receiver with good strength and feistiness. You can also add good vision and ability to run after the catch. The thing that just seems to be missing is the explosion that was seen as a freshman and at times last year. I have to think that is a product of the pre-season injury. It would be so fun to see him operate at full throttle but can anyone really complain about the AC that we do get week to week.

Michael Reed may go down as possibly the most underrated receiver in BYU history. I think he is one of the best blocking receivers we have ever had and he is a fabulous possession receiver. He runs great routes. He uses his body well to block out DBs and he has really improved his after catch running ability this year. He has decent speed but is not a huge deep threat which is probably the big reason he is underappreciated. That said, he has typically made a couple of big plays downfield each year too. I think his value was really on display against Wyoming as he was out with the injury. The offensive balance was missing and it was very noticeable. Hopefully, he can heal quickly and be back for TCU and not show a considerable amount of rust.

I'm still trying to figure out why Luke Ashworth has not used a redshirt year yet. When I watch him play, I see potential to be an above average receiver but, to this point, he just doesn't seem to be great at getting open and Max doesn't seem to look to him often. It just seems kind of weird that a guy with so little production still has his redshirt year to use.

I really like what I have seen from Spencer Hafoka in his brief playing time. He has a receiver body and seems to have a good burst. I'm anticipating that he will really blossom next year when he gets rid of the missionary legs and Michael Reed is gone.

I really hope O'Neill Chambers can mentally conquer his responsibilities because physically, he is incredibly gifted. To this point, he shows his youth and lack of maturity but I'm convinced that if he matures, he may become Collie like or better. I really love his aggressiveness. I think he will be a supreme blocker and we can already tell he has good running ability with the ball. I love how he uses his hands to catch the ball. Right now, he just has to get the offense down and show that he can run precise routes and not get too amped up and get penalties. I think he will do this. Of course, if not, he will likely transfer but I think he gets along well with Bronco and he will become one of the leaders of the team by the time he leaves.

It is easy to see why Reed White and Tyler Koslowski are walk-on receivers as they don't have the typical physical characteristics. That said, I have been impressed by both of them. They run good routes and know how to get open in seams of the defense. You can tell both have worked their tails off and that is impressive since both are sons of NFL players and could have easily felt entitled.

Tight Ends

Dennis Pitta is the best receiving TE in the nation. I know this is an arguable point as Gresham from Oklahoma and Coffman from Missouri are very good also. The reason why I like Pitta is his incredible hands. Pitta has very soft hands and he has one of the quickest transitions from catch to tuck away that I have ever seen, especially when he is in the air. This allows him to absorb hits and still maintain possession. When you combine this trait with his ability to get open and run after the catch, he becomes numero uno. Pitta is also an underrated blocker. I believe he has become much better than Harline ever was at blocking. This should help to make sure he gets drafted and can stick in the NFL.

Most teams would love to have an Andrew George at TE. He is very talented, both as a blocker and a receiver. He gets overshadowed by Pitta's immense contribution but George is a vital cog in the BYU machine.

Kaneakua Friel hasn't had to play much this year. He looks like a prototype TE but it is early to know anything for sure. He didn't establish himself in his plays as the FB but that probably isn't very telling in his future at TE. Hopefully, he will continue to develop and be ready to step into the starter's role in 2010.

Offensive Line

Dallas Reynolds is one of the best Centers in the nation. That is an amazing fact considering he has only played the position for a month. With the exception of a few low shotgun snaps, it is hard to find any fault with his performance through 4 games. He has been outstanding in pass protection and usually can be found moving the entire defensive line one way or the other on running plays. His incredible versatility should make him a very attractive player to the NFL. I would be disappointed if he isn't taken on the 1st day next April. IMO he should go in the 1st round.

Rey Feinga has been the closest thing to a disappointment on our OL and that is only because he has been hampered by injury a little bit. Every team should be so lucky to have that kind of "disappointment". Feinga can be completely dominant and there have been times when he has looked "merely way above average". Feinga has the type of talent that could have John Madden raving about him for the next 15 years.

Travis Bright has been the best OL on the team so far this year, IMO, and that is saying something. What makes it even more impressive is that he is coming off a severe leg injury that could have kept him out this year. Bright's strength is often evident as he drives opponents down the field. When you combine his nasty streak, it becomes a lethal combination. I'm guessing that Bright will fall in the draft because of his injuries but he will be a steal for someone later in the draft and should start for most of the 2010s.

David Oswald has been the biggest surprise for me. Last year, I thought R.J. Willing often outperformed him. This year, Oswald has been so good, that Willing is never needed. Oswald doesn't have the raw talent that the other 4 starters have but he is so sound and that has allowed him to become a way above average right tackle. I actually think he has a chance to make the NFL now too and make it so all 5 of our current starters are in the league.

Matt Reynolds has a chance to pass John Tait as the best OT I have seen pass through the program. His performance this year has been supreme. With the exception of the one gaffe against UNI, he hasn't been beaten at all in pass protection. That is amazing for a 5th year senior, yet alone a RS Freshman. It was a risky move to allow Max Hall's blind side fall in the hands of the younger Reynolds but it looks like that move may have been a stroke of genius.

R.J. Willing has seen the reps of backup Center. I would guess 80% of the country would be starting a player as good as R.J. Willing. He may be one of the best 10 OL in the conference and he can't start for us. I truly hope he has a huge year next year because I think he has NFL talent.

Garrett Reden has come back from his injury well. He is smaller than most BYU linemen but he is still very effective. I have to think that he is also a very hard worker and very smart to be so high in the OL rotation given the incredible talent in the program.

Jason Speredon has to be one of the most talented backup OGs in the country. He was a little undersized last year but that isn't a problem now. He has great athleticism and should be outstanding next year taking over for Bright.

Jesse Taufi needs a big year next year too. I think he has it in him. I'm just not sure where he will play yet. What a great situation to wonder where to find such a talent actual time on the field.

Nick Alletto is one of my favorites. A lot of that is because he is from my stake but he is also a very good, talented player. I think he is more talented than Oswald but is young and there is no rush for him to play yet. He very well may be the guy that protects Riley Nelson's backside in the future and I think he will be stellar at doing the job.

This OL is amazing. They do lose 4 guys but I can already see a deep, talented line next year even when the 4 seniors depart. People always point to the lack of depth in non-BCS teams. That always bugs me but especially in this case. I think almost every team in the country would die for the OL depth that BYU has.

Defensive Tackles

It is nice to have Russell Tialavea back. I think he is still shaking some rust off from being out last year but he definitely has all of the skills required to be the 1st line of defense. I don't know that he has lived up to the pre-season hype so far but I think that hype was unjustified for a NT coming of knee surgery. Tialavea has the strength to require double teams on running plays and as a bonus he has good quicks to actually penetrate the backfield and make plays. He hasn't made a lot of big plays yet but I suspect that by the end of the year he will be come a monster and play a lot like he did against Oregon in '06.

Mosese Foketi has improved a lot since early '07. Early last year, he seemed to be on roller skates when teams would run up the middle. He has become a lot more stout in the middle now. That said, power running teams will be sure to attack him when he is in as he just isn't big enough to be entrenched like a big tree trunk. Foketi is good at getting penetration when he is called upon to do that and is the most likely NT we have to pressure the QB on 1st down and 2nd and short to go.

Rick Wolfley is a big boy. It doesn't look to me like he is any quicker than last year but he does seem to be more confident and decisive when he plays. He is a nonfactor as a pass rusher unless the QB happens to run right into his arms but he is easily the best option we have in short yardage situations. As long as he stays low, he won't be moved. BYU has great options behind Russell T. because Wolfley is great against the run and Foketi is good against the pass. If you could somehow combine the 2 you would have a top 5 NFL pick someday.

Tevita Hola has only played a little bit. Not enough to really have an opinion really. He does look a little out of shape and I imagine that is why he is running 4th.

Overall, I think the DL has been solid this year. That is a little disappointing to me since they were supposed to be the unit to carry the defense and I don't think they have played up to their potential yet. I do, however, believe that they are on the verge of becoming a dominant unit and I look for big things the rest of the year.

Defensive Ends

Jan Jorgensen will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the great DEs in BYU history and should easily be the all-time leader in sacks in the MWC when he leaves Provo. (Hopefully, Kruger won't break that record 1 year later) Jan has a great knack for making the big play and the defense really does look to him as the leader of the defense. So far, this year, I think he is still getting used to the constant double teaming he is getting. Jorgensen's biggest strength is his incredible motor but it isn't as effective against a double team. I would really like for him to develop some more countermoves in his rushing so can beat the double team more often. Also, Jorgensen is sound against the run but isn't spectacular. He can still improve his ability at the point of attack.

It has surprised me that we haven't seen Brett Denney in on more big plays. I thought he was playing really well at the end of '07 and I expected him to pick up where he left off and maybe even look improved. So far, I think he has taken a step back. He hasn't been as stout against the run as I expect him to be and he hasn't put on a lot of QB pressure yet. Don't get me wrong, he has still been a solid player, I just expected more and I think he needs to pick it up if he plans on joining his brothers in the League.

Ian Dulan, IMO, has been the most consistent DE on the team so far. He looks much quicker than in the past and he has really benefited from the Jorgensen double teams. I also like how well he has played at NT on passing downs. His quickness has bothered the interior linemen and he holds up well if they decide to run too.

Matt Putnam looks like he may be a star in the future. So far, he has displayed a great ability to rush the passer. I don't know if he has near the motor that Jan has but he seems to have a bigger variety of moves to use to get to the passer and I am really impressed with his aggression. Obviously, his height is a big plus on passing downs but I've been impressed with his burst and overall athleticism as well. He will probably always struggle a little bit against runs right at him but he is better than I thought he would be from reports I'd heard and he should only improve as he continues to add some bulk to his frame. It would not surprise me to see him become a better NFL prospect than Jorgensen by the time he graduates.

Brock Richardson has seen a lot of time the last 2 weeks. It is apparent that he lacks the talent of the other 4 talked about and, as a senior, may not contribute a lot in many more games. That said, he does a serviceable job when he is in there. He has not been overmatched and is a testament to how far the program has come. Early in this decade, he would probably have been a starter for us. Now, he provides great depth and I'm sure is a great asset to the scout team. I would think he is as good as what a lot of the teams in the conference roll out on Saturdays and BYU has the luxury of using him more for game prep than needing him in the games.

Inside Linebackers

Matt Bauman has been the best ILB so far this year. To this point, he isn't the player that Cameron Jensen and Kelly Poppinga were but I think he can get to that level by the end of his career since he is only a Junior. I think he has better speed than the other 2 did but he isn't as stout at the point of attack yet. That said, I do think he understands where he needs to be at all times and is gaining confidence with each game.

Shawn Doman may have been the biggest disappointment for me during the 1st 2 games. I expected more from him than I did from Bauman since Doman has such great speed. Unfortunately, he was constantly overrunning plays and leaving big holes to be run through. Also, he was getting wiped out when any OL was getting thru to block him. Doman has played much better in the UCLA and Wyoming games. It does seem to me that Doman may be best suited for what he did last year and that is being the passing down ILB that specializes in coverage. He really is very good at this, especially for an ILB but I don't know that he will ever be great at defending the run. If Clawson or Nixon were to go down, it wouldn't shock me at all to see Doman be moved outside as his skill set probably fits OLB better than ILB.

Matt Ah You is probably the best suited ILB we have right now at defending the run. He appears to be the biggest and strongest of all our ILBs. Right now, to me, it doesn't appear that he plays with a lot of explosion however. He reminds me of a guy from earlier this decade in Mike Tanner. A guy who can make a lot of tackles by being where he needs to be but probably won't make a lot of big "WOW" plays.

Iona Pritchard is a very promising young ILB. He definately looks the part. He has good size and has good speed for the position. It is apparent that he is still learning the nuances of the position and is sometimes out of position but I have no doubt he is destined for a great career.

Spencer Hadley has also looked very good for a true freshman. He doesn't stand out in appearance the way Pritchard does but Hadley seems to have a great nose for the ball as he always seems to be in on the play. Initial observation makes me think he will be a big playmaker throughout his career and is a good candidate for being underappreciated because he will be playing with so many other great LBs.

Outside Linebackers

David Nixon is, I believe, the best player on the defense. He caught my eye as a true freshman in 2003 and has not disappointed me since. Nixon has battled injuries in both his Sophmore and Junior seasons which limited his production a little bit. He also had to take a back seat to Brian Kehl as Kehl was utilized as the playmaker a lot. That said, Nixon has had some huge moments in his career and I believe has been hugely underappreciated. If BYU ran a more aggressive scheme instead of the more conservative approach in current existence, I think Nixon would receive national hype and be looked at as a shoo-in all conference pick. Nixon has great speed. I think he plays faster than Kehl did. Nixon is a QB's nightmare when he blitzes and often will cause fumbles when he makes the backfield hit. Nixon is also very gifted in his coverage abilities. He has been beat on occasion, but more often than not, he is very solid in coverage and it is often in matchups where very few LBs would ever be asked to even try. I think he is very underappreciated for this because Kehl was one of the best coverage LBs I have ever seen in either the pros or college. Nixon is also very good against the run. He isn't the biggest LB so sometimes you can run right at him but when utilized as the weakside LB, it is rare when he will get caught in a postion that can neutralize him and he is outstanding at running plays down from behind. Obviously, I am a big Nixon homer, but I really do believe that some NFL team is going to get a steal when they get him because I feel he is the best LB in the conference but will likely not even get on the 1st team when awards run around.

Vic So'oto receives a big incomplete as an LB right now. In the brief time he played to start the season, you could see the great physical ability but it was also plain to see that he didn't have a feel for the postion yet and he was caught out of postition a lot. Hopefully the injury will allow him to catch up mentally to what his responsibilities are and he can provide some solid, maybe event spectacular play, later this year and next.

Coleby Clawson was the biggest pleasant surprise of the Northern Iowa game. It is plain to see that he is good at rushing the passer and has special burst right before he arrives. In the 3 games since, Clawson hasn't made a lot of big plays but I haven't noticed him being out of position a lot either. Nixon is given more responsibility and opportunity for the big plays this year so I'm not too disappointed in Clawson't lack of game changing plays. I think he has done well since he was a DE at junior college and his new to OLB. He seems to have good instincts and a great mind for the game. I do look for him to get more consistent in flowing to the ball so he is in better position on cut back runs. I also look for him to have some more chances in conference to rush the passer and make some big hits and hopefully cause some fumbles. From what I have seen, Clawson is not the best in pass coverage but that is to be expected from someone so new to that skill. I think that is one reason why the coaches have put in the nickel. It is also a reason why I love that coaching change. I love seeing Bradley in the game to cover and as long as Johnson can be so good against the run, it is a plus for the team. I also like that it doesn't put Clawson in a situation where he is more likely to fail.

I can't believe that Daniel Sorenson was changed to LB just a week before the season started. He is one of the most impressive looking true freshman LBs I have ever seen at BYU. You can tell that he is a playmaker and he is better against the run than I expected. Right now, he does struggle some when teams run right at him but that is to be expected from someone that is undersized. The thing I like is that he doesn't back down from the big linemen and he will be much bigger by the time he is expected to start. What he can do is run. I loved Kehl's speed and I love Nixon's speed. Sorenson is made from the same cloth. He can really run. He is also very good in coverage. I think his coverage skills have helped a lot in the 2nd and 3rd string defenses being able to maintain the last 2 shutouts.

As impressive as Sorenson has been, I think I may be even more impressed by Michael Alisa. When he is in the game, I tend to gravitate to him because he just looks like a special player. If he wasn't a true freshman, I would wonder why he isn't starting. I know he hasn't played a lot but I really can't see any big weaknesses in his game to this point. He is physical. He is a fundamentally sound tackler. He appears to have great speed. He seems to know where he is supposed to be and what he is supposed to do. It has to be disheartening to teams to see the backups come in and then see players like Alisa play because there isn't much, if any, dropoff.

Overall, I think the OLBs are weaker than last year. That makes sense since you don't easily replace a Brian Kehl. That said, I think Nixon will continue to make big plays and the young talent is just awesome!

Safeties

David Tafuna seems to be getting better with each game. I was dissappointed with his run support against Northern Iowa and I didn't think he was a lot better against Washington. He was very good against UCLA and Wyoming. I think Tafuna has the ability to lay some big hits but needs to temper the urge for the big hit against the need for making good solid tackles in the run game. I thought he did this very well against both UCLA and Wyoming. Tafuna isn't the greatest in coverage but has improved a lot from past years when he was a huge liability. From my perspective, Tafuna should be utilized in short zones in coverage more than the deep zones as he tends to not get the depth and/or angles that he needs to stop the big plays.

Kellen Fowler is what he is. The brains of the secondary and a competent player, Fowler lacks the athleticism to make a lot of big plays but it is a very rare thing to see him blow an assignment. Fowler is a good tackler and seems to know that he will never be the knockout hitter so he doesn't try to be. Fowler is much better in deep coverage than Tafuna and is utilized that way because of it. On occasions, he may get beat deep because someone is a lot faster than him, but Fowler will always make sure that the QB has to make an accurate throw to make that play. I am convinced that some of the younger safeties will become much bigger playmakers than Fowler but they won't be doing it this year as long as Fowler is healthy. Fowler is much too smart and I believe he is also the glue that holds the secondary together.

Andrew Rich makes me salivate when watching him. He reminds me of a bigger and faster Quinn Gooch. Obviously, Rich hasn't played a lot of minutes yet but he sure looks good. He has great presence in the run game and arrives with an attitude. He appears to have good fundamentals when tackling and I think he may be the DB that lays a receiver out ala Aaron Francisco sometime this year. The thing that puts him over the top when watching him for me is the coverage ability. He moves around in his zones much better than any of the other safeties right now. I expect that he will lead the team in interceptions in both 2009 and 2010 because he will pick off any poor passes over the middle. Since Rich is only a sophmore, I have no problem with him being behind the 2 senior starters but I feel that Rich will see more and more time as the season goes on and will be an all-conference safety and an NFL draft pick during his career.

Jordan Pendleton could become a bigger version of Andrew Rich. He is less experienced than Rich and it shows right now. Pendleton looks indecisive at times and it makes him play slower than he really is. Pendleton appears to have the tools to become the best run stopping safety at BYU since Kyle Morrell. Hopefully, he will continue to get some mop-up time thru the year and will continue to master his postion. The Rich Pendleton duo could become the best safety duo in school history over the next few years.

Shiloah Te'o has also seen some brief playing time at safety so far. He is a true freshman and it shows. He seems to have bright eyes right now and that is understandable. As a safety, he wasn't impressive against UCLA as he appeared to be out of position and hesitant. That said, I have been impressed with his play on special teams. He seems to have confidence on those plays and shows great potential and athleticism. I expect that he will be a standout when he gets back from his mission and could be a great replacement for Jordan Pendleton in 2012 as a RS sophmore.

Defensive Position Analysis

I have a little bit of downtime at work right now so I thought I would do some position analysis from watching 3 games on TV and the UCLA game in person. I will start with the Defensive backfield since that is where my bias lies.

CB: Scott Johnson was very pedestrian in the Northern Iowa game but has been very impressive since. He has been at least the equal of Ben Criddle in tackling ability and probably has been even better. Johnson doesn't have the greatest cover skills but both he and the coaching staff know this so they rarely have him on an island. During the UCLA and Wyoming games, Johnson has spent a lot of time playing the nickel. He has been outstanding in this role. He has been great in run support and his CB skills really shine as he covers inside receivers. His performance has really shown me why he held off Brandon Bradley in fall camp to be the starter.

Brandon Howard was the best guy in the secondary against Northern Iowa but has been the weakest since. Howard has the speed and quickness to be a great cover guy. From my perspective, he is really struggling with confidence right now. That needs to change quickly. Howard is very small and it shows in his tackling and run support. I think the fact that he lines so far off the line of scrimmage is only hurting the situation. His inability to be effective when coming up to make plays seems to have made him tentative. I would like to see the coaches give him a chance to slide up closer on occasions and do more press coverage. I think this may get him more to be more aggressive and will allow him to start making more plays and probably will help his run support as well. I know this opens up a bigger possibility for big plays but I think the risk could be worth it with our powerful offense, especially if this is done when we already have a big lead.

It is fun to watch Brandon Bradley get some meaningful time playing against UCLA and Wyoming. He just looks so smooth out there. It appears to me that he has been out of position on a couple of plays but not very often and he seems to have a nose for being around the ball which the other corners seem to lack. Bradley has shown the ability to tackle well and is very fluid in his movements. I look for him to jump a route sometime soon and take a pick to the house.

G. Pittman has obviously played less than the other 3 and it was too bad that he was hurt against Wyoming when he would have received a lot of playing time. From the little bit I saw against UCLA, he has a ton of upside. He has the speed, quickness and athleticism to be a standout CB. I also think he has some aggression, which is very important. It did seem to me that he was a little indecisive against UCLA, however. I don't know if this is because he hasn't mastered the position quite yet or if it was nerves from actually getting in the game. Either way, I would look for that indecision to be erased with a little more experience and G. Pittman to become a very good player and also a fan favorite.

4-0

I decided I needed to get another post up.

It is great to be a Cougar fan right now. 4-0 is great. 103-0 in the last 2 days is phenomenal.

This team is looking very powerful. 44-0 yesterday and the offense didn't really look that sharp. Max was a little bit off and Anae seemed to want to go away from Harvey when Wyoming was begging to allow him to dominate the game.

The Defense was outstanding again. The front line has really settled down since the Washington game and is winning the battle in the trenches. The linebackers have also settled down and are not overrunning plays very often now. The secondary keeps getting better. I still think they are giving a little too much cushion but the tackling has been awesome except for Howard.

Special teams was also solid yesterday with the exception of Payne's low extra points.

Now a bye week. I hope guys can heal a little bit. Either way, a bye followed by USU is great because they can get away with having a little bit of rust.