Deseret News | BYU football: Cougars' WR Collie poised for a big year

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BYU football: Cougars' WR Collie poised for a big year

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Geezer | 1:31 p.m. April 10, 2008

It's nice to hear Collie is expected to be better than last year. Experience plus talent should make for a better team. It's fun to read about all the Collie haters. Something must be very right with Cougar football. As far as scheduling Utah State, the only thing that makes sense to me is financial. We may be seeing less East Coast teams with travel expenses going off the charts.

Missed One Stat | 1:34 p.m. April 10, 2008

Very impressive comparison over the past 30 years. It is obvious that BYU has dominated in all those categories. But what keeps me humble as a Cougar fan is the bowl records. Utah has one of the best in the nation (at least over the past decade or so) while BYU has one of if not the worst bowl win percentages in the nation. Edwards was famous for great seasons and then getting stomped in bowl games. Hopefully we will start to improve on that stat as well. Two in a row is nice but I like to remind others how well the Utes have done lately in postseason play just to keep us a bit (if that's possible) humble.

Utah Cougar | 1:34 p.m. April 10, 2008

It sure is fun to have the Ute fans post on here. You've got to admit, football wouldn't be half as much fun in Utah unless we had the rivalry. My family is divided in half as to who they root for and it makes for some fun games and fun dinner conversations. Keep the smack and bitterness going because it is really so much fun. As for my own smack, National Championship trumps BCS game win, Utah had two good years with Mr Meyer and now he's gone, get over it. BYU has won the last two years, own it Utah! You lost, just like we lost in 2003-2004 and 2005. You win some, you lose some. Don't blame it on something else, you blew it in the final seconds. Be a man and own it. The game this year will be even more monumental. Just win all of your games so when we beat you it will be even sweeter. GO COUGS!

Comments continue below

RE: National Championship | 1:52 p.m. April 10, 2008

If your logic holds up in that BYU is following Utah's shadow because Utah had already broke the BCS, then Utah will always, always, always be in BYU's shadow because they have won the Championship and Utah will always be chasing that. It must be terrible being a Yewt. All those insecurities because Y fans are confident in their religion and their team. It all comes down to insecurities when being a Yewt fan.

Tarheel Ute | 1:54 p.m. April 10, 2008

Way too many trolls and way too many idiots using those trolls for a good reason to demonstrate their equal ignorance. Be nice if a larger majority of blogs were relavent - too much to ask it seems.

Regarding the article - "poised" is the operable word. It will take a little more than his abilities for Cougar perfection.

BYU's goal of perfection is their next step; Cougar fans can only hope 2008 performance matches their expectations. But other teams, particularly Utah, have goals as well, the motivation and I suspect somewhere along the way the ability to beat BYU.

Utah fans and players sweated it out in 2004, and were rewarded. BYU couldnï¿½t stop them, we will see if the Utes can stop BYU in 2008.

I believe BYU (and Utah) will have lost out on perfection long before November, making the BYU/Utah game the only highlight for either team. So much for living well for both teams, however poised and ready they think they are now.

Mike R. | 2:51 p.m. April 10, 2008

BYU has the far better offense. Way more weapons. The defense will be questionable at best until they settle in. Still the result will be the same as the last two years.

The Y offense is very capable of putting up 50+ points a game. Let's hope the defense shows up. I predict that the Y will have two 1000+ yard rushers and possibly two 1000+ yard receivers. Barring injury, this could be a banner year for the Y offense.

The Utes will have, at best a good defensive front, an inconsistant QB and running backs. They lost their best defensive player in Tate, and the first time Kruger gets a helmet in his middle, he may go down for the count (unfortunately). The Ute linebackers are a question also. Wittingham seems no to have a grasp of the whole team concept. He ought to get a new offensive cordinator.

The bottom line is, the Utes are bragging about one good season, where the Y since the early 70's has clearly had the better, more consistant, program. A good indicator is just how many Ute coaches have there been since the early 1970's? The Y has had three.

Anonymous | 3:24 p.m. April 10, 2008

I'm a Philadelphia Eagles fan (thank you BYU for Chad Lewis), this taunting by Ute fans about the BCS reminds me of everyone reminding the Eagles haven't won the Super Bowl, but indeed they have won some NFL championship games (just way too long ago!)

And BYU fans, don't brag about the BCS until you make it and actually win a game.

I'm not a fan of either, but whoever makes it from the WAC or MWC I will root for. Eastern fans are so snobby that their conferences are the best, go out and beat them! Both of you!

lets just say | 3:33 p.m. April 10, 2008

U. C. L. A. will rule the day!

Football fans | 3:49 p.m. April 10, 2008

When will the Utah fans and the BYU fans ever realize they are no match for the other conferences?
You can pull all the stats out you want from years gone by, but they mean squat now.

Re: Football fans | 4:12 p.m. April 10, 2008

When will the snobs from the "other" conferences realize that we couldn't care less about them. Why do they feel this obligation to separate themselves and look down their noses at the BYU's and Utahs of the college football world. BYU and Utah have both done very well against those "other" conferences when they've been able to play home and away games with them, but outside of the PAC 10, and a few other schools (Wisconsin, and some ACC teams) I don't see any of them willing to schedule games in Provo, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, or Laramie. When the Ohio States, LSUs, and Michigans of the college football world start playing more than one non-conference game a year away from home, then you will see a many more "upsets" from so called lesser teams.

30 Years...Abitrarily?? | 4:12 p.m. April 10, 2008

I love how the Cougars always seem to want to compare the last 30 years. Its well documented that the Utes were "down" during the 70's & 80's, so its a convenient number to pick. Why don't you compare all of history or just recent history, say, the last decade....oh, because that ruins all of your arguments??? All time, Utah owns more wins. In the last decade, Utah owns more wins. In the last 2 years, BYU owns 2 plays that they claim (Harline & Collie).

Fact: NO ONE thinks of BYU as a school with tradition, except for the depression medicated Utah County residents.

2nd Fact: BYU's goal this year is to make it to a BCS game.

3rd Fact: UTAH'S BEEN THERE...DONE THAT!!!

Keep on aspiring to where Utah's been. There's a reason they call Utah "Up On The Hill", because BYU has to climb it to get there!!!!

Tarheel Ute | 4:31 p.m. April 10, 2008

Not surprising that Utah and BYU fans make use of similar statistics to prove their teams relative worth. This considering that statistics is the only science that enables different, so called, experts using the same figures to draw different conclusions.

Fact is both teams have had great runs, unfortunately for us Utes, BYU is in in the middle or theirs.

The Utes can only shut them up by winning. November will come none to soon for me.

Re: Nelson | 4:49 p.m. April 10, 2008

Don't kid yourself, this rivalry is not one sided. BYU fans care just as much. If you're a true fan of either team (not a casual observer) then you care about this rivalry. Anyone who says otherwise is either lying, or not much of a fan.

And to the others, don't kid yourself about Collie. He's legit! Going pro after this year? No. But going pro after two more years? Definitely a great possibility. He's big and athletic. He was a shining star amongst losers his freshman year and he hasn't yet regained that form. Could happen this year.

Lastly, the ankle thing is weird. Keep that to yourself.

U of boohoo | 4:59 p.m. April 10, 2008

Don't worry coug fans. There was no pushing off. Utah DB's all game were running through receivers is pass coverage and pushing them off their routes. Three times they tackled Pitta in his route during the game. That's how Collie got open, they went for the push and he took off. Pick your poision, die by your poision. All game long the utes couldn't cover and they got busted when it counted. Cougs played smart football.

A little perspective | 6:27 p.m. April 10, 2008

No matter who you think the best program is, there is one thing I have noticed when the Cougars and Utes meet to play football, no one leaves early for the parking lot regardless of the color they wear. That seems like a pretty even match up to me.

What's the point | 6:39 p.m. April 10, 2008

I can't figure out why some many Yewt fans are constantly reading articles about BYU and posting on these boards. During the season I might read an article here and there about the Yewtz just to see how they're doing, but I don't ever remember posting stuff about their articles. I guess I just have a real life and too many other interests to waste my time posting negative things about my schools rival. Interesting.

Also, for all of this debate on here about which school has the bigger football program, it's clearly BYU. I've lived on the east coast for 15+ years and sports fans that I know view BYU as a school with a solid/national program (although not viewed at the same level as the big BCS schools). Utah is viewed as a two-year wonder when that guy who's at Florida now was their coach. No one takes them seriously otherwise. That's just a fact. Yewtah is a small school with a small football program that no one cares about outside of the Salt Lake valley. Get over it.

Talk is Cheap | 8:50 p.m. April 10, 2008

To the yewt fans who try to argue that they have a more impressive football history or tradition than BYU: That is just about the funniest thing I have ever heard, and could only come from people living far enough up on the hill that their brains have been deprived of oxygen for most of their lives.

To the BYU fans intent on boasting about what they EXPECT to happen later this year: Most fans boast about what their teams HAVE DONE. BYU fans boast either about what their team WILL DO, or about what they did 30 years ago. Bite your tongue, swallow hard, and let the team do on the field what you are trying to do in print. Then, if they do, you can boast all you want.

1 loss | 9:25 p.m. April 10, 2008

BYU might lose one game but many of the National sports publications are predicting even a one loss BYU team could get into the BCS. It would have happened last year if they would have beat Tulsa or UCLA early in the season. Regular season perfection isn't necessarily a requirement anymore to crack the BCS since it expanded from four to five games.

Robert | 10:31 p.m. April 10, 2008

I simply can't see any way we aren't undefeated this year including a convincing BSC bowl victory with Autin and Max competing for the Heisman.

IT IS INEVITABLE, YEWTS. GET USED TO IT...

Serious??? | 10:33 p.m. April 10, 2008

I can't believe he actually said "boys" in this interview. He sounds like a sorority girl. I really enjoy watching all of you the BYU vs. Utah arguments. He wouldn't last through spring practice at any SEC school.

Re: 1 Loss | 10:42 p.m. April 10, 2008

Any MWC team will have to go undefeated to get to the BCS. Just a fact of life.

Too Easy | 10:43 p.m. April 10, 2008

Sophomore Defense of Back Robert Johnson will have no problem guarding Junior Austin Collie this coming Novemberï¿½.

Also | 12:58 a.m. April 11, 2008

About Harvey Unga, he's a good back, but not NFL material just yet. I wouldn't worry two much about him leaving early. Right now he is about a Curtis Brown equivalent and even he didn't make it. Harvey is a good back, he's got the size, good vision, and breaks tackles well. He has speed but he still isn't the fastest back. Anyway, he doesn't have the "SEC" speed of 4.3 or 4.2 (which I get really sick of hearing about). But he is at least a 4.6, which is still not slow for college (that's what Curtis Brown was). To make it to the NFL, he will have to get a little faster, though.

GO BYU. | 5:30 a.m. April 11, 2008

first of all i think its funny that the utah fans are on OUR site...."COUGAR FANS" MY FRIENDS. we have high expectations for our team and always will... you must not have much to do if you have to come to a BYU SITE just to trash talk. leave it be. talk after the season is over.

as for BYU. i see them having a great season if they can focus one game at a time. they start out playing some great teams. i cant wait to see them compete. GO COUGS!!!

Not true | 7:16 a.m. April 11, 2008

BYU was 15th in the BCS standings last year going into the bowl games with two losses. A non-BCS conference team has to finish in the top 12 for an automatic BCS berth. If BYU had one loss they would have been in the top 12 so it is not a fact that a MWC team has to be undefeated. It was a fact before the BCS added a fifth game. Do the research.

re: GO BYU: | 9:28 a.m. April 11, 2008

GO BYU, who made you the moderator of this site. Has the DN stated that this is BYU only site.

You arrogance is only trumped by your ignorance.

If it were not for Ute counter arguements this BLOG would predominately be then a bunch of BYU homers preaching to the choir. Reasonalble BYU fans please ignore my generalization, this is directed to "GO BYU" and his ilk.

How boring.

Robert | 9:22 p.m. April 11, 2008

Austin is a wonderful example of everything a young man and a BYU football player should be.

His humility, athleticism, and the upright way he lives his life combined with Coach Mendenhall's empahsis on the quest for perfection will lead to a huge year for Austin and the Cougars not only this year but for many years to come.

The Lavell years of dominance were great, but they were nothing compared to the way the Cougars are now poised to dominate college football.

30 Years...Arbitrarily? | 2:51 a.m. April 12, 2008

Only in your dreams is Utah's football tradition better than BYU's?

Fact is, aside from schools in the PAC 10, BYU is the only school in the West that is recognized as having an outstanding footbal tradition.

Except for one brief shining moment when Utah busted the BCS, Utah hasn't even rippled the water on the national scene.

K | 7:24 a.m. April 12, 2008

Sounds like a nice guy but I hope he learns to think before he speaks. He was an embarrassment to all LDS last year after the Utah game.

NM | 1:17 p.m. April 12, 2008

The fact is that under the current system, BYU would not have made the championship game in 1984 and never would have been ranked number 1. Utah still has one up on the cougs, BCS and undefeated trumps 1984. I predict BYU will start the season 1-2. They will lose at Washington and get trounced by a healthy UCLA team. No BCS next year.

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