Deseret News | New MWC coaches add intrigue

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Dick Harmon: New MWC coaches add intrigue

Typo | 4:15 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

Gold mind or "Gold Mine"

Nice article, The MWC will continue to improve, but someone has to be at the bottom...

Provo | 5:49 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

It doesn't matter who the other coaches are in the MWC, the Y will always dominate in all sports in the MWC since it is a national power similar to Duke and UNC in hoops, and in football similar to Oklahoma and USC.

Hope | 7:33 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

I hope these guys can bring energy and competiton to the MWC and make it a stronger more legitimate football conference.

Comments continue below

Not fair | 8:45 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

Hey, what's with this focus on football? Don't they know that football is fifth? That's not fair.

slc aggie | 8:47 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

schools in this story looked outside the area and appear to have made good choices with variety and experience....then coach anderson went the opposite and looked to ogden for his assistants...off to a poor start and nothing to get excited about in logan...

slc aggie | 8:49 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

these look like good choices with a variety of experience around the country....very disappointed that coach anderson traveled all the way to ogden to pull in old buddies as assistants...not off to a good start and nothing to get excited about in logan

Bronco is on the hot seat | 9:23 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

If BYU does not make BCS in 2009 and loses to Utah, TCU again, Bronco is on the way out.
Holmoe will not be happy with another year like this year.

matten | 9:35 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

Don't care who the coach is... can you imagine trying to recruit at Wyoming??

Some good coaches.. | 9:41 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

It will be interesting to see which of these coaches is up for a new job in 3 to 4 years, either because their program has done so well that they are filling BCS conference openings or because their program didn't produce a winning season and they get chopped.
I hope it adds some competition in the MWC so that it isn't a given that the conference champion is Utah, TCU or BYU. Colorado State's Fairchild is a godsend to this conference and AF"s coach is doing well remembering that the service academies have the hardest time recruiting athletes to their programs.

The MWC was either the 3rd or 4th best conference this year and we all want to keep it that way.

Bronco on the hotseat? Stupid | 9:50 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

I don't agree that Bronco is on the hotseat. Only an idiot would fire Bronco that quick. If you fire a coach based on beating Utah, Lavell have would have been fired a long time ago. Give Bronco a break, the team isn't going to win it all every year. Settle down and go drink some hot chocolate.

The Mind of Holmoe | 10:05 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

I am so glad that we now have an Oracle that sees and speaks for Tom Holmoe. Bronco is on the hot seat | 9:23 a.m, reminds me of the character Sam the Eagle in Muppet Treasure Island, when he anticipates that Captain Smollett (Kermit the Frog) will take off someones head for not cleaning the dust off of the banister. Yes, I am referring to a children show, because that is just how ridiculous this guys comments are. Oh my gosh, you can't expect a program that is majorly limited in recruiting because of it's location and ultra-high standards to win every game and contend for the BCS every year. Bronco may be on the way out, but it will be because of Bronco wants to get out of coaching, and I can't blame him when there are knuckle head fans out there that make comments like Bronco is on the hot seat | 9:23 a.m.

Confused | 10:16 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

To Provo, what are you smokin! The Y a national power, in what. I believe BYU has already played their bowl game, and lost. The national powers won't play their bowl games until the New Year. To compare BYU to Duke or NC you must be on crack. Why in the world do you make comments like that, can't you see that it only brings grief to the program and to the fans that really understand just where BYU stands in the athletic world.

Even Utah going to the Sugar Bowl, does not make them a national power, what it does say is that Utah had an amazing season, and that they are taking the steps it takes to become a national power. Right now BYU is a regional power, and that region consisted of Utah County and that is as far as it goes.

reality call | 10:37 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

The Y is a national power house in several sports, but it is only on the fringe in Football and Basketball. As far as the mountain West goes, BYU is absolutely dominant. They have one more than half of the conference championships since the MWC was organized and has a national respect that no other MWC team can claim.

To Confused | 10:38 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

I'm not defending the national power comment. SOME BYU fans tend to want BYU and everythig else related to our unique culture to be the best at everything. But when you look at BYU's athletic program - not just football - from top to bottom I would definitely say they are routinely a top 25 school. In terms of overall athletics it is not blind loyalty to say they lead the conference and are probably behind only UCLA, USC and Stanford in the west.

PokePride.com | 10:38 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

We can only hope that Dave Christensen can turn around the Wyoming program. I will say the excitement in Laramiew with the hiring of Christensen has been huge, I hope he can take that excitement and put it on the field.

Being 7200 feet high if he can get the spread offense to work here (and I have questioned it) the Pokes could be hard to stop at home. The hardest part may be getting the recruits to run the spread to come here to Laramie as cannot offer what other places can as far as things to do.

Anyway we all wish Christensen the best and hope he changes it for the Pokes on the field.

TCU, Utah, BYU | 10:50 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

I'd say Dick got it right. If I were projecting favorites next year, I'd put them in that order, with CSU 4th and AFA 5th. The rest will be dogs again.

Oregonian | 10:52 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

Can anyone explain to me why SDSU can't compete every year in the MWC? How do you get better players in SLC and Provo over San Diego? I wouldn't touch the Wyoming job with a 10-foot pole but San Diego and Albuquerque are great places and should recruit well. A competitive league is good for all the MWC.

BYU fan | 11:13 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

I hope that these new coaches can bring a little bit more competition into the MWC, with better competition, each team will have better national rankings and our teams, no matter who it is will not be limited to a certain rank because of the strength of its schedule. Right now playing against SDSU and other bottom schools are dragging down the conference and hopefully they can get things turned around.

Love Cougars | 11:50 a.m. Dec. 27, 2008

For Confused to say that BYU isn't a national power is crazy. Same goes for Utah and TCU. They are all national powers in football. Any team that consistantly shows up in the top 25 like these teams do ARE national powers, plain and simple. Ever ask yourself why top BCS programs will NEVER come play at LES in Provo? Or even Rice stadium at the U? If those teams didn't think BYU and Utah were national powers they wouldn't have a problem playing a home and home schedule. Look at how many big name basketball teams want to play BYU at the Marriot Center? Wake Forest is the first in a long time. That's national power respect and these MWC teams get it.

Bronco on the hotseat? Stupid | | 12:12 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

Mendenhall is not on the way out because his second and third years were a big splash with the BYU faithful who have bought into his style hook, line, and sinker.

Speaking of sinkers...it will take another year for the ardent BYU fan to see what the rest of us already know. Ask the Utah fans...I'll bet they would love to see Mendenhall stay for 10 more years.

casual fan | 12:24 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

Go Columbia!!

national power? | 12:23 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

BYU's B-ball team is not a national power. The reason no one will play BYU in the Marriot Center is because BYU will not let them. Your home winning streak is a joke just ask Michigan State; oh wait that does not count, you played them at energy solutions.

Provo & Love Cougars | 12:27 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

Hey Blue Kool-Aid Drinkers:

National respect comes from beating other respected teams. Duke makes it to the B-Ball tourney every year and wins its first round game. BYU will be a 'national power' when it actually does that again for the first time since Ainge played at BYU a lifetime ago.

And football? BYU will be a national powerhouse when it beats ranked teams. BYU is currently 1-20 against ranked teams since 1998.

Cougies, it's nice to win conference titles. But that alone won't bring national respect. You have to play and beat respected teams from other conferences; and BYU hasn't demonstrated that capacity in consequential games in either major sport for decades.

Realistic | 12:39 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

BYU in the same class as Duke and UNC? Get real. I think they have a great athletic program from top to bottom, and for the most part are competitive on a national level--but let's not get delusional.

Interesting article. I would agree that UW has an uphill climb in terms of recruiting and that UNM and SDSU ought to be able to do better.

A rising tide raises all ships; let's hope the MWC can continue to improve. That only helps Utah and BYU.

Realistic | 12:45 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

BYU in the same class as Duke/UNC or USC/OK? Let's not get delusional. The Y competes well on a national basis, but is NOT a national power in either football or basketball on the order of those schools.

I agree that it is tough to recruit to UW, and that UNM and SDSU ought to be able to do better.

A rising tide raises all ships. Let's hope the MWC gets better with these new coaching hires. It will only help the U and the Y.

d in spokane | 2:39 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

you guys are such idiots responding to classic over the top trolls. Ignore and move on

Maybe even TV | 2:48 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

Any improvement with these programs will only help the MWC, and I guess it can't hurt the attempt for better TV distribution.

fakfja;kd | 3:10 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

wer werw werw werwerwerwerw ewrwer

Here kitty, kitty, kitty. | 3:42 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

Kruger is still open.

Good to see some fans of the third place Cougies still have that arrogant superiority complex. Got to hand it to them- they don't let reality derail them.

AZ Dave | 4:55 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

What, no rant about how BYU belongs in the PAC-10. Never going to happen, it's Provo baby

ARMCHAIR COACH | 6:34 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

This is what I feel BYU needs next year:

1. More roll out plays.
2. More misdirection plays.
3. Runningbacks who hit the line hard instead of slowing down looking for an opening.
4. More pressure on the QB.
5. Rotate in a few new plays to keep from being to predictable.
6. Less turnovers.

reality | 7:55 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

What BYU really needs to do:
1: Drop sports like BYU-I and quit pretending that BYU football is a missionary arm of the church!

It won't change anything | 7:55 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

These new guys are entering programs that have revolving doors for head coaches (with the exception of New Mexico). It's very telling that Rocky Long is being considered for a defensive coordinator job at SDSU after his surprise resignation at UNM. That alone should say more than all the sound bites about how the administration supports the head coach in Albuquerque. I don't see much changing at any of these places. They will remain as bottom dwellers with their new coaches. BYU has the inside track on the title next year because of who's coming back.

re:Here kitty, kitty, kitty. | 3 | 9:00 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

And Southwest Baptist University is still beating you at the Huntsman Center.

Sooooo, what did we just prove?

Utes can rag on BYU, and BYU fans can rag on Utah.

Nobody is any better, everyone is just a little bit stupider for reading both posts.

Now get some sleep by counting Bama touchdowns and dream of the Splenda Bowl.

Bill from South Dakota | 10:21 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

I do not think that I would be too hasty in counting Utah out of the game against Bama. If the Utah players are healthy they can play with anybody. they have speed, size, and motivation. They will be significant underdogs simply because they aren't from an "elite" conference. I say Bama better watch out!

bigutefan | 11:01 p.m. Dec. 27, 2008

Well, that should push Bronco further down the list of the MWC coaches rank. He is out coached most games because he can't "fire up" the troops with his "inside elementary quiet voice". He can't seem to change strategies in a game because he continues to run the same plays over and over without any game adjustments. He comes up with ridiculous themes like "quest for perfection", making "special coins" for the team to carry to show unity, this is not what big time college coaches do. Nor do they take their players to see a movie during summer training, "Dark Knight", instead of practice, which the defense clearly needed all season long. So if we were to rank the Mtn. West coaches including the newbies, that would put Bronco pretty much at the bottom of the barrel. But I am sure if it came to ranking fireside speeches, he is #1! GO UTES!

National Power | 7:55 a.m. Dec. 28, 2008

A national power in basketball wins in the NCAA tournament. Cougar fans that believe they are a national power ought to look up the last time the cougars got thru to the 2nd round! Utah has been to the sweet 16 more times than you've made the second round in the last 15 years!! As far as football? Please.. relax and take a deep breath. You go to the Las Vegas bowl because Las Vegas BYU fans buy the bowl out. Your performance in bowl games is far from impressive. A 1-point win over a 6-6 UCLA team who had fired their coach BEFORE the bowl...and you lost to the Wildcats who were the 5th ranked team in the Pac-10! If thats National Power in your minds then Utah only has to finish in the points to become National Champion! Think about it..the cougars won it all in '84 beating Michigan and going 12-0...sounds pretty familiar to me!

Dixie-Cougar | 8:09 a.m. Dec. 28, 2008

Why the heck would anyone fire a coach that had 10 wins? Most schools give their coaches raises for performances like that. Yes BYU lost 3 important games, two of those teams are REALLY good, the other just played with more heart.

Give Bronco credit for turning the team back to it's roots. LaVell only one the National Championship once.

Whatever happened to patience

common sense | 9:53 a.m. Dec. 28, 2008

I'm 90% sure that Utah fans post things about BYU being national powers just to rile up the other Utes, and to try to make BYU look bad. Who cares I'll take 10 wins consistently any day. Over the last 4 years post Urban/Crowton Utah has had a higher peak, and BYU has been consistently better but they are still 2-2 against each other in that time period. I think BYU and Utah football is pretty evenly matched over the last 4 years, but I guess common sense is a reach for most people that look at these posts.

BlueBoy | 10:46 a.m. Dec. 28, 2008

There are two problems with the MWC:

1. Unlike BCS conferences where the majority of their teams have a good chance year-in-year-out to win their conference, the MWC usually only has the few usual suspects. That means we have a weak conference. Sure, even BCS conferences have patsies, but the MWC has over half of its teams as patsies. The MWC needs a majority of its teams to be capable year-in-year-out of winning the conference. So, if these three new coaches, along with CSU's rookie coach, can bring the bottom up, all the better. Even if it costs BYU and Utah and TCU an occasional conference championship.

2. The MWC needs to repeat its non-conference success year in and year out that it had against the Pac-10 this year. Look at the "lowly" ACC--9 bowl teams this year! Ridiculous, but mathematically it worked out. The ACC didn't have any highly-ranked teams, but did have enough win in non-conference and against each other in-conference that they had that many bowl-eligible teams when conferences like the Pac-10 only had a few (thanks to the MWC!). The MWC needs to repeat its non-conference winning ways for another three years!

Duh!

re BlueBoy | 11:10 a.m. Dec. 28, 2008

Don't get too eager there buddy so far your team is the one that's blown all the credibility for the MWC.

Anonymous | 5:52 p.m. Dec. 28, 2008

Note to Bronco. I hope you decide to recruit like these new MW coaches are going to do, because you need to do the same.

Recruiting | 7:53 p.m. Dec. 28, 2008

The top three teams in the MWC have a competetive advantage in football. Success breeds success. Utah and BYU are always trying to keep up with each other. One of the two teams should always win the conference with TCU in there as well. If TCU continues their success, they have a good chance of being invited into a BCS conference before Utah or BYU. They live in a football hotbead.

Question | 11:59 p.m. Dec. 28, 2008

Is Kyle staying or going? What's the buzz?

Shecky Idaho Mormon | 9:21 a.m. Dec. 29, 2008

I really enjoy the 'banter' between the BYU and Utah fans. However, you are all still in the Minor Leagues when it comes to insulting each other. If you want truly magnificent insults, log onto the Idaho Statesman and see how the Idaho and Boise State fans go at each other. Some of you Ute supporters are "getting there", but the BYU people are still suffering from superiority complex issues. The hurling of insults between Boise and Moscow beat the pants off the dissing between SLC and Provo. Romeo Crennel says that he is going to get as far away from football as he can since the Browns fired him. He's moving to Moscow, Id.

re: National Power | 1:26 p.m. Dec. 29, 2008

I would never judge the success of a team based on how they do in bowl games. The bowl season isn't even part of the regular season. Teams sit around for up to 1 1/2 months before they even play their bowl game. We need a college football playoff for teams in the top 16 and then bowl games for everyone else, just to keep everyone happy!! Teams can win all the bowl games they want, but who really cares if you don't finish #1 in the Nation!!

The '84 BYU team can't be blamed for being the only undefeated team and not playing a Washington team that chose to play someone else. In 1985 BYU destroyed Washington 31-3. Washington had their chance in 1984 to play us, but took the money instead!

Bronco out? | 3:42 p.m. Dec. 29, 2008

In your dreams. Most Uties would like Bronco to leave, but he is here for as long as he wants to stay. 10 win seasons will not only keep him here, but he'll get raises as well. Even a few 7-5 years will not tarnish his image and he will thrive at BYU forever.

RPI.... | 5:41 p.m. Dec. 29, 2008

Even at 7-5 Utah is STILL ranked higher than BYU. You are 2nd to Utah in EVERYTHING.

Spudman | 7:46 a.m. Dec. 30, 2008

RE: Oregonian

It's hard to explain why SDSU remains in the MWC cellar. I think they've lost their identity. Many of the best San Diego prep stars go to the Pac 10 or other schools. SDSU had a ridiculous amount of injuries this football season. There isn't a team in the nation that would have had much success losing as many players to injury as SDSU did. I think SDSU is a sleeping giant. For whatever reason the football program continues to sleep.

Anonymous | 12:08 a.m. Jan. 5, 2009

I also think that SDSU is a sleeping giant.

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