I’m not gonna do a detailed post on the rivalry game for a few reasons:
a) Local media and blogs have covered it to death and I don’t really have much more to add. Here are some sites I check out on a daily basis for amazing BYU coverage. Let me know if there are some sites I should check out!
http://www.vanquishthefoe.com/
http://www.loyalcougars.com/ (My personal favorite)
http://ogletreefootball.com/ (Brandon has written some amazing posts this week!)
b) Rivalry week always puts me in a bad mood (recently). I’m not hating on anyone because this is a ME problem. I only use Twitter for sports interactions, so I don’t have to deal with the Facebook and message board assholes. All of the people I choose to follow are awesome (some more than others), but despite that, rivalry vitriol always finds a way to permeate and wriggle its slimy little self into my timeline. I’m grateful for the two year hiatus, and hopefully this will allow fans on both sides to cool down and remember what made the rivalry great in the first place.
Most of the crap that’s spewed seems to come from the mouths of babes. By that, I’m referring to the younger generation (of which I am a member). Most people my age aren't old enough to really remember and appreciate the Lavell Edwards – Ron McBride version of the rivalry. I truly believe that their respect for each other and each other’s programs affected everyone associated with them as well. Maybe I’m wrong, I dunno.
I know, I know… It’s only the vocal minority that’s ruining it for everyone. Yes, I know. There is still plenty of fun to have with the rivalry. The office I work in is a great example of this. Rivalry Week is always a big deal here. You’re encouraged to wear the colors of your team the entire week. Little toys and treats are given out each day and are either blue or red. Each person gets a flag of their team to proudly display who you are rooting for. My favorite part is the food drive. In the break room there are 2 barrels, one red and one blue. The idea is to prove your team’s charitable supremacy by bringing in more food than the other team. Fun jabs and jokes are in abundance as well. One of my bosses, who is the epitome of a die-hard Ute fan, had her office painted royal blue for the entire week. The IT department changed everyone’s desktop background and screensaver to a picture of that weird Ute chicken-hawk thing (Swoop, I think). It was awful to look at, but it was funny. No personal shots are taken and no one gets offended. That’s how it should be.
I have so many great memories surrounding the Holy War. When I was younger it was a yearly tradition to go to the game with my dad, regardless of which stadium it was played in. It's weird, but my favorite game was that awful one in 2003 that ended 3-0 Utah. BYU lost (it was a terrible year), it was cold as all hell, I only brought one coat which I had to sit on because my butt was freezing to the bleacher, but It was just a fun experience. One I got to share with my dad.
c) The game being in September makes me so damn nervous. Having the rivalry game in November was great because we would already know who both teams are. Plenty of game film was to be had due to each school playing 10 or so games previous. Each team’s strengths and weaknesses were well documented and discussed. To me, this made the game that much more exciting because there were very little surprises. This year, we still have no idea who these teams are and both are still trying to find themselves. I’m much less confident about my team’s abilities in September, and that makes me nervous.
Wow, this post is getting way too long and most of it sucks. Here’s my prediction for the game:
Attention everyone! I’d just like to take a moment to remind you that I predicted a BYU win in my pregame post. Thank you, Thank you.
The 15th ranked Longhorns of Texas marched in to Lavell Edwards Stadium favored to win by as many as 8 points. Many fans saw potential disaster and cringed at the thought of a 0-2 start to the season, a would-be first in the Bronco Mendenhall era. Optimistic fans, however, saw a chance at redemption, a chance to vindicate poor Taysom Hill and his Swiss cheese offensive line after a terrible showing against Virginia. Once the rain delay set in (the 2nd delay in two weeks), you could tell this would be an interesting game either way.
“LCL surgery?! What LCL surgery?!” – Taysom Hill, probably.
BYU ran and ran… and ran some more. The cougars chalked up 550 yards on the ground, led by Hill’s impressive 259. Jamaal Williams rushed for a career high 183 yards, and downhill runner Paul Lasike tacked on 89. BYU flat out embarrassed the Texas defense insomuch that defensive coordinator, Manny Diaz, was canned the following day.
While Jamaal Williams looked as impressive as he’s ever been, it was quarterback Taysom Hill who stole the show. I had predicted before the game that Taysom’s passing would improve greatly due to play calling that allowed him to roll out of the pocket and throw on the run, but that wasn’t the case. Hill still struggled to hit open receivers. He only completed 9 out of 26 pass attempts and posted a passer rating of 68.6 (that’s pretty bad seeing as his passer rating for the Virginia game was 72.5). What Hill lacked in the pass game, he more than made up for in the run game. He looked like the Taysom Hill Cougar fans fell in love with during the Hawaii game, especially after his 68 yard TD run in the first quarter. Again, he showed his pure athleticism by out running the Texas defense multiple times. The dude is fast as all hell.
“I like my screen doors like I like my coffee shops. Closed.” – Robert Anae, after reading my Virginia recap. (If you don’t get it, it’s because I compared the O line to a screen door… get it now?)
The offensive line looked soooo much better! They continually kept the Texas D line on their heels by getting the initial push off the line. This allowed BYU to rush as well as they did. Kudos to Robert Anae and offensive line coach Garett Tujague for turning things around in just a week’s time! Also, more Kudos to Anae for his masterful play calling. Realizing his QB was still struggling mightily to throw the football; he adjusted the game plan and allowed Taysom to run on option plays or designed QB draws. The threat of the run allowed Taysom to settle down and connect on some passes in the second half.
Last note about the offense: The Cougars need to find a way to get Cody Hoffman more catches. Two catches for 68 yards is not nearly enough. He is so incredibly talented at using his body to get position on the defender. All Taysom has to do is lob the ball in Hoffman’s general direction, and more times than not, he’ll haul it in.
On to the defense! The front seven played exactly how we expect them to play. They gave up nothing up front and held Texas to only 132 rushing yards. There was consistent pressure on quarterback David Ash which resulted in 4 sacks on the night.
One area where we need to see improvement is in the secondary. Two Texas receivers posted receiving totals of more than 100 yards. The Texas receivers were consistently able to beat their man and get downfield. This could pose a huge problem if the Cougar defensive line isn’t able to pressure and hurry the quarterback. We might see some huge pass plays go against BYU in the future.
Now we prepare for Utah. Since this is the bye week, BYU will be focusing solely upon one task: beating the shit out of the Utes. I think it’s great the players are talking more about the significance of this game for them, and aren’t treating it like any other. This is a rivalry game and fans aren’t the only ones who should treat it as such.
To fans of the pop punk band Eve 6, the last few years have felt like a gift from the gods. After a hiatus that lasted almost a decade, the band that many of us grew up with released their fourth studio album, Speak In Code. To everyone whose ears were blessed to hear it, the album was a ray of sunshine in a bleak musical landscape. Proof that pop punk is not dead.
After touring with Eve 6 to promote their newly released album, singer/bassist Max Collins found himself with a whole batch of new songs and demos and nothing to do with them. Praise be to the god who placed inside Max's head the idea of a solo album, and a fan-funded one to boot! With the help of Pledge Music, Collins began accepting donations for the album offering exclusive perks for the different donation tiers. The perks ranged anything from a signed CD or vinyl to matching tattoos or a private acoustic gig.
After a few months of weekly updates, Max has finally released the full album as a download exclusively for pledgers. I've listed to the whole album probably 5 or 6 times since downloading it on Friday, and I give it three thumbs way way up!
When I first heard about the pledge campaign, I wasn't sure what to expect, musically, from a Max Collins solo album, but what I received was exactly what I wanted. One thing that Honey From the Icebox has confirmed to me is that Max Collins has catchy pop hooks running through his veins. The man is a juggernaut. Every single song will enter in through your ears and run amok in your brain, leaving behind melody and witty lines to be stuck in your head for hours. Lines like "nothing says sad like a tear on a clown" and "...and when you're walking I drop my car keys and stare at your bottom" made me chuckle to myself on first listen.
The songs are pretty straight forward musically, enlisting only acoustic guitar, bass, and drums/percussion, but each one stands out from the rest and compliments the vocals and melody perfectly. Honestly though, if you're listening to the album for the music, you're doing it wrong. Max's eye for melody and hooks is definitely the highlight.
The only negative I could come up with is that Honey From the Icebox is only 10 tracks long. After every listen I was left wanting more, and that's the first sign of an amazing artist. Great job on the solo effort, Max! Your fans can't wait for what's next.
Alright party people, if you're itchin' to get your meaty paws on Honey From the Icebox go here and pledge. Don't just do it for this album, though. Do it to support good music in general. It's become so hard to find in this day and age, so when you finally spot it, support it!
The bitterness of the loss to Virginia still lingers in my mouth like the terrible aftertaste of that deceivingly awful dessert flavored chewing gum, but luckily, it’s time to move on. BYU will host the Longhorns of Texas in what should prove to be an incredibly exciting game.
I, for one, am antsy to see what the Cougar offense is capable of when not having to wade through 6 inches of water. Taysom Hill will bounce back from his terrible showing in Charlottesville. While I do believe that Hill accuracy will improve, I think that the real key to his play will be Robert Anae’s play calling. In the Virginia game, Hill was asked to stay in the pocket to make plays downfield, and because of the screen door-like qualities of the offensive line, was constantly under pressure. One thing we will see in tomorrow’s bout is more plays designed for Taysom Hill to roll out of the pocket and throw on the run, something he does very well. The offensive line won’t get much better this season, but Anae is a smart man and will adjust the plays accordingly.
Speaking of adjusting the plays, one play that we will see a lot more of, to the dismay of many fans, is the run up the middle or between the tackles. In order for rollouts and play action to work, the threat of the run has to exist. I highly doubt Dr. Bob will dial down the straight up run plays at all. Sorry.
Even with the improvement on offense, I still see BYU falling to Texas 17 to… er, hang on.
*wipes smudge off blue goggles, takes a swig of blue Kool-Aid*
With the improvement on offense and the advantage of homefield (funky Bane masks notwithstanding), I see BYU pulling this one off in a nail biter! 24-21 BYU.
SuperPerks' Subjective Assessment of a Super Strange Season Opener
Geez, What an odd game! I was so excited to finally feast on Cougar football for the first time since December, but that game left me feeling empty, dazed, and confused. Unfortunately, that’s the same feeling I had after just about every game in 2012.
So if you haven’t heard, our beloved Cougars fell to the Cavaliers of Virginia 16 to 19. The game highlighted by an awful two hour rain/lightning delay. One can’t help but wonder how the offense would have performed if not for that ill-timed downpour.
Well, party people, let’s review.
DEFENSE:
They are who we thought they were. I felt so much less anxiety when the Cougar defense was on the field as opposed to the offense. I felt like the playmakers could actually make plays (what a concept!). While my prediction of holding the UVA offense to under 200 total yards was incorrect, I was pretty darn close. Virginia was only able to rack up 223 total yards, with 122 of those coming on the ground.
KVN was fantastic, and while he only recorded 4 tackles, 3 of them solo, he disrupted the flow of the Virginia offense on just about every play. Van Noy had absolutely no trouble sloughing off anyone standing in the way of his pursuit of the quarterback. Out of his 4 tackles, 2.5 of those are credited as tackles for loss, and if not for the elusiveness of Virginia’s quarterback, David Watford, he would have recorded at least two more.
Don’t worry about the cornerbacks. Coming in to this season (and just about every season, for that matter) the cornerback position was the biggest question mark. With season ending injuries to Jordan Johnson and Trent Trammel, all were wondering who would step up and fill the void. JC transfer Robertson Daniel, Skye PoVey, and Dallin Leavitt proved to do just that. Led by Craig Bills and Daniel Sorenson, the secondary played very well, and should not be a weakness going forward.
OFFENSE:
Oh boy. Talk about an underwhelming debut for Dr. Bob and his #GoFastGoHard offense. While it’s hard to say how much of the offense’s failure to move the freaking ball was due to the god-awful weather or first game jitters, I think we can all say that the offense needs works. They were definitely going fast and going hard, but unfortunately, going nowhere. Out of the first 11 drives, only one resulted in something other than a punt.
Taysom Hill was pretty dang bad. He threw for a subpar (subRiley as well) 13 for 40 with one horribly timed overthrow that sealed our fate. Taysom Hill, the superior athlete, was not to be found in Charlottesville. He had trouble escaping D linemen the entire game and never really looked like the explosive runner we saw in the game against Hawaii. Honestly, I blame a lot of this on the fact that this was his first game back after an LCL tear ended his 2012 season and the inclement weather making it hard to get a good handle on the ball and a good grip on the field. I have faith that Hill will feel more comfortable in the pocket and his passing accuracy will get better. Much better.
Okay, while the offense definitely needs work there were some bright spots as well. Jamaal Williams is a stud! I might have been blinded by my poor attitude, but it felt like Williams was going nowhere on most of his carries. Now looking back at the stats, that was so wrong. Jamaal rushed a total of 33 times for 144 yards averaging 4.4 yards per carry. That’s pretty awesome for an offense that was struggling to get more than 1 first down per drive.
#GoFastGoHard could honestly be pretty cool… as long as they begin to execute. The speed and the tempo were there. BYU had 18 drives and only two of those lasted longer than two minutes (only 6 of those 18 were 3-and-outs). BYU moved the ball much better in the 4th quarter (the best drive was 11 plays, 92 yards, for a TD), and this is due to the tempo wearing down the opposing defense. BYU was still going full speed while UVA was bent over with hands on hips and knees. If Taysom’s accuracy improves at all (and I honestly believe it will), the offense should be very productive and BYU will gain an advantage in the 4th quarters of every ball game. Especially those played at home.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Punter Scott Arellano won one of those “prestigious” Independent Player of the Week awards… Meh.
JD Falslev is a decent punt return man. Since BYU doesn’t really have any superior athletes to return the kicks, I think the next best thing to have is a player who is sure-handed and can make the right decision. JD Falslev fits that mold. Adam Hine did a decent job on kick returns averaging 22 yards per return. What I would give for BYU to recruit a fast little shifty dude to just return kicks… One can only wish.
Well, Cougar fans, the season didn’t start as well as we had hoped. While there are some things BYU desperately needs to improve, there is enough silver lining to keep our hope for a special season on life support.
As fans, it’s time to forget about the implosion in Charlottesville and focus on some Texas Longhorns. I could really go for a steak.
Album Review: Hail to the King - Avenged Sevenfold
I’m a huge Avenged Sevenfold fan, and have been since Waking the Fallen was released. I can attribute my love for metalcore music to the song “Unholy Confessions”, and while AX7 has grown up and out of metalcore, my taste in music has grown up with them. They helped ease me into thrash metal bands like Slayer, Pantera, and old Metallica, bands that were in their prime when I was too young to appreciate them.
With that said, I’ve had trouble really getting in to Avenged Sevenfold’s albums when they’re released. City of Evil was such a departure from the Waking the Fallen album I had just fallen in love with, it took me months to really love that album as well. The Self-Titled album and Nightmare were the same. I was hesitant to like them at first, questioning AX7’s musical direction, but now I’ve come to terms with it and love them for what they are: fantastic metal albums.
Hail to the King, Avenged Sevenfold’s sixth LP, follows that same pattern. There are some aspects of the album I’m still struggling with, but overall it is an incredibly solid release.
· This is the first album to feature Arin Ilejay on drums. I think it’s safe to say that he’s no Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan or Mike Portnoy because the drum work on Hail to the King is incredibly underwhelming. Now, simplifying the drums may have been a conscious decision by the band and not necessarily a reflection of Ilejay’s talent. I don’t know. Either way, the drums don’t feel nearly as tight and intense as on previous albums. Ilejay sticks with the same simple beat throughout the majority of the album and sparingly uses the double bass pedals. I wouldn’t say the drums detract from the overall album quality, but it was the very first thing I noticed after listening to the first few songs.
· Synyster Gates is fantastic. The guitar solo in the title track “Hail to the King” is one of my absolute favorites, and this album features some of his best guitar work to date. The chemistry between Gates and rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance is incredible. The rhythm and the lead complement each other perfectly and always seem to be in sync and on time.
· One thing I feel Hail to the King really lacks is real kick-ass harmonized guitar solos. The only two on the album (that I can think of) are on the songs "Heretic" and "Coming Home", and neither of those stood out to me the first few times I listened to them. The solos in the song “Sidewinder” on City of Evil are mindblowingly (?) awesome.
· M Shadows vocals are the best they’ve even been. Shadows, ever since City of Evil, has had the tendency to sound really whiny when singing higher notes. I never felt that way listening to Hail to the King. His vocals on the entire album sound very confident and powerful. Even in the album’s slower songs.
· “This Means War” sounds a hell of a lot like “Sad But True” by Metallica. From the guitar riffs to the vocal melody. The internet seems to be losing its shit over that, but whatever. “This Means War” is still bad-ass and one of the album’s best songs.
· Avenged Sevenfold has officially cut ties with their metalcore roots. They are now just a straight forward arena metal band, and it suits them well. This was the direction they were headed from the start, and they’ve finally arrived at their destination.
· M Shadows looks like a doofus with long hair.
Conclusion: B, 7.5/10, 3 out of 5 stars, whatever metric you prefer.
Hail to the King has grown on me quicker than any of their previous albums. The band seems to know exactly what they are doing and they are all on board with the idea. While I feel the drums are lacking a bit, the music, as a whole, is incredibly tight. Hail to the King isn’t nearly as heavy and in-your-face as City of Evil, the self-titled album, or Nightmare, but fans of those will welcome this one with open arms. Hail to the King is not a departure from anything they’ve done in the past, but a logical step in the right direction.
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