Going through some of the Pac-12 Pick'em and it looks like the only debatable ..

[89ute]

games are UCLA at aTm and Arizona vs BYU.

I took AZ but this is the only game BYU has a shot at winning out of their 1st 4.

I have no hard core analysis for picking aTm over UCLA other than it’s a tough roadie, but for some reason, I think aTm wins.

The Pac-12 is going to take one on the chin opening weekend with USC getting killed. We will hear loudly that the Pac-12 is out of the playoff picture.

[Tony (admin)]

I like what the pickem game will add to the discussion topics. It could be cool for me to program in what percentages of picks for each team.

[Anonymous]

I mostly picked the home teams except I think UCLA wins that game.

EDIT: Nevermind I picked home teams.

[Tacoma Ute]

I struggled with UCLA/aTm and CSU/CU. Every other pick was instantaneous. I’m not sure why so many are picking against Zona. I’m not saying they’re a 100% lock but they should win that one.

[jamarcus24]

Even though byu has a brand new coaching staff and they’re learning new systems on both sides of the ball they are bringing back pretty much all of their offensive production as well as Taysom and Jamal Williams so byu’s probably going to be a pretty good team offensively.  Kalani’s D has historically sucked against Rich Rod so we’ll see there.  But Arizona’s defense was terrible last year and if that carries over then this game is going to be a shootout.

byu seems to steal a game or two that they’re supposed to lose every year (Nebraska and Boise St. last year) so I wouldn’t be surprised to see them beat Arizona next week.  Wow, next week.  FOOTBALL IS ALMOST HERE!!!

[Tacoma Ute]

They always seemed to steal a game or two with Roscoe at the helm. I’m far from convinced that they will do the same with Sitake. Especially in his first game ever as HC. Zona by about 17.

[jamarcus24]

I hope you’re right.

[Utah]

What about BYU’s coaching staff gives you any sort of idea of what to expect?

BYU gets a pass nationally because they have been beating up on nobodies the last 40 years. Bronco was a great coach. I’ve posted on utefans how he faced twice as many P5 schools as Boise St in the same time period and ended up with one or two less losses as Boise. That’s amazing.

Bronco wasn’t fired. He wasn’t pushed out. He left. He left for a reason: He couldn’t win there like he wanted to win/like he felt like he could win. Oh, and his salary tripled and it is now easier to recruit.

What about Sitake gives you hope? Once he left Whitt, he fell flat on his face. Oregon State’s defense was ranked #4 in the PAC-12. When Sitake took over? 11th. And Oregon State’s recruiting did not dip big time the last 8 years.

Ty’s never done anything. Mahe’s never done anything. Cahoon was fired but a very good coach. A bunch of their coaches were coaching high school last year.

Tuiaki may be their most accomplished coach without major blemishes…

Good luck with that.

[Tony (admin)]

Sing that song. Love it.

[jamarcus24]

My expectations are more based on their returning personnel than any of their coaches. It’s just a guessing game at this point but the only projections any of us have are based on what happened last season. Yes, it’s a new coaching staff but these are still Bronco’s players and Bronco’s teams played pretty well to the level of their competition and that’s equally complementary as it is a backhanded complement because sometimes byu played downright awful against marginal teams. We’ll see how the players have responded to Kalani and his staff next week.

The only expectation from their coaching staff that I have (and this is pretty much just from Sitake) is that he’ll probably do a better job of getting his team fired up to play and more emotionally invested, especially when they come to play Utah. We all know that kids love Kalani and they love playing for the guy. Bronco was a great coach for byu but one of his biggest criticisms was that his weird ass perma-stoic personality rubbed off on his team. I think Kalani will change that culture.

[CincyUte]

BYU’s best case scenario for 2016 is to do what they did back in 2001. Like Kalani, Gary Crowton was a first-time head coach that year and made an impressive run with LaVelle’s left over players. They won their first 12 games and started talking about busting the BCS. Then they traveled to the Hawaiian Death Turf:

NCAAF   FINAL               1ST  2ND  3RD  4TH     TOTAL
                            ---  ---  ---  ---     -----
        BYU (8)              10    0   21   14      45
        HAWAII               21   10   27   14      72   FINAL

It turned out Crowton and his staff were in over their heads and they couldn’t sustain the success in 2002 (14-21 over the next 3 seasons). But 2001 still remains BYU’s best season since 1996.

I don’t see that happening again in 2016. But I think BYU fans can reasonably hope for a similar outcome.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by CincyUte.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by CincyUte.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by CincyUte.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by CincyUte.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by CincyUte.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by CincyUte.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by CincyUte.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by CincyUte.

[noneyadb]

Arizona thumps tds, and the great belly-aching begins.

Tds fans are really going to miss a Mendenhall lead defense.

Sitaki defense vs Arizona

2015 Lost 44-7

2014 Lost 42-10

2013 Lost 35-24

2012 Lost 34-24

2011 Lost 34-21

[jamarcus24]

We actually beat Arizona in 2011.

[Tacoma Ute]

That seems to be forgotten by everyone for some reason. I’ve seen several instances on message boards and even news articles that Utah hasn’t beaten them since joining the PAC. We beat them fairly easily the first year.

[noneyadb]

Yes it was. stand corrected. 2011 Utah Won 34-21…

Rich Rod didn’t come over to AZ until 2012

Sitaki defense vs Rich Rod lead team is still 0-4

[FormerUteSax]

To me zona/tds is a toss up so I went with zona because they aren’t tds