ShareThisBrigham Young quarterback Max Hall is making it look easy. So is BYU's defense. So is Cougars coach Bronco Mendenhall.Of course, nothing has come easy -- nor will it -- for the team most prominently mentioned in the preseason as 2008's best bet BCS buster. Still, BYU is 4-0, ranked No. 11, has flushed its two most recent opponents by a combined score of 103-0, owns the nation's longest winning streak (14) and has won 25 of its last 27 games.Those figures alone might strengthen Cougars fans' arguments that their team already is BCS worthy. But we've been through this before; teams from the "lesser" conferences have much more to prove than the BCS "haves."For BYU, which has a bye this week before playing Oct. 3 at Utah State, there is a potentially perilous visit to No. 24 Texas Christian on Oct. 16 and two nasty trips to end the regular season -- Nov. 15 at Air Force, Nov. 22 at Utah.The Utah visit could be especially meaningful for both teams, since the Utes also are unbeaten (4-0) and ranked (No. 17). But if BYU's defense improves at the rate of the past two weeks, the Mountain West Conference has its BCS entry.Acknowledging numerous preseason questions about his "D," Mendenhall told The (Salt Lake City) Deseret News, "They're methodically improving and improving and anxious to do their part and contribute. Not only are they managing the points, but they're also adding key turnovers, which has separated the scores the past two weeks."If you were to say, 'Why have the scores been so dominant?' it's the turnovers that you would point to. (Defensive coordinator Jaime) Hill has really emphasized that from last spring on, knowing that might be one of the key things that helps us while the defense is growing. I feel good about the direction they're going. There's still some improvement to make."Make it and the chant starts . . . "BCS, BCS, BCS."DRESSED TO THRILL?Idaho has one win, so maybe this was done in the interest of entertainment.Or maybe not.The Vandals' cheerleaders showed up for last week's 42-17 loss against Utah State wearing halter-tops and short black skirts with white trim, outfits similar to those worn by NFL cheerleaders.Some fans were appreciative; dean of students Bruce Pitman was not among them."A number of fans were concerned that the uniforms were inappropriate," Pitman said, adding, "To be fair, there were a number of fans who liked them."If they travel, the Idaho cheerleaders will be in more austere outfits Saturday at San Diego State.Score another one for a dean of students.SOFTER THAN ...Clemson's season-opening 34-10 debacle against Alabama put the Tigers on a fast track out of the national spotlight and did the opposite for the Crimson Tide.In the aftermath, questions about Clemson's toughness abounded, so much so that two weeks of physically demanding practices ensued. It was only the start.For Saturday's pre-game meeting with his unit, defensive coordinator Vic Koenning strolled in with a roll of toilet tissue.Read whatever you want into that. The No. 20 Tigers, who routed South Carolina State 54-0 for their third consecutive win, meet Maryland (3-1) on Saturday.TEMPER, TEMPERNo. 14 Ohio State has a new starting quarterback -- we think.Mega-recruit Terrelle Pryor opened last week against the other Men of Troy (Troy, Ala., University) and fared fairly well, setting a Buckeyes freshman record with four touchdown passes in a 28-10 win.Afterward, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel was asked if Pryor now was the starter.Snapped Tressel: "Weren't you at the game?"Prior to Pryor's first start, Tressel had said the freshman and fifth-year senior Todd Boeckman would split snaps. Not quite. Pryor, who completed 10-of-16 passes for 139 yards and ran 14 times for 66 yards, got 97 percent of the work.BACK TO MIAMINorth Carolina coach Butch Davis takes the Tar Heels on Saturday to Miami, where he restored the scandal-ridden Hurricanes program to national-championship form.Davis isn't sure what to expect from South Florida types, but he's sure of this: "It will make it a little different, a little odd, not going back to the Orange Bowl."As to the type of response (from the crowd), I have no idea. That's totally out of my control."JUDGMENT DAYWashington finally hired an athletic director. Scott Woodward, formerly the school president's right-hand man, says he will read the pulses of Tyrone Willingham's players, then make a decision on the program's future. See ya, Ty.(Contact B.G. Brooks of the Rocky Mountain News at brooksb(at)RockyMountainNews.com.)
Chants encounters for BYU: Other notes
Submitted by SHNS on Fri, 09/26/2008 - 18:30
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