HB Arnett's 801 372 - 0819 hbarnett@fiber.net 1391 West 800 South - Orem, Utah 84058 Vol. 34, Issue 7 - September 16, 2013 Click <http://cougarclicks.com/product/Order-Cougar-Sportsline?ID=3173> Here To Order Or Renew Your Subscriptions BYU vs. Utah.A Battle of One-Hit Wonders? Except for the 54-10 drubbing BYU took two seasons ago, it is a given that when the Utes and Cougars match up, both teams will play good defense. That should be the case again this Saturday night when the two rivals face each other in Provo. The game is set for an 8:15 Mountain Time kickoff and will be televised on ESPN2. Good defense isn't what the two quarterbacks of both teams saw in their last outings. Taysom Hill ran wild against Texas two weeks ago and Travis Wilson, the Ute starting QB, had a mega game against Oregon State late Saturday night. Hill won his game against the Longhorns, 40-21, while Wilson came up short in a 51-48 overtime loss to the Beavers in Salt Lake City. All Hill did against UT was rush for 259 yards on just 17 carries. He also threw for 129 yards against the Horns. Wilson was also spectacular last Saturday night against OSU. He rushed the ball for 149 yards on just 13 carries. He also had 279 yards throwing the ball. Putting up big offensive numbers by Hill and Wilson may eventually be the norm this season, but it won't happen when the two face off this week. This game will be a battle of One-Hit, One-Game Offensive Wonders, in my opinion. Neither Hill nor Wilson will have spectacular offensive nights. This game will be decided like most rivalry games. It will be defense, turnovers, field position and especially field goal kickers that determine the outcome. Read Option won't be a factor In their last games, both Hill and Wilson made a living off running the read option and keeping the ball when the defensive end crashed inside. That won't happen this week. Both defenses are too well schooled and coached to see big numbers on the ground given up by either team. Taysom Hill currently has very ordinary passing stats. He will have to dramatically improve those numbers if the Cougars are going to move the ball. Travis Wilson is a better thrower, and you can bet that the Utes will be throwing it deep against BYU's weakest defensive link; cornerback. That said, we like BYU's defense overall against the Utes. You can go to the bank on Bronco having a scheme that will work and BYU actually has a better front seven, than the Utes do on their defensive side of the ball. At least that is my opinion. Speaking of one-hit wonders, BYU's offensive line was a hit two weeks ago. They will have to repeat that performance against Utah if the Cougars are going to score enough points to win the game. Here's hoping this game isn't decided by the kicking game. Utah, as always, has a much better field goal kicker than BYU does. Yes, I know. Justin Sorensen is much improved, but we still don't know how he will perform when the pressure is on. Here are my keys to watch. If Jamaal Williams has a 100 yard or more game rushing the football, the Cougars win. If Taysom Hill has over 200 yards passing, which would be his first time in his career, BYU wins. If Utah has a 300 plus yard day throwing the football, the Utes win. If either team has two or more turnovers, they lose. Kyle Van Noy has said for two week now that this game will be a blood bath and BYU will show up. Let's hope so. The Cougars need a good winning transfusion to take away the sting of three straight losses. Despite Las Vegas having BYU as a touchdown favorite, I call it BYU 23 Utah 20. BYU Basketball Gets Youngest Commit Yet If you are an aficionado of music, especially the rock genre, then when I mention the name "Jackson", you probably think about Michael, Janet, La Toya, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon. If you like gospel music, Mahalia Jackson should come mind and if you are a country fan, how about Alan Jackson? Personally, a favorite entertainer of mine named Jackson would be Jackson Browne and if you use his initials, JB, then I can also include one of the greatest showmen ever, James Brown. If you're not a fan of the two JB's or didn't go to high school in the late 60's or the 70's then do-not-watch this video <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCTYxIsLThA> or especially don't watch this one <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5CAQU6KsMI> . Personally, I think James Brown, the Godfather of soul and the founder of funk, was the most athletic performer I ever saw. He could have been a great cornerback for the Gamecocks of South Carolina, where he was born, or the Georgia Bulldogs, where he was reared. What about the name Frank Jackson? Ring a bell? He is the youngest basketball commit of whom I know that has told Dave Rose that he will be a Cougar and play for BYU. Rose offered him early last week, but is no stranger to Jackson. He has been a regular attendee at Rose's summer camps. Jackson is a 6-1 guard who will be a sophomore at Lone Peak HS this year. He played as a freshman last season at Lehi HS where he averaged around 10 points per game. He also laid 30 points on Lone Peak last season. Yes, that Lone Peak with Nick Emery, Eric Mika Talon Shumway and T.J. Haws. Jackson and his family moved from the Thanksgiving Point area of Lehi to a home within the boundaries of Lone Peak earlier this year. There was a nice and well written article about Jackson by Becky Beaton of the Provo Daily Herald a few days ago. Here is what she wrote: "Incoming Lone Peak sophomore point guard Frank Jackson gave a verbal commitment to the BYU men's basketball program Thursday evening after he received an offer to play there during an unofficial visit. "I feel really excited," Jackson said. "I've been thinking about it the past couple of days and it feels right for me. I've always wanted to go there." He added that he was most looking forward to playing with all the Lone Peak guys and other recruits going into the program. "They're going to have a great team when I get there," the player said. "I'm looking forward to accomplishing a lot with them." Jackson said that while the decision takes some of the pressure off as far as recruiting goes, it turns it up in another way. "This is also a good motivator for me to get better," he said. "The work starts right now. I need to do everything I can to prepare myself to be a positive contributor to the program." Jackson has only had a few weeks with Knight Coach Quincy Lewis so far, but he said he's already learned things he didn't know. "He's a phenomenal coach," Jackson said. "Everything you hear about him is true. He's pushing me and pushing me. I feel like I'm already a better player and we're just getting started." Jackson averaged 10 points, two rebounds and 1.3 assists per game playing at Lehi as a freshman last season. The Jackson family moved into the Lone Peak boundaries at the end of the school year. "We're excited for Frank and his family," said Lewis. "This is a place he's been interested in for a long time. "He was fortunate enough to receive an offer from the BYU coaching staff on Thursday night, and he decided he had what he wanted and didn't have to go through the full recruiting process." Lewis knows that Jackson may be a little bit under the radar right now, and some people may react by asking, "Frank who?" "Unfortunately, I knew very well who he was after he dropped 30 points on us last year," the coach continued. That game was played on Feb. 15, with the Knights winning 90-71. "He's a smart kid who's very athletic and can make baskets," Lewis said. "His game certainly needs some refining, but that will come." Jackson is not a national star yet, but he has already appeared on national television. His family was featured in a February 2013 NBC special called "Mormon in America". Jackson and his family were later featured in a KSL piece describing their experience. Frank Jackson can be seen seated behind his dad in this video <http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=21840584> . Who, When and Hopefully, Never What If Last week it was announced by BYU that Dave Rose underwent surgery to remove some cancerous spots. No details regarding from where the spots were removed, but an assurance was given that a full recovery was expected and Rose would be good to go for the official start of basketball practice on October 7. Since then it has been said that Rose's surgery was successful and he doing well. As all of us know, Rose's story concerning his bout with cancer is inspiring and miraculous. It has now been three years since he underwent surgery in Las Vegas and had a close brush with mortality. When ever cancer is included in a sentence as it refers to a person's health, the first responses are, at least for me, panic, prayer and then pragmatism. I trust the prognosis of Rose's doctors and respect Rose's optimism, faith and courage. Still as one who has some family experience with cancer, I admit, I am always uneasy when I hear that word. The best case scenario for BYU's best and most respected coach is that he is good for another decade or two on the bench leading the Cougars to their best basketball ever. That is where my prayers are involved. Pragmatist in Me But, the pragmatist in me, wonders what would happen if Rose had to sit out a year during his on going battle. What about two years or more? Just a thought. Who would BYU get to replace him or act as an interim coach for a season or two? And what about Bronco? What if he had to lay down his beloved motor cycle in traffic and was injured to the point that he couldn't coach for a season? Who would replace him? While thinking positively about Rose and his continuing health issues, here is my pragmatic take on the candidates to replace him if he had to take a leave of absence or took another job elsewhere where the money was bigger and the prestige greater. I think BYU would stay in house for the next basketball coach. My pick, and I'm pretty sure BYU's pick, to replace Rose, if the occasion ever arose, would be Mark Pope, the assistant coach now in his second year on staff. Terry Nashif and Tim LaComb, both have more seniority on staff and have credentials and loyalty, but they don't have Pope's cache and credibility in recruiting. Pope was the reason BYU was in the Jabari Parker chase. Pope also has a better and more extended resume, having played and coached outside of the state of Utah. There are some other LDS assistants coaching at Utah and Utah State and there is even Jeff Judkins. No chance for any of those guys, in my opinion. Long Shot If you are looking for an extreme long shot and willing to wait three years until Steve Cleveland returns from his tour of duty as a mission president in Indianapolis, there is an infinitesimal chance that BYU would pull a Kansas State or Nevada-Reno move and rehire a former coach like Bill Snyder or Chris Ault. I and everybody else in Cougar nation and fan bases across the state and country who all respect Rose are hoping for a speedy recovery and a lengthy coaching tenure at BYU. But Pope is my pragmatic choice to be the replacement for Rose when and if it ever happens. Those dreams of many of Danny Ainge someday coaching at BYU have died. Ainge has the best gig in basketball as the General Manager of the Celtics. He also has the power to hire and fire and he is hiring his sons to work in meaningful positions within the franchise. Maybe those with Ainge dreams should transfer those dreams to Austin Ainge, he is a more likely BYU hire these days than Danny is. When and if Bronco needs a replacement, a year ago my money was on Brandon Doman. The charismatic former offensive coordinator, had some coaching issues the last two seasons, but underperforming as an assistant coach wouldn't prevent him from being a good head coach and face of the program. Just ask Tom Holmoe for a reference. Holmoe was horrible as a coach at Cal, but he has turned out to be a pretty good athletic director for BYU. Doman is keeping visibility by making the rounds and becoming a regular contributor to radio and TV shows locally. Another year under his belt and people will forget that he struggled last season. Wannabes As for coaches currently employed on Bronco's staff, they are all Bronco wannabes, but right now, none seem to have any reasonable chance to be the future face of the program. The same holds for the staffs at Utah and Utah State. None have a chance to get the Cougar head job. Stanford has an LDS assistant in Lance Anderson. He was the Cardinal recruiting coordinator from 2007-11 and now is the outside linebacker coach and admissions liaison. He worked with Jim Harbaugh at San Diego with the Toreros and followed Harbaugh to Stanford. He is the guy Stanford sends when they are trying to land LDS players. Andy Reid is in the same boat or burial plot as Ainge in basketball. That ship has sailed. If we are talking NFL coaches, the top candidate now with wind in his sail to replace Mendenhall when the time comes, is in my opinion, Darrell Bevell, the current offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. He is active LDS, but most likely will be an NFL head coach before there is a head coach vacancy at BYU. Our best bet for Cougar football and coaching is to keep Bronco off the motorcycle or at least make him ride with the Hell's Angels or some other biker cult or group. Those guys never seem to crash or burn on their bikes. Television Timetable BYU vs. Utah Saturday, Sept 21 at Provo Kickoff: 8:15 pm Mountain Time TV: ESPN2 BYU vs. Middle Tennessee Friday, Sept 27 at Provo Kickoff: 7:00 pm Mountain Time TV: ESPNU BYU vs. Utah State Friday, Oct 4 at Logan Kickoff: 6:00 pm Mountain Time TV: CBS Sports Network BYU vs. Georgia Tech Saturday, Oct 12 at Provo Kickoff: TBA TV: TBA BYU vs. Houston Saturday, Oct 19 at Houston Kickoff: TBA TV: TBA