Jazz woes show Ugly Face

Deron is the key to Jazz success 

The Jazz continue to show that their mid-season slump is more than just that. This last month or so has shown this Jazz team true colors.

The Jazz continue to be horrible at rebounding, allowing momentum changing shots, and horrendous porous defense. Nothing has changed since the change in regime either.

The most recent two losses, both to the Suns, have had similar trends. Deron and the Jazz started off hot, to eventually cool down, and choke down the stretch.

One trend that I have noticed in the recent struggle which is the 2010-2011 season, is Deron William's unwillingness to have the ball in his hands at crunch time, and make the plays to win. Here is as guy that has hit many big shots, hit many key free throws, and has created some improbable comebacks, even just this year. Yet in the game against the Bulls in particular, Deron refused to step up when his team needed him.

On three straight possessions with the Jazz within striking distance of the lead, Deron turned the ball over, killing any chance of a comeback versus the "Jazz East." The Jazz lost that game eventually, and started the most recent trend of blowing games in the final 6 minutes.

Yesterday against Phoenix, Utah had an 8 point lead with 7 minutes left, not to mention all the momentum. Enter Steve Nash, good-bye Jazz 'W'.

Utah allowed Phoenix to go on an 11-0 run within 3 minutes of Nash's return to the hardwood, and the Suns never looked back. Entering the 4th quarter, Deron Williams had made 1 shot from the field. Leaving the fourth quarter, he had added only one additional field goal and 6 turnovers.

Do all of the Jazz problems rest solely on Williams shoulder? One could argue he is the team captain, that he needs to hold people responsible for their performance, including his own. One might also add that as the 2 time all-star on the team, the fans expect him to come up with the plays down the stretch that bring the win home.

On the other hand, it is a team game. Injuries have plagued the Jazz of recent, playing yesterday with 9 guys healthy, 2 of which are rookies Gordon Hayward and Jeremy Evans. Another arguement in favor of Deron Williams lack of blame carrier, is the lack of team defense. Jazz continue to show they dont know how to rotate on ball movement, and recover from dribble penetration.

So, is it Deron Williams' fault that Utah is almost on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoff race? Not entirely, but he sure needs to step up his game in order for this team to stay intact and have any shot and bringing back fans to the green seats in Salt Lake City.

Matt Reynolds to return

Good news from BYU's standout offensive lineman: he's coming back. Deseret News is reporting that the two-time all MWC tackle will return for his senior year at BYU.

Big Bro's thoughts: Next year the Cougar offense will still be relatively young, so Reynolds's maturity and leadership will be much appreciated. A skilled left tackle will be a necessary component in the offense to give Jake Heaps the time to make his throws. Of course, that is assuming Heaps wins the contest for the starting job next spring (tongue in cheek).

At the beginning of the season Reynolds was high on scouts' lists, but the disappointing BYU season resulted in a drop in his stock. Much of that is thanks to the dual quarterback system, wherein Reynolds had to switch back and forth from left to right tackle to protect Riley Nelson (lefty) and Heaps (righty). Along with switching sides, a lack of consistency also rattled the O-line, protecting a mobile quarterback one series and a pocket passer the next.

I expect that next year Reynolds will have a standout season and his NFL stock will skyrocket. He will also have a chance to be a part of BYU's inaugural independent team and to to show himself to scouts in multiple time zones and on ESPN.

Why Doman hire is great for BYU

Brandon Doman is BYU'S OC. Was this the best choice for BYU?

Like his predecessor, Doman has been a polarizing figure. In anticipation of his hiring, bloggers, commentators, and message boarders have been split on the prospect of the young coach taking over the reigns of the offense. Nay-sayers say he's too young and inexperienced and cite rumors that he favors Riley Nelson over Jake Heaps. Band wagoners point to Bronco's praise for Doman and cite rumors that Doman is a hot commodity in the coaching market.

Big Bro's thoughts: While Doman's experience is minimal, his upside is demonstrable. As QB coach he proved his worth as a coach. He churned out two NFL players in Max Hall and John Beck, both of whom displayed great play-making and leadership ability. He played a huge role in BYU's ability to land Heaps, the top quarterback blue chip in the nation, and Heaps has been vocal about his love for Doman.

But the best reason why Doman is a great pick for OC is his commitment to BYU and its mission. One of the biggest reasons for Bronco's success has been his ability to embrace BYU's culture and history and use it to his advantage. It started with bringing back a modern version of the old logo and has recently been evidenced by his players lifting him on their shoulders after a 7-6 season. His signature "Band Of Brothers" tee-shirt sells like hotcakes. He has earned the respect of fans, players, writers, recruits, and boosters. Doman has bought into his scheme, and I think it will be a symbiotic relationship that can flourish for years to come.

Perhaps Doman's youth can be an asset. As BYU blazes the independence trail, a new OC who could be there for a long time (a la Norm Chow) could be valuable. Hiring from within means the learning curve of losing your OC will be minimal.

So, nay-sayers beware. Like Bronco said, Doman was probably the best QB coach in the country, and if he is nearly as good of a OC, the offense could be dangerous next year. Combined with Bronco's signature defense and bring young stars like Heaps, Hoffman, Van Noy, and Quezada, and the next few years could be special.

Doman gets a chance

It's official. Brandon Doman is BYU's new offensive coordinator. BYU's official athletic website announced today that Doman would take over after Robert Anae resigned last week. Also announced today, Kelly Poppinga will take over as outside linebackers coach.

Read The Sports Bros' thoughts and opinions here.

Remembering Anae: not all bad, not all good

The BYU website and Salt Lake Tribune reported this morning that OC Robert Anae's departure from the program has become official. Anae was the offensive coordinator and inside receivers coach for the Cougars from 2005 to 2010.

The news comes a few weeks after rumors leaked that Bronco Mendenhall had told his entire offensive coaching staff to start looking for new jobs.

Bloggers, commentators, and message boards had long been critical of Anae, though Mendenhall had publicly supported Anae. In the official press release, Mendenhall called Anae a dear friend and commended him for his service at BYU. Anae was likewise gracious in his departure, thanking BYU for opportunity to coach at his alma mater. Rumors are now floating that Anae could be joining Mike Leach, his former boss at Texas Tech before coming to BYU, at Maryland.

Big Bro's thoughts: While I have never kept my dislike for Anae's handling of the offense secret, I wish him the best and thank him for what he has accomplished at BYU. Four straight 10 win seasons is no small accomplishment, especially after the nightmare Crowton years.

However, most of BYU's success in the Anae era (and I call it that tongue in cheek) came despite Anae's efforts, not because of them. This can be seen in several examples:

1. Anae's marquee win against Oklahoma in 2009. One common critique of Anae has been that he couldn't win the big games. The biggest win during his tenure came against the Sooners, but the offense was hardly the reason for the victory. Though they passed for 357 yards (against a relatively weak Sooner secondary), it committed 4

turnovers and managed only 28 yards rushing. The undisputed credit for the win is attributed to the defense which held Oklahoma to 265 total yards and knocked Sam Bradford out of the game in the first half.

2. The classic wins against Utah in 2006, 2007, and 2009. Every Cougar fan remembers these instant classics, but the victories are once again not attributable to Anae. All three of these games were won on last-minute heroics by quarterbacks Max Hall and John Beck, coached by none other than Brandon Doman, Anae's presumable replacement.

3. The 2010 turnover-on-downs against Utah. In a game where points were at a premium, Anae elected to go for it on 4th down instead of kick the field goal. We all know how that turned out.

4. 2007 UCLA double-header. Isn't it interesting that in 2007 when the Cougars faced UCLA twice - once in the preseason and once in the Las Vegas Bowl - the Cougars scored an identical 17 points against the Bruins' defense? Bronco was successful in making defensive adjustments, holding the Bruins to 16 points in the LV Bowl after allowing 27 in the early loss, but Anae was unable to bring the offense up to snuff.

All of BYU's failures are not Anae's fault, but the fact remains that he has not been able to bring BYU over the hump. Though it has finished the season ranked 4 times during Anae's stint, BYU has been forced to watch from the sidelines while TCU and Utah have made multiple BCS appearances.

With so much young talent and the prospect of independence looming, now is the time for BYU to hire an OC who will bring BYU to elite status.

Collie from Manning best in the NFL

Austin Collie, in just his second year in the NFL, has proven to be an outstanding fit with quarterback and future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning and the Colts.

In this years injury plagued season, Collie still has managed to be Peytons top target for the endzone, catching 8 touchdowns in just 9 games despite leaving in the middle of three games due to injury. In his 9 games, he amassed 58 catches, for 649 yards.

Just a couple of days ago, ESPN's bottom line ticker reported that the Manning to Collie hookup was the best two player punch in the NFL, with Peyton sporting the best passer rating to one single receiver in the league. Manning has completed 87 percent of his passes to Collie.

Collie has been put on injured reserve for the remainder of the season, but if he can manage to stay healthy next year then this will be quite the duo for years to come.

BYU corrects the rumors, nothing conclusive

Bloggers and message boarders are going crazy after Dick Harmon's column (or at least its headline) wrongly implied that BYU was firing its entire offensive staff. BYU responded, "Any reports that BYU football coaches have been released from the staff are inaccurate...Mendenhall met with offensive coaches and indicated a restructuring of the offensive staff is being evaluated. Mendenhall told the coaches this includes possible changes in assignments and personnel."


Big Bro's thoughts: While the university has tried to do damage control, it seems inevitable that someone is leaving. "Restructuring" at a minimum means that someone is being demoted (probably Anae) and someone else is being promoted (probably Doman). I don't see Robert Anae giving up his play-calling duties lightly, and it is likely that he is on his way out.

Bronco tried to do the right thing and give his staff a heads up of what is coming. Perhaps he wanted to allow his assistants who may be getting offers from other schools to be able to respond to them with the knowledge that their services at the Y are not necessarily needed. In any case, Bronco underestimated the blogosphere and now the you-know-what has hit the fan. As Gordon Monson eloquently stated in his blog this afternoon, Bronco is doing the right thing in the wrong way.

I think it should also be noted that the BYU press release did not take any options off the table. It merely stated that nothing has been done yet. The BYU big wigs wanted to put out the flames without tying Bronco's hands. Unfortunately for them, the flames are still burning strong.


Little Bro's thoughts: While there has been a lot of chatter about Doman leaving, becoming OC, Detmer coming, Anae leaving, I just dont see where this is all coming from. I personally believe that a lot of is speculation based on the wants of the speculator.


Doman is thought to have been offered the offensive coordinator position with Detmer as the QB coach. Interesting point about Doman vacating the quarterbacks job is, Bronco's constant praise of Brandon Doman. If you look at the last 3 qb's he has coached, Beck, Hall and now Heaps, all three have been excellent (Heaps with one year under his belt). Hall has won more games than any other BYU quarterback, Beck set countless records for the MWC as well as BYU, and Heaps is on course to do just the same. Bronco will do everything he can to retain this guy, and probably keep him at the reigns of the quarterbacks.


Heaps as also been quoted in his love for Doman. Heaps said that that was one of his contributing factors to coming to BYU as opposed to other places, because he liked Doman and what he had to offer.


My thought is that Anae is gone, and that they are going to find someone else to take over the play calling duties, from outside of the program. I also see the other assistants staying, with perhaps WR coach Higgins on his way out, considering how his corp performed early in the year. Doman stays to mentor Heaps in his, what could be extremely special, career.


All in all, I believe a shake up is necessary. However, will it be for the best? We will see, next September 3.