BYU isn’t going to a new conference, and why that’s just fine

BYU for years has always been considered the premiere program and institution in the state of Utah.  And for good reason.  They were a National Champion, produced some of the greatest players in the history of College Football who went on to win the sports greatest and most prestigous awards, prime example being Ty Detmer in 1990 winning the Heisman.

With all that said, BYU has always and to this day had to defend its tradition and accolades.  Everyone who has a meaningful voice in the College Football landscape has always shot down BYU Football.  In large part due to what conference they have been affiliated with.  The WAC was just that crazy pass-happy league everyone thought, with BYU as the ring leader of it all.  Then comes the Mountain West Conference.  League has improved greatly from days of WAC, but still thought of as a lower-tier league that can’t play with big boys.  So BYU continues to get whatever accolades they have accomplished shot down.

Despite all the negative criticsm pundits always place on the Cougars, BYU year-in and year-out always overcomes the obstacles and puts out a team that can compete with anyone in the country.  Along with a competitive squad, they play a fun brand of football that has always stayed modern for the test of time.  —LaVell Edwards not Bill Walsh, revolutionized the passing game—

The challenges that face BYU are numerous from fighting the little guy tag simply based on what league they are in to its limited recruiting pool, and to the rules put in place by the university itself.  And when you think BYU is all but dead, they will prove you wrong, again and again and again.

BYU fans should expect nothing less moving forward into what will take place in the future of the College Football/Athletic landscape.  Why you ask?  Here’s my reasons to always believe BYU football is always going to be a great program.

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#1 BYU will always get talent that love BYU.

Everyone knows that BYU is at a total disadvantage in the recruiting world.  How many 18-21 year olds want to sacrifice alcohol, premarital sex, smokes, growing a beard, and basically anything else most of their fellow peers are enjoying and consider the hip and trendy thing to do?  Not many.

But with Bronco Mendenhall at the helm, BYU has maximized their recruiting efforts making sure no athlete who can not only play D-1 football but live up to the strict code of Brigham Young University, goes by their watch.  Through referrals, internet, summer camps, and even referrals from former players and other Alumni.  BYU is utilizing the few but strong resources they have out on the recruiting trail.

Bronco and staff are finding these players early, offering early, and receiving early commitments.  Many questioned this logic in the early stages, but as the years have went by, Bronco’s approach to recruiting at BYU has led to BYU having some of the most depth the program has experienced in their history.  These players are not only buying into what Bronco is telling them, but these guys have a commitment to BYU and they see the greatness that this place has to offer.  Its a special place.  Why treat it like any other?  That’s what will always make BYU great.

Look at the latest Signing Day class of 2010.  Travis Tuiloma a future star Defensive Tackle out of the state of Kansas.  A rare state for a BYU athlete to come from.  Tuiloma after his Junior year in High School sent out tape to BYU coaches hoping they would see it, and hopefully be interested.  BYU coaches were more than impressed and flew out to Kansas to meet with Tuiloma and offer him a scholarship.  Tuiloma accepted on the spot, and mind you he never visited or saw the campus.  He just committed because he loved BYU and what it was about.  Tuiloma went on to have a terrific Senior year and garnered heavy attention from in-state school Kansas State, but Tuiloma never waivered to his commitment to the Cougs.  How many schools have a story similar to that?  Not many.  At BYU, it’s not that rare.

LDS (Mormon) athletes will always view BYU as a top-notch school when looking for a college.  And the LDS church continues to grow, and the young men in the church more and more are being drawn to football, improving the talent base within.  These recruits know its a place that their standards won’t be an issue, because everyone else feels the same way and they can get a great education, despite the supposed lack of research going on in Provo according to the PAC-10.

Many wonder what BYUs recruiting would be like in a “BCS” league.  Honestly, I don’t feel it would be drastically different.  They would still recruit the same type of players.  BYU will never sacrifice its mission as a school and program for a blue-chip recruit who has no intent on committing to a school till Signing Day.  And in most cases, guys who are indecisive when choosing between BYU and others, don’t last at BYU if they do in fact decide to come.  You have to be 100% sold on the Y., or it will be a bad experience for you.  That’s why I see nothing to be gained as far as recruiting in one of those leagues.

#2 Solid Fanbase

BYU fans can be some of the most annoying people you’ve heard or seen; but at the same time they are some of the most loyal and passionate.  I’ve seen both sides of the BYU fan spectrum.  I know how it is very well, with these guys.  But BYU will always have a strong interest in its athletics, particularly Football.  It will never die.  A lot of BYUs fanbase comes from the fact that they are tied in with the LDS church, but many others have grown up to be fans of the athletic teams and be fully invested with the teams.

The passion BYU fans have will always show at games as well.  They will come to games regardless of record, opponent, night, day, whatever they will be there.  They might bitch and moan in the process but they will always show up.  Same goes for road games and bowl games.  BYU has great showings, especially for games located in the West Coast.

#3 Institution and Athletic Department that will always be profitable, and make smart financial decisions

Did you know BYU has the largest Indoor Practice Facility in all of America?  Did you also know that Practice Facility was built solely from donations, along with its state-of-the-art Student Athlete Building?  Pretty cool huh?  How many programs can say they have some of the biggest and best facilities in America without draining their school and Athletic Department financially in the process?  Not many.

I bring this up because despite being in the so-called “Non-BCS” BYU has still managed to be a Athletic Department that is consistently in the green, making profits and building top-notch facilities.  Now would BCS money speed up the process?  Sure.  But at BYU, they wouldn’t go haywire and just splurge on big-money items like most schools.  BYU will never break from doing their homework when it comes to making improvements, they will take their due dilligence and when its all said and done, it will be state-of-the-art.  Why break from philosiphies that have proved to work for years?

This has been the only Athletic Department in the MWC (even those BCS Bustin Utes) that makes money year-in and year-out.  Regardless of league affiliation.  BYU makes smart business moves.

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At the end of the day, Cougar fans hold your head up high.  Don’t be down that BYU isn’t in a BCS conference.  Who knows what the future holds.  College Football has always told us we can’t acheive anything, yet we always prove them wrong.

The old system back in the early days of College Football was never supposed to be allow a little guy to do anything;  BYU went on to set numerous NCAA records and go on to win a National Championship in 1984.  The only “Non-BCS” program to acheive such a feet since.

The Alliance was then brought into play and BYU went on to win 14 games in a season (1996), which is still a NCAA record for most wins in a season.

We were then told we couldn’t compete in the BCS.  BYU went 12-0 in 2001, but before the regular season ended the BCS ruled BYU wasn’t qualified for any of the bowls.  That action made the BCS have to re-evaluate its policies with “Non-BCS” teams opening the doors for more access for future teams.

Whatever system is in place, it will never stop BYU from being a winning program.  A program who will always do things the right way on and off the field, and forever be proud of the way they do things and the effort they put into it.  I for one look forward to the future of BYU athletics.  I’m excited to see what is in store.  I will always love BYU, win, lose, conference, BCS, no BCS.  I’m a BYU fan, and I will be till the day I die.

Go Cougars!

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