BYU Cougars: 2008 Christmas wish list for Santa

By Todd Erickson  |   Thursday, August 28, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

BYU Cougars
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Summer 2008

Dear Santa,

Once again, I’m writing you extra early this year because I've got some new concerns about BYU Cougars football.

Last year, I held back from asking you for the really big-ticket items like a conference championship and a bowl game victory, but you managed to stuff those into my stocking anyway. You should have seen the smile on my face when that kid with the long name -- Manumaleuna -- blocked the last-second UCLA field goal attempt in the Las Vegas Bowl. It was priceless.

I know you’re starting to get really busy up there in the North Pole, so here’s my wish list for 2008-09 that I hope you’ll consider on behalf of every other BYU Cougar fan.

Sincerely,

BYU Cougar Fan

Cougar Fan’s wishes for 2008-09:

1. Healthy starting quarterbacks help keep our blood pressure in check. We need to keep Max Hall healthy and free from injury this season. Do you have any of those cool ACME protective force fields you can manage to get to Max before the first game this weekend?
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2. We have a pretty good offensive line this year. They’re a pretty good force field for Max when they’re healthy, but that doesn’t mean we still don’t need the ACME version in wish No. 1. Can you help these big boys on the O-line execute their assignments as planned and not commit any offside or holding penalties this year? I know this is really asking for a miracle, but…

3. While I’m thinking about our offense, can you also spare any of those invisible exoskeleton shields that will help keep Unga, Collie, Reed, Pitta, and DiLuigi free from injuries? Fui could really use one, too. If you can help keep these guys healthy and on the field this year, then I don’t have to ask you for as much on the other side of the ball.

4. You know that new Sorensen kid -- the kicker? Is there any way you can help him kick like he did in high school? We could really use the touchbacks on every kickoff, and an occasional 50- or -60 yard field goal in those rare moments when the 'O' isn’t punching the pigskin all the way into the end zone.

5. Coach Kaufusi finally has some solid depth with his defensive linemen this year. Thanks for granting him that wish -- I know it’s been a few years in the making. Can you perhaps see that they all get enough playing time to stay fresh and focused in every situation? I think the rest of the defense will really be relying on these guys to create havoc upfront, and make a mess of the opponents’ backfield this year.

6. I’ve been a bit worried about the linebackers this year. We lost some pretty good starters to graduation and a couple more to injury during the offseason. It’s a thin bunch when it comes to game experience, but we've got this one guy by the name of Nixon. Is there a way to clone his game experience and instincts and share it with the rest of the linebacker unit? We run a 3-4 alignment and we really need these guys in the middle of our defense executing at the highest level.

7. Ditto for our corners and safeties; not a lot of game time experience back there, but if you can help coach Hill’s troops execute their assignments as he has planned, I think they’ll gel as a unit pretty quickly. No more performances like last year's Tulsa game, OK?

8. BYU football hasn’t had as much hype about the program since the days of McMahon and Young and Bosco. Can you send a little dose of extra humility for each of the team members, so they respect each opponent and don’t take anything for granted? This might be the most important wish I’m sending you this year.

9. I read where coach Mendenhall’s assistants are underpaid in comparison with their counterparts. These guys all work their tails off and really love the players. I’d like to ask you to prompt the appropriate administrators to find a way to get these guys some extra moolah in their stockings this year. It would be a nice way to show some tangible appreciation for their dedication and sacrifices made on behalf of the program.

10. Speaking of the coaching staff, I’m really tired of hearing some of the Utah sportswriters speculate about how long Bronco wants to remain coaching at BYU. Can you get them to lay off the coach? Just like Bronco wants the team to focus on each game at hand and not look ahead, I’m sure he is trying to do the same in his role. It would be nice if these leeches would quit trying to create controversy with their endless speculations.

Sincerely,

BYU Cougar Fan

P.S. One more extra special wish this season: BYU still playing football in January 2009 (wink, wink).

Todd Erickson is the author of Road to the Rose Bowl (Silverback, 2005), the definitive book on the last 50 years of matchups and tradition in the Rose Bowl Game. He is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and pens the RealFootball365 weekly college football column Fourth and inches ...
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About Todd Erickson

Todd Erickson is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and pens the RealFootball365 Top 25 college football power rankings and "Fourth and inches..." weekly columns from August thru January. He is currently working on the second edition of Road to the Rose Bowl...
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