AFA is always a tough game.

Air Force is always a difficult game. They have so many difficult plays to defend and they are one the few teams that play with as much effort as BYU -this could be attributed to the fact that they are in the military, or the fact that they are also undersized, and possible a little slower. You make the call. This years AFA team presents no small challenge. Calhoun has taken the Air Force Lightning Bolts and produced multiple bowl game appearances, eight and nine win seasons, and has come close to beating TCU, Utah, and BYU.

Some might say AFA is like the little brother that has some skills, but just can’t mix up the peaking order. Yeah the little brother might sneak past you every once in a while, but if the “big brother” plays up to his potential than it shouldn’t be a close.

But with the way the Cougars have been performing this year, you never know what your going to get. As mentioned before I feel as if the Cougars have lost a little identity as they’ve worked to overcome the two losses at home. What I mean is, the Cougs had finally beaten a top 5 or 10 opponent, when they beat Oklahoma. Then they found out Oklahoma was over rated. The Cougs are then smashed by a FSU team that hasn’t been able to string two good plays together since they left Provo. Basically you have a team that is highly ranked, but still hasn’t really gotten over the hump of beating a really good team -case and point TCU…enough said. Our offense doesn’t really have a star -some might argue that this is a good thing- and our defense doesn’t have that trusting, ah…don’t worry feel. I’m really looking for someone to take a game over. Max did this against SDSU, but it hasn’t been consistent. Harvey looked great against a few teams but hasn’t gotten the touches to really shine. Dennis and Andrew and both great athletes and potential game breakers, but they just haven’t blown me away. Our defense, as a whole is good enough to win game, but I don’t think teams are intimidated by them. Who is BYU? Are they a team that wins the games they should and losses the game they should? Are they a before Christmas Bowl game team or will they start towards change? Are we a top 25, 10, 15 or do we not belong? I want a player on the BYU Cougars to take the flag and make a statement….

Looking at the three games remaining -AFA, UT, Bowl game- the Cougars need to reestablish themselves as a consistent football team that can perform up to standard week in and week out. Our young players need to start thinking of themselves as starters and experienced and they need to begin preparing, and playing like they are the future -because they are.

One day when I was a sophomore Coach Mendenhall said something to the defensive backs that was very interesting. He was talking about Dustin Gabriel. Coach pointed out a play during one of our practices -in the middle of the week- where Dustin was running and making a play, and it looked like everyone else in the picture frame was standing still. Coach turned on his pointer and said, “I can win football games with players like that. That is a guy who I don’t have to recruit past.” (And we watched the clip over and over…and over) Meaning: I like his effort, speed, and ability and I can count on him producing while he’s in our program. It was something that always stuck with me. I always thought, and feared I was a player that he had recruited past. It forced me to work harder day to day. It made me focus more when I ran onto the practice field. It was a small bit of motivation that crept in every know and then and reminded me that there is always someone better, working harder. It forced me to be good, all the time.

The point of that story is to illustrate the fact that the Coaching staff has filled positions and backup positions on the depth chart and these last few games are when players need to identify themselves as players that can be produce. Otherwise, the Coaching staff is going to find a “new” guy that can hopefully produce in your place.