PS 100% agreed about Mangum. He has looked like a total spaz so far which is weird because he threw darts two years ago. I think that literally every deep ball this year has been underthrown. But I still think he’s The Guy because his body of work from 2015 was no joke for a freshman. That said, this whole offense might stink.
I’m the same way, tlarimer. Mangum looks very odd out there the last three games (going back to the bowl game), and this is strange given how he was two years ago. I think it’s mental. No idea why with Portland St., but he sure looked afraid to make a mistake (get sacked, throw a pick, etc.) against LSU, and I think that’s why he was so far off on several passes in the middle. Hoge didn’t look good when he spotted the injured Mangum two years ago. I agree that Mangum is The Guy.
I wonder how big a role Mangum’s awful games in the past play in how he is in big games. The debacles against Michigan and the 1st quarter against Utah in the bowl game lead him to press too hard not to throw interceptions, and I think this hampers him. You can’t be so afraid of throwing an interception that you play it too safe. Mangum, and it looks to me, Detmer, were so afraid of LSU sacking him, causing him to fumble, and intercepting him, that our passing game was designed not to make mistakes. When we couldn’t run at all, the die was cast.
Part of what made some BYU greats great was that they weren’t afraid to throw an interception, or that they didn’t let that keep them from being aggressive. Remember how many 3, 4, 5 interception games Ty Detmer had?
What we’ve really been missing it seems like forever now is the feeling that we can come back from a 2, 3, 4 touchdown deficit. When we’re down two scores now, it feels like the game is over. Our “chunk play” ability is non-existent. Remember some of the Detmer classics? I remember his win against Washington St. where we had to make up a big deficit. Back then, we could be down big, and feel like we could come back in the 4th quarter and make it interesting at least, but now? Does anyone have that feeling when we’re down?
When I think of Jimmy Mac vs pretty much anyone, Detmer v Marshall Faulk, Detmer vs Bill Musgrave (UofO), or Detmer literally SHREDDING mighty Penn State in the Bowl game, I just want to cry. Whatever faults (haha not many) that LaVell may have had, he was not afraid to go for broke. Detmer and Mac were perfect for that, because each had the stones and the chutzpah of 10 grown men. Here’s hoping Magnum starts believing in himself they way those guys did, because it was sure something to watch…
The thing is that sports is largely mental. Physical ability is important, but it isn’t the most important factor, and “2 and 3 star athletes” can compete with “5 star athletes” if they have that mental something. That something was there in the Detmer era.
I think that Mangum is shaken, mentally, and scared of taking the chances we need to with this year’s (and next year’s) front-end schedule. He looks and feels different from two years ago, and it shows in his yardage. I want them to stay with him, because I don’t think Hoge is any better (he didn’t show anything when he played in relief of Mangum. Maybe he has gotten better). I know nothing about Detmer, Jr. or Critchlow (sic). Mangum has proven that he has it in him, if we can tap it or remind him or help him find his confidence again. That’s our best shot.
I really, really hope that the LSU game didn’t make things worse for him. I think that the Michigan and Utah bowl game made him afraid to mess up dramatically. You can’t be so afraid of making mistakes that you never take chances.
You got to be kidding, Your comment was a not thought out and lacked cultural sensitivity. We have had great poly players over the years and Coach Wittingham at Utah does not miss out on this group of great players, and neither will Coach Sitake and Detmer. When you make the comments that the coaches do not know what they are doing,I thought what do you know about football and what experience have you had in coaching. I know that Detmer played in the Pro’s and was a Heisman Trophy winner, his father was a great coach in Texas, and Coach Sitake resume speaks for itself at Utah, Oregon State. I think you just need to realize all the pieces to this program puzzle are not fully in place and when it does this team will be great. This could be a difficult year and the schedule bears this out. We need a dual threat QB, and a powerful group of running backs. Add to this the constant need of speed at all positions.
Let it go Jim, you’ve been hanging out with Hopper too much. I fear for your eternal salvation at this point.
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