Latest / Brutally Honest BYU Pod / Episode 2: The Highs and Lows of Fanhood

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Episode 2: The Highs and Lows of Fanhood · Brutally Honest BYU Pod

• Josh Crowley: Coach Speak it's the worst, Nate Crowley: We're not gonna go out there and be conservative at all. You know, the first two games we really didn't need to throw. We didn't even really try. Okay. So let's just call it what it is. You lied. Josh Crowley: All right, what is up, Nate? Back again, back at it, Nate Crowley: Yeah. Josh Crowley: brutally honest. How you doing? Nate Crowley: Good. Happy to be here. Of course. This is the best part of the week. Josh Crowley: Dude, I know. We've we've been super stoked about just people interacting online, reaching out to us, friends, family, and people that we don't know. So Nate Crowley: Yeah. Josh Crowley: however you found us, super happy to have you here. we already eat, sleep and breathe BYU sports, but this has just been a new avenue for both of us, so feel free to share with your other Cougar friends and family. did want to start. one of the comments that we got on our YouTube video, so just curious, Nate, on your take here. So this comes from Mapes FTTB. no Sione Taki Talkie for Bronco. His linebackers were all pretty stacked. So what do you think? You do you think we we missed an opportunity with Sione? Nate Crowley: Good good point out by Mapes there. I don't know, I feel like Josh Crowley: Yeah. Nate Crowley: it's hard to like in retrospect I probably would slide Fred to middle, very valid point. Funny enough, the one that probably deserved more of a conversation was at the cornerback spot like Micah Hanneman probably deserves to be in that conversation at corner instead of Brian Logan. I still think the Brian Logan take and Mike Haig take was really fun. So I'd probably stick with that. But yeah, I mean Sione was crazy good. as a pop quiz, what number did C on A wear in twenty fourteen? 'Cause I know it. Josh Crowley: Shoot I'm I'm I'm not gonna get there. Nate Crowley: fifty three. Josh Crowley: That's hilarious. Anyway, definitely appreciated the the interaction and I mean Nate Crowley: Yeah. Josh Crowley: we fully intend on giving you takes that people are gonna Nate Crowley: yeah. Josh Crowley: think we're totally wrong about and so any and all response we welcome for sure. I'm coming at you from the Ohio. There's a little DNC reference for you, which by the way, on the way here I was thinking about that. The Ohio, very LDS reference, but then the Ohio State. I'm like, wait, that's Nate Crowley: That's where I thought you were going. Josh Crowley: kind of a that's kind of a weird like thing that they go by the Ohio State and the in the Doctrine and Covenants it's the Ohio. Anyway, kind of Nate Crowley: I I I say let's just start the rumor. Let's just say that the Ohio State stole it from the Mormons. Josh Crowley: Yeah, let's yeah, let's just get let's just get it going. Anyway, so yeah, I flew here this morning. Nate in the last year or so. You have been spending a lot more time on airplanes. you might say that we've been flying around. but that being said, that's kind of where we're gonna start our our first long segment today is Coach Speak and how it's the worst, and some examples of it and how it affects our overall pre-season and then into season experience. Nate's prepared some of the more egregious recent examples of coach speak, which I don't think any of these are gonna be flying around, but that does kind of in and of itself Nate Crowley: Yeah, yeah. Josh Crowley: encapsulate the the annoyance that we feel. Nate Crowley: Yeah, so I would just add to that, I find it frustrating as a fan that my interaction with the team obviously is going watching games, participating as a fan. That's how I participate. But other than that, the other six days of the week when I'm trying to feed my addiction to BYU football, this is the Josh Crowley: Ha ha Nate Crowley: most important part of getting information and so I find it frustrating when we hear just like the most generic guys are flying around, yep, or a little bit banged up. It's like, okay, like, what's that mean? Yeah, we're bruised, you know, guys are hurting, but like they're gonna be okay. we have on one end we have compartment syndrome, getting your legs sliced open Sione Moa a year ago, down to a quarter size bruise. You know what I mean? So I just that's one minute example I'll get into the quotes that particularly with this twenty twenty six team going back to last year have been really frustrating to me as as a fan as I listen to some of the coach speak. for context, this was the interview that A Rod gave last year at the end of fall camp announcing who the quarterback was. So he says it's Bear and then this is the question and answer. The question was, how much of the playbook are you guys going to throw at Bear in game one? Or is it gonna be a conservative with a true freshman? A Rod's answer. We're not gonna go out there and be conservative at all. We want to attack and throw the ball down the field and have a physical run game. Okay, so we walked into Portland State last year going, Okay, this guy won the job, this freshman, this is crazy, where's forty seven, holy cow, he's gonna chuck the rock. Okay, fast forward a handful of weeks. This is going into the Colorado game. So this is about game four, I wanna say what Colorado was game four. This is Arod's quote. I think it's been a factor in our passing game opened up last game. You know, the first two games we really didn't need to throw. We didn't even really try. And in this last game, we knew we were going to need to throw to win. And it's gonna get harder from now on. So you're gonna see the passing game to kinu continue to be a factor. Okay. So let's just call it what it is. You lied. You lied at the end of fall camp in saying that we're not gonna be conservative at all. Fast forward three weeks and you're like, Yeah, we actually didn't even try to throw the ball the first two games if I'm gonna be this critical, I should probably give an alternative answer for him. And I think it's okay to just say, Yeah, we have a game plan in set, you know, we're gonna we're gonna figure this out as we go. there's no accountability. That's really what this is, is that there's no accountability after the fact And so let and then let me conclude, Your Honor, as I go to my last quote. So this is Fall camp this year, right be this was like last week, this quote from from Arod. He says, Yeah, I mean last summer he was a smart guy, but he was drinking through a fire hose, and so were the coaches. We were meeting with him all summer trying to get him ready, and you know, this year he had a full year in the weight room, he's changed his body, he's had a full year to get reps with our players. So it's like again, you just proved yourself wrong from a year ago. And again, I I it's obviously me being critical of the coach speak, but it is easily my top pet peeve for me as a BYU football fan. And I'm sure other teams experience this too. Like I can't imagine being a Utah fan with Kyle Whittingham for the last twenty years. That guy was the worst at giving any sort of insight at all to media personnel. So it could be worse. anyway, so there's the dudes flying around, the fake injury reports, the the you know, the half truths that are being told. And again We're probably not gonna get into this today, but how Kalani's handling all this Brian Santiago stuff, right? There's just some stuff about how the media is handled that just kills me. Kills as a fan. Josh Crowley: Yeah, and I think we certainly understand that you're not gonna get up there and just be like, Let me just pull back the curtain and tell you everything about strategy, everything that we're doing, everything that we're seeing our players struggle with. Like obviously that's not in your best interest, but it's just it's frustrating when it feels like falsehoods are being presented, and then as fans I'm believing everything you're saying and it's then affecting my expectations and I feel like expectations are everything in fanhood. Now you're on the the train of it's hype season, you gas your team up, from a fan's perspective that it's like we have every right to believe that we're gonna go undefeated. And it is silliness to hold back your hype. Like just just be all in on your team. And I love that about you and I try to apply that, but let me now set the scene for why, for me in particular, it is so difficult for me to achieve said levels of hype that you were spared because of your righteousness as a missionary. So the the I'll set the scene. It's twenty seventeen. just Personally, and then I'll I'll get into the football. I'm married. Nate has left a service mission in January of twenty seventeen. I become a dad in March. you know, awesome time of life in many ways, but also super stressful, super hard. My wife and I were doing the high five on our you know, seeing each other as one gets home and the other one goes to work or class. And so it was just it was busy, it was difficult. I was really looking forward to football season because as a football team we were coming off nine and four season in Kalani's first year. and those four losses in twenty sixteen, if you remember, were by a combined eight points total. Ty Debmer is our offensive coordinator. It's his second season. Tanner Mangum, obviously in twenty fifteen, had come in in relief of Taysom with season ending injury in game one. had a very good freshman campaign, all things considered, certainly not perfect. The beginning of that season started super magically. The impression of Tanner is that he's much more pass oriented and sort of cerebral and less of the just like I'm gonna take off and truck you on my way to the end zone of Taysom. so just tons of excitement that Tanner has been learning from Ty Detmer, Heisman Trophy winning quarterback for a season. He's coming in. He's just gonna carve defenses up. there was some real hype about some speed on the edges. in addition to coach speak that only added fuel to that fire, the media was also really pouring on. I I referenced this last week very briefly with Greg Rebel. I actually re-watched an interview that he did on BYU Sports Nation. In anticipation of that season, where the question posed to him was something like if you could guarantee a win against Wisconsin or a win against LSU, which one are you picking? And he argues that he just doesn't see any reason why we wouldn't have to pick and that going two and in those games is totally within the realm of possibility given this roster. Well For those of you who are BYU fans, maybe maybe you've blocked it out effectively, and if so, send me your methods. the only four wins that season end up being Portland State, San Jose State, Fresno State, and Hawaii. and after the Portland State game, which we Nate Crowley: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. You're wrong about that. I wasn't even here. U and L V's on there. Josh Crowley: Sorry, we lost to Fresno, UNLV, yes. So San yes, Portland State, San Jose State, UNL V and Hawaii. We lost to Fresno State. Thank you, Nate. You weren't even here. Nate Crowley: You wanna know how I remember that? I have to correct I have to correct you because I remember you emailing me and saying, listen dude, we beat you in LV and I can't believe I'm hyping up a win. at UNLV but I'm telling you this season has been so bad that this game against UNLV feels like a godsend and I was like my gosh we must be in some dire streets if a win against UNLV Josh Crowley: it was and and you know, the so you know, we beat Portland State, who's an FCS team, And then we went on a seven game losing streak and then finished three and two, I guess, to Nate Crowley: Yeah. Josh Crowley: finish the year. Our our other three wins came in the last five games. Anyway, it reached like rock bottom with a home loss to UMass, who was and is one of the all time worst football programs ever. And they came into promo and beat us. since that time I I mean Like my heart just was blasted into a million pieces in twenty seventeen. It was it was so painful. We had every type of loss. We had absolutely no chance losses. We had heartbreakers, we had everything in between, injuries, galore. It was so bad. And so ever since then, every season I approach with Still feeling all of the hype, but always having to ask myself, what might we be missing? How could this potentially be like 2017? And so we have decided to do a segment that we're calling It'll Be Because. So to start us off, Nate is going to present, based on what we know about this 2026 football team, if things went off the rails if we lost a bunch of games it'll be because fill in the the the gaps for us Nate like what what would be the most likely explanation that would lead to twenty twenty six going off the rails? Nate Crowley: Okay. So the first thing and this I won't spend too much time on this, but it's injuries. Right? That's like the most obvious not fun answer. But I guess, like any football team, yeah, if out of our twenty two starters, eight of them go down in the first three weeks. Okay, well then yeah, you know. So I'm not gonna spend too much time on that. I am such a believer in momentum when it comes to sports. So similar to the twenty seventeen season, I think that that snowball just rolls, right? And it's just like you lose, you get smashed by LSU in game two, don't even cross the fifty, and it felt like that snowball momentum just went and went and turned into seven games in a row that you lost. Similarly, twenty twenty four to twenty you know, to now Twenty three games, right? Like you just win games So I lead with that because I think there is a scenario where BYU loses to Arizona in whatever fashion, right? And it's like, ooh, okay, dang, like that and then we play Colorado State. I haven't done bunch research on Colorado State up to this point, what they're bringing to the table this year, but I don't Foresee us losing that game in almost any scenario. But then you move into the regular Big 12 schedule, and you've got at TCU, shortly after that, you play Notre Dame. And I'm like, I think if you are stumbling to start off the season, right? And it's like you lose to Arizona at home, you lose at TCU, you're gonna show up to that Notre Dame game. you're probably not walking into that game feeling very good about your chances. So I think that's game six. So let's say you're three and three midway through the season, and I just think that that second half of the season, you're just you know, there's there's a weird game at UCF, you've got Utah on the road. ASU's kind of a wild card this year. We have them at home, but like they just had a weird year last year. And so who knows what they're gonna be. And regardless if it's ASU or not, it just seems like in the Big Twelve there's at least one to two teams every year that do really, really well that you weren't expecting to, and vice versa. So that's my number one, it'll be because. And it's just simply momentum. Number two, I'm kind of scared to say this out loud, but it's like the defense just sucks. And like I have full faith in K-pop. I think that he's great. And I'm anticipating that we've got the right pieces, both personnel, like players, and also coaching other coaching staff members to make sure that this defense is good. But man, there are some loose screws in those Papinga boys. I love them to death. But Josh Crowley: Ha ha ha. Nate Crowley: both between Brady and Kelly, I'm just like. man, they just are a little bit crazy. Just a little bit crazy. And I mean th this goes back to our coach speak comments just barely a mo the most recent interview from yesterday or two days ago. The question was given to Kelly, what has Brady told you? And Brady's advice to Kelly was just be yourself. And listen. That is like cute. And good self-affirmation that girls tell themselves in the mirror when they go to school. We cannot have that advice be given and him be like, yeah, I'm gonna be myself. Let's run the 335. Yeah, let's be myself. I love Bronco. I'm a Bronco's great. Let's do 10 yards of cushion Josh Crowley: Yeah. Nate Crowley: on our corners. But in all facets of life, but w specially when it comes to football and specifically college football in the NFL, there are dudes who are so prideful in their mindset, the way that they approach the game, the way that they think they should call a game, that they will they would rather lose in their style rather than try to adjust and just take facts for facts and say yeah. We're not doing that. That player's not playing. We're not running that system. I'm drinking the Kool-Aid right now, so it's really hard for me to convince myself that the defense is gonna be bad. Because I just have drank so much Kool-Aid that I am like, no, they're gonna be great But I guess there is a scenario where Kelly just is not a great play caller. I don't know like, you know, or and and again going back like there there's probably a mixture. It if this really truly goes poorly in twenty twenty six. It's gonna be a combo of some of these things that we're gonna talk about. And so again, I could see one of our two corners getting knocked out and, you know, Josh Crowley: Mm-hmm. Nate Crowley: Jordan Chris is playing corner and, you know, whoever else, I mean we could We don't not that I want this to happen, but we could lose a couple linebackers and still be amazing. So but my point is between some injuries and some play calling, Then there's something here, and we should probably spend more time talking about this at a later time, but another part of this recipe, if it goes bad, is the special teams probably are just horrific. And I don't think there's being enough talk about the concerns at special teams for us because it's like brand new coach, new long snapper, new punters, new kickers, new punt returners, kickoff returners. I mean this the Josh Crowley: Yeah, across the board. Nate Crowley: Yeah, it's a whitewash, right? So it's just like that that's a concern for me and I just think that we've seen in years past where when you cross the fifty and you're expecting to get into field goal range, if you're not feeling good about your kicker, it just really changes the way that you play the game and and similarly when you're trying to flip the field, you're like, Can we flip the field with the punt? Yeah, that that's also probably part of the recipe is that special teams, we all know, all football fans know, can win and losey games. So you gotta make sure those are dialed in. again, if it'll be because special teams was horrific. And then lastly, I just don't see this happening. I can't even say this. the offense is just like disorganized. Right. I guess the best way to put it is last year's offense. Based off of what we already recapped earlier about how it was pretty vanilla and held back for a good chunk of the first half of the season last year. Maybe that that was more the key to success and that when A-rod tries to unleash everything, it's a little bit too complex for whoever, for Bear, for the new receivers, the unproven receivers, I should say. maybe we're trying to force the ball into people's hands that it doesn't really need to be. We're not trying to run bear as much because we to keep him healthy and that actually ends up making him worse. Right? So like in the scenario that this goes bad, I just think that there has to be some level of disorganization with the offense. So anyway that was really hard for me to do because I'm drunk on the Kool-Aid, but that's where I'd see it. Josh Crowley: I'm I'm so proud of you. That was I could tell that that was like eating your own puke. and but I'm proud of you for going Nate Crowley: Mm-hmm. Josh Crowley: down this road with me. These are these a welcome to shower thoughts with Josh. That's really what we're doing here. But but the only other thing is like it occurred to me not too long ago that besides Sione Puha, every defensive position room is being led by a new coach this year. And I think that a lot has been made in the offseason about is Kelly Papinga gonna be a good DC. Is he capable of calling good plays? Is you know, and people have talked about Gary Anderson being in the room and the help that that is and, you know, Kalani obviously being a defen defensive guy and all of that, I absolutely agree, adds up to it seems really unlikely that K pop is not ready to be a defensive coordinator. Like it just doesn't feel like he's being asked to step into a role that is just so far beyond him. But what I don't think has gotten a lot of run is do we actually know especially on the back end in the safety and corners room, that our position coaches are totally ready for powerful level coaching on technique, on understanding the scheme Something just goes Nate Crowley: Sure. Josh Crowley: wrong in the back end. It takes too long to get it going. And then to your point, the momentum. the snowball starts rolling and it's really hard to stop. So I'm I'm with you in how like that just doesn't feel super likely to me. It feels like multiple bad things have to happen that aren't all super likely. it's just like kind of this worst case scenario of injury bug, negative momentum, you know, position coaches maybe not being ready. It's like it's gotta be all of these things combined to me because I I just don't feel like it's gonna be because we don't have talented players. I this is just the deepest and most talented roster and that's just kind of like fact. That doesn't feel like that's an opinion. It's like They have the measurables, they have the tape, they have the ratings, like we have the development program in place that we know works. I just don't see any reason why the personnel is not capable of winning games. Plus they know how to win. Right? Like that's the other thing is they've they've we've won a ton of games over the last two years. So anyway, we're belaboring this point, and we ought not to, because that's not what people came here for. So Now let me put my Nate hat on and give you the if things go unbelievably well, and I'm I'm thinking of this like potentially undefeated regular season, maybe one loss, winning the conference, going to the playoff, and then I'm even gonna throw in maybe a playoff win. So it'll be because what went well, you know, and I mean It kind of sounds silly because a lot of this is just regular football, like every team needs to do these things, right? So staying healthy. my order of like positions we need to stay healthy the most goes corner, I think quarterback and then running back. I actually have a lot of faith in Tracen, if I'm being honest. and so quarterback running back could be flip flop. To me, corner is where I really feel concerned that after those top two guys there's a step that Nate Crowley: Totally. Josh Crowley: that the the level goes down if those three positions specifically have remarkable health through the year, The passing game takes a step up, which it was not bad last year. But I think if we see sort of a a Max Hall-esque progression in Bear of being surgical, knowing where his guys are gonna be, having those safety blankets at tight end that just are always in the right soft spots in zone coverage, and it's just like just move the ball down the field, then that sets up LJ to go crazy because they're gonna have to back off and and account for Bear. And I think Bear's deep ball especially. He needs to prove that he can throw a deep Nate Crowley: Yeah. Josh Crowley: ball in the bucket on the money. and then defensively, really to me, it's pretty simple. It's that our position coaches are just as good as we hope they are they're all on the same page. The defensive line is dominant and getting, you know, some some knockback, consistent pressure. linebackers plug holes in the run game. and then just nothing too weird from K-pop. And that's my whole list. Nate Crowley: Yeah. Josh Crowley: Like I just don't think that we need that many crazy things to happen to go on a really nice run. I really don't. Like I just feel like the the continuity that we kept, you know, the leadership of Kalani, the culture of this team And the talent, like, I just don't see any reason why things couldn't go really, really well. Now, probably, and I guess this is where we sort of land the plane. So, you know, we had the plane wreck and then we had the to the moon rocket, like, where does it actually meet in the middle? I mean, probably we end up losing a game that right now we'd be bummed to find out that we're gonna lose. Or maybe two, you know, maybe we drop Notre Dame and and a game in conference, whether that's TCU, maybe ASU does turn out to be really great. I refuse to believe that it's Utah. that's probably where we end up landing. Nate Crowley: No, we will not discuss such things on this podcast. Josh Crowley: No, certainly not. So I don't know. I mean, would you agree that that's probably where we end up landing? Nate Crowley: Yeah, I'd I'd I'd add to that. Yeah, I'd say so going back to your what positions need to stay the most healthy. Again, it's going back to last year when LJ got hurt against Iowa State, that's game seven, I wanna say. Game seven or eight is Iowa State. And Josh Crowley: I think it's eight, yeah, 'cause seven and was w where we were at after Utah and then we go to Iowa State. Yeah. Nate Crowley: Okay, okay. So When he went down and we'd already lost Cion A, right, then the running back room got super thin. And so I think that they've bolstered it quite a bit this off season. I think that if LJ goes down, you still have enough dudes that can tote the ball that you feel confident in. and then like I'm with you, if Bear goes down at some point this season, he's a physical dude, loves to run the ball, doesn't play like Taysom, but has I would say similarities to the I don't slide I just run dudes over kind of mentality. If that happens, I do think Tracen can win you certain games. Again, I don't think we want his first game being at TCU or Notre Dame or at Utah, right? His first BYU start. But I you know, with those exceptions, I think that he probably can win you games. Honestly, I really do. I've been this is going back two or three years now. I've been really high on Trayson for a long time this will tell you how high it was. I wanted him over Gary Bohanan and Jake Retzlaff going into the twenty twenty four season. So I'm really high on Trayson. The where the lane where the plane lands, yeah, it probably is gonna be a loss in conference at some point. and preferably not Arizona, again, just because of the momentum thing. Josh Crowley: I totally agree. So let's let's transition I thought that it would be interesting to compare each of our individual top five lists of the worst that we've ever felt as a BYU fan and the best that we've ever felt as a BOU fan. I was thinking of it as like that I personally experienced. I'm thinking of like what was the worst that I've ever felt as a BYU fan and what's the best that I've ever felt as a BYU fan. I'm actually so excited to go through these because I'm super curious how similar ours are and mine definitely has a theme. I I'm guessing yours does too, but we'll see. So I think we're going five to one and we're gonna start on worst so we can finish with best. And we'll maybe just cruise through the worst so that we don't have to like have that nasty taste in our mouths for too long. so Nate, why don't you start us off with your fifth the fifth worst moment in your BYU fandom. Nate Crowley: Yeah, so let me just clarify. So number one on the worst list is the absolute worst that I felt. Alright, okay. That's what that's how I ranked it. But I just wanted to clarify. Okay. This sucked, dude. This literally sucked so bad. Putting this list Josh Crowley: It's the worst. Nate Crowley: together. Okay. At number five, losing to Utah State in twenty ten. Now, that game All I remember, I was in seventh grade. It was on a Friday night. I remember waking up Saturday morning and going, my gosh, we lost to Utah State last night. Like I could not believe it. It was the worst. That's the Jakeeeps. It was 24-3 at halftime in that game. It was miserable. Josh Crowley: So my five, Hawaii 2001. So, Nate Crowley: Mm. Josh Crowley: you know, we're just trending up and up and up and up. Luke busts his leg. And I'm pretty sure Hawaii just scored again on us. Yep, I just confirmed right now. They just scored again. They just kept scoring and they have still been scoring for the last twenty five years. I swear to you, That was as a I was nine years old, that was like that was my baptism into BYU football was the two thousand one season and for it to come crashing down after such great heights was super painful. So yeah. Nate Crowley: That is rough. Number four, same season for me, losing to Utah in 2010. That one still burns for Josh Crowley: Ooh. Nate Crowley: so many reasons. for those that don't recall, because we're such super fans, I sometimes wonder if anybody else remembers it off the top of their head. Josh Crowley: I know if it's like triggering. Nate Crowley: that's Jake's also freshman year. It's at Utah. For the first time in the series, BYU's wearing all white uniforms. And Brendan Bradley picks off Jordan Wynne. Gets tackled, he's in a weird position, but he's kind of one knee up, one knee down. I think it was Shaky Smithson for Utah, rips the ball out, and they say that Utah gets the ball back. And then to rip our hearts out further, that's not how we lost the game. We lose the game by running the ball up three times with Brian Korea up the middle. when we're in field goal range and the field goal gets blocked on fourth down and we lose. So yeah. That one hurts. Josh Crowley: Yeah. Brandon Bradley's knee is definitely down Yeah, that one's terrible. my girlfriend broke up with me that week. so that was Nate Crowley: Ho ho ho ho ho. Josh Crowley: like just before that game, like two days before that game. anyway, that yeah, that was terrible. I mean, thrilled now, sweetheart, by the way. Like absolutely came out the better for that, but that was a bad week for me. Okay, my number four, I already referenced it earlier of losing to UMass at home in twenty seventeen. It was Nate Crowley: Hmm. Josh Crowley: not much else needs to be said about that. It just felt like the low point of that season. So Nate Crowley: Yeah. Okay, Josh Crowley: Number three. Nate Crowley: number three, losing to Nevada in twenty fourteen. That one is rough because it's like post Taysom Hill's injury. Christian Stewart's come in, and we give up twenty two points in the fourth quarter to lose that game. So Josh Crowley: That's right. I was on the front row. Were you with me? Nate Crowley: I was with you. Josh Crowley: That's right. We were on the front row for that game. That was terrible. my number three is twenty fifteen Las Vegas Bowl. We were also Nate Crowley: Okay. Josh Crowley: at that game together. My wife sent us as a Christmas gift. And we go down thirty five nothing in about eight or nine minutes into the game. I believe it still holds records. in that moment, being down thirty-five to zero, having driven down on a college budget to go and see us play, that that it's kind of surprising it's only my number three. It tells you how bad my number one and number two are. that that's only my third worst that I've ever felt, because that was pretty bad. Nate Crowley: Yeah. Okay, for number two for me this hurts. Brandon Davies, two thousand eleven. Getting kick getting kicked off the basketball team for breaking the honor code. my goodness. We'll at some point we will have a what if BYU sports episode. Josh Crowley: That's in serious contention for the biggest what if in history. Yeah. Oof. Nate Crowley: Yeah. Not much needs to be said up. It hurts. Josh Crowley: It just hurts. That was yeah, again, freshman year. all Nate Crowley: Mm. Josh Crowley: right, my number two again, I it's crazy that you two of my five worst moments, you had the blessing of missionary work to get to avoid, but Nate Crowley: Mm-hmm. Josh Crowley: squandering a twenty to zero and twenty-seven to seven lead against Utah, Zach Wilson looking like just the hero that we needed and starting that game in a way that was just like, my gosh, it's it's over. Finally. And then just I mean it it was just the slowest like agony to watch play out. It it hurt so bad. That one was terrible. I don't know why we're doing this. Okay, go ahead. Nate Crowley: Yeah. And I can guarantee you and I have the same number one so we can talk about it together, which is the twenty sixteen loss to Utah and the failed Josh Crowley: Failed two point conversion. Nate Crowley: two point conversion by Taysom Hill and we will go in depth about this at a different different point, but it is the worst play call, arguably, in BOA football history. I Love Taysom. Josh Crowley: Ugh. Nate Crowley: We'll always cheer for Taysom. I don't know if I can forgive him because in my opinion, this is Nate Crowley's opinion. I'm pretty sure he's the one that called the play. So I want to not forgive him for that. And yeah, that one hurts. So Josh Crowley: Well, that one hurts on so many levels. when he scores the touchdown, it is like it is written in the freaking stars because it is righting Nate Crowley: Mm-hmm. Josh Crowley: the wrongs of twenty thirteen. at where he faced the exact same scenario, but this time he overcomes it. He gets us into the end zone. It's been such a hard fought battle. And you're just like, we're gonna freaking do it. Like this is this is an actual movie. And the movie's gonna be incredible and it's gonna end the right way. And then it's just like the rug just yanked out. my gosh. I it funny story about that that's so That was actually my wife's first Utah game that she watched because we were married in twenty fourteen at the end of twenty fourteen. Then we watched that game together in twenty sixteen. There's something about the Crowley boys It's the moment that you have to face the world outside after a Utah loss that is actually the worst part. It's it's realizing that you now have to live in a world where Utah beat us. That is the worst part of the whole experience. And I'll never forget you asking if you could just stay in the hotel room, sleep on the couch, and my wife, Kendra, Nate Crowley: Didn't remember Josh Crowley: Just being like, No, what? Like go back to your apartment. And I'm like trying to explain to her, like, no, you don't understand. I can't make him face the world outside this room right now. And so I'm pretty sure you did. I'm pretty sure you slept on the couch Nate Crowley: that's amazing. Josh Crowley: that night as I recall. That is hands down the worst. So let's erase all of that and let's move to greener pastures and our Nate Crowley: Yeah. Josh Crowley: top five best moments in VOU football history. Nate Crowley: Okay. Josh Crowley: my two honorable mentions, the way that the twenty fifteen season opened, the back to back Hail Marys, but very specifically the the Boise State field rush, the way that game ended, and just it was just euphoric. Like the way that we beat Nebraska, then beat Boise State, it was awesome. And then my other honorable mention Which is kind of crazy, this is only number six for me, is fourth and eighteen, two thousand seven, beating Nate Crowley: Well Josh Crowley: Utah Max Hall, his first his first dub against the Utes. I was there. rushed the field that time too. That was phenomenal. But getting to my number five, and maybe there's a little recency bias here, but Parker Kingston punching it in the end zone after the targeting penalty last year against Utah. I was so fired up about just the like the righteous indignation, like just the judgment, things being right in the universe by Parker Keys and getting in the end zone after Bear gets absolutely blasted after the play with the targeting. That felt really good. I was I Nate Crowley: Nice. Josh Crowley: was really happy on that play. Nate Crowley: Nice. I I'm surprised. I don't have any honorable mentions, so I'll just go to my number five. Mine's beating Oklahoma in two thousand nine. That's my five. I mean I just feel like again, I think that there's the s gratification early in the season because you waited all off season and specifically that year going into Max's senior year. The whole thing, the dramatic ending, beating by one point, all that stuff. It was just yeah, that was pretty awesome. Josh Crowley: That was amazing. all right, my number four, I've got 2009, same season, Hall to George, beat the Utes in overtime. I was also there for that. yeah, obviously coming off of the 2008 loss to them That's that's a sweet one. That's a sweet victory. Nate Crowley: Yeah. That's awesome. That's it's not in my list, shockingly. so my number four is your honorable mention, the twenty fifteen start to the season. I I just think Josh Crowley: Okay. Nate Crowley: that I I think it's also just the time period of life for me is my senior year of high school. before that last drive, I remember saying I mean, we just need a miracle. And like I think I texted it into our chat or something. And then sure enough, the catch and I catches it. I waited and waited and waited till the ref's hands went up, I ran out of the house and sprinted circles like around our house, just screaming off the top of my lungs that we he caught it. So anyway, there you go. Josh Crowley: Yeah, that's that's a great one. All right, my number three, which I think this is gonna come as a surprise to you, two thousand six, Speck to Harleen. Nate Crowley: Whoa. Josh Crowley: yeah. I mean I obviously that's one of the all-time greats. It might be the all-time great play in BYU football history. but the way that I experienced my top two trumps trumps it just barely, but I remember I actually jumped up in our basement, our parents basement, and crushed my knuckles on the ceiling when he catches that ball. it's the best. Nate Crowley: It's the best. Okay. my three, which I think is surprising to you, is breaking the streak against Utah in twenty twenty one. I know. I know, dude. Josh Crowley: You're kidding. wow. Nate Crowley: And but this i th I make this list based off of my feelings at the time. And and Josh Crowley: Right. Yep. Yep. Actually, yeah. Yeah. Nate Crowley: so I I again I was elated. I think the best moment for any Buddy who's as sick and twisted as we are. Go back and watch when Charlie Brewer, peace be upon him, holy smokes, when he overthrows Brit and Covey. You hear Josh Crowley: Mm. Nate Crowley: the crowd say yes. I'm not kidding. If you listen for the word yes, Josh Crowley: I know. I have the video. Nate Crowley: everybody says yes, like in unison, like it was choreographed. Anyway, that's that's an amazing moment. one but again a just strict emotions. I have two others. Josh Crowley: Yeah, I'm super curious now, for your top two. So my number two, two thousand eleven Gimmer Mania, Nate Crowley: Mm. Josh Crowley: encapsulated specifically by beating San Diego State at home. I was in the crowd, I'm like at mid court, like nine rows up. It's crazy that they were allowing like it just shows how far the demand for BOE basketball Nate Crowley: Yeah. Josh Crowley: has come. And that like that wave of Jim Romania just it happened so fast. It was like we knew he was good, obviously his junior year when he drops fifty or whatever it was, forty-nine, Nate Crowley: Forty nine. Josh Crowley: whatever it was on on Arizona. So it's like you know the dude can score, but I mean that tidal wave just happens so fast and all of a sudden, you know, it's camping out. I mean, I camped out in just frigid temperatures. Before camping out was a thing. and yeah, ended up on the ninth row with my buddy at mid court, watched that whole game. It was the loudest start to finish sporting event that I've ever ever attended. Obviously the fact that it's an indoor venue like affects that. But I mean it didn't even quiet down for timeouts. Like it was like we were basically on defense the entire game. It was so it was so magical. Nate Crowley: Yeah, well, so it's funny. So my number two is the Gonzaga game, Jimmer's senior year in the N C double A tournament. I just think that it was just the eclipsed moment of just like we we'd advanced, we beat Wafford in that first round and it was kind of an ugly game. Like Logan Magnuson is like kind of the hero of the Wafford game and you're just kinda like, What? Josh Crowley: Right. Nate Crowley: And then Jimmer just does his thing against the Zags and it was just like, man, that that just again sores with the Eagle's Nest. You know, Michael Scott. That's Josh Crowley: Mm-hmm. Nate Crowley: just so good. I can't can't express that one enough. So yeah, that one was dope. Josh Crowley: Cool. Well, I mean, my number one, you totally buried the lead on me, but you know, the that twenty twenty one, September eleventh, two thousand twenty-one, the heavens open and rain pours down and the drought ends literally and figuratively, and the crowd after the moment you referenced the yes, you know, overthrow and then the Crowd just spontaneously in unison, BYU, BYU. I Nate Crowley: dude. Josh Crowley: mean, it is like it gives me goosebumps to this day. I I rewatch that video regularly. My daughter is watching her dad who and she was she would have been four at the time. she could not understand what had possessed her father. I mean, I was completely out control. and she's like crying, but it's like d just the swell of like we've done it, we've done it at last. It took a haul to break the hall curse. And I just I would relive that day a hundred times over, and I would I would pray that Groundhog Day never ended. I just I love that moment. So Nate Crowley: Yeah. That's Josh Crowley: I cannot even fathom. What must be your number one? I can't wait to hear. Nate Crowley: Mine it's obvious for right. It's my baptism into BOE football. It's Beck to Harleen. I I just that Josh Crowley: Okay. Okay. Yeah. Nate Crowley: one is just so amazing. I again the hearing Josh Crowley: It is. Nate Crowley: John Beck talk about that play, about how he was realizing that he had rewatched the two thousand five game last play that he th you know, just kind of flofts it into the end zone from twenty yards away. To be in the same situation a year later and Josh Crowley: Yeah. Nate Crowley: to just do his thing. I will give my honorable mention because it came to my mind as you were talking about some of yours. Going twenty thirteen BYU at Utah State, and it's only 'cause the circumstances of which that game happened, Josh Crowley: Mm-hmm. Nate Crowley: we got I got invited by a Utah State booster who had fifty yard line seats. And I'm the only BYU fan on the whole drive up with his son in law and his grandson who's my age. They're talking all this crap about how Chuck E. Keane's gonna be amazing. And the first play of the game, Kyle Van Dooy, gets a pick six and runs it back. And like we just Josh Crowley: Noooo. Nate Crowley: s smashed that. And to end the story is the best part, they left me. I'm not kidding. They left me at the game. And I grabbed a ride home with some buddies that I knew were at the game. So Again, hilarious that that that was my honorable mentions just as a BYU fan. I was just so proud to be a BYU fan. Josh Crowley: Yeah, dude, fanhood, I mean, it's all about the ups and downs. You gotta ride with the team. Nate Crowley: Yeah yeah. Josh Crowley: If you don't if you if you're not there through the through the highs and the lows, man, then then you're missing the full experience and it's pain and Nate Crowley: Totally. Josh Crowley: it and I I've said it a million times, I wouldn't wish the way that I feel about BYU football on my worst enemy because it consumes me. But man Nate Crowley: Yeah. Josh Crowley: The fan life chose me, baby. The fan life freaking Nate Crowley: yeah. Josh Crowley: chose me. so I've got one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, eight of my I guess twelve with my honorable mentions are Utah related. And this is where Nate Crowley: Yeah. Josh Crowley: I just struggle so much with Spencer Linton trying so hard to convince the fan base to dream bigger than just the Holy War. And I'm like, the Holy War shaped me. The Holy War is Nate Crowley: yeah. Josh Crowley: who I am. And I can't care more about any other game. well that was a fun segment. We we probably went on a little bit too long, but let's let's wrap with our final segment. so some under the radar picks for this roster, one on offense, one on defense, somebody that not everybody knows about or is anticipating that you are most excited to see. this season. Nate Crowley: So for offense, I guess maybe a better way to say what I want is I'm cheering really hard for this guy. And I don't know why, but it's Tainakua. Like, I Josh Crowley: Mm. Nate Crowley: really, really want to see Tainakua. be a contributor contributor on this team Like we've heard guys talk about him He's amazing on the on the practice field and it sounds like he's been pretty injury labored, you know, throughout his career at Josh Crowley: Mm-hmm. Nate Crowley: BYU. I just would love to see, especially with the opportunity with that in that's in the wide receiver room, to see him get his own and I again, it's just the Nakua love. I mean I can't say enough good things about the Nakua boys, so I think that's why I feel that way. But that's like my under the radar who I just really want to see just do well. Josh Crowley: I love it. yeah, so my offensive pick, which I I just don't know if this is under the radar enough, so I do have like a secondary if you if you give me the the veto. Legend Glasker. I I Nate Crowley: Yeah. Josh Crowley: am just so excited for Legend Glasker. I think in my heart of hearts I'm overreacting to a couple of clips of him burning Evan Johnson. but man if those clips didn't get me feeling like this dude is the truth. so anyway, but I feel like he's gotten so much hype. So my other pick was actually Preston Rex. I kind of feel Nate Crowley: Okay, yeah. Josh Crowley: like he has, you know Because of the excitement about Devon Eka or Ika, I still don't have clarification on how he pronounces it. you know, even Journey Tonga has has benefited from some A Rod comments, But I have a sneaky suspicion he ends up with three hundred plus yards this season. you know, and and again I I hope that's not because of injury, but I think he's gonna contribute and I'm kind of excited about it. So those are my two offensive picks. Legend being the first one, but but Preston Rex. So my defensive pick, another freshman, Braxton Lindsay. Nate Crowley: Okay. Josh Crowley: The the glint in the eye of the coaches as they've talked about him, has just told me that like I think he's gonna be situational. I think it's gonna be like specific third down plays or, you know, times when they feel like his skill set is really gonna benefit the team. But I just I g I got this like this excitement gut feeling about Braxton Lindsay being kind of this guy that you know, we have all this experience and talent on the D line and that he is just so good that he has to be on the field at some time. So I'm excited about Braxton. Nate Crowley: Okay, my first one is more unrealistic, but Pearson Watson, I feel like again, Josh Crowley: Mm. Nate Crowley: similarly, like when you go into those deep cut interviews, some of those like stuff that's just by regular Joes on the street interviewing, you know, stuff like that, it's like, dude, everyone keeps talking about how great he is. I just don't think he's gonna see the field this year because we are like Josh Crowley: Yeah. Nate Crowley: seven or eight deep. honestly at linebacker so maybe he gets like a pick or something like that in the opening game when we are smashing Utah Tech. and then my second one is Canon DeVries. I don't know what it is, but I remember watching Josh Crowley: Mm. Nate Crowley: his highlight tape and just going, Holy smokes, like this kid is just one of those like athletes He reminds me of the the cold white boys on the Philadelphia Eagles. Like Cooper DeGene Josh Crowley: Mm. Nate Crowley: and Reed Blankenship. Like he just kinda has that swagger about him. And I anyway, I just am really pumped for him. And again, he was an all-purpose guy in high school. Like played wide receiver, punt return, kick return, defense, and was just out of this world. So and again, going back to your Preston Rex pick. I would probably pick Canon Devries and Preston Rex to be my top two picks for punt returner this year, and probably kick returner too. That's an exciting position for me. I think it's fun to watch those dudes out there, and especially someone like Preston Rex or like Canon Devries, where they might not be getting the ball that much to begin with. It's exciting to see them get the ball and and make a difference. So those are my deep cuts. Josh Crowley: Nice dude. I love it. some exciting up and comers or lesser known people and just like we're gonna have some of these like some of our top five best moments are gonna be replaced this year. I I firmly believe it. and like it's gonna be in the holy war. Let's just call it what it is. So Nate Crowley: yeah. Josh Crowley: anyway, can't wait. Next week, come back, we're gonna do some uniform talk. We've got some some hot takes about uniforms and we differ pretty strongly in our opinions. So I'll prove why I'm right about that. And then Nate Crowley: Ha ha. Josh Crowley: we're also gonna talk about the best way to watch BYU football. Is it in LES? Is it on the road? Is it at home alone? We'll we will discuss because again, I have got strong opinions, so Anyway, Cougar fans, thanks for tuning in. Super fun. Nate. Love you, bro. Yes, we'll Nate Crowley: Go kooks. Josh Crowley: send you out with a little Chase Roberts, baby. Nate Crowley: That's right. Boom boom.