BYU | Ben Maller

Jimmer wants to play for Knicks

BYU star Jimmer Fredette grew up a Knicks fan in Glens Falls, New York. Continue reading →

Read more: Odd Notes & Stuff, Knicks, Jazz, BYU

June 3, 2011, 9:25 am

BYU linebacker says attending USC was ‘immature’

Linebacker Uona Kaveinga regrets his decision to attend the University of Southern California out of high school. Continue reading…

Former NBA head coach to UNLV?

Reggie Theus didn’t last very long as head coach of the Sacramento Kings, he could soon get another chance. Continue reading…

Read more: NBA, College, SacKings, BYU, UNLV, StJohns

April 3, 2011, 7:19 pm

86% chance No. 1 seed reaches Final Four

Jimmer Fredette is expected to light things up for BYU in the NCAA Tournament. Continue reading…

Read more: College, funfacts, BigTen, Big12, BigEast, Duke, BYU, Jimmer, Hampton

March 16, 2011, 9:07 am

Jimmer Fredette wants to play for Knicks?

BYU star Jimmer Fredette made a contract in marker as a child that said he would do what it takes to reach his goal of playing in the NBA. Continue reading…

Read more: NBA, College, Knicks, BYU, Jimmer

March 15, 2011, 10:04 am

50% chance No. 1 seed wins NCAA Tournament

The four No. 1 seeds in the 2011 NCAA Tournament (Ohio State, Duke, Kansas, Pittsburgh) have almost exactly a 50% chance to win. Continue reading…

March 14, 2011, 6:08 am

Jimmer Fredette gets BYU first network TV game in 22 years

CBS Sports is showing No. 7 BYU at No. 4 San Diego State this weekend, its all because of Jimmer Fredette. Continue reading…

Read more: Odd Notes & Stuff, College, TV, CBS, BYU, Jimmer

February 25, 2011, 9:14 am

BCS 2012 National Championship Odds

Odds to win the 2012 BCS National Championship

Oklahoma 7/2

Alabama 15/2

Florida State 10/1

Boise State 12/1

LSU 12/1

Oregon 14/1

Florida 15/1

Where is your school listed? CLICK HERE for the rest of the 2012 BCS National Championship odds

January 13, 2011, 6:16 pm

Duke, Ohio State lead NCAA Men’s Hoops odds

Odds to Win the 2010-11 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship
Duke                             11/4
Ohio State                     11/2
Kansas                         7/1
Michigan State              12/1
Pittsburgh                     18/1
Kansas State                20/1
Kentucky                      20/1
Syracuse                      20/1
Continue reading →

December 16, 2010, 8:47 pm

BYU’s Bronco Mendenhall gets vote of confidence

Athletic director Tom Holmoe is unflaggingly optimistic about both the immediate and long-term future of BYU football. “I believe in this program, and I believe in Bronco Mendenhall,” he told the Deseret News this week. “Where we are, neither Bronco nor I would want to be in this position. But we both like the prospects of the future. I like the prospects for the rest of this season.” — Deseret News

BYU to change schedule when playing Hawaii

BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe on playing 13 games in years they travel to Hawaii: “There are factors that will determine if we will do that. If we end up traveling thousands and thousands of miles, it might not be in the best interest of this team, in that year, to have to travel so much. Getting the 13th game is just kind of a thing to offset funds. For us, it might be better to not play that 13th game and stay healthy, and not travel around the country as much.” — Salt Lake Tribune

Alabama ranked 116th in key defensive category

Alabama is ranked No. 1 overall in the polls, despite a team defense that is tied for 116th in the country in “Tackles for Loss.” The Crimson Tied have just 12 of these so far this season, tied with Bowling Green, BYU and Ball St. (3-9 combined record). Only 0-3 New Mexico State has fewer tackles for a loss this season in the Football Bowl Subdivision. – NCAA

Read more: College, SEC, Alabama, BYU, NewMexicoState, BallState, BowlingGreen

September 27, 2010, 5:19 am

Pac-10 under .500 against Mountain West since ’08

The Pac-10′s performance against BYU’s soon-to-be-former conference, the neighboring Mountain West, continues to confound. Since 2008, Pac-10 teams stand 6-10 against the MWC after going 1-for-3 Saturday. Besides the Washington-BYU loss was Oregon State’s loss to Texas Christian.
Since 2006, Oregon State is now 4-7 against significant non-conference competition after Saturday’s loss to TCU. The victories were mostly close, while the losses included blowouts to Boise State, Cincinnati, Penn State and BYU. — Wall Street Journal

Read more: College, Pac10, BYU, TCU, MWC, Washington, Oregonstate

September 6, 2010, 2:40 am

BYU-WAC plans collapsed

Known as “The Project,” the plan that Utah State University President Stan Albrecht masterminded with WAC Commissioner Karl Benson, BYU President Cecil Samuelson and Welty would also have guaranteed football games against BYU — always a big draw — for the WAC’s top teams. But it came crashing down on Aug. 18, leaving Benson to lament in an e-mail to remaining WAC presidents, “this has been a very emotional day for me — both on the professional and personal side.” Documents and e-mail correspondence between the parties, obtained by The Tribune from USU through an open records request, show how close the plan came to being finalized; how MWC Commissioner Craig Thompson’s last-minute wheeling and dealing scuttled it; how television sports giant ESPN was involved from the beginning; and how desperately USU wanted instate rival BYU to declare its independence in football and join its conference in everything else. The e-mails also show that WAC and USU officials believe Thompson hastily invited Nevada and Fresno State as a pre-emptive strike to weaken the WAC within days of learning BYU was planning to leave. — Salt Lake Tribune

ESPN behind BYU’s move to independence

ESPN’s Dave Brown, one of the most talented game/team brokers in sports for the World Wide Leader, spoke with authority and enthusiasm and he was immaculately dressed, like a high-powered TV mogul. Brown sold BYU football like it was ruby in its regal crown He couldn’t cite all the ratings on the spot, but said last year’s BYU-Oklahoma game ranked No. 9 in the rating season, going up against Virginia Tech-Alabama. “BYU always rates great for us,” Brown said. “The Miami game back in the ’90s with Ty Detmer did a six rating for us, and the Holiday Bowl games in the ’80s did a much higher rating than ESPN had in the regular season.” Brown said ESPN could pull together games for the Cougars in football and basketball. He refuted the idea that ESPN could take a former broker role to get BYU a BCS slot. He said nothing about unofficial ESPN hierarchy old boy’s talk at summer cruises and golf outings with the bigwigs of the Big 12, Big Ten and SEC. Neither BYU nor Brown talked money figures, but the Oklahoma-BYU game brought the Cougars just over a million dollars. One can guess BYU’s future home football games with ESPN (seven to eight a year) will be in the $700,000 to $1.2 million range apiece, with the Notre Dame and Texas games on the high end. Then there are ESPN broadcasts of BYU home basketball games. You do the math. — Deseret News

SDSU coach says BYU won’t be on future schedule

Now that Brigham Young University has announced it will leave the Mountain West Conference, don’t expect to see the Cougars on any of San Diego State’s future football schedules. “I don’t think we’ll have them on our schedule, no,” SDSU head coach Brady Hoke said. Similarly, Wyoming Athletic Director Tom Burman told the Casper Star-Tribune he had “no desire” to play BYU after the Cougars leave the MWC in 2011. BYU announced Tuesday it would turn independent in football and play in the West Coast Conference in other sports. Without a conference to play in, scheduling might not be easy for the Cougars, who had played eight MWC opponents each season automatically. — San Diego Union-Tribune

BYU football could have series with Notre Dame?

Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick did acknowledge that an independent BYU would provide a strong option for future November schedules, when many schools are restricted by conference affiliation. BYU would be college football’s fourth independent, joining Notre Dame, Army and Navy. “Even prior to this announcement, we were talking to them about doing some games,” Swarbrick said of BYU. When asked if the Cougars could be the final piece to the 2011 scheduling puzzle, Swarbrick responded, “I don’t have it in front of me.” Notre Dame and BYU have met six times in football (1992-94, 2003-05) – four times in South Bend and twice in Provo, Utah. The Irish hold a 4-2 edge in the series. — South Bend Tribune

Source: BYU moving away from WAC

As the window further closes, it increasingly appears the Western Athletic Conference is not in Brigham Young University’s plans as school officials sort out their options for going independent in football and placing BYU’s other sports in another league. Sources in Logan familiar with the situation told The Tribune on Monday it appeared the Cougars were now looking elsewhere for a nonfootball affiliation. That could mean the West Coast Conference — an eight-school league composed of private, faith-based institutions — is now BYU’s destination for its other sports. Utah State, which as of two weeks ago was closely tied to BYU’s plans, expects details about BYU’s intentions of becoming an independent in football to be announced today. BYU must give the Mountain West Conference notice of its intention to leave by Wednesday. — Salt Lake Tribune

Source: BYU will remain in Mountain West

The Mountain West Conference-BYU impasse could be resolved as soon as today, numerous sources said Wednesday, with all indications that the Cougars will remain in the MWC. The Provo, Utah, school doesn’t have many alternatives since the Mountain West pulled the rug from under the Western Athletic Conference by raiding Fresno State and Nevada. BYU was contemplating going to the WAC in all sports except football and becoming an independent in football but playing a handful of WAC opponents. BYU has made no secret it wants greater freedom to broadcast its games over its network, BYU-TV. Unlike the proposed University of Texas network, BYU-TV isn’t a cash cow but a vehicle for spreading the Mormon faith. — Denver Post

Fresno State’s $5 million fee hinges on BYU’s next move

Fresno State could be off the hook for a $5 million penalty for leaving the Western Athletic Conference if the WAC can’t salvage its deal to add Brigham Young in the next week.
According to an agreement signed by WAC members and obtained by two Utah newspapers, the exit fee could be nullified if BYU does not join the WAC by Sept. 1.
Officials at BYU have remained mum since acknowledging last week that the school was considering going independent in football and shopping for a new conference. It currently plays all sports in the Mountain West. — Fresno Bee

Read more: College, BYU, WAC, FresnoState

August 26, 2010, 7:12 am

BYU hoping Big 12 will call?

BYU’s best-case scenario is for the Big 12 to expand and call the Cougars. But even then, BYU would need the fit to be right (no Sunday play, use of BYU-TV). BYU’s mission, the bigger picture demanded by its sponsoring religion, dictates the facilities on campus receive significant usage. The Big 12 is an ESPN conference and it understands the need for a presence in the West since ESPN’s WAC is now injured, Colorado is gone, and competitively the Pac-10 might be headed for a renewal with rival Fox. The second-best scenario is for BYU to go independent, and make it work. That means finding a solid landing spot in a reorganized WAC or another “concession-giving” conference that allows a similar deal for BYU’s non-football sports. This gives BYU an opportunity to partner with ESPN and use its new studios to broadcast sporting events. If BYU has gone a few steps down the road with ESPN, it is a partner you do not walk away from. ESPN has the ability to walk into the BCS boardroom, open a brief case and change the climate instantly. Same with bowl games and schedules. The third-best situation, in my opinion, is for a “concession-giving” MWC to re-work the TV contract to allow the only team in the league with the capability of creating and using a facility like this one the right to do so; a net gain of exposure for both. If this goes forward and if BYU can influence the agenda, it should insist Utah State become a 12th member. – Deseret News

BYU’s AD says rivalry game will continue

Athletic directors Chris Hill from the University of Utah and Tom Holmoe from Brigham Young University talked of keeping the BYU-Utah football game going as they battled at the Deseret First Duel golf tournament Wednesday afternoon. “I think that the rivalry game will be played. We are going to keep playing,” Holmoe said. “Chris and I have talked about it, I’ve talked to Coach Mendenhall, and I am sure that he’s talked to Coach Whittingham.” Speaking of the heated discussions that took place after Utah announced it will switch conferences in 2011, Holmoe said, “Except for the first day or two when … people were just talking crazy, cooler minds said, ‘This is something that is too special to just throw it away.’” Holmoe said he hopes the date for the 2011 rivalry game will be decided in the next two to three weeks. — KSL

BYU won’t name Jake Heaps as starter?

As good as Jake Heaps is, I can’t see BYU naming him as the starter for the opener against Washington. I’m betting the Cougars will start the season with Riley Nelson and let Heaps see some action along the way. Because Heaps is the quarterback of the future, he shouldn’t be thrown into the fire immediately. Why run the risk of letting him get beat up and perhaps lose his confidence? Rather, bring him along slowly, while the more experienced Nelson takes most of the snaps. — Deseret News

Boise State football likely to play BYU, TCU on the road in 2011

The Mountain West Conference has agreed to slide Boise State into Utah’s slot in the football schedule, commissioner Craig Thompson said Wednesday at the Mountain West media days in Las Vegas. Thompson said the scheduling arrangement hasn’t been finalized yet but is the easiest adjustment and the one that makes the most sense. Boise State joins the Mountain West and Utah moves from the Mountain West to the Pac-12 in 2011. “What we agreed upon with the athletic directors is that we are going to take Utah out and move Boise into its spot,” Thompson told a group of reporters. “….The simplest way is to just replace one for one.” The move likely would set up an annual season-ending showdown between Boise State and BYU. It also could put the Broncos in a familiar scheduling rotation with the two highest-profile conference opponents — BYU and TCU — on the road in odd years and at home in even years. — Idaho Statesman

Read more: College, BoiseState, BYU, Utah, TCU, MWC

July 29, 2010, 8:07 am

BYU is lone holdout for not playing on Sundays

In the current realignment of college sports leagues, a lot has been made of BYU’s policy of not allowing its sports teams to play on Sunday, citing, specifically, No. 4 of the Ten Commandments — or what ESPN’s SportsCenter would call the top 10 do-good gems — which states: “Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy.” I find this remarkable. Not that BYU doesn’t play sports on Sunday. But that everyone else does. They all do when it comes to the NCAA Division 1 level, at any rate. Apparently, no other major athletic program in America has a policy that prohibits its teams to participate on Sunday. This includes any number of private institutions run by Christian churches — Southern Methodist, Texas Christian, St. Joseph’s, Notre Dame, etc. I’m not suggesting what churches, or anyone else, should preach. Holy writ is open to interpretation, and heaven knows there are plenty of ways to interpret “to keep it holy.” To some, what could be holier than an afternoon at the ballpark? But, still, to have the “Never On Sunday” faction reduced to just one major sports-playing university in America reflects quite a defection. – Deseret News