This week is an important week in the transition to next year’s football team.

Goings:

Gone to hopefully greener NFL pastures is Cougar wideout, Austin Collie.  I have been watching Cougar football for a lot of years, and Collie is probably the best wide receiver ever to play at BYU.  He has the complete package, at least at the college level.  He was a deep threat, good in possession situations, and could create space and keep the defender off of him.

Collie has been Max Hall’s favorite target, and set many records while at BYU. He tied the NCAA-record of 11 straight games of 100 yards or more receiving. He also became the school’s all-time leader in career receiving yards (3,255), receptions (215) and touchdown catches (30).

I will miss his one handed grabs, stiff arms, and jaunts into the end-zone…. at least in Cougar Blue.

Also, going from next years schedule, Arizona State.

Comings:

Opening next years schedule is Oklahoma in the brand new, Dallas Cowboy facility.  This will be a great opportunity to put BYU on a national stage, early in next years campaign.

This is also the weekend that most Cougar football recruits are in town for their official visit.  Already, this weekend has seen the commitment of Kyle Van Noy added to, what looks to be possibly the best BYU gridiron recruiting class of all time (at least, according to recruiting service rankings).  Scout.com has this class currently ranked at 33rd in the country, and BYU still has a shot at 5 star linebacker Manti Te’o, and 4 star o-lineman, Xavier Su’a-filo.  They are also hoping to land the LT’s (Linebacker LT Filiaga, and D-lineman LT Tuipolotu), an extra JC CB or two, and probably another speedy RB.

How BYU is able to fill the holes left by graduating seniors, and improve defensive production will probably determine the cougars ability to make a run at another conference title next year, and possible run at our turn at a BCS game.

Jan 10th by Jim