Here we are, sad and pathetic football fans, stuck in the doldrums of summer. College football season is months away, and the memories of last season's excitement are fading.
Well never fear! I'm starting a weekly tradition of posting BYU football highlights to help us fellow Cougar fans get through July and August. Most of these were created by guys at cougarboard.com, and made for BYU fanatics everywhere to enjoy.
This week we have BYU vs. Kansas State in the 1997 Cotton Bowl. I chose this clip for the first week because it features Steve Sarkisian, whom I consider to be the best quarterback ever to play at BYU. In 1996 he completed 68.8% of his passes, threw for 4,027 yards, 33 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions. The Cougars went 14-1 that year, beating Texas A&M, Arkansas State and Kansas State on their way to a #5 ranking at the end of the season.
Sark's passer rating for the season was 173.6, fourth-best ever at BYU (behind McMahon in 1980, Detmer in '89 and Beck in '06). The Cougars steamrolled Utah 37-17 and beat Wyoming to take the WAC title, no small feat in the 16-team conference.
It was an excellent year in Provo, and the season that really made me into the BYU fan I am today.
The below highlights are important to see because 1.) Kansas State was a good team that year and 2.) even with all the horrible officiating, the Cougars still won. It's a good lesson for this BYU team to learn as they prepare to take on UCLA and Washington in the first few weeks of the 2008 season. Don't be afraid of anyone, and don't let poor reffing get you down.
So many memories from this game... the excellent play of Omarr Morgan and Tim McTyer, the two best corners BYU has ever seen (and they were both on the same team?). Kaipo McGuire getting rocked and having no idea where he was for the rest of the game. The TD pass from Sark to K.O. Kealaluhi to go up 19-15 with just over three minutes to go. BYU's defense, solid all around, led by linebacker Shay Muirbrook, who recorded 11 tackles and two sacks on the day.
Enjoy!
3 comments:
Awesome, thanks for helping the lull. I look forward to the weekly post. I am curious why you are such a Sark fan, yeah he was good but from your stated stats not as good as some others. I like him a lot as well, I'm just curious. Also I forget sometimes how awesome James Dye was, thanks again!
Well, like I said, that 1996 team is the one that really cemented me as a BYU fan, so I'm biased. That said, 14 wins is a big deal (most ever in NCAA football), and Sark was a big part of that. Accuracy, attitude, big-play potential... just all-around solid.
I hope Jonathan is like you. Micah loves football and basketball, but Jonathan just hates it.
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