Not infrequently I see comparisons posted about the seasons that Michigan and BYU are having, and while there are some similarities, there are also a lot of differences. Here are a few key points, in no particular order. (My favorite team is Michigan, and I have seen all of their games. I also like BYU, and have seen pretty much all their games this year--when there was not a conflict with Michigan)

(1) Michigan demonstrates that you can still be bad even if your OC and DC have outstanding credentials. Michigan's OC is Doug Nussmeier, who had been the OC at Alabama the past two seasons. And the DC is Greg Mattison, former DC for Baltimore Ravens. I don't know if it is still true, but Mattison at one time was the highest paid assistant in the country.

(2) Both teams just don't have the level of talent that they have had in the past, and I think that this has been the major factor. I agree that the coaching is an issue, but when I look at both teams, I just don't see much talent. For example, IMO the only really good player Michigan has on the offensive side is Funchess. I just don't see a Desmond Howard, Tyrone Wheatley, Amani Toomer, Derick Alexander, Tom Brady, Denard Robison, etc.. Similarly, on the BYU offense, the only player with much talent is J. Williams. (Yeah, I realize your best player is out). Of course, talent goes back to coaching--both recruiting and developing it.

(3) Neither team has vocal on field leaders this year, IMO.

(4) I hesitate to say this, but since so many others have already, I will. At least for Boise State game, Bronco seemed to have lost the team. On the other hand, Michigan was beat handily by Michigan State today, but the effort and enthusiasm seemed to be there. Just not a lot of talent--especially on the O line.

(5) Michigan has the long run advantage of tradition and alumni base. Even though we are having a poor season, at our last home game, Penn State, our attendance was 113,058. To me, that is really impressive. For the past 250 home games, extending back into the 1970's, we have had at least 100,000 at each game.

(6) Related to (5), BYU has to do something to make football more attractive to its students. At Michigan, win or lose, the students buy tickets--even this year when the cost of a student season ticket was $280. I think there are about 30,000 to 35,000 Michigan student tickets, and a total enrollment of 43,000. That means that about 75% of Michigan students get season tickets. It is large part of the social fabric at Michigan for students, but seems less at BYU. Maybe BYU could make sports attendance part of the Honor Code?

(7) It seems like there is more of a communal aspect to football at Michigan than BYU. For example, in pretty much all major cities Michigan alumni get together to watch football games. In SLC, Michigan alumni get together at Gracie's, a bar on West Temple. Sometimes we have a picnic before the game. It makes the game a lot more fun when you watch with a lot of people.

(8) Interestingly, alcohol is absent from the stands at Michigan and BYU. The students and other fans do a good job of keeping this rule at Michigan, and do probably even a better job at BYU.

Anyway, I think that both UM and BYU are going to need a major infusion of talent to get it turned around--and again, I realize that it is the coaches who evaluate, recruit and develop the talent.