After the soul crushing defeat to LSU, I like many of you have been doing some soul searching. There have been a couple things I couldn't figure out...mainly how did BYU lose by so much and how did not even cross the 50 yard line....BYU has talent, has athletes, and has good coaching..not as good as LSU, but not bad enough to lose by as much as they did. Mangum is way better then he showed...We have all witnessed him perform way better than he did, after two years of practice and studying how did he all the sudden get worst?...

Here is what I came up with...

Year 1 If we think about Mangum's career, it started better than any BYU quarterback I can remember...two Hail Mary passes to win two tough come from behind games...these miracles were followed by national interviews, tons of publicity and attention. He could do no wrong...speculation was not if he would be an NFL quarterback but what round he would go in. He finished the season pretty well, but was incredible considering he was a Freshman.

year 2---in steps Taysom Hill to reclaim his position and in steps Ty Detmer with a new offense. If I were Mangum, I would not be happy with either of these because I want to play and throw the Hail Mary's and win games. I think any quarterback would and it would be really challenging to want to stay around. I think this is why most quarterbacks transfer. I think Ty's offense is more challenging to learn and also involves more dink and dunk passes and less Hero Ball and Hail Mary's...he wants the attention and the excitement, I mean who wouldn't.

year 3---tons of pressure and expectations, but same old boring methodical offense and no Hero Ball. He loses Jamal, one of few NFL caliber running backs ever at BYU and also loses the top wide receivers from his first year, Mathews, Houk, and can't remember the others and faces a great team such as LSU and there is the result....I don't put this on Mangum, I think it would be a challenge for any quarterback to go from where he is and go through the changes that he has. I actually admire him more for his loyalty and sticking around BYU.

This now brings us to the biggest game of the year and I think Mangum will be fine. I think he has gone through the adjustments and the coaches have realized they need to call plays that show off his abilities...roll out passes and quicken the pace. Mangum is talented and will overcome the adversity and it will happen on Saturday.

I think that the Utes are not prepared for this...they think they are going to see the Mangum that played against LSU, but they will not, they will see the Mangum of old, the gunslinger and I can see BYU jumping out quickly on Utah. I worry a bit about holding on to a big lead and expect a Utah comeback, but I think Mangum will be clutch and he will surprise them this Saturday.

I modify my prediction a bit...but BYU still wins.

BYU 31 Utah 28

Go Cougs!