When I think about a football coach's job, I think that it falls into the following overgeneralized categories:

(1) Develop an effective and cohesive scheme on offense and defense. This is the X's and O's that leads to effective play calling, game scheming, film breakdown, etc.

(2) Maximize the talent you have (this includes maximizing the allocated hours you have for practice and conditioning). This often requires a high level of discipline, and buy-in from players who are given the framework to increase performance outside of practice.

(3) Recruit the highest level of talent (at BYU, this includes finding under-the-radar athletes who can develop into stellar players, as well as holding on to the top LDS and poly recruits). For the last 10-15 years, this has been a challenge for BYU, and is a reason I think so many of us were excited about Sitake.

(4) Manage the fan interaction (via press conferences, fan outings, booster meetings, etc.).

The problem is, if you are not good at (1) and (2), (3) and (4) quickly deteriorate, no matter how charismatic and likeable you are. All else being equal, you want a coach that has (3) and (4) because that is how you build an amazing program: with great fan support and great players. Nonetheless, I think all of us pointed to the the "mote" in Bronco's eye: of not being the best at (3) and (4), and ignored the "beam" in Kalani's (at least to this point): not delivering on (1) and (2) by mismanaging players and having no idea how to deliver results. In turn, we are now left with a coaching staff and program that has not delivered wins, nor has it even delivered a watchable product. It seems that Kalani thought that if you simply recruit better players that translates to better results. Yet there are plenty of teams with great athletes who don't deliver results year in and year out.

I consider myself a die-hard fan. My dad is a die-hard fan. And we both have admitted we are trying not to cave to the complete apathy and pessimism this year has created for the program. Even Crowton never put BYU into this sort of tailspin. Pretty sad state of the program right now, and I hope that we can turn it around soon. I have a hard time thinking that the captain of the ship even knows where he is going unfortunately.