The Rocky Mountain Collegian

BYU runs a 3-3-5 defense!! That's THREE down linemen, not FIVE, and THREE safeties, not ONE.
Sportswriters should know sports and do their homework. Honestly.

Broc
Denver

The end of this article is flawed. BYU runs a 3-3-5 (see New Mexico, and Air Force and UNLV also run a form of this defense). So there will be a 3-man front, with 5 in the backfield (2 corners, 2 katbacks, and a cougarback). That makes 3 safeties.

Greg
Utah

The information on Mendenhall's defense is backwards. He runs a 3-3-5, with three down linemen, three LBs, and five DBs.

willc

I hate to break it to you, but you made a huge mistake in explaining BYU's defense. They run a 3-3-5. 3 on the frontline, 3 linebackers, and 5 in the backfield(2 corners and 3 DBs). You described a 5-3-3. You probably assumed this because of all the talk about single coverage on the receivers. They don't have single coverage because of 5 lineman, they have single coverage because they usually send 1 or 2, out of the 3 DBs, on a blitz almost every play.
The article was close to being a rather well written 'boilerplate' football preview until I read this glaring mistake.
Better luck next time!

JBA
Europe

He has been at BYU for a few years now, thus the defense was there before 2004.

billy

Time to get you facts straight. it is a 3-3-5 defence with 5 DB's and 3 down lineman. not 5 lineman. also I doubt that you are going to earn any literary awards using quotes with the phrase "Jack 'em". one of the nation's best teams (BC) couldn't stop BYU's short passing game. Just try it and Watkins will burn you for an 80 yard TD. Face it lambs you can win at home but you are coming to cougar town and we remember what you did to us 2 years ago at home on national TV and we're comin for ya.

JR McKee

Correction: BYU's 3-3-5 is 3 linemen, 3 LB's and 5 DB's (3 of them safeties). Anderson will never be 1-on-1 with any linebackers in this game. How did you get this so wrong? As Bell goes, so goes this game.

Marc Jenks
Las Vegas
marc_jenks@hotmail.com

Your facts are wrong on this article. Nobody uses just one safety. The Cougars have a 3-3-5 defense, meaning that they have only 3 down linemen, not 5, 3 linebackers and 5 defensive backs. That means they have 3 safeties, not one.

Greg, Financial Advisor
Phoenix

I feel so bad for poor Nick who just made himself sound like an idiot (sorry but I couldn't think of a better word). Nick you got the Cougar defense backwards. They run a 3-3-5 defense. That means 3 DL 3 LB & 5 DB. No special scheme will be needed to avoid single coverage or coverage by a linebacker. I will give you one compliment... BYU's secondary isn't all that great to start with, so you were somewhat right when you said they will have troubles covering the CSU receivers.

Brandon Frehner, Realtor
Cedar City, UT

Uh, I'm not the biggest BYU fan but they don't run the defense you described. Try watching a game before you write on it (and watch for a 3-3-5 defense!).

Ryan, VP
Salt Lake City