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BYU Director of Athletics Tom Holmoe on Tuesday conducted what is becoming a semi-annual sit-down with local reporters in Provo, touching on issues ranging from the football team's new-look offense, to conference realignment, to a notable alteration in the school's media-relations policy relative to Honor Code violations.
"Cougar Cuts" (left) contains selected audio excerpts of Holmoe's 45-minute question-and-answer session; what follows are his verbatim remarks on--
BYU Football's new offense under coordinator Robert Anae:
"Last year was a very important year; we made a big transition with changes on the offensive staff. We changed our offensive philosophy like 180 degrees, and looking back, now that I've had time to study it a little bit, I thought that we made some real nice strides.
"You look at some of the stats, and it was surprising to me how well we did running the ball...we ran a lot more plays and it put our defense on the field a lot more. Both our offensive and defensive staffs are examining that now, and studying that and researching that...'what does it mean?' They're trying to see how to optimize that.
"The running game was good, we had some real nice stats, but (coaches) are looking for more balance. You'll see that we're kind of re-tooling our receivers, and I think we need to gain some more balance--obviously that's an understatement. This offense is generated around a running game. The better you are to keep the (defense) off-set (by) throwing the ball, the better off your team is going to be.
"There were times last year that we didn't feel we could throw the ball as effectively as we could run it, so we ran it. It fared well for us in some games, and in some games, it's a tough strategy to have. The coaching staff right now is looking at ways in which we can enhance our abilities to move the chains and score.
"I thought we had a ton of yardage last year, but we didn't necessarily have that yardage at the right time against the right people and in perfect situations. Those are things that we study all off-season, and try to come back with answers, so that we can scored touchdowns instead of field goals and field goals instead of nothing. It just seemed like there were times when we were three-and-out or had short drives when we should have longer drives.
"This isn't anything that wouldn't be the goals and desires of any team that wasn't really great last year, offensively. I thought we did some great things and some things that we need a lot of help with."
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Future football schedules:
"Strength-of-schedule is going to be an important factor in going forward with the college football playoff, and we are a good team to schedule for that reason. As (top-tier FBS teams) look away from FCS teams, they've to to play somebody, and we've got flexibility, so to be able to play at any time, makes it possible.
"People like playing BYU. It is not only a good 'name' in college football, but it's a game that (teams) feel fits into their schedule--we're a competitive team that people know. The other side of it is, by playing us, you get on TV--especially if it's a home-and-home, or if you're going to play in Provo. So, those are positive things.
"I'd like to continue in the Pac-12 (BYU has future games scheduled with seven Pac-12 programs), because that's where our biggest fan base is; it's regional, there's more excitement over (those teams), travel is better, but we would be remiss if we didn't take the opportunities to play across the country. I'd always start out in the Pac-12, and go from there.
"(Regarding) our games with Utah, the conversation was 'we've got play early (in the season) or never,' and as it turns out, because of a little quirk, and (USC and Stanford's) desire to continue to play Notre Dame, it gave openings that only we can handle--nobody else can handle those. I'm hoping that we can continue to find creative ways to schedule, all season and play in just about every conference."
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Conference realignment:
"I think it has quieted down, (but) I don't think it's done, for sure. I'm pretty sure that in the next years, just because of the way some of the conferences stand right now, and knowing that you're going into the college football playoff, and (the conferences) are going to have to have some equality--everyone's going to have a championship game--and people are going to feel like there is an equal chance to get it (the playoff) and be ranked and compete, and schedule and all of those things, so I think in the next little while, things will change.
"It will be interesting to see how it goes, and I'm not going to speculate on some of the governance...those things will dictate how quickly or how long it takes for conference realignment to maybe kick in. It would seem to me that if it went that way, that would be the final time."
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BYU Football's 2014 schedule:
"I like it. Some people have said it's not as hard as last year, and that could be true. But being an independent, people don't realize that you can't necessarily schedule games that fit exactly as you want to. If you're going to schedule a team in 2013, you might not get them back in 2014. It might be a couple of years after that. We've worked with ESPN closely to enhance our schedule, and we move games around a lot.
"We've had some teams that have called us to move games, and we're flexible--can do that, where some other schools can't.
"I feel that it's a good schedule; it might not be as tough as it was last year, but I think there's some solid games in there--a handful of games--that will be very tough, when it comes right down to the game, on the road against good teams in tough situations.
"Bronco has come to me and said 'Tom, are you aware that we're traveling far distances?', and I am, but that's where we're going to play these teams."
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BYU Football's 2013 season:
"I think it shows us that we need to get stronger to be able to play that kind of a schedule and the schedules of the future look like that if not stronger. That's the philosophy that Bronco and I have going forward: that you want to be able to schedule strong teams to be able to make a name for yourself in the country.
"If you win those games, you end up as a Top 20 team. If you can knock off (good) teams that are favored over you, then you have a chance to be a Top 15 or 10 team, and that's where we desire to be.
"I think playing the (2013) schedule emphasized our need to be stronger, bigger faster, more efficient in all these areas. It's not as if all of a sudden we went 'oh, my gosh, we've got to get better.' We've known; we've played teams and seen how good these teams are, and that's our desire: to play with the biggest of the big boys."
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If he is concerned about the viability of future games contracted with Notre Dame:
"No. I've had conversations with Jack Swarbrick and we're in discussion. This is kind of a fluid thing. When we signed the contract, we didn't sign to dates--we just said we want to play these games. We're going to play these games, but it might be further out, and we're going to be accommodating to help them with their schedule.
"That doesn't mean the years are settled yet...but with Notre Dame and the experiences that we've had thus far, it's worth it. Some people might be upset with it, but it's worth it to be flexible to play those games. We have a very good relationship with Notre Dame, and I don't know why in the world we'd try to mess with that."
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BYU's yet-to-be-announced 2014 bowl arrangements:
"I feel really good about where we are, but it's just not contracted, so I can't comment on it--but I think it will be good for our program, and I'm excited about the potential match-ups. When it's done, it will kind of hit some of the pillars that we're looking for in our program."
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Prospects for a basketball practice facility:
"We don't have any final approvals on anything. We're basically doing things internally and trying to make plans to go forward with this, and it's a work in progress. We're looking at things behind the scenes for kind of a quiet phase of fund-raising, and things seem to be going well.
"(The facility) is very important--absolutely. It's of critical importance for us to go forward in basketball. There was a time when we didn't have one and it wasn't of that importance, but it's important now. The basketball landscape has changed, and it's not just about keeping up with the Joneses, but recruiting is very important, and you want to be able to have all the necessary attractions, meaning coaches, academics, facilities.
"All those things are factors in people making decisions to come to your school. And we have to be able to do things that keep us in the forefront of people's minds."
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BYU's prospects of a 'special' football season:
"It's in my dreams all the time. I dream about it all the time, and every year, hope springs eternal that you're going to have the undefeated season...and there's a reason that they don't come every year--because it's extremely difficult.
"It's a fun time of the year for me, to watch Bronco and his staff, breaking down the process, to be able to win one or two more games that will lead to stronger recruiting...and which comes first? Do you have to win games to get recruits, or do you have to get recruits to get wins. The answer is 'yes'--and hopefully you do it simultaneously."
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BYU's position as a member of the West Coast Conference in most non-football sports:
"I like it. It's good; competitive as crazy in basketball, and for those that look beyond football and basketball, the conference races are incredible. (The WCC has) good teams that go deep into the tournament; it's like every sport in our conference has somebody that is really good--a top 15 team nationally. You might not see this incredible depth like one of the 'Big 5' (conferences) might have, but if you're in the playoffs, you're going to be seasoned and ready to go."
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Possibility of NCAA-permissible stipends or other fiscal benefits for student-athletes:
"As we've studied this over the last couple of years, we're prepared to do what it takes to be competitive.
"There are many schools out there that might not be in that position that are going to be affected in a big way by some of this potential legislation, if passed.
"These things cost budget dollars, and we're prepared to make that move, but I'm fearful that at some (non-'Big 5') schools...they might have to totally water down their sports, or drop sports to be competitive in some.
"There is no end to what the possibilities could be."
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Change in BYU's media-relations policy relative to Honor Code violations by student-athletes:
"As of January 1st, when we receive inquiries from the media about Honor Code issues, we no longer will address them from a campus perspective. There won't be a campus spokesperson that addresses any Honor Code issues, anymore. There will be two exceptions to that: if there is something that is in public record...or if one of our student-athletes chooses to come public, then we would (comment). We won't discuss any Honor Code violations anymore, so don't ask."
"(Regarding player absences/suspensions), a coach could say 'violation of team rules,' but that's pretty generic, and what I would like to see happen.
"The time had come to change (the policy), and everyone on campus was supportive to go through the process we arrived at."
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