Bye week debate

In a story I did in Monday’s paper, I quoted a couple of BYU players — quarterback Max Hall and linebacker Matt Bauman — saying the timing of the bye week was “perfect.” Many disagree, considering the way the Cougars are playing and considering they have Utah State next.
Obviously, it would be much better if the bye came the week before BYU has to travel to TCU, or maybe the week after.
But the Cougars have little control of the schedule and when the bye week comes. They’ve just got to make the most of the situation and judging from practices thus far this week, they’re doing just that. Several players are banged up, like tight end Dennis Pitta and wide receiver Michael Reed and need all the rest they can get.
Meanwhile, under coach Bronco Mendenhall, BYU has not lost a game in October, November or December in two years. The Cougars are 21-4 in those three months under Mendenhall. All four of those losses came during the 2005 campaign.