Show Ho Stay or Should He Go Tarv Gary Since rm Crow Crowton the on end rl This of last ast season eason BYU fans fan have been flooding local sports talk shows debating over BYU Head Coach I After takina I debate te has come to a climax with the loss toss to struggling i taking o over er for legendary coach Lavell Edwards in 2001 Crowton started off with a bang going 2 12 including 10 0 a start stert in m h hIS r first t season at BYU This success had cougar fans believing Crowton was man to lead their back to national prominence Struggles the P past few seasons seasons have led to the debate of how long Crowton should remain as head coach Opinions the range ha L from r wanting S him out immediately to giving him a chance for at least a year maybe even two or three Here are arguments being made by both sides Eric Larson Sports Editor Should he go Crow Crowton ton has got to and there is one statistic to show why- why two losing records in three seasons Prior to the 2002 season BYU hadn't had hada a losing season since 1973 Not only did they have a losing losing losing los los- ing season in 2002 but also in 2003 That means in the past 30 years Crow Crowton ton has coached two of the three B BYU YU teams to finish with a losing season Many fans claim that its it's not the losses that matter its it's the way they are losing During the past two plus seasons seasons seasons sea sea- sons B BYU YU teams have appeared unmotivated and sloppy while repeatedly making the same mistakes I like Crow Crowton ton says BYU fan Mark Chamberlain It just sucks to see them play so stu stu- stu- stu pid Look at BYUs most recent game for example During home loss to lowly offensive lineman Scott Young was penalized 15 yard for hitting a player after the play had been blown dead essentially ending the drive and taking momentum away from the Cougars Later in the game Young was penalized for the exact same infraction stalling another drive and again shifting the momentum to the opposing team While these mistakes weren't the only ones that cost BYU the game the five turnovers certainly didn't help things its it's repeated mistakes like this that have fans frustrated and raising questions whether Crowton is the man to correct these mis mis- takes Many fans feel Crow Crowton's tons ton's laid back mentality is to blame for the excessive turnovers and penalties the past couple of seasons BYU is getting beat by teams they are clearly playing better than Its just so dang frus frus- BYU fan Mike Rivera said You see them outplay these other teams and then just end up shooting them selves in the foot and lose Look no farther than last Fridays game which B BYU YU out gained V in total yards to Should he stay Crow Crowton ton endeared himself to B BYU YU fans by getting off to toa toa toa a great start with the help of df 1 t stars LaJ an LUlU pro plU s like running back Luke Staley Doak Walker award winner which is given out each year to the nations nation's top running back quarterback Brandon Domain and receiver Reno Mahi This shows what Crowton's system can do when he able to put talented players play play- ers that fit his style into his system Crow Crowton ton got off to toa toa toa a quick start landing talent as well landing landing land land- ing the nations top rated high school J quarterback in the summer of 2002 Josh Olsen was recruited by almost every major football school in the country and chose BYU over overall overall overall all of them Olsen one of the many recruits that Crow Crowton ton has landed that has yet to participate participate participate par par- in a single play Not only has Crow Crowton ton not been able to put out a team with his best recruits he has also had players taken away from him During the past year and half Crow Crowton ton has had his top two running backs top comer corner back and other players to their failure to obey BYUs honor code In addition to losing these players Crowton has already been forced to turn to his third string quarterback and completely shuffle his offensive offensive offensive offen offen- sive line due to injuries Winning against any team 1 b 1 wroth 1 h 1 t f U tough Luu u W HU caun U o ui Ul these factors taken into account When BYUs schedule schedule schedule sched sched- ule is thrown in it becomes nearly impossible Two vo of B BYUs YU s first 5 games were against ranked teams and two others where ag against irist the PAC PAClOs PAClO's lOs lO's Stanford and perennial national power Notre Dame I dont don't know how anybody anybody anybody any any- body could possibly deal with all that said BYU fan Brett Bunker How could any coach play one of the toughest tough tough- est schedules in the country facing injuries and expulsions possibly be expected to win Nobody can That's why Crowton needs one more year |