The cloudy sky on Monday says it all. Football is over and the long wait for its return is underway. The ending of Sunday’s so-so Super Bowl, endured by all but happy Seahawks fans, also closed a seven-month window of watching America’s greatest game.
For the pros, the preseason began in late July. The college and high school kids followed a few weeks later. The hundreds of clashes that filled the fall and a good chunk of winter are now in the memory bank and accessible for occasional withdrawals.
BYU’s 12-2 season left myriad moments that, when recalled, can brighten up even the stormiest of offseason days (provided we get some).
Bear Bachmeier’s performance against Utah, where he both leaped over a defender in the first quarter and dragged half the defense across the goal line to seal the win in the fourth, will always top the talking points.
Evan Johnson’s game-clinching interception against Georgia Tech to clinch the Pop-Tarts Bowl, Parker Kingston’s 55-yard punt return for a touchdown against UCF and Faletau Satuala’s pick-six at Iowa State can hold their own as conversation pieces.
The fact that LJ Martin led the Big 12 in rushing and chose to return to BYU for his senior year speaks volumes about a kid that is fun to talk about. I don’t remember a single time in decades of covering the Cougars when it was suggested that a BYU offense would someday produce the top runner in a power conference.
That day is today.
Hanging on to head coach Kalani Sitake despite Penn State’s hot pursuit is another discussion piece with a healthy shelf life, and so to the revamped defensive staff, the top recruiting class in program history, preseason projections and the fall schedule, which includes a home game against Notre Dame (Oct. 17).
Getting from here to there is a journey best supported by a reservoir of instant recall. The process is not unlike the human-made connection between Deer Creek and the Provo River, whose steady flow helps keep everything alive downstream.
The Cougars’ depth of good times runs deep enough to keep football fandom alive for as long as it’s away — with help from a few fill-up stations.
The spring drills that BYU will begin on Feb. 27 run into early April and culminate with the annual alumni game. Stadium of Fire will pack LaVell Edwards Stadium on July 4, followed by Big 12 media days, July 7-8 in Frisco, Texas. The Cougars report for fall camp a few weeks later and it will all be back.
For the McCanns, the final play of the Super Bowl is followed by an award ceremony for whoever of the 50 or so family members guessed closest to the score. Despite Seattle’s one-sided performance, there was high drama in the family room as the potential winner changed hands with every additional point.
Lacee Condie, a niece, picked Seattle to win 27-13 in a 29-13 final score and won a supply of snacks fit for a glorious tailgate party. I picked the Seahawks 30-20 and needed just one more Patriot touchdown to claim the prize for myself. Thanks for nothing, New England!
Football is a game we love because the people we love are always around when we watch it on television or in person. Togetherness is the secret sauce that makes sports special. It’s always sad to see a season end, but man, is it rejuvenating to get ready for a new one — together.
Goodbye, football. You have been good to us. See you soon!
Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.