Blaine Fowler talks exceptions for BYU Football vs. SIU on BYUSN

>> Spencer: AMEN TO THAT, AND IT'S TIME TO EXECUTE THE SECOND SEGMENT OF OUR SHOW. WE'RE LIVE IN STUDIO B WITH YOUR DAY-TO-DAY PLAY-BY-PLAY. I'M SPENCER LINTON ALONGSIDE JAROM JORDAN. AND NOW, FRESH OFF RUNNING EVERY SINGLE STEP IN LAVELL EDWARDS STADIUM, HE'S OUR DUAL THREAT ANALYST SUPERSTAR, BLAINE FOWLER, A NATIONAL CHAMPION AND A CHAMPION IN OUR HEARTS, AND BLAINE, WELCOME BACK TO BYU SPORTS NATION ON GAME DAY EVE AND HOW DO YOU FEEL AFTER RUNNING EVERY STAIR? >> Guest: THIS YEAR I'M WAY BETTER AND THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, I'VE BEEN COMPLETELY WRECKED THE NEXT DAY, BUT KNOWING THAT GAVIN WAS GOING TO MAKE ME DO THIS, I DID MORE SPECIFIC TRAINING AND INTEGRATED A BUNCH OF CALF TRAINING INTO HI WORKOUT AND RAN THE STADIUM STAIRS, AND GAVIN HAS DONE IT. AND FRANKLY, LAST YEAR WHEN I GOT OUT OF BED, MY CAVS DIDN'T WORK AND I WALKED LIKE A PEG LEG FOR THREE DAYS, SO I GOT A WORKOUT IN, AND I AM GOING TO TRY TO RIDE ANY BIKE UP THE CANYON AND IT'S ALL GOOD. AND IF YOU EVER HAVE A CHANCE TO DO THAT, IT WILL GET YOU READY AND IN FOOTBALL MODE. IT WAS REALLY FUN LAST NIGHT BECAUSE THE FRESHMEN WERE ALL MAKING THEIR WAY INTO THE STAYSIUM AND FORMING THEIR BLOCK WIDE. AND WE WERE JUST DOING THAT, AND THEY HAD THE BLOCK Y IN THE END ZONE FOR THEIR BIG FRESHMAN CLASS PICTURE AND I WALKED OUT OF THERE WITH JUST GOOSEBUMPS READY FOR THE GAME SATURDAY NIGHT AND IT WAS FUN. >> Jarom: CAN'T WAIT, MAN, WE WERE DISCUSSING AND DIDN'T AGREE ON WHAT THIS GAME IS GOING TO MEAN FOR THE SEASON. SPENCER FEELS STRONGY AND I DO TOO THAT IF THEY STRUGGLE IF HAD A CATEGORY, ESPECIALLY LIKE RUNNING THE BALL, THAT WOULD BE OH, NO, IT'S THE SAME AS LAST YEAR. BUT I'M OF THE OPINION IF THEY HAVE GREAT SUCCESS RUNNING THE BALL THAT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THEY WERE GOING TO BE AWESOME AT IT IN BIG 12 PLAY, BUT IT'S AN NCF GAME, AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO CONTROL IT. HOW MUCH ARE YOU GOING TO LEAN INTO WHAT THINGS MEAN PROJECTING FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON? >> Guest: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FROM A COACHING PERSPECTIVE, DO THEY WANT TO PUT THEIR FOOT ON THE GAS AND GET AFTER IT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL? THEY ABSOLUTELY DO. BECAUSE THEY WANT TO START THE SEASON WITH CAN MOMENTUM. LET'S FACE IT, THEY FINISHED THE SEASON LAST YEAR WITH OUT IT. SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY PLAY WELL, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, A LOT OF THE LOSSES DOWN THE STRETCH. [ AUDIO DIFFICULTIES ] TOWARD THE END OF THE SEASON ON CERTAIN PLAYS, LIKE IN THE WRONG GAPS DEFENSIVELY, AND ON THE OFFENSE, MAKING BAD DECISIONS, THE QUARTERBACK POSITION, NOT RUNNING THE RIGHT ROUTE. SO I THINK MORE IMPORTANTLY IS, DO THEY PLAY CLEAN? DO THE QUARTERBACKS TAKE CARE OF THE FOOTBALL? ARE THE LINEMEN BLOCKING THE RIGHT PEOPLE? ARE THEY GAP SOUND ON DEFENSE? THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I'M LOOKING AT BECAUSE I THINK THAT THEY'LL GET MUCH BETTER FROM GAME ONE TO GAME TWO, AND IF THEY CAN BE ASSIGNMENT SOUND, I THINK THAT THEY HAVE PLENTY OF PHYSICAL TALENT ON THE TEAM TO HAVE A SOLID SEASON. IT'S CORRECTING THOSE ERRORS THAT THEY WERE MAKING DOWN THE STRETCH LAST YEAR THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO ME AND THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. >> Jarom: THE STAFF HAS SHOWN THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO ACTUALLY PUT UP A 70 SPOT ON THE NCF TEAM, AND THEY WOULD WANT TO WIN VINCINGLY, GREAT. AND LAST YEAR, THEY PULLED OFF THE PEDAL WHEN THEY WERE 14-0 BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO SHOW OUR STUFF. I WANT TO SEE 50 PLUS POINTS, AND I THINK THAT BYU IS GOING TO WIN THE GAME CONVINCINGLY AND STAY HEALTHY AND NOT SHOW THE PLAYBOOK AND DO YOU THINK THAT THERE WILL BE ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT TOMORROW? [ AUDIO DIFFICULTIES ] >> Spencer: WE JUST LOST BLAINE FOWLER AND WE'LL GET HIM RECONNECTED IN A MOMENT. >> Jarom: IF HE DOESN'T WANT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, THAT'S FINE. >> Spencer: HE JUST DODGED THAT BLITZ. >> Jarom: HE'S LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M OUT OF HERE. I GOT TO BIKE THE CANYON, DUDE, TONIGHT. THAT WILL BE BEAUTIFUL. >> Spencer: I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE 14 AND A HALF POINT LINE, AND BY THE WAY, IT HAS DROPPED TO STRAIGHT UP 14. ESPN -- >> Jarom: 141 SO LOW. A BUNCH OF PEOPLE THAT WENT TO THE FINAL OF THE FCS PLAYOFF. >> Spencer: BASED ON THAT -- >> Jarom: THEY'RE GOOD, DON'T GET ME WRONG. >> Spencer: BASED ON THE FACT THAT IT OPENED AT 19 AND A HALF, IT HAS NEVER BEEN THIS HUGE LINE. >> Jarom: IT WAS NEVER 28. >> Spencer: THAT'S WHY MAYBE I FEEL MORE STRONGLY ABOUT 30 PLUS POINTS BECAUSE THE LINE WAS NOT EVEN 20. IT'S 19 AND A HALF ATS IT THE HIGHEST. IT'S AT 30 PLUS WIN, WE NEED TO GIVE IT CREDENCE BECAUSE THE EXPECTATIONS ARE SO LOW FOR BYU AND MAYBE THEY'RE HIGHER FOR SOUTHERN ILLINOIS BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN SO GOOD IN THE RECENT YEARS. YOU'RE BUYING INTO THE HANS OLSON IDEOLOGY. >> Jarom: THERE HAVE BEEN BIG TRANSFERS FROM BIG PROGRAMS, DON'T GET ME WRONG. I'M NOT SAYING HAD A THIS IS SOUTHERN UTAH. BUT IT'S CLOSER TO A GOOD WEBER STATE THAT HAS BEEN IN THE NCF TOP 16. THERE WAS A REASON THAT JAY HILL DIDN'T PLAY THAT OFF. HE WAS GOOD. AND I WAS SURPRISED WHEN THEY SIGNED UP, WHY DOES COLORADO PLAY NORTH DAKOTA STATE? >> Spencer: WHY IS COLORADO FLOWING THE BALL WITH A MINUTE AND A HALF LEFT IN THE GAME? >> Jarom: WHY ARE THEY PLAYING ON THE PLAY CLOCK IN RUN THAT DOWN! >> Spencer: BLAINE FOWLER IS BACK, AND HE HAS REESTABLISHED HIS CONNECTION, AND SORRY IF THAT WAS AN OFF-PUTTING QUESTION. >> Jarom: I WAS ASKING, WILL THE STAFF KEEP THE PEDAL DOWN? I DON'T THINK THAT THEY WILL, I THINK THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO WIN THE GAME AND KEEP IT AS VANILLA AS POSSIBLE IN A WIN AND THEN SHOW STUFF AT SMU AND WYOMING. WHAT DO YOU THINK? >> Guest: I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH IN THEIR MINDSET AND THAT IS LIKE YOU CAN'T TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS BECAUSE THIS IS TOO GOOD OF A PROGRAM. AND I KNOW THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT, THE TWO OF YOU, AND THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT HAS HAD SUCCESS WITH SC236789 TEAMS, AND THEY HAVE A WINNING CULTURE. THEY GOT 13 TRANSFERS IN THE TWO-DEEP THIS YEAR, AND I TELL YOU, I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE COACHING IN NCF RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE OF THE RULES. IT'S SO HARD TO KEEP A CONSISTENT ROSTER AND IT'S HARDER EACH YEAR, BUT IT'S A CULTURE OF WINNING AND A CULTURE OF A STAFF, AND ON THE OFFENSIVE SIDE, THEY DO A LOT TO GET PEOPLE IN SPACE AND THEY'RE SMART WITH MOTION, AND DEFENSIVELY, THEY ON RUN A 3-3-5, AND THEY'RE SOUND WITH WHAT THEY DO. THIS IS A GOOD TEAM. THIS IS NOT A TEAM WHERE YOU CAN SAY LET'S HOLD OUT THESE FIVE PACKAGES FOR SMU SO WE DON'T SHOW THEM. AND I WOULD NEVER SCHEDULE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS IN A FIRST GAME. AND I WOULDN'T DO IT, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY HAVE GOT. SO I THINK THAT YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL ABOUT LOOKING AHEAD AND SAY LET'S HOLD PACKAGES OUT. IF BYU JUMPS ON THEM EARLY, MAYBE THEY DON'T GET TO SOME OF THEIR STUFF BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THEY GO IN WITH A MINDSET. >> Spencer: BLAINE, THERE ARE CLEARLY DIFFERING OPINIONS ON WHAT WOULD QUALIFY AS A STATEMENT FOR ALL OF THE FANS AND JAROM AND I GIVING OUR OPINIONS, AND ACROSS BYUSN AS WE HAVE SEEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT WOULD QUALIFY AS THE ENTIRE STATEMENT FROM BYU? I'M LOOKING AT WHAT HAPPENED WITH SOUTHERN UTAH LAST YEAR, NOT BEING ABLE TO RUN THE BALL, IT WAS A HUGE RED FLAG. SO MY EXPECTATION, 30 PLUS, AND IF THEY CAN RUN 200 PLUS, THAT MAKES ENOUGH OF A STATEMENT, OKAY, WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND WHERE DO YOU STAND IN THAT CONVERSATION? >> Guest: I'M A LITTLE BIT MORE TEMPERED THAN YOU, I THINK 21 -- THE ORIGINAL LINE WAS WHAT, 19? >> Spencer: THAT WAS THE HIGHEST IT WAS. >> Guest: YEAH, SO TO ME, THE ORIGINAL LINE OR THE HIGHEST LINE, COVER THAT. AND I'VE BEEN THINKING ALL ALONG, EVEN AS GOOD AS THEY ARE, 21 POINTS, AND THEN AT 21 POINTS, I ALSO WANT TO SEE THEM GET TO WORK ON SOME THINGS IN THE GAME, TO GET GUYS IN THE GAME WITH EXPERIENCE AND PLAY BOTH QUARTERBACKS, AND TO GET SOME OF THESE YOUNG DEFENSIVE PLAYERS. THIS FRESHMAN CLASS ON DEFENSE AT THE END OF FALL CAMP, I WANT TO CALL IT A HOME RUN. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THOSE GUYS PLAY. I WOULD RATHER HAVE A 20-POINT WIN AND PLAY THEM THAN A 30-POINT WIN. >> Jarom: YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TOMMY PRASEAS AND -- >> Guest: FOR SURE AND MAYBE MATTHIAS AT THE OTHER CORNER AND EVAN JOHNSON, HE'S GOING TO BE IN THE ROTATION, AND I WANT TO SPRAY'SAS, FAL FALL -- FALLATOUD ALEXANDER, AND REALLY GOOD CLASS, AND JONNY, THE OTHER CORNER, A CUSTOM MADE NICKEL GUY IN THE LONG-TERM, THERE ARE SOME REALLY, REALLY GOOD SECONDARY PLAYERS THAT ARE FRESHMEN THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE GET IN IN GAME. AND I THINK THAT YOU GET TO 21 AND FEEL COMFORTABLE AND GET THOSE GUYS IN THE GAME AND GIVE THEM SOME EXPERIENCE. AS THE SEASON PROGRESSES, THIS WHOLE THING, THERE'S A SPEED DISADVANTAGE, BUT NOT WITH THOSE GUYS, THERE'S NOT. THERE'S NO SPEED DISADVANTAGE. BYU HAS AS MUCH SPEED AS ANY TEAM IN THE COUNTRY NOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GET TO THE YOUNG GUYS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT SPEED OUT ON THE FIELD IN THIS GAME IF POSSIBLE. GET TO 21, AND THAT'S PLENTY OF A STATEMENT AND GET THE GUYS IN THE GAME. >> Spencer: FINISH WITH THIS, BLAINE. GIVE US ONE BOLD PREDICTION THAT WILL HAPPEN TOMORROW NIGHT FOR BYU. >> Guest: RATHER THAN THROW A STAT OUT THERE, WAS I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE MORE IMPRESSED WITH THE RUN GAME THAN PEOPLE THINK. LET ME THROW WROTE NAMES OUT THERE WHERE PEOPLE WILL GO THAT WAS A SURPRISE. I THINK HINKLEY ROPATI, WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT GUY HEALTHY. PEOPLE WILL GO AWAY FROM THE GAME AND GO WOW, WE FORGOT HOW GOOD HE IS, AND HE MIGHT EVEN BE BETTER THAN WE REMEMBER, SO WATCH FOR THAT, AND THEN ON THE DEFECTIVE SIDE OF THE -- DEFENSIVE SIDE OF THE BALL, PEOPLE WILL GO TANNER WALL? HE'S AS GOOD OF SAFETY AS WE HAVE HAD IN A LONG, LONG TIME AND PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHO HE IS. BUT BY THE END OF SATURDAY NIGHT, THEY'RE GOING TO GO WA, TANNER WALL IS GOING TO KNOCK SOMEONE OUT BEFORE THE SEASON IS OVER. >> Spencer: GREAT STUFF -- >> Guest: IT MIGHT REMIND YOU OF ANDREW RICH, NOT AS BIG AS ANDREW, BUT AN ANDREW RICH TYPE OF GUY HITTING AND HE'S SO FUN TO WATCH AND PEOPLE LO SAY WOW ABOUT HIM. >> Spencer: TOMORROW NIGHT, YOU CAN SEE MORE OF BLAINE FOWLER BEGINNING AT 6:00 EASTERN