BYU’s ‘quest for perfection’ ends in Las Vegas — again

UNLV wouldn't turn down this record, and nor would most football teams.

But for Brigham Young, which coined "Quest for Perfection" as its season motto, being 10-2 and in the Las Vegas Bowl for the fourth year in a row is disappointing

The No. 17 Cougars hoped to be in a Bowl Championship Series game, and the fact hated rival and No. 7 Utah is preparing for the Sugar Bowl makes matters even worse.

BYU's game against Arizona (7-5) at 5 p.m. Saturday even is overshadowed by No. 11 Texas Christian's matchup with undefeated and ninth-ranked Boise State in the Poinsettia Bowl.

This hardly is perfection.

Coach Bronco Mendenhall said the motto wasn't literal perfection but a way "to move the program forward." No doubt that's true, but it still placed a target on the Cougars even larger than the one that already existed for the football face of the Mountain West Conference.

"My opinion is the two teams we lost to were the two best teams we've lost to in my four years that we've played," Mendenhall said. "I do think we've made progress. Is there room to improve? Certainly.

"If we're able to finish the season with a bowl win, that would be 11-2 for three straight years with three different teams. I think that reflects progress."

BYU's losses this season were to Utah and TCU, but both were blowouts. The Cougars also had to survive a Hail Mary in the end zone to beat UNLV and needed a touchdown pass with 22 seconds left to defeat Colorado State.

It wasn't the season expected from a team predicted to win the Mountain West and likely gain a BCS bid.

The problem is those predictions were based on BYU's offense, which lived up to the hype in averaging 35.3 points and 444.8 yards per game.

But overlooked was the fact the Cougars returned just three defensive starters from the previous season. The inexperience showed, with opponents hitting up the Cougars for 350.9 yards an outing.

"It's been a challenge throughout the season, and then we got a bunch of guys hurt as well, but there are no excuses," defensive coordinator Jaime Hill said. "Nobody cares. They want you to win."

The troubling part for the Cougars went beyond the play on the field. The year before, defenders put in extra videotape study on their own. This season, some did, some didn't.

"It's very disappointing," said defensive end Jan Jorgensen, the Mountain West's career sacks leader. "I think things could've changed quite a bit this season if guys had worked harder in the film room and done their own part.

"I hope it taught a good lesson. I think it did, but you'll see when we play Arizona on Saturday and next year."

Most teams would love to consider going 10-2 a problem, and the fact there is disappointment in Provo, Utah, speaks to where the program stands.

"We're never going to be satisfied with a 10-2 season or an 11-2 season," Jorgensen said.

So the quest for perfection remains. Talking before the season about perfection invited all sorts of outside pressure, magnifying any misstep.

Quarterback Max Hall said the motto didn't place any undue burden on the players, but he knows there is work to be done, which starts Saturday at the Cougars' second home in Sam Boyd Stadium.

"We're very hungry," Hall said, "and with a sense of urgency to win this game."

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914.