This is just a bad take if not ridiculous.

I've seen more objective takes from Ute fans. I'm so over the constant pessimism from our own fan base. Just because basketball is getting splashy headlines does not mean football hasn't been making solid moves as well.

BYU wins 7 or 8 games this year. They are improved everywhere but QB, but maybe even QB given the time in the system and the addition of Hillstead. Hot take: The OL will be substantially better at blocking and opening holes for the RB. They will be stronger and more cohesive. They have massive size and will have a nasty edge to the unit with so much to prove. They've always been solid in pass pro, and I expect that to continue. The signs are there that they are being coached properly again. BYU's offense needs balance to be effective, and it starts with a good OL. The importance of having four of five starters with significant playing experience together cannot be overstated, either.

Defensively, BYU finally has answers on the edge. If Asiata is healthy, he will absolutely make an impact as he is a great athlete who is a football player's kind of football player. He is explosive and shifty. Never mind his age. He will ball out and they will have specific plays that allow him to be on the field and wreak havoc in the backfield. Tyler Batty is back. Obviously, he will make an enormous difference for the entire defense (along with the return of Micah Harper). It's been a while since BYU had a pass rush to speak of. It will be refreshing to see it come back this year.

Jay Hill has done an excellent job upgrading the defense. They will be better on D this year. I expect LBers to be a strength. Kelly will be a monster as will Esera, Batty, Taggart and Glasker. They have speed and coverage skills in the secondary. Hill wants to play aggressive, and though the defense won't be perfect, they will be disruptive and give teams fits all year. The most underrated aspect of the defense is Jay Hiil year #2. The second-most underrated aspect of this defense is its depth. There will not be quite the drop off in skill that there was last year.

ST is actually going to be a strength of the team as well. Poppinga did a good job with ST last year and they should be as good or even better this year. McKenzie will hopefully be back creating chaos for kick returners. He was amazing last year when healthy.

On offense, we will see the emergence of two star WRs - JoJo Phillips and Cody Hagen. Corner Canyon is a juggernaut in football, and Hagen has been perhaps the most impressive WR I've seen from them, and they've had plenty of good ones. He's a burner and I expect him to stretch the defense this year, making everyone else more effective in the process. Yes, I expect his speed to be there, and he will be too valuable to keep off the field. It will benefit Roberts and Lassiter, as they're excellent options themselves. I'm hoping for a resurgence from Kody Epps this year, too. I'm sure he was not happy with how things went and wants to show the world he still be a difference maker. Can't forget Kingston, too. He was a weapon when healthy.

Finally, the TE room is going to be better, too. Sure, it hurts to lose Rex, but Keanu Hill is now at a more natural position for him. I expect good things from him. Swanson might be the crown jewel of the offense, though. He received rave reviews and he will absolutely be a weapon for BYU. Guys who know football are saying he looks like he could play in the NFL today.

RB has me a little concerned, but only from a depth standpoint. The coaches seem happy with the group, though. If the OLine does their job as I expect, it will be a solid season for LJ Martin. He showed moments of brilliance last year with an inept line. Imagine what he can do with a quality line consistently opening holes for him to run through. I am not sure about Ropati's health, but he was critical in BYU's bowl game against SMU as I recall and had several outstanding runs. Miles Davis is a burner though he needs to make quicker reads and see the field better. His athleticism is great, but I worry about durability.

Finally, this is the most complete coaching staff since LaVell was on the sidelines. I trust every coach, including Kalani. Many BYU fans have been too hard on Kalani. He just got through coaching BYU through one of the toughest, if not the toughest schedule BYU has ever played. Context matters. Any fair evaluation of Kalani has to take SOS into consideration. Kalani may still have room to grow as a head coach for in-game decision making, but he has made excellent hires at every position - regardless of the winding road to the current staff. He also has his strengths. He does well at rematch games (think of Wisconsin, Utah, and Arkansas) All of BYU's coaches are experienced and really solid across the board. They know what they're doing. I don't look at any of them and think they are in over their head. Look at this list of coaches. This is a quality group.

NAME TITLE
Kalani Sitake Head Coach
Jay Hill Associate Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator, Safeties Coach
Aaron Roderick Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach
Fesi Sitake Passing Game Coordinator, Wide Receivers Coach
Kelly Poppinga Special Teams Coordinator, Defensive Ends Coach
TJ Woods Offensive Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator
Justin Ena Linebackers Coach
Jernaro Gilford Cornerbacks Coach
Kevin Gilbride Tight Ends Coach
Sione Po'uha Defensive Tackles Coach
Harvey Unga Running Backs Coach

Here's my take. BYU doesn't have Oklahoma or Texas on the schedule like last year. There are hard games on the schedule, but which game does BYU have no shot? Zero. They'll be in every game they play. They also don't have any gimmes, so that tells me the bar for BYU should realistically be set at 6-6 to start the season. The four game prediction by Vegas is wrong.

I knew BYU basketball was being overlooked last year. They were expected to finish second-to-last but ended up fifth place. Did you think BYU would beat Kansas in their house? I see the exact same setup coming this year with BYU football. BYU will get revenge on Kansas and OSU this year. They will take care of business in their non-conference schedule, although Wyoming and especially SMU will be tough outs. From there, it's not hard to see a path to 8 wins. They only need three from Houston, UCF, Baylor, ASU and AZ. And they can even pick one off from KSU or Utah, though KSU is more likely since it is in Provo. Six wins is the bar. Seven to eight wins makes for a solid and great season. Nine wins would be a magical season. I don't expect BYU to get to nine, but if everything aligns, it's a possibility. All this with simply expecting competent game management from the QB position. If whoever gets the starting role really steps up, BYU can have that magical season. I'd be more than happy with Hillstead if he is able to steal away the starting role from Retzlaff. He has an "it" factor to him the way he plays. He has a knack for making something from nothing. I like his moxie.

Maybe BYU fans are taking cues from the clueless media. I certainly hope the team takes the disrespect personally. They play better with a chip on their shoulders anyways. You know who does know what to expect from BYU this year? Opposing coaches, and they are not as pessimistic as the BYU fan base. They are predicting this year BYU will turn a corner and have a solid finish down the stretch. I do, too. Look, I'm not going to tell anyone how to fan - you do you. But, personally, I'd rather be a half-glass full fan. Would it be so bad if some of you negative nancies gave the team you cheer for just a little more of a chance, too?

Sorry for the rant. If you read this far, congrats. Just hoping to infuse a little enthusiasm into your lives.