BYU football: Fall camp, hype season begins

BYU football begins fall camp this week. Its opening day is one of the earliest in program history, due to new NCAA practice rules and a “Week 0” home opener. For players, football season has begun. For fans, hype season is blasting off again.

BYU football fans, you may not realize it yet.

95 degree weather is baking the streets. The smell of fireworks and BBQ still drift on the air. Your standard calendar on the wall claims that the doldrums of summer drag on.

But by the BYU football calendar, it’s Fall, baby.

Players have reported in. Uniforms have been assigned and donned. The smell of grass, sweat, and halcyon dreams start to fill the air.

For players, it’s a time to leap back into work. To make a last push to show coaches they deserve a place on that football field, and earn the roars of frenzied fans.

They will get the chance extra early this year. The NCAA has ruled that two-a-days be a bygone practice, and Portland State awaits on August 26th.

For fans and media, it’s the time gather at the water cooler, speculate, argue, and buy real estate on the moon.

Next: Scouting The Portland State Vikings

Some are already rolling out their outlandish, sky-high predictions. Even more the more cautious see things are set up for a good year. They can taste the sweetness of the first 10-win regular season since Max Hall was throwing to Dennis Pitta.

From camp, every half-seen play will be chewed on, regurgitated, and chewed on again. Every rumored touchdown, interception and carry will be strained at for glimmers of what the season might hold, like sucking a milkshake through a flimsy straw.

A few will just feel the excitement and momentum building toward a promising year. But for the rest, the horn of the Hype Train will blow long and loud, drowning out naysayers and moderates alike.

It’s a very special time of year. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to BYU football season eve.