Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Rocket Attack Hits Kabul on Voting Day -- 18 Sep 2010
Rocket hits Kabul on Afghan voting day
By HEIDI VOGT • The Associated Press • September 17, 2010
KABUL, Afghanistan - Police say a rocket has struck Kabul just hours before citizens planned to head to the polls to vote in Afghanistan's parliamentary elections.
Afghan police officer Abdul Manan confirmed the pre-dawn attack Saturday on the capital - an apparent warning shot from insurgents trying to scare people from going to the polls.
About 2,500 candidates are vying for 249 parliamentary seats.
The Taliban have written threats on leaflets passed out at mosques, whispered them in villages and posted Internet messages saying those who cast ballots should be prepared to be attacked.
By HEIDI VOGT • The Associated Press • September 17, 2010
KABUL, Afghanistan - Police say a rocket has struck Kabul just hours before citizens planned to head to the polls to vote in Afghanistan's parliamentary elections.
Afghan police officer Abdul Manan confirmed the pre-dawn attack Saturday on the capital - an apparent warning shot from insurgents trying to scare people from going to the polls.
About 2,500 candidates are vying for 249 parliamentary seats.
The Taliban have written threats on leaflets passed out at mosques, whispered them in villages and posted Internet messages saying those who cast ballots should be prepared to be attacked.
The Earth Moved Again!!!
An Earthquake Centered in the Hindu Kush Region of Afghanistan was felt in Pakistan and North India on Friday September 17.
The earthquake that registered 6.3 on the Richter scale was centered in Afghanistan but was felt in Pakistan and North India as well.
The United States Geological Survey reports that the earthquake was centered 265 km northeast of Kabul and 115 km northwest of Chitral, Pakistan. It struck at 11:51pm at the epicenter.
The earthquake that registered 6.3 on the Richter scale was centered in Afghanistan but was felt in Pakistan and North India as well.
The United States Geological Survey reports that the earthquake was centered 265 km northeast of Kabul and 115 km northwest of Chitral, Pakistan. It struck at 11:51pm at the epicenter.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Night Out On The Town
I went out to dinner again with the guys in my house last night. We went to "the Grill". We had too be frisked to get in and security guards were at door with AK-47s, so felt relatively safe.
It did give me pause when Suzanne said she had a bad dream that I was killed in Afghanistan. But I figured it was after dark and close to Camp Eggers. So I gave it a try -- uneventful!
So far so good on the effects of the meal -- chicken. They can't mess that up and I drank a soda, so the water wasn't an issue.
We will be having Exercises here on Camp Eggers the next few days in anticipation of the elections on the 18th of September.
It did give me pause when Suzanne said she had a bad dream that I was killed in Afghanistan. But I figured it was after dark and close to Camp Eggers. So I gave it a try -- uneventful!
So far so good on the effects of the meal -- chicken. They can't mess that up and I drank a soda, so the water wasn't an issue.
We will be having Exercises here on Camp Eggers the next few days in anticipation of the elections on the 18th of September.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
The Area Presidency approved two humanitarian projects for Afghanistan this morning
The Area Presidency approved two humanitarian projects for Afghanistan this morning.
Humanitarian Kits for Afghan Schools -- approved $7,500 for the purchase of supplies in the local markets for assembly and distribution of approximately 1,000 hygiene and 1,000 school kits to orphanages and displaced persons camps in and around Kabul.
School Kits for Afghan Students in Logar Province -- approved $6,240 to buy in SLC 3,000 150 page notepads and 3,000 bic pens. These will be boxed (50 boxes of 62 "sets" each) and sent in groups of 5 boxes through the APO. The notepads were delivered to the humanitarian center today and the pens will arrive on Monday.
Humanitarian Kits for Afghan Schools -- approved $7,500 for the purchase of supplies in the local markets for assembly and distribution of approximately 1,000 hygiene and 1,000 school kits to orphanages and displaced persons camps in and around Kabul.
School Kits for Afghan Students in Logar Province -- approved $6,240 to buy in SLC 3,000 150 page notepads and 3,000 bic pens. These will be boxed (50 boxes of 62 "sets" each) and sent in groups of 5 boxes through the APO. The notepads were delivered to the humanitarian center today and the pens will arrive on Monday.
Mormon church, Islamic Relief team up for Pakistan flood relief
Mormon church, Islamic Relief team up for Pakistan flood relief
By Jamshid Ghazi Askar
Deseret News
Published: Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010 12:15 a.m. MDT
SALT LAKE CITY — The LDS Church shipped an estimated 400,000 pounds of food, blankets and other relief aid Friday to flood-ravaged Pakistan.
"We're loading 10 containers that will be shipped to Pakistan," said Nate Leishman, the church's manager of emergency response. "We're doing this in conjunction with one of our partners, which is Islamic Relief."
Under an arrangement between the Mormons and Islamic Relief, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is donating physical goods while Islamic Relief oversees shipping and distribution.
"The containers will arrive at the Port of Karachi in about 3-4 weeks," Leishman said. "Islamic Relief has a big presence in Pakistan and quite a few aid workers over there right now. They will take the product and actually distribute it for us into the affected flood areas. It will go right to the people. They have the ability to do that much better than we do in the country of Pakistan."
Leishman said that each of the 10 containers holds approximately 40,000 pounds of hygiene kits, blankets, quilts and foodstuffs such as beans, rice and the nutritional supplement atmit.
Pakistani immigrants in Utah are also striving to succor the millions of flood victims in their homeland. The Pakistan Association of Utah, for example, has already amassed upward of $53,000 for that very purpose.
"This is not just a flood — it is a disaster," said Abdul Rashid Afridi, a fundraiser for the Pakistan Association of Utah. "There is cholera, malaria, typhoid (fever), all these diseases. There is no drinking water. There is no food. Seventy percent of Pakistan is under water; 30 million people are under the open sky.
"Different organizations are feeding them, but after three weeks they are still finding places where aid hasn't reached yet and people are dying."
Beginning Monday, the Pakistan Association of Utah will be using 10 billboards donated by local company Regan Signs to encourage donations from Utahns to aid Pakistani relief efforts.
Afridi said that the Mormon church and the Pakistan Association of Utah teamed up to help victims of the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan that killed 80,000 people. This time around, Alfridi explained, LDS leaders have again taken a proactive approach to aiding Pakistan in its hour of need.
"The first two planes that landed in Pakistan, in Islamabad, during this flood were the Mormon church's," he said. "Two of their planes landed first and arrived with (a lot) of help."
Friday's shipment to Pakistan by the Mormon church won't be the last humanitarian aid going from Latter-day Saints to Pakistan. However, future iterations will likely involve on-the-ground purchases in Asia, thereby eliminating the need for costly shipping.
"I don't know about (more) shipments, but we're going to be doing a lot more on Pakistan," Leishman said. "If possible we always like to purchase the product in the country if it is available, so we'll be either be purchasing out of Pakistan or out of India and providing the product that way.
"We're also working with several humanitarian organizations in Pakistan, providing them with funds to purchase medicines, shelter items and food."
By Jamshid Ghazi Askar
Deseret News
Published: Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010 12:15 a.m. MDT
SALT LAKE CITY — The LDS Church shipped an estimated 400,000 pounds of food, blankets and other relief aid Friday to flood-ravaged Pakistan.
"We're loading 10 containers that will be shipped to Pakistan," said Nate Leishman, the church's manager of emergency response. "We're doing this in conjunction with one of our partners, which is Islamic Relief."
Under an arrangement between the Mormons and Islamic Relief, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is donating physical goods while Islamic Relief oversees shipping and distribution.
"The containers will arrive at the Port of Karachi in about 3-4 weeks," Leishman said. "Islamic Relief has a big presence in Pakistan and quite a few aid workers over there right now. They will take the product and actually distribute it for us into the affected flood areas. It will go right to the people. They have the ability to do that much better than we do in the country of Pakistan."
Leishman said that each of the 10 containers holds approximately 40,000 pounds of hygiene kits, blankets, quilts and foodstuffs such as beans, rice and the nutritional supplement atmit.
Pakistani immigrants in Utah are also striving to succor the millions of flood victims in their homeland. The Pakistan Association of Utah, for example, has already amassed upward of $53,000 for that very purpose.
"This is not just a flood — it is a disaster," said Abdul Rashid Afridi, a fundraiser for the Pakistan Association of Utah. "There is cholera, malaria, typhoid (fever), all these diseases. There is no drinking water. There is no food. Seventy percent of Pakistan is under water; 30 million people are under the open sky.
"Different organizations are feeding them, but after three weeks they are still finding places where aid hasn't reached yet and people are dying."
Beginning Monday, the Pakistan Association of Utah will be using 10 billboards donated by local company Regan Signs to encourage donations from Utahns to aid Pakistani relief efforts.
Afridi said that the Mormon church and the Pakistan Association of Utah teamed up to help victims of the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan that killed 80,000 people. This time around, Alfridi explained, LDS leaders have again taken a proactive approach to aiding Pakistan in its hour of need.
"The first two planes that landed in Pakistan, in Islamabad, during this flood were the Mormon church's," he said. "Two of their planes landed first and arrived with (a lot) of help."
Friday's shipment to Pakistan by the Mormon church won't be the last humanitarian aid going from Latter-day Saints to Pakistan. However, future iterations will likely involve on-the-ground purchases in Asia, thereby eliminating the need for costly shipping.
"I don't know about (more) shipments, but we're going to be doing a lot more on Pakistan," Leishman said. "If possible we always like to purchase the product in the country if it is available, so we'll be either be purchasing out of Pakistan or out of India and providing the product that way.
"We're also working with several humanitarian organizations in Pakistan, providing them with funds to purchase medicines, shelter items and food."
Leishman declined to disclose the monetary value of the donated goods shipped Friday.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Prat-Falls
Both Mom and I took falls this past week. We were comparing notes on Friday/Thursday when I called her.
I had gotten home from work this past week and was changing my clothes. I was pulling my pants off and standing on one foot and my other foot got caught in the leg of my pants. I stepped back to catch my balance and fell over the end of the bed and fell to the floor hitting my head on the night stand. I saw stars and thought it could have killed me. Then I laughed at the thought of someone finding me dead with my pants down around my ankles.
Mom was spray painting the back stairs to the deck and as she was stepping back down off the ladder she thought she was on the bottom step -- instead she was on the 2/3rd step up and landed on her back/hand/elbow.
Looks like we need to start padding everything around us so we don't hurt ourselves!!!
I had gotten home from work this past week and was changing my clothes. I was pulling my pants off and standing on one foot and my other foot got caught in the leg of my pants. I stepped back to catch my balance and fell over the end of the bed and fell to the floor hitting my head on the night stand. I saw stars and thought it could have killed me. Then I laughed at the thought of someone finding me dead with my pants down around my ankles.
Mom was spray painting the back stairs to the deck and as she was stepping back down off the ladder she thought she was on the bottom step -- instead she was on the 2/3rd step up and landed on her back/hand/elbow.
Looks like we need to start padding everything around us so we don't hurt ourselves!!!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Iran Paying Taliban to Kill U.S. Troops
Iran Paying Taliban to Kill U.S. Troops
Published September 07, 2010
Sunday Times
Taliban fighters ride on motorbikes in an undisclosed location in Afghanistan, July 14, 2009. (Reuters)
KABUL -- At least five Iranian companies in Afghanistan's capital are using their offices covertly to finance Taliban militants in provinces near Kabul, according to an investigation by London's Sunday Times.
Afghan intelligence and Taliban sources have told the newspaper that the firms, set up in the past six months, provide cash for a network of district Taliban treasurers to pay battlefield expenses and bonuses for killing the enemy and destroying their vehicles.
The Iranian companies win contracts to supply materials and logistics to Afghans involved in reconstruction. The money often comes in the form of aid from foreign donors.
Profits are transferred through poorly regulated Afghan banks — including Kabul Bank, which is partly owned by President Hamid Karzai’s brother Mahmood — to Tehran and Dubai.
From these countries, the money returns to Afghanistan through the informal Islamic banking system known as hawala to be dispersed to the Taliban.
"This means the companies involved in funding the insurgency can cover their tracks easily. It makes it harder for us to trace the cashflow," a senior Afghan intelligence official said.
Iranian companies have been established with the intention of winning contracts funded by foreign aid so that donors’ cash could be channeled into the insurgency, the official said. Western officials believe the network may have been set up by the Al-Quds force, an elite branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
The Iranian embassy in Kabul refused to respond to the allegations. But according to the Taliban treasurer, who has been interviewed by The Sunday Times, Iran is paying bonuses of $1,000 for killing an American soldier and $6,000 for destroying a U.S. military vehicle.
Published September 07, 2010
Sunday Times
Taliban fighters ride on motorbikes in an undisclosed location in Afghanistan, July 14, 2009. (Reuters)
KABUL -- At least five Iranian companies in Afghanistan's capital are using their offices covertly to finance Taliban militants in provinces near Kabul, according to an investigation by London's Sunday Times.
Afghan intelligence and Taliban sources have told the newspaper that the firms, set up in the past six months, provide cash for a network of district Taliban treasurers to pay battlefield expenses and bonuses for killing the enemy and destroying their vehicles.
The Iranian companies win contracts to supply materials and logistics to Afghans involved in reconstruction. The money often comes in the form of aid from foreign donors.
Profits are transferred through poorly regulated Afghan banks — including Kabul Bank, which is partly owned by President Hamid Karzai’s brother Mahmood — to Tehran and Dubai.
From these countries, the money returns to Afghanistan through the informal Islamic banking system known as hawala to be dispersed to the Taliban.
"This means the companies involved in funding the insurgency can cover their tracks easily. It makes it harder for us to trace the cashflow," a senior Afghan intelligence official said.
Iranian companies have been established with the intention of winning contracts funded by foreign aid so that donors’ cash could be channeled into the insurgency, the official said. Western officials believe the network may have been set up by the Al-Quds force, an elite branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
The Iranian embassy in Kabul refused to respond to the allegations. But according to the Taliban treasurer, who has been interviewed by The Sunday Times, Iran is paying bonuses of $1,000 for killing an American soldier and $6,000 for destroying a U.S. military vehicle.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Merrill Family Goes to Mt Timpanogas Caves
Looks like a fun outing for the Merrill family for the Labor Day Weekend!!!
Planned Quran-Burning Could Endanger Troops, Petraeus Warns
Planned Quran-burning could endanger troops, Petraeus warns
By the CNN Wire Staff
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: Quran-burning pastor is "really quite uninformed," Atlanta imam says
Gen. David Petraeus says burning Qurans "could endanger troops"
The Dove World Outreach Center says it wants to warn of Islam's "hateful" ideology
Another U.S. general warns that the protest could have "second- and third-order effects"
(CNN) -- The U.S. commander in Afghanistan on Monday criticized a Florida church's plan to burn copies of the Quran on September 11, warning the demonstration "could cause significant problems" for American troops overseas.
"It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort in Afghanistan," Gen. David Petraeus said in a statement issued Monday.
The Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, plans to mark the anniversary of al Qaeda's September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington by burning copies of the Muslim holy book. The church insists the event is "neither an act of love nor of hate," but a warning against what it calls the threats posed by Islam.
The event has drawn criticism from Muslims in the United States and overseas, with thousands of Indonesians gathering outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Sunday to protest the planned Quran burning.
"The burning is not only an insult to the holy Quran, but an insult to Islam and Muslims around the world," said Muhammad Ismail, a spokesman for the hard-line Indonesian Muslim group Hizb ut-Tahrir.
With about 120,000 U.S. and NATO-led troops still battling al Qaeda and its allies in the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban movement, Petraeus warned that burning Qurans "is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems -- not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community."
And one of his deputies, Lt. Gen. William Caldwell, told CNN's "The Situation Room" that event "has already stirred up a lot of discussion and concern" among Afghans.
"We very much feel that this can jeopardize the safety of our men and women that are serving over here in the country," said Caldwell, the head of NATO efforts to train Afghan security forces.
Caldwell said American troops "are over here to defend the rights of American citizens, and we're not debating the First Amendment rights that people have." But he added, "What I will tell you is that their very actions will in fact jeopardize the safety of the young men and women who are serving in uniform over here and also undermine the very mission that we're trying to accomplish."
"I would hope they would understand that there are second- and third-order effects that will occur that will affect that young man and woman who's out there on point for America, serving their nation today, because of their actions back in the United States," he said.
In a statement on its website, the Dove World Outreach Center said it plans to burn Qurans "to warn about the teaching and ideology of Islam, which we do hate as it is hateful." Its pastor, Terry Jones, has written a book entitled "Islam is of the Devil," and the church sells coffee mugs and shirts featuring the phrase. But the church says its animus is not aimed at individual Muslims.
"We love, as God loves, all the people in the world and we want them to come to a knowledge of the truth," it states.
Jones canceled a planned appearance on CNN's "Rick's List" to discuss the controversy Monday afternoon. Plemon el-Amin, the imam of an Atlanta, Georgia, mosque, said that Jones' criticism of Islam is "really quite uninformed."
"But in America, there is the freedom to be ignorant," el-Amin said. "The only problem is in the world, many people don't understand that particular freedom. So what he is doing is like shouting fire in a theater, in a world theater, and people are upset."
El-Amin said Jones has boasted of never reading the Quran, so "He doesn't know that he's going to burn a book that has some of the most beautiful passages about Christ Jesus throughout, as well as Moses, Abraham and all of the prophets he reads about and says he follows in the Bible." But he said the best strategy would be to ignore Jones, "like we do people on corners saying the end of the world is coming."
Other religious organizations have joined with U.S. Muslim groups to oppose the Quran-burning. The National Association of Evangelicals is urging the church to cancel the event, warning it could cause worldwide tension between the two religions, and Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu leaders in Gainesville have organized a "Gathering for Peace, Understanding and Hope" the night before the scheduled Quran burning.
In addition, an armed Christian organization that had pledged to protect the Dove World Outreach Center withdrew its support from the Quran-burning last week, stating the event "may diminish the work of the Holy Spirit to witness to Muslims."
That group's founder, Shannon Carson, said he agrees with the church's stance on Islam, which he called a cult "that is invading our nation." But he complained that the "liberal media" is using stories on Jones's plans "to distract, divide and enrage the public."
By the CNN Wire Staff
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: Quran-burning pastor is "really quite uninformed," Atlanta imam says
Gen. David Petraeus says burning Qurans "could endanger troops"
The Dove World Outreach Center says it wants to warn of Islam's "hateful" ideology
Another U.S. general warns that the protest could have "second- and third-order effects"
(CNN) -- The U.S. commander in Afghanistan on Monday criticized a Florida church's plan to burn copies of the Quran on September 11, warning the demonstration "could cause significant problems" for American troops overseas.
"It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort in Afghanistan," Gen. David Petraeus said in a statement issued Monday.
The Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, plans to mark the anniversary of al Qaeda's September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington by burning copies of the Muslim holy book. The church insists the event is "neither an act of love nor of hate," but a warning against what it calls the threats posed by Islam.
The event has drawn criticism from Muslims in the United States and overseas, with thousands of Indonesians gathering outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Sunday to protest the planned Quran burning.
"The burning is not only an insult to the holy Quran, but an insult to Islam and Muslims around the world," said Muhammad Ismail, a spokesman for the hard-line Indonesian Muslim group Hizb ut-Tahrir.
With about 120,000 U.S. and NATO-led troops still battling al Qaeda and its allies in the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban movement, Petraeus warned that burning Qurans "is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems -- not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community."
And one of his deputies, Lt. Gen. William Caldwell, told CNN's "The Situation Room" that event "has already stirred up a lot of discussion and concern" among Afghans.
"We very much feel that this can jeopardize the safety of our men and women that are serving over here in the country," said Caldwell, the head of NATO efforts to train Afghan security forces.
Caldwell said American troops "are over here to defend the rights of American citizens, and we're not debating the First Amendment rights that people have." But he added, "What I will tell you is that their very actions will in fact jeopardize the safety of the young men and women who are serving in uniform over here and also undermine the very mission that we're trying to accomplish."
"I would hope they would understand that there are second- and third-order effects that will occur that will affect that young man and woman who's out there on point for America, serving their nation today, because of their actions back in the United States," he said.
In a statement on its website, the Dove World Outreach Center said it plans to burn Qurans "to warn about the teaching and ideology of Islam, which we do hate as it is hateful." Its pastor, Terry Jones, has written a book entitled "Islam is of the Devil," and the church sells coffee mugs and shirts featuring the phrase. But the church says its animus is not aimed at individual Muslims.
"We love, as God loves, all the people in the world and we want them to come to a knowledge of the truth," it states.
Jones canceled a planned appearance on CNN's "Rick's List" to discuss the controversy Monday afternoon. Plemon el-Amin, the imam of an Atlanta, Georgia, mosque, said that Jones' criticism of Islam is "really quite uninformed."
"But in America, there is the freedom to be ignorant," el-Amin said. "The only problem is in the world, many people don't understand that particular freedom. So what he is doing is like shouting fire in a theater, in a world theater, and people are upset."
El-Amin said Jones has boasted of never reading the Quran, so "He doesn't know that he's going to burn a book that has some of the most beautiful passages about Christ Jesus throughout, as well as Moses, Abraham and all of the prophets he reads about and says he follows in the Bible." But he said the best strategy would be to ignore Jones, "like we do people on corners saying the end of the world is coming."
Other religious organizations have joined with U.S. Muslim groups to oppose the Quran-burning. The National Association of Evangelicals is urging the church to cancel the event, warning it could cause worldwide tension between the two religions, and Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu leaders in Gainesville have organized a "Gathering for Peace, Understanding and Hope" the night before the scheduled Quran burning.
In addition, an armed Christian organization that had pledged to protect the Dove World Outreach Center withdrew its support from the Quran-burning last week, stating the event "may diminish the work of the Holy Spirit to witness to Muslims."
That group's founder, Shannon Carson, said he agrees with the church's stance on Islam, which he called a cult "that is invading our nation." But he complained that the "liberal media" is using stories on Jones's plans "to distract, divide and enrage the public."
Sunday, September 5, 2010
BYU Knocks Off WA Huskies 23-17
BYU football: Defense leads Cougars over Huskies
Published: Sunday, Sept. 5, 2010 12:03 a.m. MDT
PROVO — For BYU, two quarterbacks were better than Washington's one.
Cougar QBs Riley Nelson and Jake Heaps engineered the offense efficiently while the defense slowed down the Huskies' star quarterback, Jake Locker, when it mattered most. In the end, the Cougars captured a 23-17 season-opening win Saturday night at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
"It was a complete victory," said BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall. "Our offense played well enough to win, our defense played well enough to win, and we won the field position battle, forcing Washington to come out of their own end zone as much as they did."
Nelson and Heaps rotated every series, but it didn't seem to disrupt the offense. The two QBs finished with the same number of passing yards — 131.
Asked about the two-quarterback system, Nelson said, "It won the game for us." Then, he quickly added, "it came down to defense and special teams."
Nelson threw a pair of touchdown passes, including a 48-yard strike to running back J.J. DiLuigi with 4:23 remaining in the third quarter that gave the Cougars a 23-17 advantage.
From there, the BYU defense sealed the victory.
Late in the game, Locker seemed to have the Cougars right where he wanted them. BYU was clinging to a six-point lead and he was driving his team for the potential game-winning touchdown. It was a chance at redemption for Locker, whose celebration penalty in 2008 cost the Huskies a shot at possibly beating the Cougars in Seattle. On Saturday, Locker marched the Huskies' offense to the BYU 27, where he faced fourth-and-7 with about two minutes remaining.
On that play, the Cougars dropped eight defenders into coverage and rushed three for the first time of the night. One of those rushers was sophomore defensive lineman Eathyn Manumaleuna, who knocked down Locker's fourth-down pass.
"It hit my helmet," Manumaleuna said with a smile. In his last game in a Cougar uniform — three years ago in the Las Vegas Bowl, prior to a mission — he blocked a last-second UCLA field goal to give BYU a win.
"The look was confusing and the tempo came out faster than it was supposed to," Mendenhall said of the defensive scheme that sparked Manumaleuna's heroics. "We anticipated the ball would come out quickly. That gave us a chance to be on the underneath routes. The only risk was the possible scramble by Locker, but we took a calculated risk."
While the Cougar defense surrendered a few big plays to Locker and running back Chris Polk, who rushed for a game-high 92 yards, and wide receiver Jermaine Kearse, who had 108 yards on five catches, it did shut out the Huskies in the second half.
"We buckled down and did a great job giving the ball back to the offense," said senior safety Andrew Rich. "I was afraid (Locker) was going to get out of the pocket and run, but our guys up front made him step up and throw."
Locker completed 20-of-37 passes for 266 yards and one touchdown and rushed 11 times for just 29 yards.
"It was a challenge (defending Locker) but he didn't run as much as we thought he would," Manumaleuna said. "He's a good player."
The key was "keeping Jake Locker in the pocket and we were able to stop them," said linebacker Jordan Pendleton. "We were able to make plays down the stretch, and that allowed us to win."
BYU's special teams came up big, too.
In fact, the Cougars' first score was the result of a Washington's long snapper sailing the ball over the head of punter Will Mahan. The ball rolled to a stop 39 yards later into the end zone, where Mahan tossed the ball out of the end zone for a safety, cutting BYU's deficit to 7-2.
The Huskies then punted, and Heaps led the Cougars 66 yards on a drive that stalled at the Washington 4-yard line. But Mitch Payne drilled a 22-yard field goal to make the score 7-5.
BYU then kicked off to Polk, who bobbled the ball and was swarmed under at the two-yard line, putting the Huskies in a big hole. The Cougar defense forced a punt and gave the offense the ball in Washington territory.
Nelson then led an eight-play, 47-yard drive that culminated with a nine-yard touchdown pass to true freshman Joshua Quezada that lifted BYU to a 13-7 lead.
"Our special teams did well," Mendenhall said. "It really took all three phases to win, and I think field position was the determinant."
"BYU did a good job managing field position," said Washington coach Steve Sarkisian. "I know that was something they were focused on coming into the game, and it really paid dividends for them."
The Huskies responded with an impressive, 80-yard drive, capped by Locker's nine-yard TD run. Then, Washington kicker Erik Folk booted a 54-yard field goal to send them into the locker room with a 17-13 advantage at intermission.
But Washington didn't score again.
Midway through the third quarter, Heaps led BYU on a drive that ended with a 29-yard field goal by Payne. A couple of minutes later, Nelson threw the game-winner to DiLuigi, who caught the ball over the middle and sprinted into the end zone.
"J.J. did an incredible job, showing his speed," Nelson said. "(Washington) blitzed and J.J. opened up. He beat their safeties to the end zone."
"It was a nice call by Riley," DiLuigi said.
BYU's quarterbacks didn't know what the rotation would be until Saturday morning, but both were satisfied with how it played out.
"If we win like this, I could do this all year," Nelson said.
"They both looked poised and confident," Mendenhall said. "Both quarterbacks played to their strengths and did a good job. Right now, we'll play both. I don't think it will be exclusively one or the other this season."
BYU opens Mountain West Conference play next Saturday at Air Force.
Published: Sunday, Sept. 5, 2010 12:03 a.m. MDT
PROVO — For BYU, two quarterbacks were better than Washington's one.
Cougar QBs Riley Nelson and Jake Heaps engineered the offense efficiently while the defense slowed down the Huskies' star quarterback, Jake Locker, when it mattered most. In the end, the Cougars captured a 23-17 season-opening win Saturday night at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
"It was a complete victory," said BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall. "Our offense played well enough to win, our defense played well enough to win, and we won the field position battle, forcing Washington to come out of their own end zone as much as they did."
Nelson and Heaps rotated every series, but it didn't seem to disrupt the offense. The two QBs finished with the same number of passing yards — 131.
Asked about the two-quarterback system, Nelson said, "It won the game for us." Then, he quickly added, "it came down to defense and special teams."
Nelson threw a pair of touchdown passes, including a 48-yard strike to running back J.J. DiLuigi with 4:23 remaining in the third quarter that gave the Cougars a 23-17 advantage.
From there, the BYU defense sealed the victory.
Late in the game, Locker seemed to have the Cougars right where he wanted them. BYU was clinging to a six-point lead and he was driving his team for the potential game-winning touchdown. It was a chance at redemption for Locker, whose celebration penalty in 2008 cost the Huskies a shot at possibly beating the Cougars in Seattle. On Saturday, Locker marched the Huskies' offense to the BYU 27, where he faced fourth-and-7 with about two minutes remaining.
On that play, the Cougars dropped eight defenders into coverage and rushed three for the first time of the night. One of those rushers was sophomore defensive lineman Eathyn Manumaleuna, who knocked down Locker's fourth-down pass.
"It hit my helmet," Manumaleuna said with a smile. In his last game in a Cougar uniform — three years ago in the Las Vegas Bowl, prior to a mission — he blocked a last-second UCLA field goal to give BYU a win.
"The look was confusing and the tempo came out faster than it was supposed to," Mendenhall said of the defensive scheme that sparked Manumaleuna's heroics. "We anticipated the ball would come out quickly. That gave us a chance to be on the underneath routes. The only risk was the possible scramble by Locker, but we took a calculated risk."
While the Cougar defense surrendered a few big plays to Locker and running back Chris Polk, who rushed for a game-high 92 yards, and wide receiver Jermaine Kearse, who had 108 yards on five catches, it did shut out the Huskies in the second half.
"We buckled down and did a great job giving the ball back to the offense," said senior safety Andrew Rich. "I was afraid (Locker) was going to get out of the pocket and run, but our guys up front made him step up and throw."
Locker completed 20-of-37 passes for 266 yards and one touchdown and rushed 11 times for just 29 yards.
"It was a challenge (defending Locker) but he didn't run as much as we thought he would," Manumaleuna said. "He's a good player."
The key was "keeping Jake Locker in the pocket and we were able to stop them," said linebacker Jordan Pendleton. "We were able to make plays down the stretch, and that allowed us to win."
BYU's special teams came up big, too.
In fact, the Cougars' first score was the result of a Washington's long snapper sailing the ball over the head of punter Will Mahan. The ball rolled to a stop 39 yards later into the end zone, where Mahan tossed the ball out of the end zone for a safety, cutting BYU's deficit to 7-2.
The Huskies then punted, and Heaps led the Cougars 66 yards on a drive that stalled at the Washington 4-yard line. But Mitch Payne drilled a 22-yard field goal to make the score 7-5.
BYU then kicked off to Polk, who bobbled the ball and was swarmed under at the two-yard line, putting the Huskies in a big hole. The Cougar defense forced a punt and gave the offense the ball in Washington territory.
Nelson then led an eight-play, 47-yard drive that culminated with a nine-yard touchdown pass to true freshman Joshua Quezada that lifted BYU to a 13-7 lead.
"Our special teams did well," Mendenhall said. "It really took all three phases to win, and I think field position was the determinant."
"BYU did a good job managing field position," said Washington coach Steve Sarkisian. "I know that was something they were focused on coming into the game, and it really paid dividends for them."
The Huskies responded with an impressive, 80-yard drive, capped by Locker's nine-yard TD run. Then, Washington kicker Erik Folk booted a 54-yard field goal to send them into the locker room with a 17-13 advantage at intermission.
But Washington didn't score again.
Midway through the third quarter, Heaps led BYU on a drive that ended with a 29-yard field goal by Payne. A couple of minutes later, Nelson threw the game-winner to DiLuigi, who caught the ball over the middle and sprinted into the end zone.
"J.J. did an incredible job, showing his speed," Nelson said. "(Washington) blitzed and J.J. opened up. He beat their safeties to the end zone."
"It was a nice call by Riley," DiLuigi said.
BYU's quarterbacks didn't know what the rotation would be until Saturday morning, but both were satisfied with how it played out.
"If we win like this, I could do this all year," Nelson said.
"They both looked poised and confident," Mendenhall said. "Both quarterbacks played to their strengths and did a good job. Right now, we'll play both. I don't think it will be exclusively one or the other this season."
BYU opens Mountain West Conference play next Saturday at Air Force.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
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