The TCU game left BYU raising the white flag with about nine minutes left in the third quarter, as the Cougars stared down a 17-point deficit and failed to convert on a third-and-4.

Getting just two yards off a short Max Hall pass, fourth-and-2 upcoming, the coaching staff made a regrettable decision -- one that changed the entire tone of the Cougar bench, and could be a hindrance to the rest of the season if the coaches don't learn from it.

This is an important anecdote, BYU punting on fourth-and-short at midfield, realized after talking to some players and assistant coaches, because the Cougars right now are in a position where playing it straight simply isn't going to work right now.

These last four Mountain West Conference teams still want to defeat BYU, for sure, but the onus on the Cougars right now is to find the honor essentially playing out the string. They are their own biggest opponent right now.

I know, I know. Some players would be mad to hear some dinky outsider saying that. The whole coaching staff has corrected the question of not playing for an MWC title because it insists that there's still, as the saying goes, a lot of football left to be played.

TCU still has Utah left at home and must play at Wyoming in a few weeks -- always a game worth keeping an eye on in November, just ask the Cougars. But the reality is any share of a third MWC title in four years is a ridiculous long shot on which to procure motivation.

Besides, that thought process didn't work last year when TCU throttled the Cougars into their first loss, and they went into a funk from which BYU never escaped.

Everyone from head coach Bronco Mendenhall to the third-string whoever has insisted this year will be different.

BYU won't drown in self-pity. A larger group of seniors, led by quarterback Max Hall, will make sure the team keeps focused. And on and on, toward a respectable chase of the finish line, which is five games away, counting the bowl.

"We're not going to worry about the scoreboard," Hall said. "Just let's go play."

Practices have looked livelier than they appeared last season, following the 32-7 loss at TCU. That team wound up winning the next four games, all against considerably overmatched MWC foes, before hitting the skids with losses to Utah and Arizona to finish up.

A large group of players had no problem saying that last year, the fun was sucked out of football after the TCU loss. That demise should be shared blame between an unrealistic coaching staff and a lack of locker-room leadership.

It comes down to honor vs. motivation the rest of the way, just like last year. Goals started very high, some are now unattainable and ... well, the Cougars have to write the rest of the story here. It's their call.

Hall said there have been meetings organized by coaches, and in some cases just the seniors getting together, to discuss how they want to end the year.

It will basically come down to the guys who play deciding how they want to be remembered, even if titles and trophies and January big-money bowl games aren't in play. Their influential attitudes will go a long way in determining the fate of this team, and how history remembers it.

But so will the coaches.

It's not time to turn this season into a flea-flicker circus. Jerking the wheel the other direction isn't going to get the Cougars on the right path.

But it was a distinctly poor decision against TCU by doing that aforementioned punt, when the Cougars should have been in nothing-to-lose mode down 24-7. That moment must be recalled when game-planning the rest of the season.

Regardless of BYU being ahead or behind, a different approach must be taken.

As much as BYU needs to work on its physical skills, the season becomes an on-going mind game at this point.

Human nature right now is to feel disappointed. Keeping it fresh, working in some wrinkles for the benefit of all of the Cougars, will go a long way in keeping regret from settling in come late December and for the rest of some lives.

• Jason Franchuk can be reached at jfranchuk@heraldextra.com.

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