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BYU 38, Oregon State 28

October 18, 2011

It seems to be another one of those Bronco Mendenhall-led BYU teams: start slow (1-2) and then get very good as the season progresses. The Cougars are now riding a four game winning streak, after cruising through Corvallis on their way to a 38-28 victory over the Beavers of Oregon State, that was not as close as the score indicates. Indeed, the cougars were up 38-21 with just 30 seconds to go. The Beavers had to rely on lucky breaks to keep things even at halftime, but the Cougars really blew things open in the second half and ended up having an easy victory. I will happily admit that I was wrong – I guessed a close, low-scoring game at 23-16. Here’s a look at what went right, and wrong for the Cougars in their big win.

The return of "power" running to BYU

Keys to the game

Doman. I keep expecting opposing teams to be able to adjust to Riley’s style of play and shut him down late in the game, but it’s not happening. I’ll give partial credit to Doman on this – he’s obviously been able to more fully implement his offense under Riley, and has been able to keep defenses from keying on Riley because of the variety of ways he has to get rid of the ball.

Nelson. Riley had another solid game: 17/27 for 217 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT. Oh and an additional 87 yards rushing, good enough to lead the team in that category. He averaged nearly 13 yards per completion, and more than 7 yards per carry. Under his leadership, the team went 11/14 on third downs, and came up with nearly 500 yards of offense (217 passing and 282 rushing).

Receivers. In the last two games, Cody Hoffman has emerged (once again) as the leader of this group. He had 9 receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown – that’s 18 yards per catch. Falslev added three catches for 18 yards and a TD, and TE Kaneakua Friel also recorded a receiving touchdown. That marks three straight games that TEs have caught a pass for a touchdown.

The Rush Attack. Mike Alisa, like Hoffman, had another great game, to match his performance against San Jose State. Alisa rushed for 84 yards, and constantly seemed to be running over or through the first and sometimes second tacklers. He and DiLuigi each had a rushing touchdown, though Mike had a second, long rushing touchdown called back on a holding penalty. DiLuigi added 74 yards of his own, including a 41 yard scramble.

Special Teams. Justin Sorenson had an off day. I don’t recall a touchback in the game, and he only managed to connect on 1/3 field goals, one of them being blocked right before the end of the first half. He was a perfect 5/5 on PATs. The Nelson-led offense led to another slow day for Riley Stephenson, who only punted once. The Beavers missed on both of their field goal attempts as well.

Bronco D. The final score doesn’t tell the whole story here. This defense was really great against the Beavers. The Beaver O was held to just 59 rushing yards on 23 attempts (that’s a measly 2.6 yards per carry), and completed only 27/43 pass attempts. The Cougars caused and recovered two fumbles, and Brandon Ogletree and Kyle Van Noy each recorded an interception. Van Noy returned his 43 yards before being tripped up. Probably the best time of the game for the Cougar defense was the beginning of the third quarter, where three consecutive Beaver drives ended like this: interception, fumble, fumble.

What we know about Oregon State (1-5, 1-2 Pac12)

The Beavers had been hopeful about building on their win over Arizona, and reaching bowl eligibility. At this point, that dream is all but over, as OSU has three ranked teams left on its Pac 12 schedule. Next week they are going on the road to take on the Cougars of Washington State. Typically, one would have a W already penciled in on the schedule next to WSU, but the Cougars are already 3-3 this year, and they even beat the Beavers down in Corvallis last season.

What we know about BYU (5-2)

Perhaps my favorite stat through all of this is that BYU has more Pac12 wins than Utah does. :) The season looked bleak around midway through the Utah State game, as it looked like the Cougars were headed to a 2-3 record with consecutive losses to Utah State. Jake Heaps was benched in favor of Riley Nelson, and that has either been or has coincided with a revitalization of the BYU team and season – now the Cougars are 5-2, and are seriously looking at what could be a 10 win season. This week the Cougars face off against FCS (the “c” is for cupcake) Idaho State. It comes at a good time though, as BYU will be playing TCU the week after.

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Week 5 Preview – Utah State @ BYU

September 26, 2011

BYU was able to rebound after their home loss to Utah, overcoming the Knights of UCF last week 24-17. They won through superb special teams play, great defense, and just enough offense to get the job done. But the game was a step in the right direction! It felt much like the SDSU game last year, when we rebounded after the loss at Utah State, and won a close, scrappy game. This week, the Cougars are looking to avenge last year’s loss to the Aggies, and continue on the path of improvement. Comparing this team to the team that played up in Logan last year would be a mistake, as so many significant changes have taken place. Utah State got up early in the game last year, leading 24-3 at halftime. That won’t be the case this year.

What we know about Utah State (1-2, 0-0 WAC)

Utah State ended the season 4-8 last year, with wins over BYU, New Mexico State, San Jose State, and FCS Idaho State. Which of those doesn’t belong? Yeah. Not hard to miss. Lately though, this Utah State team has been in games they had no business being in, and they have lost games they had no business losing. Last season they lost at Oklahoma 31-24. They opened this season in a heartbreaking loss to Auburn (yes, that Auburn) 42-38. Last week though, they lost in overtime against Colorado State. Their lone win came in week two against Weber State, who they thumped 54-17. The Aggies have the 5th best rushing average in the nation, with 316 yards per game (high of 440 against Weber St.), and they are 14th overall in points scored, at 42 per game. This team is a dangerous one, and they already have an offense that’s clicking. On the flip-side, their defense is only ranked 97th, giving up an average of 31 points per game. Players to watch: freshman QB Chuckie Keeton, and junior RB’s Robert Turbin and Kerwynn Williams. The success of these players will determine the success of the Aggies.

What we know about BYU (2-2)

A win last week helped, but BYU is still eager to ease some of the pain associated with the Utah game, and hopefully give ESPN’s national audience some better memories of BYU’s offense. BYU also comes into this game looking to avenge their 31-16 loss at Utah State last season. It had been ten years since the Aggies previous win in the series, and you have to go back another ten years to find the one before that. The Cougars have more than enough motivation to put the hurt on their “little brother” this Friday night in Provo.

Keys to the game

Doman. As much as he may not like it, I think Doman may be back up in the box again this week, and I think that’s where he belongs. While his sideline presence is missed, I think his ability to see the whole field is invaluable.

Heaps. Utah State has the weakest defense that BYU has seen this year. This should be a great game for Jake to break out of his accuracy slump (which has been aided by dropped passes), which last week was well below 50%.

The Rush Attack. BYU’s rushing crew had a good game last week against UCF, with Kariya, DiLuigi, and Quezada each contributing effectively. Again, lining up against the Utah State defense should be a welcome treat for these guys, after having faced the likes of Ole Miss and Texas already this season.

Special Teams. Cougar special teams had an amazing game last week. Hoffman’s kickoff return for a TD, a muffed punt recovery, a handful of touchbacks, and a great punting average all combined to make the night truly “special” for this unit. You can’t really improve on that, but I do hope that last week inspired some confidence in this group and that they will be able to sustain the high level of play that they exhibited against UCF.

Bronco D. The defense really had a great game against UCF, who came in averaging more than 200 yards per game on the ground, and were held to just 81 yards. The defense will again be focused on stopping the run, and in this case, the run is everything to Utah State. As they average more than 300 rushing yards per game, take that away, and they’re left with the nation’s 104th best passing attack to beat BYU. Knowing this, the Aggies will have come up with some sort of passing attack, likely aimed at weaknesses in BYU’s secondary. I think the D may give up a big play or two, but will keep Utah State with fewer than 100 rushing yards.

Prediction

This game provides another Friday night on ESPN – with no other college football games on – so they eyes of the nation will be upon the Cougars once again. The home crowd, the special teams, defense, and yes, even the BYU offense will prove too much for the Aggies, and BYU will win in dominating fashion: 38-13.

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BYU 24, UCF 17

September 25, 2011

After the blowout loss to Utah last week, the Cougars were hoping to use this game as a turning point – something to build on – to define the rest of the season. BYU was able to accomplish that goal by pulling out a win against a tough UCF team – reigning C-USA champs who went 11-3 last season. While the Knights outgained the Cougars by nearly 140 yards, BYU won the game as I called it: on strong plays by the defense and by winning the turnover battle. Here’s a look at what went right and what didn’t, as we review our keys to the game.

Hoffman takes it to the house!

Doman. The BYU OC moved up to the box for this game. I won’t say that was why they won, but it certainly can’t hurt to be able to see the whole field of play, and thus be better able to identify the strengths and weaknesses that the opposing defense is showing you. Credit Doman for not losing the second half battle – as was the case the previous two weeks. The Cougars overcame deficits of 10-3 and 17-10 to eventually win the game.

Heaps. Jake continues to be a work in progress. His accuracy was below 50% this week, at 16/34 for a mere 133 yards and an INT. He was competent enough to win the game. One really encouraging piece, the leading receiver in the game was TE Marcus Mathews, who caught 4 passes for 35 yards.

The Rush Attack. BYU’s rushing crew had a much better night this week, combining (less the Heaps sack) for 137 yards. Kariya rushed for 52, DiLuigi for 38, and Quezada for 26 yards. Kariya and DiLuigi each scored a touchdown on the ground as well. After the game, Bronco said that they had simplified some of the running game. Whatever they did, I hope they do it again, and that it continues to be effective.

Special Teams. Special teams! From an abysmal game last week to saving the game this week! I cannot fully express how big an impact special teams had on this game. In the second half, BYU was finally able to put together a touchdown drive, only to have that be followed by a UCF touchdown drive, which put the game right back where it was. On the ensuing kickoff, Cody Hoffman accomplished what no other Cougar had done in 13 years: he returned that ball for a touchdown. 93 yards, and all he needed was one monster block as he ran the ball all the way back, untouched. It was an amazing moment for the team and for the fans. It also demoralized the UCF team who had just scored what would be their last points of the night.

Again, in the fourth quarter, with the game tied at 17, UCF’s JJ Worton muffed a Riley Stephenson punt, which was recovered by BYU’s Michael Alisa. Michael ran it into the endzone and the entire team gathered around him to celebrate. It was something these guys needed to help ease the pain of the week before, when nothing went the Cougars’ way. They got flagged for a celebration penalty, and the touchdown didn’t count because you can’t advance a muff, but 3 Bryan Kariya rushes later, BYU had that touchdown and the winning score 24-17. Further, 4/5 Sorenson kickoffs were for touchbacks, and Riley Stephenson averaged 45 yards per punt on 6 punts, with a long of 67. It was really an amazing night for Cougar special teams.

Bronco D. The defense really had a great game. UCF came in averaging more than 200 yards per game on the ground, and the BYU defense was able to hold them to just 81. They were also held to just about half of their usual points per game, at just 17. The defense, like the offense this week, did not fall behind due to poor halftime adjustments, as they allowed only one scoring drive in the second half. Standout performances by Joe Sampson (impressive Sack early on, and an INT to seal the game), Uona Kaveinga (who continues to force fumbles and just be plain nasty), and Kyle Van Noy (who showed off a wicked vertical leap to tip the ball that Sampson intercepted).

The biggest weakness for the defense continues to be Corby Eason. He dropped a potential INT that hit him in the numbers, and the UCF quarterbacks were targeting (and having success against) his side of the field all game long.

What we know about UCF (2-2, 0-0 C-USA)

UCF expected to come in and win against BYU this week. Their players were frustrated by the loss, especially when they were able to dominate the offensive statistics. UCF has a bye this week, so they will have plenty of time to dwell on the loss, and prepare to open C-USA play on October 8th against 1-3 Marshall. The following week will be a rematch of last year’s C-USA championship game at SMU.

What we know about BYU (2-2)

This game felt much like last year’s game against San Diego State. It was a close, hard-fought game, which I felt helped to define the season. I applaud the fact that the players were able to come together to win a tough, close game, just one week after having so much go wrong against Utah. Hopefully the Cougars can build on what they did in this game as they take on Utah State next week.

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Rivalry Week Preview: Utah @ BYU

September 11, 2011

It is certainly strange to be writing about the BYU-Utah rivalry game in September, but Pac 12 non-conference game regulations forced the move of the game from its usual November slot. BYU does play at Oregon State on October 15th, but that game was scheduled before the new rule was in effect. So here we are in week three. Both teams are coming off of heartbreaking losses in week 2, with BYU falling short at Texas, and Utah couldn’t quite get it done at USC. Both teams will be looking to regroup with a big win over their rival this weekend.

What we know about Utah (1-1, 0-1 Pac 12)

After starting the season with a 27-10 win over Montana State, Utah fell to USC last week 23-14…no, make that 17-14…actually, no, let’s go ahead and call it 23-14. What’s that all about? A last second Utah field goal attempt was blocked by USC and returned for a touchdown. The referees took away the touchdown based on the new celebration penalty in effect this year, but it was re-awarded after the fact by the Pac 12. So there you go. Anyway…back to Utah. They had their game-tying field goal blocked, and probably have some more empathy for what BYU fans went through when Utah blocked a BYU field goal attempt to end the rivalry game last year. It is still too early in the season to say exactly how good everyone is. Jordan Wynn appears to be struggling to pass efficiently, and the Utes have only averaged 169 passing yards through two games. The rushing attack has averaged 136 yards per game, but only had 80 against USC. How good are the Utes? Much better than Montana State, and good enough to beat USC, even though they came up short.

What we know about BYU (1-1)

It’s possible that we know more about BYU than Utah. BYU beat Ole Miss on the road in week 1, and lost to Texas on the road in week 2. Both games were decided by one point, and featured good to great BYU defense and poor to fair BYU offense. Heaps and Doman are still working out the kinks in the new offense, and while things looked great in the first half of the Texas game (with three scoring drives, including a 97 yard touchdown drive), the BYU offense didn’t have an answer for Texas’ halftime adjustments. So, how good are the Cougars? Somewhere in between Ole Miss and Texas. The Cougar defense is solid, which means the success or failure of the offense will likely determine the outcome of this week’s game.

Keys to the game

Doman. It’s amazing how short of a leash fans will put you on. After just two games, some fans are frustrated enough by the conservative, Anae-like play-calling that they are even suggesting he ought to be replaced. If Ole Miss hadn’t been a win, these fans may have reacted similarly after game one. Doman’s calls have been very conservative – most notably on Saturday was a 3rd and 9 call for a draw play. It was only his second game as offensive coordinator, so of course he needs time to settle in, but you can’t win games by playing not to lose. Doman is going to have to be willing to open up the playbook and give the players a chance to make plays in order to get a win this Saturday.

Heaps. Jake was looking quite timid in the Texas game, especially after the Longhorns got flagged for a roughing the passer penalty. From that point on it seemed that if Jake saw any sort of pressure coming, he automatically threw to his check-down receiver, regardless of whether or not the pressure actually came. This tendency made it easy for the Texas defense to predict what Heaps was going to do, especially late in the game, which cut down on the yards after catch. Short throws and few extra yards do not translate to first downs. Heaps will have to learn to stand in the pocket and take a few hits every now and then, and in exchange he will have more down-field completions.

The Rush Attack. BYU only rushed for 43 yards against Texas. It wasn’t for lack of trying. The Cougars averaged fewer than two yards per carry. The lack of a run game translated to no one buying the play-action, and created extra pressure on Jake Heaps, which he seemed unable/unwilling to deal with. Regardless of Heaps’ reaction, the Cougars have got to find a way to run the ball effectively. We have talented enough runningbacks to get the job done. The whole offense, from coordinator to third-string linemen, needs to step up and play at a higher level.

Special Teams. Last year’s rivalry game came down to a blocked field goal. With the exception of 2004 and 2008, the BYU-Utah games have recently been decided by only a few points, and that means one big play can easily make or break this game. BYU has had some exciting kickoff and punt returns this year, and they have players capable of making touchdowns on those returns. Sorenson was 3/3 with his field goals against Texas, each of them coming around the 30 yard line. Hopefully this is a sign that his short to mid range game is growing more consistent, because the Cougars may rely on him to try and win this game if Heaps and co aren’t able to find the endzone. Hopefully the Cougars have worked on their field goal formation since the last Utah game.

Ball Control. Interceptions and Fumbles have been a big part of BYU and Utah’s games of late.  Momentum is huge, and capitalizing on mistakes is crucial to maintaining it.  I think we will see a few turnovers in this emotion-filled game, and the team that wins the turnover battle will likely win the game.

Bronco D. BYU’s defense has been stellar, and they literally won the Ole Miss game. But a defense can’t make up for a lack of offense, and can’t win every game for you. Bronco will have his players ready, and they will shut down the Utah run game, and force the Utes to beat the Cougars on Jordan Wynn’s arm. Wynn will hopefully become well acquainted with BYU’s linebackers in this game, and that should lead to mistakes the defense can capitalize on.

Prediction

The Holy War is almost always close, and these two teams seem to have struggling offenses. I think this will be a close, defensive battle – and I think the Cougars will get the best of the Utes in Provo this Saturday. BYU will win 21-17.

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Texas 17, BYU 16

September 10, 2011

BYU looked great going into halftime, up 13-0, but Texas made some great halftime adjustments and outscored the Cougars 17-3 in the second half to win the game. BYU led the game until 8:34 remained in the fourth quarter and they had opportunities to win, but they simply came up short at the end.

It doesn’t make it any less painful, but I did pick Texas to win this game (23-17). BYU had great chances, and even had the lead until 8:34 remained in the 4th quarter. BYU’s offense ran out of gas somewhere around halftime, and the defense wasn’t able to come up with a magic touchdown like last week against Ole Miss.

Texas scores the go-ahead TD

So, what went right/wrong for the Cougars? Let’s revisit our keys to the game:

Domanation. Brandon Doman did a much better job with pace this game. There were times when the offense went no-huddle, to keep the defense on its heels, and when the Cougars did huddle, they tended to get plays in and be on the ball more quickly than last week. Play calling was very conservative, including a 3rd and 9 draw play that left many fans wondering if Robert Anae had snuck a play in.

Jake Heaps. Heaps did seem to throw a more accurate ball this week – at least I don’t remember there being quite as many that were too far in front of or behind the receivers. He ended up being 22/38 for 192 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT’s. That’s an average of 5.1 yards per throw. Heaps did spread the ball around again, hitting 11 different receivers, but the top two, Holt and Apo, only had 41 and 40 receiving yards, respectively. He was too quick to use his check-down receiver, especially in the second half. Highlight of the day was a 97 yard touchdown drive in the second quarter that put the Cougars up 13-0.

The Rush Attack. The rushing game was abysmal. The Cougars only managed 43 yards on 23 attempts…an average of 1.9 yards per attempt. Heaps lost nine, but that doesn’t help the picture very much. The rushing leader was DiLuigi who posted 39 yards on 14 carries. Quezada was second with 5 carries for 7 yards. Yeah. 7. The lack of a run game really hurt the play action – as it’s supposed to be the run that the defense bites on to allow you to make the throw to an open receiver. No run game made for a long day and too many passing attempts for Heaps.

Special Teams. You want a bright spot? Here it is. Justin Sorenson was 3/3 on field goals, all of which were right around the 30 yard line. That is a good bit of consistency at short-to-mid range that he hasn’t shown in the past. I wish he’d had the opportunity to go for the game winner, but the offense simply couldn’t get anywhere on their final three drives, netting 6, 7, and -6 yards, all deep in their own territory.

Bronco D. The defense had an amazing start to the game, shutting out the Longhorns through nearly two quarters. The Texas drives in the first half ended like this: punt, punt, interception, interception, punt, punt, field goal. The yards per drive: 6, -3, 5, 47, -1, 0, 19. Texas figured out a few things at halftime, and their next three drives averaged more than 50 yards each, and resulted in two touchdowns. A big part of the second half difference was that Texas did not play their starting QB, Garrett Gilbert, as he had been too kind to the Cougars, going 2/8 for 8 yards and 2 INT’s. In all, BYU gave up 123 passing yards and 166 rushing yards, with most of those coming in the second half.

What we know about Texas (2-0)

It is hard to tell a lot about a team early in the season. Mack Brown’s team certainly didn’t look like Texas in the first half, but they made enough plays to win it in the second. We will have a better picture of the Longhorns when they go on the road to UCLA next week, looking to avenge their big loss that came from the Bruins last year.

What we know about BYU (1-1)

The defense had a great first half, and the offense had a good first half. Both played a mediocre to poor second half, which is a concern. If Texas is back, maybe both teams really are “that good,” but I think this game left us with more questions than answers regarding just how good the Cougars are right now. Two long road-trips on consecutive weeks against BCS teams don’t make an easy start to the season, but it won’t get any easier next week, as the Cougars head home to face Utah. The Utes are coming off a close loss of their own, having lost 17-14 at USC, and both teams will be looking for a big win over their rival in week 3 to set the tone for the rest of the season.

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