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Week 4 Preview – UCF @ BYU

September 20, 2011

Questions abound regarding the BYU program that was annihilated last week in the game that Utah fans have dubbed “shock and awe”. What was the cause of the comedy of errors in that game? Was Utah THAT good? Was BYU THAT bad? Was it rivalry jitters? First home game and couldn’t handle the pressure? We hope to find the answers to those questions and more this Friday, as BYU plays host to the Knights of the University of Central Florida (UCF). Bronco Mendenhall has said that this game is a “must win” for a program with so many questions raised by the blowout loss last week. I think we can all agree with that.

What we know about UCF (2-1, 0-0 C-USA)

UCF ended last season 11-3. The Knights beat SMU in the C-USA championship game, and went on to defeat Georgia in the Liberty Bowl 10-6. This season, the Knights started out strong with wins against FCS Charleston Southern and Boston College, but fell last week to FIU despite outgaining the Golden Panthers offensively. UCF QB Jeff Godfrey is a dual threat – he is capable of running the ball – and rushed for 41 yards and a touchdown against FIU. He doesn’t always get away though, and was sacked 6 times in that game. The Knights are currently 3rd in the nation in points against, giving up 6.7 per game, while scoring an average of 34. They are fairly balanced in passing and rushing offense, gaining 204 and 223 yards per game, respectively.

What we know about BYU (1-2)

The last two weeks the Cougars have been awful in the second half. Texas and Utah were able to make good halftime adjustments to improve their play, and BYU has been unable to cope with those adjustments. BYU was outscored 54-3 in the second half over the last two games. In the loss last week, the offense gave up 7 turnovers, including two that were returned directly for Utah touchdowns. The defense (whether they gave up or not) was worn out by the end of the game, and it seemed they had little to play for, as the offense put more points on the board for the Utes than for themselves.

Keys to the game

Doman. I was okay with the play-calling last week, but that doesn’t mean that Doman is off the hook. The offense was careless with the ball, and the shotgun snap issues are evidently still a problem. The offense was able to make some good plays, but only twice were able to score. I’m pretty sure that a pro-style offense is supposed to include some kind of running game – but that has not been working either. Half-time adjustments by Texas and Utah led to the Cougars scoring only 3 points in the second half the last two weeks. Doman needs to a) make better halftime adjustments, and b) adapt to changes implemented by the other team at halftime. It’s also on Doman to make the necessary adjustments for the runningbacks to have an impact on the game. DiLuigi, Quezada, and Kariya are all capable of running the ball effectively, they apparently just can’t get it done in the current scheme.

Heaps. Heaps threw for 300 yards last game, but on 27 passes (50 attempts). I would love to see the number of attempts drop, but that won’t until the running game improves. He reconnected with Cody Hoffman last week – for 138 yards, and hit Apo for a TD. I hope that Heaps can build on that and that he and his receivers can learn to trust one another.

The Rush Attack. I do not know what is wrong with our running game. The talent is there. Confidence may have been an issue last week, as DiLuigi and Quezada each fumbled early in the game. Half-way through the third quarter the Cougars became a pass-exclusive offense, which didn’t help anyone, as Heaps couldn’t manage the pressure, and even Nelson gave up the ball when he came in.

Special Teams. Falslev muffed the ball and the Utes officially recovered it on the one yard line. I hope he’s had a few extra reps catching the ball this week. Hoffman has the speed to run, but he doesn’t seem to be creative at all when he gets the ball. Sorensen hit a 46 yard field goal last week, the longest of his career. I hope that he can continue to build his (and our) confidence, so that he can be a reliable asset.

Bronco D. The defense has also been stellar in the first half. Bronco, like Doman, needs to do a better job of adapting to the opponent’s halftime adjustments. Corby Eason is the obvious weak link in the defense right now, and opposing quarterbacks are aiming his direction all game long. My biggest memory of him last week was a play where he ran toward the ball hoping for the INT, but it sailed over his head, and he was way too far out of position to make a play on the receiver, which resulted in an easy Ute touchdown. It’s tempting to go for the INT, but I’d much rather you stay back in your position. Evidently we don’t have anyone better, or they’d be on the field, but something has to be done to fix this.

Prediction

This game is a must-win for the Cougars to gain back some of their credibility, and get some good exposure points on ESPN. A big win is probably too much to hope for, but I do think the Cougars can win this game, on strong play by the defense and by winning the turnover battle. I pick the Cougars over the Knights 24-14.

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Jonny Harline Book Signing

September 12, 2011

Let me take you back to November 25th, 2006. BYU had won 8 games in a row after starting the season 1-2. They were taking that eight game winning streak on the road to Rice-Eccles Stadium to face Utah, who had beaten the Cougars four years in a row.

The Cougars ended up being down by four points with 1:19 remaining. They started a drive at their own 25 yard-line, and used big passes to Bryce Mahuika, Jonny Harline, and McKay Jacobson to get down to the Utah 11 yard-line. With only 3 seconds remaining, John Beck took the final snap of the game, and held the ball for what seemed like an eternity (12 seconds) until he finally found the wide-open Jonny Harline in the endzone for the game-winning touchdown. The Cougars won the game 33-31.

Can’t quite remember it? Watch below:

To this day, that play remains one of my all-time favorite. I was really excited when I saw that the game had been put into a picture book, “The Answered Prayer,” by Last Second Miracles. The book brings the play alive for parents and children alike – and I certainly enjoy any opportunity to share BYU football with my daughter.

This week, as part of Rivalry Week, Jonny Harline will actually be doing book signings! You will be able to purchase the book and have it signed by Jonny himself at the following times and locations:

  • Thursday, September 15th from 5:30-7:30pm at the Lehi Costco
  • Saturday, September 17th from 12:00-2:00pm at the Orem Costco

This is an amazing opportunity to get yourself a great tribute to BYU history, along with the signature of Jonny Harline! Taking your kids along with you will also give them a great personal connection to the text as they meet the man that made the miracle catch. I wish I lived close enough to Utah to be able to make it to the signing (and the game!), but I do hope that many of you will take advantage of this great opportunity to meet Jonny Harline in person.

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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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Week 2 Preview – BYU @ Texas

September 8, 2011

It’s week 2 of college football! This weekend’s matchup will pit the Cougars against the Texas Longhorns. The Cougars are 2-0 against Texas, from a two game deal that was played in 1987 and 1988.

What we know about Texas

Texas, not unlike Ole Miss, was down last year. They only managed a record of 5-7, despite starting out 3-0. It was also strange to note which games the Longhorns did win – as they beat up on cupcakes like Rice and FAU, and even took down then #5 Nebraska, but failed to beat the likes of Kansas State and UCLA. Texas will never be down for long though, and they are hoping to be back on track this year. They started out the year with a more impressive win over Rice than they had last year. While the score was similar, Texas’ offense managed to roll up about 200 yards more than last year, while the Texas D held rice to one less touchdown. Still, the Texas QB, Garrett Gilbert, didn’t look very sharp, only going 13/23 passing.

What we know about BYU

BYU of course, opened the season with a win against Ole Miss. It was a come-from-behind win; in fact, the greatest come from behind win since Bronco Mendenhall became the head coach in 2005. BYU’s defense was dominant throughout the game, and especially in the fourth quarter, as the Ole Miss offense grew tired, the BYU defense was still sharp and had the ability to make the plays necessary to win the game. Not only did the defense score a touchdown, but they held the Ole Miss offense to a pair of field goals. The Cougar offense was shaky. Many plays were broken or hurried because of bad snaps, and Heaps threw many passes that were not on target, including a pick-6 that was a half a second away from being a BYU touchdown. Hopefully having the first game done with will have worked out some of the quirks for the new offense – they should look much better this Saturday.

Keys to the game

Domanation. The offense appeared to lack energy, and much of that had to do with the tempo of the play calling. BYU averaged more than 30 seconds between plays against Ole Miss. Brandon Doman admitted that he needs to step it up – and he does. Look for the Cougars to have quicker play calling, which should translate to keeping Heaps in rhythm, and keeping the defense more on its heels.

Jake Heaps. Texas is a better team than Ole Miss, and while the Texas offense may be somewhat of a question mark, the defense is not. Heaps will have to make more accurate throws than he did last week, and he may have less time to do it. Hoffman and Apo will need to do better at getting open – wherever they happen to be on the field.

The Rush Attack. JJ DiLuigi and Bryan Kariya made up most of the yards last week, because Josh Quezada had a migraine. I do hope the “Juice” is back this week, because he is a dynamic runner that could really break out some big plays. Having three guys capable of carrying the ball each play also helps keep each of them more fresh for later in the game.

Special Teams. Last week, Jacobsen and Hague averaged 26 yards per kick return, and Falslev returned one punt for 27 yards. It’s amazing to watch, and I will be excited to see if these guys can pull off some more big plays against Texas. A concern on special teams is the short to mid range kicking game. Justin Sorensen has the ability to boot the ball 60+ yards accurately, but he is very inconsistent in the short range. Last week he missed a 31 yarder. Honestly, if the game were on the line and we were in range for a short kick, I’d rather have Heaps in there throwing the ball to win the game. If Sorensen can’t improve quickly, BYU will have to look elsewhere for their short range field goals.

Bronco D. This is the area I am not worried about at all. The defense has been truly amazing since Bronco fired Jaime Hill after the Utah State game last year. Even the top rushing teams in the country struggle to reach 100 yards rushing against this defense. BYU will shut down the Texas run game and force the Longhorns to beat them through the air. There will be plenty of pressure on Garrett Gilbert though, and how he deals with that pressure will make or break the game for Texas.

Prediction

This game is a toss-up. I did choose it as one of two BYU losses on my season preview, but I do feel that it could go either way. I think it will be a close game, with a big play being the deciding factor. I think Texas will be surprised at how difficult this game is for them, but I think Texas will win the game 23-17.

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