Provo • Confidence is a buzzword that the BYU Cougars are in search of right now.
“We have done some really good things in the recent past to show they can be confident,” head coach Kalani Sitake said with his team in the midst of a three-game losing streak. “I think we focus on that and focus on the things the players have done well in the last three weeks and build off that. Confidence is not just momentum-built.”
However, if BYU is going to work through the problems that have seen the Cougars allow 600 yards per game the last two weeks, it is going to require more than just confidence. And if the Cougars’ defense is in disrepair, maybe those answers have to come from the offense.
BYU’s defense has been on the field about 77 more plays than the offense overall through two-thirds of the season. That amounts to an entire extra game’s worth of snaps — and it gives BYU almost no chance to win.
So, one possible solution could be to have the offense have a greater time of possession. It won’t help the defense get stops, but at least the opponent would have fewer drives.
“As offensive guys, we just have to control what we can control,” tight end Isaac Rex said. “We can’t control what the defense does or what happens over there. We have support them, show love to them. But when it is time for us to make plays, we need to make plays.”
A good starting point is fewer three-and -uts. Right now, BYU is averaging three-and-outs on over 10% of its drives.
Moreover, the inability to convert on third down has been caused by a lack of production on first and second down. During the third quarter of the game against Liberty, BYU’s average third-down distance was 10.3 yards. That means it was actually losing yardage on average on the first two downs. It makes it difficult to convert consistently, much less convert once.
“We have to move the ball and keep the defense off the field, convert third downs,” quarterback Jaren Hall said. “It has been too much of a rollercoaster this year. At times we have been really, really good. There are times where we can’t find anything.”
Running the ball could help make third downs more manageable. Last week, no rusher had over 25 yards on the day. But starter Chris Brooks is out this week and Miles Davis and Lopini Katoa still haven’t returned to full production since their own injuries.
A shift in playcalling?
Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick admitted that it has been a “weird” season for the offense because of how lopsided the snaps have been. The offense has been on the field 10 fewer snaps per game than the defense this year. Over the last three weeks, that number has grown to 21 fewer plays.
The question is, does it change playcalling for Roderick?
“Not really,” Roderick said. “The goal is you don’t want it to be that way every week. But what has changed is you feature who your best players are. Last year, Tyler Allgeier was clearly the guy we were going to feature every game. This year it is Puka [Nacua]. Your game plan might evolve to who you are trying to get the ball to, but our process is still the same.”
The one area where BYU has consistently achieved is in force-feeding Nacua when healthy. He had 14 touches against Arkansas and 11 against Liberty. He has four touchdowns to show for it.
Is help coming?
Sitake has said BYU needs “all hands on deck” to get out of this losing streak. However, it looks like the program is losing more players than it is gaining this week.
Running back Chris Brooks is out. So too is BYU’s most targeted wide receiver, Kody Epps. Roderick said the severity of Epps’ injury is unknown, but indicated that Brooks’ is a short-term issue.
There is hope, per Sitake, that wide receiver Gunner Romney could return. Romney has sat out the last two weeks, but made the trip to Lynchburg. Previously this season, Romney has been listed as close to returning but did not travel with the team.
