Provo • TJ Woods had a sneaking suspicion his unorthodox idea might just work.
Weeks after his first spring camp in Provo ended, BYU’s new offensive line coach was poring over past Oklahoma State tape in his office. His objective was simple: figure out why his 6-foot-8 right tackle, who was once an unheralded gem in Stillwater, was struggling so badly at BYU.
Woods figured the answers to his present had to be somewhere in the past. And as he watched Caleb Etienne take snaps along the Pokes’ line, it came to him.
The Cougars had been forcing him to play out of position.
Etienne had showcased fluidity and power as a left tackle in the tape Woods watched. After transferring to BYU, he was moved to right tackle.
“He kind of bounced around and played a lot of different positions at BYU [last year],” Woods said. “But I wanted to try to get him someplace where we could settle him down and just let him focus on one position. And, you know, just felt like left tackle was the right move.”
Woods floated it as an option to the staff at first — almost tentatively — and then tested his theory in practice.
“It was a little bit organic, I just kind of let it play out,” he said.
In fall camp, Woods finally made the decision that could very well define BYU’s offensive season. He moved the Cougars’ worst offensive lineman to the most important position. He told Etienne he’d be his left tackle and informed Brayden Keim, a savvy veteran who’d been groomed to be the next blindside protector, he was being kicked over to right.
Fans might be upset. After last year, many were closer to giving up on the former Oklahoma State prospect than promoting him. But Woods was tasked with fixing the run game and this was the only option he saw.
“I know I probably wasn’t the best [last year],” Etienne said. “I was in and out of positions at right tackle and right guard. I didn’t play as much and didn’t do as good. … There are a lot of people who are questioning.”
It was more than questions, though.
Etienne’s 2023 season was statistically one of the worst years for a BYU lineman in the modern era. In terms of run blocking, he graded out at 44.5 out of 100, according to Pro Football Focus. No BYU lineman has ever scored that low — taking a minimum of 100 snaps — since PFF started grading players in 2013.
Etienne was only slightly better in the passing game, with a 65 grade. But even then, he was BYU’s worst pass blocker last year. It was the worst grade any lineman has received in the program since 2020 (when Clark Barrington received a 62.5).
And while BYU offensive issues weren’t all on Etienne, he was a big contributor to why the Cougars were the worst rushing attack in the Big 12 and had their quarterback was running for dear life on multiple occasions.
Former offensive line coach Darrell Funk benched Etienne after five games before bringing him back for the final two. Funk would later be fired, handing over the mess to Woods.
“A talented guy who didn’t know what he was doing last year,” offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick said of Etienne. “I think maybe [he] lost his confidence when things didn’t go well early in the season.”
BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) and offensive lineman Caleb Etienne (76) celebrate with wide receiver Keelan Marion (17) after he scores a touchdown in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, in Stillwater, Okla. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
But that is why BYU brought in Woods. By head coach Kalani Sitake’s estimation, Woods was the run game problem solver at different stops in his career.
He turned Wisconsin’s offensive line into a juggernaut that unlocked running back Melvin Gordon. Utah State’s line hummed when Woods was there. Oregon State had a similar experience.
“O-line, sorry, that should be an advantage for us in every game,” Sitake said. “And so I look forward to seeing how we perform this year because I like what I’m seeing from what TJ Woods has done.”
It surely made Sitake more comfortable that the decision to move Etienne to left tackle was coming from Woods.
At this point, Etienne has taken every fall camp rep at left tackle. Nobody else has rotated in with the first team for significant time, Woods said. That includes Keim.
Etienne said he’s spent hours breaking down assignments with Woods. In his downtime, he’s worked with BYU’s strength staff to shed more than 15 pounds.
“There is a lot of stuff I need to prove,” Etienne said matter-of-factly. “My run game, my pass, whatever issues they saw last year. So they are going to see it all improve this year.”
And even though Woods knows he’s taking a gamble, he tends to believe Etienne.
“He’s definitely not a finished product yet. I don’t think anybody is, that’s part of offensive line play. But I am anxious to watch,” Woods said.
BYU is, too. Its season might just depend on it.