Kalani Sitake is running hot these days because his quarterback seemingly will not stop turning over the football.

Nine fumbles, four lost balls and five interceptions in six games are enough to make any coach bang their head against the wall. Especially when Sitake spent the last nine months telling Jake Retzlaff to value the ball a little more and the offense would be just fine.

But when you look at the offensive production as a whole, it’s tough not to at least whisper: How much help is Retzlaff really getting right now?

Don’t get me wrong. The turnovers are certainly an issue. But it’s not like he’s getting an above average rushing attack.

The Cougars ran the ball for 134 yards on Friday against SMU. If you take LJ Martin away — as he’s hurt again and out this week — they averaged 3.5 yards per carry. The first half was worse (2.5 yards per carry).

It shouldn’t come as a shock then that BYU had six three-and-outs and a turnover on downs. Its average third down distance was 7.2 yards. It is going to be tough to convert — and give your quarterback easier throws — if you are always going up against third and long. That goes for Retzlaff or Gerry Bohanon.

Does Retzlaff need to be better this week? Certainly he needs to put together a clean sheet and something more than a 54 percent competition rate if he wants to keep his job long-term.

But BYU also needs to run the ball better, or the struggles will be more apparent no matter who is throwing the ball. BYU’s first down rushing production was spotty last week (seven times BYU’s first down run went for three yards or less). Something has to change against Wyoming.

“We just like to see it be a lot more explosive than what we’ve had, and a lot of the factors go into that, but we’re working on those,” Sitake said of the run game. “It’s not a lack of talent. We have a lot of talent.”

The Big Thing

Marque Collins’ interception of SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings last week almost got lost in the shuffle of a turnover-ridden game. But the pick had quite the backstory.

Let’s set the scene. SMU was driving inside the 20-yard line, looking to take the lead late in the third quarter, when Jennings fired down the sideline looking to hit the wheel route. He placed the ball at the five, setting up the Mustangs for at least a field goal. But Collins gambled on his coverage, slid over from his man running a post route and stepped up to pick the ball off.

It was one of those Eddie Heckard-type interceptions — a true gamble based on film study and scheme knowledge.

But maybe something more was at play.

Collins said that morning graduate assistant Wesley Johnson came up to him and said he dreamed he would get an interception on that exact coverage.

“Before anything today, coach Wes Johnson came up to me and was like, he had a dream that I got an interception on that exact play,” Collins said. “I’m talking with the post [route], with the wheel [route] behind it. That’s exactly how I got an interception, and it happened in real life.

“So that’s all, honestly, it’s all credit to him right now.”

He did say BYU practiced that look throughout the week. It is something SMU runs often. But still, a weird series of events.

“If I feel the post, I feel the wheel, pass the post off to my safety. Stay pumped. Stay calm, stay poised. And I did that. Just went to go make a play,” Collins finished.

Question of the week

How much will it matter if BYU is missing its top two running backs this week?

Fourth down

1. Linebackers’ best performance

We talked at length about where BYU’s pressure would come from this year. It brought back all of its defensive line — a unit that just wasn’t that productive last year. But SMU showed that this linebacking core can make up for some of the pressure. Jack Kelly and Isaiah Glasker both got sacks out of the linebacker unit. It was one of the best games for the three linebackers of Kelly, Glasker and Harrison Taggart.

Remember, all of those guys can return next year. When Jay Hill is building his defense, the core moving forward might be built upon the middle.

2. What about Ryner Swanson?

BYU beat out Texas for Swanson’s services on the recruiting trail. The tight end recorded his first catch at SMU last week. He only played one snap, but it picked up a first down. Question is, how does BYU want to use him moving forward? Sitake said he is still looking at a redshirt for Swanson. But if he needs to, he is comfortable using Swanson in more than four games. He starts his two-year LDS mission next year. He will come back in 2027.

3. Pokaiaua Haunga plan

Speaking of redshirts, Haunga is probably going to need to play this weekend (or at least travel). BYU is down its top two running backs and needs some depth.

Haunga didn’t play the first two weeks. BYU thought about maintaining the redshirt with him. But he has four games, and Sitake said using one against Wyoming makes sense.

4. Jay Hill back

This week was arguably Jay Hill’s best defensive performance since he got to Provo (maybe Arkansas last year was right there). It is good to see for a number of reasons.

After his heart attack, Hill is still coaching from the booth. He said it’s better for his heart at the moment. He also traveled with his wife, Sara, and she was on the field with him pregame. Expect the same this week. He will be in the booth until at least the bye week after Kansas State.

- That’s it for me! Talk to you after Laramie.