RECAP: BYU starts fast and clobbers USF

Well, I’m writing my third (and if we’re lucky, last) recap of a BYU-USF game. The first time the two teams played back in 2019, I didn’t even really break down the game all that much—I really just ranted about how much I hate when BYU underperforms against bad teams. USF has pretty much stayed bad since then, but BYU has certainly improved. Tonight’s game (stalled though it was by a 2.5-hour lightning delay) was by far BYU’s best showing against the Bulls and the Cougars seemed to exorcise some—though not all—of the demons that have troubled them in this USF series.

The Good:

• There were questions about how much energy BYU would have to start the game after a lengthy weather delay, but the Cougars put those concerns to rest on the first play of the game as Puka Nacua ripped off a 75-yard TD run on a perfectly blocked jet sweep. From there, the team rolled to a 28-0 first quarter lead and never looked back. While the rest of the game wasn’t as polished or exciting as the first quarter, that fast start meant the Cougars never seriously had to worry.

• With the exception of one bad INT thrown into triple coverage, Jaren Hall was excellent. He owned the field, distributing the ball effectively and making great plays. He looked completely in control of the game from start to finish.

• BYU came at USF with a nice three-man rushing attack. At least until he went down with an ankle injury which mercifully looks minor, Puka Nacua was extremely effective attacking the edges on fly sweeps. Chris Brooks started out a little timid-looking but ended up crossing the century mark comfortably and ripping off a big 3rd quarter TD run. Lopini Katoa looked fantastic in limited carries as a change-of-pace back but really made his mark catching passes out of the backfield. That one-two punch of Brooks and Katoa should worry the rest of the Cougars’ opponents.

• The BYU receiving room is deeeeeeeep. TWELVE different players caught at least one pass, including some names we really haven’t seen much before. Terence Fall got his first catch in a BYU uniform and Chase Roberts of all people led the Cougars in receiving yardage. Isaac Rex and Dallin Holker also both showed up nicely and the latter caught a TD. The USF secondary was overwhelmed despite not facing the Cougars’ two best receivers for most of the game.

• Both the Cougar offensive and defensive lines dominated. It was nice to see the BYU pass rush make Gerry Bohanon’s life difficult after all the problems the defense had getting pressure last year. I had written a pretty extensive breakdown of who I thought would end up in the starting lineup for the O-line and it turned out I was wrong—both Harris LaChance and Kingsley Suamataia started on the right side and neither Joe Tukuafu nor Campbell Barrington started. Never fear, though—the BYU coaching staff substituted liberally up front as the game went on and most guys on the two-deep got snaps.

The Bad:

• Special teams had a ghastly performance, particularly on kickoffs. Ed Lamb and Kalani Sitake said after the game that analytics had informed their decision to have Jake Oldroyd intentionally kick short, setting up returns which the coverage team could stuff for lost yardage relative to a touchback. There was just one problem with that brilliant plan—the kick coverage team was unwatchably bad. The kickoff return TD the Cougars gave up to start the 2nd half was only the most obvious of several major mistakes which also included a botched “surprise” onside kick that set up another TD and a stupid late hit out of bounds that gave the Bulls nice field position. There needs to be immediate and drastic improvement in the kickoff game if the Cougars want to beat Baylor. Giving USF a couple freebies in garbage time is one thing. Giving #10 Baylor freebies is quite another.

• The BYU secondary seemed to tire faster than the rest of the team and by the end of the first half, USF was able to get serious chunk yardage in the vertical passing game. It could have been worse, too—the Bulls had multiple easy long balls dropped by receivers. It didn’t matter—the game was functionally over by halftime—but again, Baylor is not USF. The Bears will punish mistakes in the secondary in ways the Bulls simply couldn’t.

• Puka Nacua left the game in the first quarter with a scary-looking ankle injury. Per Kalani Sitake, the actual damage was minor; Nacua was capable of returning to the game and was held out simply because there was no point risking him in a blowout. Still, he may not be at 100% next week and Gunner Romney is obviously dinged up as well. Keanu Hill and some of the other lower receivers on the depth chart will need to be ready to step up if either Romney or Nacua struggles. Gabe Summers also left with an injury relatively early. Hopefully, it’s minor—if last year’s game was any indication, the Cougars will want Summers to be at full strength against the Baylor rushing attack.

I don’t feel like much more needs to be said about this game. It was an easy win—easier than most, myself included, expected it to be. Baylor will be a serious test next week. The Cougars have the horses on offense to do some serious damage, but the defense and special teams did not look ready for Baylor this week. Hopefully they work out some kinks. BYU is around a 2.5-point favorite against the Bears and I think that sounds about right. My prediction: BYU 34, Baylor 31.

Tweets of the game:

BYU Twitter wasn’t all that impressed with USF early on—