Behind Enemy Lines: BYU
WVSports.com continues our popular series as we go behind enemy lines with CougarNation.com, the Rivals BYU affiliate for the latest information prior to West Virginia's match up with the Cougars this weekend.
1. What is the psyche of this BYU team? They are 1-2 but could easily have been 3-0 had a few bounces gone their way? What is the buzz like about traveling to Washington, D.C. to play this game?
The psyche for BYU right now is still in a good place despite the lackluster start. The feeling around the program is that they want to continue to stay the course, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, where the transition from a spread offense to a pro-style attack is taking longer to gel than many expected.
As far as the buzz is concerned, there’s always excitement for these type of games. Neutral site games in NFL stadiums have become a regular thing for BYU as an Independent, but a chance to play against a Big 12 team, during this time where Big 12 expansion is a hot topic is a unique opportunity that BYU is thrilled to experience.
2. What are the strengths of the Cougars offense? What do they want to do when they have the ball? Top play makers?
You’d be hard pressed to find many strengths on the BYU offense right now. Last week’s offensive performance against UCLA was not pretty. But if the Cougars are able to win the line of the scrimmage against the Mountaineers, they have a running game that can be pretty potent with running back Jamaal Williams and quarterback Taysom Hill.
Williams and Hill are BYU’s top playmakers on the offensive side. BYU fans haven’t been pleased with Taysom Hill’s performance thus far and have been calling for backup QB Tanner Mangum (who won eight games as the starter last year in relief of Hill) to step in as the starter moving forward, but head coach Kalani Sitake and first-year offensive coordinator Ty Detmer are sticking with Hill for now as they feel he gives them the best chance to win football games and cover up the deficiencies along the offensive line.
3. How about defensively? Scheme and is this an aggressive blitzing team? Where are the strengths of this unit?
Defensively, there was some question marks entering the year if BYU could continue the high level of defensive production they experienced under Bronco Mendenhall who left for Virginia. Through three games, the new 4-3 defense that first-year defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki has implemented has been the strength of this 2016 squad through the first quarter of the year.
The linebackers are some of the hardest hitters you’ll find out west, led by sophomore Butch Pau’u who recorded 19 tackles in last week’s loss to UCLA. Tuiaki feels he might have three future NFL players starting at LB with Pau’u and outside backers Fred Warner and Francis Bernard.
Safety Kai Nacua is one of the leaders of the defense and he has a knack for making big plays. He has 10 interceptions in his career in three years as a starter.
4. Any injuries or suspensions for this game?
No suspensions of note in this game, but there are some injuries that are sidelining some of BYU’s most important players.
Right tackle Ului Lapuaho is currently banged up with a knee injury that has hobbled him since fall camp. He played the first two weeks of the year, but was out against UCLA. Backups Austin Hoyt and Thomas Shoaf struggled in relief of Lapuaho against the Bruins bulrush blitzes.
Another injury to monitor is true freshman kicker Jake Oldroyd. Oldroyd kicked the game-winning field goal for the Cougars in week one against Arizona despite not being on the depth chart that week. Oldroyd suffered an injury prior to last week’s game vs UCLA. He will be travelling with the team this week, but it’s unclear as to whether he will play or not. If he doesn’t play, BYU doesn’t have a kicker they could confidently turn to on field goals.
5. Keys to the game for the Cougars to win and how do you see this game playing out?
Keys for BYU to pull off this upset will be to control the time of possession to keep West Virginia’s potent offense off the field. Also, BYU will need finish drives with touchdowns. BYU has had to settle for field goals on many drives thus far in the season.
Final key for BYU would be, can the Cougar defense hold up? They’ve played three difficult games already and have had to go wire-to-wire in those games playing against physical opponents. Will the two-time zone travel be too much to overcome, and does the BYU defense break this week?
I see this game being one that West Virginia quietly controls throughout. BYU will keep it relatively close, but West Virginia’s offense is the best they’ve faced to this point, and with the travel, this game looks to be one that might be too much for this BYU to handle.