BYU's Cornerback Situation: Does It Matter?

The 1996 BYU Team
As a BYU follower since my childhood, I loved watching some of the great names for BYU in the late 80's and early 90's.  The 1996 team led by Steve Sarkisian was a great team to watch with so many talented players on both sides of the ball, some of which went on to become NFL-ers, CFL-ers, coaches, etc.  There was Ben Cahoon, Steve Sarkisian, James Dye, Byron Frisch, Chad Lewis, Kaipo Maguire, Itula Mili, bruiser Brian Mackenzie, Omarr Morgan (who I believe made the game-clinching pick in the Cotton Bowl), Rob Morris, Shay Muirbrook, Ethan Pochman, John Tait, among others.  Even some of the young players from that team went on to have successful careers.

Since Then
Most of my adult life following BYU, however, it has been plug in the next guy and he'll be nearly as solid as the last guy.  Realistically, if a 3-star recruit with no NFL future goes down, there isn't much drop off when you put in a 2-star who is hungry.  There is a huge difference, however, between that and having NFL-type talent go down and replacing it with a 2-star who is hungry.  Even LaVell going with "the next QB" in Kevin Feterik in 1997 didn't have nearly the same success he had with Sarkisian.  Talent does make a difference when it comes to the big stage.

Plug-And-Play
BYU, for most of the years from 1996-2010, did well in the WAC and MWC with the plug-and-play method.  They made their living with experienced guys who came to BYU, redshirted and started the last two years of their career after taking 3 years to learn the game and get bigger, faster, and stronger.  The last 3 or 4 years for LaVell, let's not talk about Crowton, and the first few years with Bronco, that is what BYU fans got.  BYU fans forgot what it meant to have great players.

Again, this was good enough to be successful in the MWC.  As soon as Utah got better, as soon as TCU joined the conference, and any time BYU played a big-time opponent, BYU wasn't successful.  To beat talent you need talent.  To win on the road you need talent.  After going 14-1 and finishing ranked #5 in 1996, Kevin Feterik lost to Washington in addition to losing road games to Rice, UTEP, and New Mexico.  From 14-1 to losing to Rice, UTEP, and New Mexico in the same season.

2001 BYU
Fast-forward to Crowton's first season where he had an NFL-type QB and RB in Doman and Staley, a couple of Denney's on the DL to go with Brett Keisel.  BYU won 6 road games and beat 2 BCS conference opponents.  Crowton caught a lot of people by surprise, but he had a relatively easy schedule, all he needed was a little talent to hang on in games he was favored in.

Bronco's Two Most Talented Teams
Then in 2006, with John Beck, Curtis Brown, Fui Vakapuna, and 5 LBs that played professionally, they had a year where they finished in the top 15, and but for a Pac 12 official calling a bogus offensive pass interference against Arizona, would have played in a BCS game.  They won at TCU, which no other BYU came close to doing in the MWC.  They absolutely demolished Oregon in the Vegas Bowl.  In 2009, Dennis Pitta, Max Hall, Harvey Unga, Manase Tonga, a solid OL, and a defense with more studs at LB, BYU knocks off Oklahoma and Oregon State and wins 7 games away from home.  BYU went 11-2 in both of those seasons.

Talent Is Back?
Having talent matters.  After watching Ziggy, Cody Hoffman, Kyle Van Noy last year, and remembering back to the "talented" seasons BYU has had from time-to-time, it becomes clear that the average BYU team is greater than the sum of its parts, but it's still only above average.  The good teams, the ones with talent, become great teams.  BYU fans looking at the team can clearly see that there is a difference between BYU 2012/3 and BYU 2004/5.  Last year, BYU was a QB away from perhaps having a special season.

The CB Situation
BYU had, as near as we can tell, some talented and smart corners when spring ball started 6 months ago.  The talented ones got hurt so the smart ones got on the field.  Now, those guys are hurt too.  BYU is now relying on the perennially injured Skye PoVey and Mike Hague to survive the season, because after that, they are looking at a guy who was a WR just last week.  Sure, against Virginia, Middle Tennessee, Idaho State, and maybe Nevada, it isn't going to make much difference who is covering their average WRs with their average QB throwing the ball as directed by their average coaching.  But BYU is putting some oft-injured 25-year old whose greatest BYU memory was an 88-yard TD run in garbage time when he was 18 against 4-star recruits with 4.4 speed and legitimate NFL prospects in a lot of those other games.

Why It Matters in 2013
The plug-and-play method that got BYU through mediocre-to-average schedules in the past won't last against this season's experienced QBs, NFL-caliber WRs, and seasoned coaching staffs.  Some have said "Bronco is a defensive genius and will adjust the scheme to cover those weaknesses."  I absolutely believe that statement: Bronco can do that with no trouble.  He's had to do it in the past with the lack of talent in the secondary.  However, at what cost does that happen?  The only way to do it is to weaken the run defense.  Quite simply, this season, BYU, with its current make up of corners, can't have the same D it had last season.  There has to be talent.  Last year, BYU had 3 potential NFL players in the secondary (Hadley got a look but didn't make it, but getting a look for a BYU CB means he's one of the best they've had in 10 years).  It had 6 potential NFL-ers in the front 7.  Yet, with limited talent at QB, only mustered 8 wins.

How big of a deal will the injuries be?  I believe they will cost BYU at least one game.  To win on the big stage, it takes talent at every position.  Looking at the 1996 team, they had a great QB that could throw to quality WRs and TEs, or hand off to solid RBs to run behind a great OL.  The D was bolstered by a solid DL, with LBs that could play in space or behind the line of scrimmage, and DBs that could force turnovers.  It took an A effort from talented players at every single position to beat a top-15 opponent.  BYU now has one position on the field that it won't get that from.

Why It Doesn't Matter in 2013
The 2013 BYU team has talent at almost every other position to compensate, talent to a level BYU fans are not accustomed to (they THINK the Cougars have had it b/c they know the names of the players, but this year it is there).  The D doesn't have to be the same as last season b/c the O should be significantly better than last season.  Not all hope is lost for the season.  Most of the teams on BYU's schedule only throw the ball to open up the run.  There are few elite QBs on the schedule that can literally pick apart the D.  There are few coaches BYU will face that are willing to put the ball up 35 times, even if that is clearly BYU's weakness.  It hurts, but if the offense is good, it won't destroy.