I spent last weekend watching a lot of college football, as is usual for a Saturday. This week was a little different than usual though. I closely watched the speed and physicality of front 7's on defense. I observed RBs' and WRs' cuts, catches, and miscues. I paid close attention to the offensive lines; how they pass-protected and how they fired off in run-blocking. I looked at coverage in secondaries and how DBs played (or didn't play) the ball in the air. I scrutinized the QBs in terms of arm strength, decision-making, and mobility. I tried to note everything that was happening in as many games as I could. I usually casually make these same observations but was scrutinizing it extremely close this past weekend b/c there's something I've been dying to know since last Wednesday or so: is BYU really that good? I'm always afraid to buy into BYU b/c the moment I do, they let me down. So before I put my blue goggles back on after years of collecting dust, I want to be sure.
Three weeks into the season and after more intense scrutiny last week, I have come to the conclusion that, yes, BYU is legitimately that good. There are a few QBs that throw better than Taysom, there are a few QBs that run better than Taysom, but there are not many QBs that are better than Taysom. The only three I'd even consider taking over Taysom Hill at this point would be: Marcus Mariota, Everett Golson, and (maybe) Kenny Hill (though I believe he is made better by Sumlin's system: if Case Keenum was a "system QB" for Kevin Sumlin, why can't Kenny Hill be?). There isn't a QB in the Big Ten or ACC I'd rather have. Not even close (you could obviously argue Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston but I'll take the quiet confidence of Taysom over the brash arrogance, and stupidity, of Winston). In the Big 12, I'm high on Trevor Knight but would feel more comfortable with Taysom if I needed to win the game late in the 4th. In the Pac 12, it's Mariota or bust there. SEC: Kenny Hill is the ONLY contender that I've seen. Taysom is that good. Yes, he was a little inaccurate in the first half against Houston. Yes, he got a little run-crazy in the second half against Houston. But he was making plays, just as he did against Texas and UConn. After watching #5 Auburn and #20 Kansas State on Thursday night, BYU has a much better QB than either of them!
The passion and violence that BYU's D plays with is unmatched outside of the SEC and I've only seen two or three defenses in the SEC that are as "crazy" as BYU's D. There are teams with more speed, more size, and the ability to be more physical. But I still love BYU's front 7. What they have done to two reasonably good offenses is impressive: held Texas and Houston to less than 100 rushing yards. Combined. The secondary covers well and hits hard. As is always the case with BYU, they could play the ball better in the air, but at least they are close enough to WRs to have a chance to play the ball, and THAT has not always been the case!
Jamaal Williams, Adam Hine, Paul Lasike, and Algie Brown are all good RBs in their own right. All are very physical. Jamaal adds shiftiness to the physicality. Hine has blazing speed. Lasike adds a double layer of physicality. Algie seems to be the most viable pass-catcher out of the backfield. The combination of the 4 makes BYU tough to defend (assuming they use all 4 which was NOT the case against Houston, which was unfortunate). They run behind as tenacious an offensive line as I have seen at BYU. What BYU is doing with mostly underclassmen on the OL is impressive. They are blocking with extreme prejudice. Outside of Jordan Leslie, the WRs have been average but Jordan Leslie is a baller. He run blocks with the same intensity as he carries when tracking balls through the air. He was a great addition to BYU. We'd be lost without him in the passing game. Credit Matthews as well: when guys blow coverage on him he takes advantage, I just haven't seen him get separation without someone on D messing up...
Take one of the best QBs in the nation, add in one of the most relentless defenses, a phenomenal group of RBs, a physical and deep OL, and a coaching staff that is really coming into their own right now, and you have one of the 10 best teams in America. There, I said it, I'm buying in. BYU isn't perfect, but they are great. If you live in Utah and don't have plans to attend the game against Virginia, or any BYU game this season, shame on you. This has the makings of the best BYU season in nearly 20 years and one of the best BYU teams of all-time.
Am I worried about Virginia? Absolutely not. The only team left on BYU's schedule that can beat BYU is BYU. Heading into the Houston game I was concerned that turnovers might be able to swing the outcome of the game. Had BYU's D not stepped up the way it did in the 3rd quarter, it might have. Heading into Virginia, who has done a great job with takeaways, I do not feel the same angst. Quite simply, we are a much better team than they are. It would take a cataclysmic series of events for Virginia to emerge victorious on Saturday.
Taysom Hill and the offense is miles ahead of last year's team that still nearly did enough to win on a soggy field in ACC Territory. BYU is 22nd in rushing offense, Taysom is 20th in completion %, and the offense is averaging over 5 TDs/game. All that happened with 2 games on the road (one against one of the great defensive head coaches in the country) and the lone home game coming on a 5-day turnaround. Yes, I would rather see BYU put a clean sheet in the turnover column, but one or two turnovers won't make this game close. It will take 3/4. Virginia may end up being the 3rd best D BYU faces this season, but this isn't an elite D. And I just spent the first half of this post calling BYU an elite O (well, I never said elite b/c I don't like our WRs, but elite QB and upper-echelon OL/RBs).
The D also appears to be playing at a clip similar to some of the best BYU defenses in Bronco's coaching history (2006, 2007, and 2012). Virginia is in the 90's in both rushing and passing offense, in the 100's in total offense, and 73rd in scoring offense (which is only so high b/c they forced 7 turnovers against FCS opponent Richmond). I don't see where they will amass 300 yards of offense. I'm not sure they reach 250. BYU can stack the box without fear of being burned deep. They should be able to do to Virginia what they did to Texas: completely stifle them.
As a fan, I can have this opinion. I hope the players are preparing as if they don't believe the things I just wrote. Something tells me that with last year's loss on their minds, the close game last week against Houston, and the extra 2 days between games they will come out fired up and ready to win. If my assessment of what I've seen in the college football world the past 3 weeks is correct, Virginia does not belong on the same field as BYU. Certainly not at home.
BYU 41, Virginia 13
Is the Utah State game a Blue Out game?
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