It's been a fun few weeks to be a BYU fan. Taysom and BYU have been talked about more by the national college football guys than I can ever remember. Heisman trophy? Can BYU make playoff? Is BYU the best non-P5 team? Jim Rome. Twice. Doug Gottlieb. Dan Patrick. PTI. I think there was even a Scott Van Pelt Show appearance in there too.
Bronco summed it up perfectly this week when (twice) he said: it only lasts as long as the 0 in the L column. Taysom leaves the Heisman discussion with a loss (well, unless it was a 56-49 loss where he throws for 350 yards, rushes for 150, and has 6 TDs). Maybe people talk about BYU in a New Year's 6 Bowl Game at 11-1 but it's not as hot a topic, since all discussion is focused on the playoff anyway.
The "big news" for this week's game is that Chuckie Keeton will not play for Utah State. Bronson Kaufusi and Marques Johnson will suit up for BYU's D. Algie Brown, De'Ondre Wesley, and Nick Kurtz will do the same for the BYU O. I think it's great that BYU will be back at full strength. We can see what the team is truly capable of doing. Jordan Leslie has been better than Cody Hoffman was as a Junior. If BYU can get another guy going like that at WR, that'd be phenomenal. Jamaal Williams has carried the rushing load the past two games (though I don't get why Hine hasn't had more carries the past two games). Add Algie's physicality and athleticism to that mix and that's a great complement.
Kaufusi and Johnson add two big bodies to help create a pass rush. Kaufusi's athleticism and Johnson's size can either create opportunities for others b/c opposing O's commit bodies to stop those two or, if not, those guys can make plays on their own. Without Chuckie in the game, the D doesn't have to worry as much about keeping Darell Garretson contained: he's not a running threat. At all. He has one favorite target in the passing game: Hunter Sharp. Cover him, rush the passer, and Utah State's O might be in some trouble. If Chuckie had been available to play, I don't think it would have made much difference: Utah State's O would still have been hard-pressed to do much in Provo.
Utah State managed 14 points in Logan last season against a good BYU defense. They scored 3 in Provo 2 years ago against a really good BYU defense, though they should have been able to put up more against a 3-star recruit freshman QB (in only his 2nd career start) on the opposite side. They managed 24 points in 2011, but still lost. Now they face what I believe to be a great BYU defense (I believe Virginia was an aberration where the team wasn't mentally ready: that won't happen again this season, or at least shouldn't happen again!).
What BYU's D has been successful in doing to Utah State is forcing them to be one-dimensional. In 2011, BYU took away the pass and Turbin couldn't do enough by himself. In 2012, BYU took away everything. In 2013, BYU took away the run and forced Garretson to throw (after Keeton went down). If BYU can take away one dimension in Provo this year, I'm not sure Utah State is good enough right now to produce anything in the other dimension. This just isn't as talented a team as we've seen from Utah State the last 5 seasons.
I think the OL for BYU is going to come out wanting to punish some people. I think they see this game as a challenge: Utah State is one of the best rushing defenses in the country, statistically speaking. I think BYU has TWO 100-yard rushers. Taysom, Jamaal, Hine, or Brown. There might be too many backs to get 2 guys over 100, so how about 300 yards rushing? I think BYU will take a couple of shots deep in the passing game. If a couple of those hit, Taysom throws for 200+ as well. If not, they'll ride the OL and the combination of RBs and Taysom. I don't think the question is victory or not, it's by how many touchdowns. I'm going with 5: BYU 45, Utah State 10.
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