BYU football: 3 things we learned about new offense this Spring
By Ron Jensen
BYU football 2018 spring practices have begun, and we’re already learning a lot about the new Cougars offense.
Spring football is full of excitement and intrigue. There are a lot questions concerning BYU football, but here are a few things which have been learned already.
No. 1: Change in BYU Football Culture
Things have changed for BYU football. Discipline and accountability return as pillars of new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes’ philosophy to success. Any violations of codes of conduct or scheme execution are strictly dealt with.
Consequences are clear. Defiance isn’t tolerated in any form and results in a drop on the depth chart, less playing time, or even being excused from the program.
Grimes is demanding and detailed-oriented. He is a perfectionist with the highest expectations for the BYU offense and players. He considers anything less than their best as unacceptable.
Grimes creates a chemistry with the offensive staff that includes rapport and respect. He treats them as valued, competent, and equal contributors during meetings. He allows them to incorporate philosophy while holding onto the reigns enough to dissuade one voice from overshadowing others, including his own.
Coaches have used their prior experience and familiarity with one another to develop something they believe in. One example that demonstrates this, is the teamwork taking place among position coaches and their players.
Last season, there existed a disconnect between running backs and linemen, that resulted in missed blocks, incorrect reads, and timing problems. Now, synchronization is a strength of the group . Grimes, Jeff Pugh (o-line coach), and AJ Steward (running backs coach) are all on the same page, and so are their athletes.
No. 2: BYU Football Starting QB Battle Will Continue
The biggest question on everyone’s mind when spring practices began was, who would be the starting quarterback next season. Coaches clearly state that they are not choosing a starter until the fall. But that doesn’t mean that we haven’t learned anything about the contest.
Although injured Tanner Mangum has participated much more than expected, he will have to wait for fall camp to enter this race. Beau Hoge, Joe Critchlow, and Zack Wilson have separated themselves from the pack. Hoge is taking most of the first team reps, while the others split second team opportunities.
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On BYU Sports Nation, quarterback coach Aaron Roderick had this to say about the competition, “ I see it more like a three man race to be the two guys to compete with him (Mangum), but it’s definitely not going to be the case where we go into it where he’s No. 1 and the other two guys are trying to catch up to him.”
No. 3: BYU Football Offense is “Multiple”
The new offense is not a spread or pro-style, but rather a mix of the two. Coaches consider it a multi-faceted approach that caters more to the skill set of personnel and situational factors, such as down and distance, and field positioning.
The offense features one, two, or even three Tight Ends on the field at a time. Various formations, shifts, and motions are a staple. These will be used strategically to create gaps and unbalance in opposing defenses.
When Jeff Grimes was first hired, he made some comments about the offense he would run. From this, many implied that he preferred a dual-threat quarterback over a pro-style skill set.
Recently, an interview with Roderick on ESPN 960 with Ben Criddle revealed that this may not be the case. He stated the following:
"“I like the QB run game, it’s just, it’s a slippery slope. If you lean on it too heavily, then the QB starts taking a lot of hits…I think we have some guys that can run, and we’ll definitely have some. QB run game will be an element of our offense, but I don’t think we’re going to be calling a lot of QB runs, but we’ll see.”"
From this, we deduct that the offense does not necessarily require a dual threat quarterback, though having one would be a positive. Don’t assume that Beau Hoge or Zack Wilson automatically have an advantage because they possess these attributes.
It seems, the playbook is adaptable enough to accommodate the talents of a drop-back passer, or a more mobile one. So, the most skilled individual, regardless of body type, will prevail.