BYU football: Four reasons why fans should get excited

It was only one game, but the contest with Arizona was a good one for BYU Football. Now that the season has started well, it’s time to jump on the hype train.

Now that the BYU Football season has kicked off, it’s time for Cougar Nation to get excited for what is to come. Here are four things to look forward to seeing a lot of this year.

No. 1 – Stout Defense

To say that the defensive line and linebackers played well on Saturday would be an understatement. They were where they needed to be, when the needed to be there. It appeared that they had an answer for every Arizona trick in the book.

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The linebackers are as good as we’ve heard they were from coaches and teammates. They are as fast as we had expected, but it was their physicality that was surprising. Despite being undersized, this group showed it can take on blocks and take down ball carriers.

While the linebacker spot wasn’t a huge worry entering the opener, it was the defensive line that erased concerns of their abilities against Arizona. They’ve shown that they are more than capable of holding up their end of the bargain in this defensive scheme. Not only did they keep the potent Arizona running attack under 200 yards, but they picked up a sack and constantly applied pressure in the Wildcat passing game.

The defensive backs seem to be learning as they go, but look like quick learners. It’s also easy to notice the speed and athleticism this position group possesses. There is some room for improvement to be made in technique, but in terms of ability, it’s definitely there.

No. 2 – Improved Blocking

There’s little question about who the MVP of the Arizona game was. Actually, there’s five of them: Austin Hoyt, Thomas Shoaf, James Empey, Tristen Hoge, and Brady Christensen. This offensive line put on a clinic in how sheer determination to go until a play is over results in success.

The group is technically sound, quick, and strong. If there were any missed assignments, or even missteps in those duties, I sure couldn’t see them. They are as good as advertised, if not better.

The linemen weren’t the only ones making blocks on Saturday. The supporting crew of running backs, tight ends, and even receivers were not just on the right defenders, but repeatedly defeated the defender they were assigned to.

The blocking showcased teamwork at its finest. This display was truly a sight to see, especially for the success-starved fan base that suffered through last season’s inconsolable sorrow.

No. 3 – Offensive Play-Calling

The new offense was finally revealed in all of its glory on Saturday. It featured multiple formations with 1, 2, and even 3 tight-end sets. It included pre-snap shifts and motions that kept the opponent continually guessing.

The jet sweep was utilized to create misdirection in a manner that caused Arizona to not know if they were coming or going. Then add the passes to backs coming out of the backfield to the mix, and the Wildcats were flat-out dumbfounded.

Considering where he has been, it was no surprise that Jeff Grimes would compile an adequate offense filled with nuances and wrinkles. The real question was whether he could play-call a game as an offensive coordinator.

That is no longer a question. He most definitely can. Time after time, Grimes was able to make the right call when it was needed.

His greatest moment came during the third quarter when he had the Cougar offense to go up-tempo as Arizona’s offense had multiple three-and-outs. The Wildcats weren’t able to catch their breath, and the Cougar athletes ran past them to the end zone three times.

No.4 – Defensive Game-Planning

Many doubted that defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki could devise a way to slow down Arizona’s quarterback. Even ESPN analyst Rece Davis said, ” I think BYU has no answer for Khalil Tate.” Rece, along with so many others, was dead wrong.

As we found out on Saturday, it was Arizona who had no answer. The Wildcats were held to just 197 yards through the air and 129 yards rushing, including just 14 yards on the ground for their star quarterback. They just couldn’t crack the code on Tuiaki’s defense.

The scheme featured Corbin Kaufusi as a spy on Tate the entire game. He couldn’t have been any more effective on Saturday evening. The Heisman hopeful wasn’t able to shake the 6’9 giant all night.

Tuiaki showed what he is capable of during the Arizona game. This was a high-powered group of athletes the Cougars faced on Saturday. If he was able to stop them, his chances of coming up with similar strategies makes outcomes like this more probable in the games to come.

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