BYU Football: It’s ok to use the pass to set up the run

BYU Football learned a hard but important lesson against Cal on Saturday night: sometimes you have to use the passing game to set up the run.

Seven straight drives without a first down.

From the latter part of the second quarter to the latter part of the fourth quarter against Cal on Saturday night, BYU Football went seven consecutive drives without a first down.

You don’t win many ball games when you go practically an entire half of football without moving the chains, so it’s no surprise that the Cougars didn’t beat Cal.

BYU’s sudden inability to move the ball against the Golden Bears came down to one major point.

Predictability.

Making Adjustments

This loss will be a learning experience for first-time Offensive Coordinator Jeff Grimes. What works in one game won’t necessarily work in the next. In fact, what works in one half won’t necessarily work in the next.

BYU’s offensive playcalling was pretty similar in their first two games. It worked against Arizona, not so much against Cal.

Because the Cougar offensive line was able to manhandle the Wildcat defensive front, Arizona couldn’t stop BYU even when they knew what was coming.

Five times against the Wildcats, BYU ran the ball will three or less yards needed for a first down. They picked up the first down four of those five times.

In the Cougars’ first five drives against Cal they ran the ball with three or less yards needed six times and converted the first down on four of them.

Then in their next seven they ran it three times and all three failed.

Cal made defensive adjustments. They loaded the box to put pressure on Mangum and plug the holes in the run game.

It worked.

In the first half against the Golden Bears, BYU had 85 rushing yards. In the second half they had six.

Cal completely shut down BYU’s run game, yet the Cougars ran the ball three out of the four times they had a third and short in the second half. None succeeded.

Grimes wants to establish a power run game. That’s doable at BYU. He wants a strong offensive line that can open holes in the run game and protect the quarterback in the passing game. That’s doable at BYU.

But Grimes just learned a valuable lesson against Cal. That power run game isn’t there yet. That offensive line isn’t overpowering enough yet.

Airing it Out

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When an opponent sells out on the run, there are times that you have to turn the tables and pass the ball repeatedly. It forces defensive balance and allows the run game to open back up. In those seven ineffective drives on Saturday, BYU only threw passes on consecutive plays in the same drive twice.

Sometimes it’s necessary to go an entire set of downs (or more) without running the ball. Just like there are times when it’s better to keep the ball on the ground play after play.

Arizona sold out on the run and still couldn’t stop BYU. The Cougars will play more games this season where that’s the case.

But BYU will play teams like Wisconsin, Washington, and Utah that can’t be overpowered in the trenches.

That’s when the passing game has to take the driver’s seat.

In all likelihood, Grimes will learn from this game. You’ll see him adjust as the defense adjusts.

If he does, then the loss to Cal will have been a painful but necessary step in this offense’s improvement.