BYU Football: There’s still plenty to play for in 2018
By Ron Jensen
The warning light is blinking and the caution siren is sounding for BYU Football in 2018, but it’s not quite time to jump overboard to the life raft just yet.
Before you go taking that bag of Cougar gear over to the nearest Deseret Industries, consider a few things. There’s still a lot left to compete for in the 2018 season.
Remember that a few months ago, no one would have turned down a 3-3 start. Especially if wins over Wisconsin and Arizona were part of the deal.
It could be a lot worse.
Sure, the loss to Utah State was humiliating, and back to back defeats to the Aggies are down right unacceptable. However, believe it or not, the Cougars are still in the running to right the ship and get things back on track.
That’s not to say it will be easy. Football is a game of momentum, and BYU football is going to have to find a way to get it back. For this to happen, some things will have to happen that didn’t a year ago.
Despite the recent failures, the program must keep its faith in the coaching, the quarterback, and their teammates. Second guessing and failing to show confidence in one another were the culprits of last year’s debacle.
If BYU football can find a way to do it, so many things can be accomplished. Let’s take a glance at a few:
Beat a hot Hawaii team
This is a once in a blue-moon opportunity. To be playing a quality Hawaii squad is a rarity, so you have to take advantage when those opportunities. The Rainbow Warriors not only consider the Cougars a rival, but absolutely savor every victory they garner against them.
Hawaii’s offense is a force to be reckoned with. In their first six games under quarterback Cole McDonald they averaged 42 points and threw for a total of 2,100 yards.
Last week, despite not having McDonald, they were able to beat a decent Wyoming bunch in a 17-13 slugfest in Honolulu. Not having McDonald would be a huge loss, but it appears he’ll be available come kick-off time this Saturday.
Hawaii, now 6-1, should prove to be a formidable opponent. A victory would definitely change the trajectory of this season. It could also pay huge dividends in the aspect of team confidence going forward.