BYU Football: Grading the first half of the 2018 season
By Shaun Gordon
The Defense – C+
Man what a difference two weeks can make.
Before the Washington game, the Cougars featured a Top 25 defense, one that shut down two Heisman Trophy candidates and shut down Wisconsin’s juggernaut running game.
The came the defense’s disappearing act. They’ve been nonexistent over the past two weeks, allowing both Washington and Utah State to move the ball and score at will.
The defensive line hasn’t been able to get consistent backfield pressure all season, with only six total sacks in their first six games.
Ouch.
The rest of the defense has struggled with injury, but it there has to be a “next man up” mentality for the Cougars that hasn’t been there for the last couple of years. The loss of Zayne Anderson for the rest of the season really hurts, as has the loss of Dyan Ghanwoloku for the last three games.
The secondary has had more holes than a soup strainer during the last two games, which is an indictment on both them and the defensive line.
Until BYU is able to get consistent pressure on the quarterback, the defense will continue to struggle. If the defensive line can’t step up and provide that pressure, then it’s up to the coaching staff to start finding ways to blitz.
Speaking of the coaching staff…