Alright, listen up. BYU football is 2-0. Their freshman quarterback, while far from perfect in early returns, is confident and capable from the backfield. The running game is dominant. BYU's entire defense is the very definition of suffocating, having taken the air out of every offense they've crossed paths with, allowing only 3 points through two games.
Kalani Sitake has led his team to two very strong wins, including the most recent result, which saw his Cougars dominate a Power Four squad at home with a final standing at 27-3.
But it's not all roses in Provo, and the atmosphere surrounding the program is one of unease. Like the spirit of the program was uncharacteristically absent during week two's victory. BYU football revealed several major flaws in their win against Stanford, and if replicating last season's success is on Coach Sitake's to-do list, his team will need to address those immediately.
So what did we see in the Cougars' first non-FCS competition? Where do we need to see improvement? Where, oh where, has the vicious offense from week one disappeared off to?
Key Problems BYU Football Must Address
Penalties
While the Cougars technically held the edge over Stanford when it came to rule-breaking, BYU exhaled too early and shoved a broom handle into their own spokes far too frequently when it mattered most.
Complain all you want about the officiating, but BYU failed to avoid the appearance of evil when it came to touchdown-scoring plays and red zone appearances. Careless holding and false starts may be a result of effort or insufficient coaching, but whatever the cause, the Cougars found themselves at the doorstep numerous times against Stanford, but failed to breach the threshold of the goal line at a frustrating rate.
Ball Security
Parker Kingston is getting plenty of heat for his second punt return fumble in as many games, and deservedly so. Though he's a terrific athlete, what good is the chance of breaking loose for a monster return, when the odds are just as high the punting team will get the ball right back? BYU was fortunate to avoid a giveaway in this situation, they won't always be so lucky.
Say what you will about players like Talmadge Gunther returning punts, but that guy had sure hands. In close games, sloppy security can spell death.
Not to pile onto Kingston too much, but he was also the culprit of several dropped passes. Some simple pitch-and-catch opportunities turned from a guarantee to a shocking whiff in the blink of an eye, and BYU's speedy receiver wasn't the only guilty party of muffing with the ball between their fingers. Even Chase Roberts bungled what could have been a bubble screen score at the end zone's door step. A lack of focus meant this team was shockingly inept in critical moments.
Red Zone Efficiency
Here's the biggest problem, the previous two issues funneled reliably into snaps taken inside the 20-yard line. Cross that line, and the team should be scoring touchdowns at a reliable rate, but whether it was play calling, poor execution, lack of discipline, or a combination of the three, the Cougars could have easily scored at least three more touchdowns in this contest, but resorted to place kicking as an alternative.
Four of BYU's possessions began near the 50-yard line or within Stanford's half of the field. Of those possessions, the offense was only able to muster 6 points -- two field goals on four golden opportunities. Frustrating.
These are the mistakes a team should make in the early part of the season. These are the lessons a team needs to learn before the conference slate picks up around week four. It's not that a flawless offense should be expected, nor should fans anticipate a touchdown every time Bachmeier touches the field, but a strong defense can only win so many games on its own.
As the opposition becomes more fierce and the team has more games under their feet, these issues will need to be addressed and adequate correction must be made. Otherwise, bowl eligibility will be the goal for a team looking to crack double-digit victories for the second straight season.