BYU is often referred to as the "Vampire Cougs" for their excellence playing in night games.
But unlike blood-thirsty, lethal vampires like Dracula and the Cullen family (Twilight shout-out!), these BYU Cougars often struggle to go for the jugular.
Before proceeding, I just want to definitively state that Kalani Sitake's team is awesome. Downright awesome! As I've written, these are the "good old days" for BYU football. We are living in the best timeline for Cougar fans.
Most games between Power Four teams are something of a 50-50 proposition. Outcomes can swing with one turnover, one weird bounce of the ball, or one bad penalty. This past weekend winless UCLA beat No. 7 Penn State and a struggling 1-3 Florida team beat No. 9 Texas. No Power Four win should be taken for granted. Every Power Win should be celebrated.
BYU is 16-2 over their last 18 games for a reason.
However (you knew there was a "but" coming), BYU needs to find its killer instinct and put inferior opponents away early and convincingly.
Two weeks ago, the Cougars quickly fell behind 14-0 to a so-so Colorado team before clawing back for a gritty win. Last week, BYU could have put the game away early in the third quarter against a bad West Virginia team, but failed to do so.
With today's focus being on stats, here are the two items from the West Virginia box score that illustrate how the Vampire Cougs missed going for the jugular.
Stats No. 1 - Untimely penalties
Against the Mountaineers, BYU was penalized 10 times for 67 yards. While the number of penalties was concerning, they also took place at times and situations that prevented the Cougars from sealing away a victory early.
On BYU's first drive, Chase Roberts was flagged for a false start with the ball on the West Virginia 27. Three plays later, Will Ferrin missed a 48-yard field goal. That penalty may have cost the Cougars three points.
On the Cougars' first possession of the third quarter, BYU led 28-10 and had driven down to the West Virginia 22. LJ Martin was called for a hold to force a second-and-18, the drive stalled, and BYU kicked a field goal. That penalty may have cost the Cougs four more points.
Early in the fourth quarter, BYU led 38-17 and it felt like the defense needed just one more stop to put the game on ice. On second-and-10, Daviyon Beasley was flagged for a 15-yard pass interference to set West Virginia up on the BYU 16. Three plays later, Keanu Tanuvasa was flagged on third-and-3 for a personal foul on a late hit, giving the Mountaineers first-and-goal from the seven. Four plays later, West Virginia faced fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line, and Logan Lutui was flagged for offsides.
Now, the Cougars defense ultimately ended that drive by stopping the Mountaineers at the goal line, but three penalties that extended a crucial drive showed a major lack of discipline and killer instinct.
Penalties probably swung the game by seven points, four deducted from the Cougars and three given to the Mountaineers.
Stat No. 2 - Turnovers
Early in the second quarter, BYU's offense was rolling, coming off back-to-back touchdown drives. The Cougars led 14-3 and had driven down to the West Virginia 17. They had the momentum to get into the end zone again and put the game out of reach early, but offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick called a dubious middle screen in a congested short field that got intercepted.
That interception took at least a field goal off the board for the Cougars, but likely a touchdown.
The next turnover came on a pitch from Bear Bachmeier that gift-wrapped West Virginia a three-yard touchdown.
The final turnover came late in the third quarter with BYU leading 31-10. Another score puts the game away, but Jovesa Damuni coughed up the ball at the BYU 22, leading to another West Virginia touchdown.
Then to begin the fourth quarter Tiger Bachmeier fumbled the ball after a reception but it went out of bounds and BYU retained possession. It wasn't a turnover, but it was sloppy.
Teams with killer instinct don't commit those types of turnovers.
BYU would have put West Virginia away early had they simply taken care of the ball.
As the Cougars prepare to enter the gauntlet portion of their schedule, they need to develop a killer instinct. The best way to do this is to minimize harmful penalties and avoid costly turnovers. If they can do this against Arizona this week, the Vampire Cougs will go for the jugular.