Too Optimistic Tuesday: BYU is a playoff contender with an elite defense and Bear Bachmeier's "clutchness"

Welcome to Too Optimistic Tuesday! This weekly column reminds BYU fans why they should count their many blessings and have an abundance of hope.

Every season in every sport is full of both ups and downs. This column will amplify the "ups" and help fans quickly recover from the "downs". So put on your blue-tinted goggles and just indulge me in some hyperbole while enjoying your BYU fandom for a moment.

BYU's defense was elite against TCU

One of Kalani Sitake's favorite phrases is for his Cougars to play "complimentary football." This concept generally means the offense, defense, and special teams work in tandem to set each other up for success.

There was nothing complimentary about Saturday's performance against TCU when it came to the Cougars' sputtering the offense. BYU's offense frequently forced the offense to bail them out, and the D did just that.

As Aaron Roderick's offense struggled to get out of neutral in soggy conditions in Fort Worth, Kelly Poppinga's defense was elite throughout the game. I mean, elite. The Cougars held TCU's offense to 72 rushing yards on 30 carries, averaging just 2.4 yards per carry. Here's how the Horned Frogs offense fared against BYU's dogged defense:

Punt, punt, interception, punt, TD, punt, punt, punt, missed FG, FG

Despite losing stud linebacker Isaiah Glasker and cornerback Cannon DeVries early in this game, the Cougars still racked up four sacks and eight tackles for loss.

Especially encouraging was the play of BYU's talented defensive ends who look great on paper, but have yet to really "wreck games". Nusi Taumoepeau had five tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a sack. Tausili Akana had two tackles, both for losses, and a sack. Veteran Bode Schoonover had six tackles.

If the Cougars can get fully healthy on defense and continue to see the defensive ends wreak havoc in the backfield, this BYU team can hang with anybody.

Bear Bachmeier has the clutch gene

There's no way to sugarcoat this: BYU's offense was really, really bad on Saturday, and quarterback Bear Bachmeier just looked off.

Aaron Roderick, who is an amazing offensive coordinator, didn't call his best game. The early loss of LJ Martin, the wet conditions, and several pre-snap penalties on the offensive line definitely ratcheted up Roderick's degree of difficulty. But the play calling was overly reliant on screens and stretch plays to the outside, and TCU's defense just looked faster than BYU's offense. There was little room on the edges, but Roderick kept trying to find it.

There was virtually no BYU passing game to speak of. Bachmeier went 11-of-24 for just 62 yards, missed even short throws, and looked uncomfortable the entire game.

And yet... Bear Bachmeier still dominated when the Cougars needed him to.

Bear quite literally strapped a lifeless BYU offense and dragged it into the end zone -- twice.

Both of BYU's touchdowns came on incredible runs by BYU's sophomore quarterback. The first score came on a nine-yard touchdown as an airborn Bachmeier flew over the Horned Frogs' defenders. Bear's second touchdown, this one with just 2:06 left in the game to ice it for the Cougs, came on an impressive 21-yard run in which Bachmeier dragged TCU defenders into the end zone.

While "clutchness" isn't a formal word in the dictionary, Bear Bachmeier has it. He just wins and wins and wins. He finds a way. He runs over and through defenders when his team needs him.

The lack of a passing game against TCU was more of a function of the wet conditions and LJ Martin's injury. Those conditions were temporary.

Bear Bachmeier's clutch gene is permanent.

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