BYU large receiver Kody Epps (0) and Oregon Geese defensive again Trikweze Bridges (11) compete for the ball in the long run zone at Autzen Stadium in Eugene on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. The move was incomplete. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Information
EUGENE, Oregon — BYU’s No. 12-ranked soccer workforce didn’t lose 41-20 to No. 25 Oregon on Saturday at Autzen Stadium as a result of the Cougars had been with out arguably their greatest two receivers, Puka Nacua and Gunner Romney.
As BYU redshirt freshman receiver Kody Epps aptly put it, “(the Geese) had been the higher workforce right this moment.”
By a mile, because it had been.
With the way in which the Cougars (2-1) had been struggling to run the ball, they won't have been in a position to beat the Geese (2-1) with Corridor of Famers operating the routes.
However there have been some shiny spots, as Epps, Chase Roberts, Keanu Hill and Brayden Cosper tried to fill in for Nacua and Romney.
“It kinda makes lots of people pleased for what they've been ready for from me. However it's a variety of stuff that I want to repair. I want to come back again stronger, extra targeted. There have been a variety of errors I made on the market.” — BYU receiver Kody Epps after a breakout recreation vs. Oregon.
Talking of which, head coach Kalani Sitake stated Nacua made the journey and was “shut” to with the ability to play. Romney didn’t make the journey.
“Hopefully subsequent week shall be time for (Nacua) to return, and time for Gunner. We'd like some guys again,” Sitake stated.
Epps led the way in which, catching 5 passes for 45 yards and a landing. He had 19 yards after catches.
Was it a breakout recreation from the previous three-star recruit from Southern California, the one BYU followers have been ready for?
“Um, yeah, I assume, I (caught) a landing,” he stated. “It kinda makes lots of people pleased for what they've been ready for from me, however it's a variety of stuff that I want to repair. I want to come back again stronger, extra targeted. There have been a variety of errors I made on the market.”
Epps stated it's onerous to fret about his personal accomplishments when the workforce loses.
“It wasn’t a breakout recreation in my view, however I'm so pleased to do it for the followers, my first landing to share it with the Cougs household. It was fairly lit,” he stated.
“However there may be a variety of stuff I must do higher.”
Quarterback Jaren Corridor dropped again to move greater than 40 occasions, and was sacked solely as soon as — a protection sack on the Cougars’ first possession — so the safety was there. Many occasions, he had time to survey the sector, however couldn’t discover an open receiver.
Corridor accomplished 29 of 41 passes for 305 yards and rushed eight occasions for 19 yards.
“Our receivers did an amazing job,” Corridor stated. “… I believe that was essentially the most completions now we have had in fairly a couple of video games. Their defensive backs did an amazing job.
“A pair performs, they did clamp us down, however that's soccer. Nice athletes over there. Their DBs, safeties had been excellent, their ‘backers easy, so in that sense we knew we had been going up towards an amazing secondary. We received some, they received some, it simply went forwards and backwards.”
BYU’s tight ends had been focused extra Saturday than within the earlier two video games mixed. Dallin Holker had 5 catches for 38 yards, whereas Isaac Rex caught two passes for 32 yards and a landing.
However when the Cougars actually, actually wanted an enormous play to delay a drive, they fell quick as a rule. They had been 0-for-4 on fourth down.
“Yeah, it's robust. Momentum goes to them, particularly us being away, of their stadium (when drives stall),” Corridor stated. “You hate to surrender alternatives on fourth down. It's a turnover. It's simply as devastating as throwing an interception or fumbling, to us.
“We rely loads on with the ability to convert on fourth downs, giving our protection a break. We simply didn’t do it right this moment.”
As for going with out Romney and Nacua, Corridor stated they came upon earlier than the sport that Nacua wouldn’t be capable of play.
“He simply wasn’t feeling it, so we don’t wish to put guys on the market that aren’t able to go,” he stated. “We're extra involved about their well being than being again at their fullest and making an attempt to pressure guys in. So when he's prepared, he shall be again.”
Every week after breaking the 100-yard barrier towards Baylor, Roberts was bottled up by Oregon however did have his moments. He completed with 4 catches for 60 yards whereas being focused eight occasions.
Epps stated the receivers had been schooled at occasions by some fairly good defensive backs.
“These dudes are good, man. These dudes are fairly good,” he stated. “They did what we anticipated — performed a variety of man, performed some 4, performed some three, however they had been actually athletic. We fought, we saved going.”