Oregon working again Noah Whittington is tackled by a number of BYU defenders at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. The Geese offense made issues look straightforward early, scoring factors on their first six possessions. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Information
Theories abounded in Provo on Monday and Tuesday as to why the BYU protection, which was so stout in opposition to South Florida and Baylor, regarded utterly misplaced at Autzen Stadium final Saturday within the embarrassing 41-20 loss to the Oregon Geese.
A bunch of “heart-to-heart talks” befell as effectively, in keeping with sophomore defensive lineman John Nelson, who mentioned group leaders comparable to Lorenzo Fauatea and Tyler Batty spoke up within the defensive position room.
“It is a gifted group with loads of satisfaction. We discovered a lesson as coaches, as gamers. We're embarrassed. However it will be an actual mistake for anyone to jot down off the 2022 Cougars.” — BYU assistant head coach Ed Lamb
“As a result of that’s what we wanted, and coach Kalani (Sitake), doing what he's doing, being a coach, needed to give us a actuality examine,” mentioned Nelson, from close by Salem Hills Excessive. “I'm certain the opposite positions (had targeted conferences) too. So yeah, you hate to lose like that, however we've to study from it.”
After giving full credit score to Oregon, after the sport and through his weekly press briefing on Monday, Sitake mentioned shoddy tackling proved to be the protection’s undoing. Suffice it to say the Cougars have labored on that elementary so much this week, with run-oriented Wyoming (3-1) testing No. 19 BYU on Saturday (8:15 p.m. MDT, ESPN2) at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
“Making tackles is the important thing. I might be involved if we didn’t have guys there to make hits. The scheme is one factor. It's the fundamentals in tackling that value us so much,” Sitake mentioned. “… I feel Oregon made some performs and broke tackles. We weren’t in the most effective place to make tackles. We simply gotta determine it out. All 11 guys didn’t do ok to make performs in opposition to a really athletic and speedy group from Oregon.”
Throughout his “Coordinators’ Nook” tv program Monday, safeties coach and particular groups coordinator Ed Lamb introduced one other idea:
“I assumed the setting, the state of affairs, was too massive for us. As coaches, we’ve bought an element in that, too. We didn't put together the group for that second,” Lamb mentioned. “And by ‘the second,’ I imply all the pieces that Oregon does signify, and has represented, and taking part in at Autzen, there's a lot there. However there's additionally so much to being within the prime 12 within the nation this early within the season, and have been we prepared for that second? Clearly we weren't.”
Starters Batty and fellow defensive lineman Earl Tuioti-Mariner missed the sport with accidents, however each practiced Tuesday, in keeping with defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki, and may play in opposition to the Pokes. Defensive linemen Fauatea and Gabe Summers have been “banged up,” Tuiaki mentioned, however performed, maybe a bit an excessive amount of.
“Hindsight is 20-20. On reflection, I ought to have gotten contemporary our bodies in there earlier as a result of these guys have been nonetheless beat up from the week earlier than,” Tuiaki mentioned.
Lamb added that followers who've already written off this protection, and the group usually, after one massive loss might be sorely mistaken.
“It is a gifted group with loads of satisfaction,” mentioned the assistant head coach. “We discovered a lesson as coaches, as gamers. We're embarrassed. However it will be an actual mistake for anyone to jot down off the 2022 Cougars.”
Nelson, whose cousin Lauren Gustin is the most effective rebounder on the BYU ladies’s basketball group, additionally mentioned the Cougars will recuperate.
“I bought such a nasty style in my mouth from Saturday. I feel all 25 guys that play protection frequently are,” he mentioned. “I do know that every one of them are mad at what occurred. That wasn’t us. We're so pumped to get again and play this Wyoming group.”
Nelson mentioned the Cougars “missed tackles far and wide” in opposition to Oregon, together with himself.
“Tackling is such a giant a part of the sport, and the best way we will get higher is apply,” Nelson mentioned. “In group (scrimmaging) in the present day, we have been emphasizing wrapping up and getting all 11 guys to the ball.”
Sitake mentioned a assessment of the Oregon movie confirmed nice effort and physicality, however a breakdown within the fundamentals.
“They simply didn’t execute loads of bodily issues the appropriate method — getting off blocks and making tackles,” Sitake mentioned. “That’s my fault. I gotta get my guys higher, getting off blocks and making tackles.”
Cornerback Kaleb Hayes, arguably BYU’s finest tackler within the secondary, left the Oregon sport with concussion-like signs and is uncertain this week.
“There's a lot to repair,” Tuiaki mentioned when he met the media after apply Tuesday. “… There have been occasions we have been in place and simply didn’t make performs. We gotta be higher there.”
Tuiaki additionally put the blame on himself, saying a number of the schemes he carried out “could also be asking a participant to do one thing that was a bit of bit tougher to do, bodily. … They usually could also be put in dangerous positions on my own. In order that’s on me as a coach.”
Cougars on the air
Wyoming (3-1) at No. 19 BYU (2-1)
Saturday, 8:15 p.m. MDT
LaVell Edwards Stadium
Provo, Utah
TV: ESPN2
Radio: KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM/1160 AM