BrYU Cougars vast receiver Kody Epps (0) runs on Utah State Aggies cornerback Michael Anyanwu (22) in Provo on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Information
It’s been almost a month since BYU opened its season at South Florida, and after Thursday evening’s 38-26 win over instate rival Utah State, the No. 19 Cougars stand at 4-1 on the 12 months.
Whereas there have been loads of success tales thus far within the 2022 season, there are additionally a number of issues to work on for this ranked workforce.
Right here’s a have a look at six numbers that illustrate each what goes proper and what's going fallacious thus far for the Cougars:
1,438 and 12: Jaren Corridor’s passing yards and touchdowns
BYU’s junior quarterback is having a standout 12 months — thus far, he’s accomplished 70% of his passes for 1,438 yards, 12 touchdowns and only one interception.
Assuming that the Cougars make a bowl and Corridor performs each sport — accidents stored him out of three video games final 12 months — that places him on tempo to throw for over 3,700 yards and greater than 30 touchdowns, a big soar from his 2,583 passing yards and 20 touchdowns in 2021.
These numbers make BYU a high 25 passing workforce this season, and the clear power of the offense.
He’s making much less of an impression together with his legs — Corridor has rushed for simply 64 yards on a 1.9 per-carry common — however his potential to make throws into tight home windows and full lengthy passes has visibly improved over final season.
How will Corridor do towards the remainder of the Cougars’ schedule?
Boise State has the very best move protection of groups remaining on BYU’s protection — the Broncos permit simply 159.8 passing yards per sport, thirteenth nationally — whereas upcoming opponents Notre Dame (213.2) and Arkansas (302.5) rank 56th and 126th, respectively.
5 to 1: BYU’s turnovers compelled to turnovers misplaced
The Cougars have only one turnover on the season — Corridor threw an interception within the season opener. Lopini Katoa almost gave up a fumble deep in BYU territory towards USU, however the Cougars recovered.
BYU is considered one of simply eight faculties on the FBS stage to have one or fewer turnovers on the season, and the one one to have performed 5 video games thus far. USC is the lone workforce and not using a turnover this 12 months.
The Cougars, in the meantime, have compelled 5 turnovers, three of which got here within the Utah State sport Thursday. BYU turned these into six factors, off a Max Tooley pick-six — Tooley has two pick-sixes this season.
Can BYU begin forcing extra turnovers, although? Presently, their 5 takeaways — a mean of 1 per sport — ranks tied for 81st nationally.
4: Variety of BYU receivers with 15 or extra catches and 190 or extra receiving yards
Though accidents have vastly impacted the vast receiving group this 12 months — Gunner Romney performed his first sport Thursday and Puka Nacua has missed loads of time — BYU’s younger receivers have stepped up.
4 receivers have 15 or extra catches on the 12 months, led by Keanu Hill’s 16 receptions for 329 yards and 4 touchdowns. Kody Epps (21 receptions, 198 yards, three touchdowns), Brayden Cosper (15, 192, 1) and Chase Roberts (15, 223, 1) — who’s additionally damage proper now — have made massive catches thus far.
Roberts led the workforce in receiving yards the primary three weeks earlier than getting damage towards Wyoming, Hill had 160 receiving yards towards the Cowboys and Epps put up a team-high 86 yards and a landing towards the Aggies.
Romney is again from a lacerated kidney and had 4 catches for 51 yards towards Utah State, whereas Nacua’s newest harm hasn’t been declared a season-ender.
It’s potential the Cougars might be much more stacked at wideout if they'll all get wholesome.
122.3 to 18: First-half dashing yards differential over BYU’s previous three video games
The Cougars have been getting off to gradual begins the previous three weeks, beginning with a loss at Oregon, and the operating sport has performed an enormous function in that.
Whereas the Geese used a balanced dashing and passing sport to construct a 24-7 halftime lead on BYU within the Cougars’ lone loss three weeks in the past, Wyoming and Utah State have leaned on their dashing assault to decelerate the sport — significantly the primary half — the previous two weeks.
On Thursday, Utah State outrushed BYU 147 to minus-21 within the first half, and the Aggies used that benefit to enter halftime tied at 17 with the favored Cougars.
That’s an actual difficulty, with Notre Dame and Arkansas arising the subsequent two weeks. The Razorbacks, specifically, are ninth within the nation in dashing yards per sport (243.8) and twenty eighth in rush protection, permitting 100.5 yards per sport.
1 of 6: Jake Oldroyd’s subject purpose conversion price after a 4 of 4 begin
It’s been a tough few weeks for BYU’s kicker who in 2020 was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award, given yearly to the nation’s high placekicker.
He’s missed 5 of his previous six field-goal makes an attempt — ever since he had two possibilities to win the Baylor sport with a subject purpose.
Proper now, Oldroyd is struggling to seek out the rhythm and confidence he’s proven all through his profession — at one level, he made 16 straight subject objectives for the Cougars, a program document.
The query is, will BYU flip to both Justen Smith, who made a subject purpose towards Wyoming, or Money Peterman to take over placekicking duties?
72.8: BYU’s penalty yards per sport
The Cougars are one of the crucial undisciplined groups within the nation this season, presently ranked No. 118 nationally in penalty yards per sport.
There have been a number of penalties which have value the Cougars within the early a part of the season, and that undisciplined play confirmed up the previous two weeks throughout BYU’s residence stretch.
In opposition to Utah State, BYU had 10 penalties for 82 yards and a number of other of these penalties — significantly on the protection — stored the sport shut all through the primary half.
Right here’s only a couple examples:
Tyler Batty was referred to as for a 15-yard private foul on Utah State’s first drive, and the Aggies capped that drive with a landing.
Tooley drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty for throwing a shoe after BYU made a third-down cease, after which on a fourth-and-1 afterward the identical drive, BYU’s Joshua Singh jumped offsides to maintain the drive alive. Whereas USU finally turned the ball over, the Aggies drove contained in the BYU 15 on that drive.
With groups like Notre Dame, Arkansas, Boise State and Stanford remaining on the schedule, the Cougars can ailing afford to maintain giving up so many yards through penalties.