Notre Dame Combating Irish working again Audric Estime (7) runs the ball through the recreation in opposition to the BYU Cougars at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. Spenser Heaps, Deseret Information
Over the course of a season, patterns emerge for soccer groups.
Proper now, BYU is a middling program vulnerable to painstakingly sluggish begins — that’s been occurring for over a month.
The Cougars are additionally undisciplined or coping with continuity points in a number of areas.
Whereas BYU has a 4-2 file on the midseason mark, the “what if?” recreation surrounds the staff after the Cougars’ 28-20 setback in opposition to Notre Dame.
That loss magnified issues surrounding the Cougars, who discover themselves out of each main polls for the primary time this season.
Will BYU have the ability to put all of it collectively extra full video games over the again half of the season, or is what the Cougars have proven thus far in 2022 nearly as good because it will get?
There’s time this season to show issues round and proper the ship in these areas the place inconsistency is plaguing the staff.
BYU is favored by ESPN’s Soccer Energy Index in every of its closing six video games, even with the applications just like the SEC’s Arkansas and a resurgent Boise State staff nonetheless on the schedule.
“We’re not enjoying the kind of soccer that we would like, so we’ve bought to determine this out and play at our greatest in all three phases — simply clicking and enjoying nicely collectively, enjoying complementary soccer,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake mentioned after the loss to Notre Dame.
Can this staff do it?
Right here’s three issues that stand in the way in which and want a treatment earlier than later with BYU internet hosting Arkansas on Saturday.
BYU’s continuity and undisciplined points aren’t going away
From penalties to kicking woes, there have been a number of recurring points for the Cougars in current weeks.
That continued Saturday in opposition to Notre Dame.
This time, BYU — which entered the sport as one of many nation’s most penalized groups — solely had one penalty, a transparent enchancment in a sore space in current weeks.
The Cougars, although, handled personnel points.
Twice, the BYU coaches had been compelled to take a timeout when the staff solely had 10 gamers on the sphere.
One other time, the Cougars had been compelled to take their lone penalty — a delay of recreation — when not sufficient gamers lined up for BYU’s first point-after try. After transferring the try again 5 yards on the penalty, Justen Smith missed the additional level.
That missed level might have loomed giant on the finish of what ended up an 8-point loss, if BYU had pushed for a landing late within the fourth quarter however been compelled to go for 2 to tie the sport.
These sorts of teaching continuity points have been lingering for a while and leaving the staff in susceptible positions, which is a bit perplexing contemplating the teaching employees has been collectively for some time.
“It’s Recreation 6, and we’re struggling to place 11 guys on the market … we’ve bought to determine it out. That’s all on teaching,” Sitake mentioned.
There isn't a every-down, go-to playmaker on offense
Plain and easy, the BYU offense is lacking a participant like Tyler Allgeier, the Cougars’ go-to energy again the previous two seasons who could possibly be counted on to make the mandatory play in essential conditions.
Jaren Corridor has proven marked enchancment as a passer and a frontrunner this yr, however Saturday’s efficiency — when Corridor struggled to get the passing recreation on observe — exhibits simply how sorely the Cougars miss having one other go-to playmaker exterior the quarterback place.
Huge receivers like Puka Nacua and Gunner Romney had been anticipated to be these sorts of playmakers, however they’ve been coping with accidents and lacking large chunks of time. Whereas each performed Saturday, there was one mixed reception between their six targets — an 8-yard Romney catch.
Nacua had one carry for 10 yards and was focused on a pair passes within the second half that ended up as incompletions, prompting Sitake to share his frustration postgame in regards to the staff’s incapacity to get him touches.
And whereas younger receivers like freshman Kody Epps, who had 4 catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns in opposition to the Combating Irish, have been stepping up, it’s a bit early to anticipate them to take over these go-to roles in essential moments.
The working again place has been extra perplexing.
Cal switch Chris Brooks — who has rushed for 380 yards and 5 touchdowns this yr — has proven flashes of taking the lead again tasks, whereas additionally struggling at different instances.
Senior Lopini Katoa has made a number of large performs this yr, together with a 20-yard run on a third-and-18 in opposition to Notre Dame, however has by no means been the bell cow again throughout his tenure at BYU.
Miles Davis had a breakout recreation in opposition to Wyoming, however he was damage Saturday.
It’s left the staff with no clear reply on the place midway by means of the season, a irritating personnel state of affairs to be answering in October.
One of many greatest performs in Saturday’s loss got here with just below 4 minutes remaining and BYU driving down 28-20.
Katoa was given the keep on the essential fourth-and-1 state of affairs on the Notre Dame 27, and he was stuffed for no acquire. From there, the Combating Irish ran out the clock.
“We bought to get the primary down. The coaches should critique themselves and see what’s one of the best play for us,” Sitake mentioned. “We even took a timeout so we might give it some thought and disheartening we weren’t capable of get that.”
On that drive, BYU adopted up a 27-yard cross to Epps that bought the staff into Notre Dame territory with three Brooks runs, establishing the fourth down.
The combination of run and cross — on that drive and in additional broadly — appeared to be a problem.
Brooks ran for 90 yards and a landing on 14 carries in opposition to Notre Dame, however after placing up 31 yards within the first quarter, he didn’t get one other contact till halfway by means of the third quarter.
A few of that may be chalked as much as Notre Dame limiting the BYU offense to only 9 performs within the second quarter — the Combating Irish had 4 straight drives that took 10 or extra performs.
It emphasizes the necessity for BYU to higher dictate the move of the sport as a substitute of being compelled to behave on it when the opposing staff controls the tempo.
“If you solely have 46 performs whole, that’s not going to do it,” Sitake mentioned. “A part of that's protection (wants) to get off the sphere and offense (must) get first downs and preserve drives going and to only get extra environment friendly soccer from our staff.”
There are too few affect performs from the protection
A lot has been made about the truth that groups are utilizing lengthy, sustained drives to slowly chip away on the BYU protection.
That’s how Oregon and Notre Dame restricted the variety of possessions and performs for BYU in losses, whereas it saved Wyoming and Utah State sticking round in Cougar wins.
All three of Notre Dame’s landing drives took greater than 5 minutes, coated 75 yards or extra and had been not less than 10 performs lengthy.
The Combating Irish had been efficient on third down, changing 11 of 16 within the recreation and eight of 9 throughout that four-possession stretch when Notre Dame scored its three touchdowns.
One other side of these BYU defensive struggles is that the Cougars are usually not forcing many disruptive performs, like turnovers or sacks.
BYU is within the backside 30 nationally in each classes by means of six weeks, with six turnovers gained and 9 whole sacks.
The Cougars did get a well timed turnover Saturday: Max Tooley intercepted a tipped cross within the fourth quarter when Notre Dame was main 25-20 and driving deep into BYU territory.
That set BYU up with the possibility to take the lead regardless of trailing 25-6 at one level, although the Cougars went three-and-out and punted the ball again to the Combating Irish, who then scored a subject aim to make it an eight-point recreation.
“We felt good the place we had been at and had the ball,” Sitake mentioned, “however we simply couldn’t generate sufficient momentum to get in the long run zone and put extra stress on Notre Dame.”
Tooley has been the one fixed within the turnover division: he has three of the staff’s interceptions, together with two pick-sixes.
Take away BYU scoring straight on Tooley’s two pick-sixes, and the Cougars offense has scored simply seven factors from the opposite 4 turnovers BYU has compelled this season.
“We simply dug ourselves too large of a gap and didn’t play constant soccer, good soccer by means of 60 minutes,” Sitake mentioned. “That’s my job. I’ve bought to get these guys to play higher.”