BYU tight finish Isaac Rex (83) scores a landing in opposition to Stanford in the course of the first half of an NCAA faculty soccer sport in Stanford, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022. (AP Photograph/Godofredo A. Vásquez) AP
STANFORD, California — Coach Kalani Sitake’s BYU soccer workforce in 2022 might be remembered because the crew that by no means may fairly make issues simple on itself.
The Cougars had a behavior all through the season of doing every little thing the onerous method, together with Saturday night time’s regular-season finale in opposition to injury-riddled and fading Stanford.
In the long run, the Cougars grinded out a 35-26 win in entrance of an introduced crowd of 25,094 that was not less than half BYU followers, possibly extra.
Taking a web page from Stanford’s techniques of yesteryear, the Cougars bludgeoned the Cardinal to the tune of 27 first downs and 358 speeding yards on 50 makes an attempt in beating the Pac-12 college for the primary time.
Seems like a straightforward stroll by way of Golden Gate Park, proper?
Hardly.
No, not these guys. The Cougars haven’t been in a position to deal with prosperity properly all season, and their seventh win of the season — in opposition to 5 losses — was no completely different.
“It's sore. However it was precautionary. I wished to get out earlier than the rest occurred, simply (allow them to) take a look at it and allow them to do their factor. It will likely be all proper transferring ahead.” — BYU quarterback Jaren Corridor on his ankle damage.
“We may have made it rather a lot simpler on ourselves, however you gotta give Stanford credit score for making performs and making an attempt to remain in it,” Sitake mentioned.
After the sport, Stanford coach David Shaw introduced his resignation after 12 seasons on the helm (he spent 16 with this system general), saying he made the choice this week after praying and discussing it together with his spouse.
“It has been a terrific 16 years, it actually has,” Shaw mentioned. “Two weeks in the past I by no means would have thought we’d be having this dialog proper now.”
He goes out understanding his workforce didn’t give up on Senior Night time, even when BYU turned the tables on the once-proud Pac-12 program.
BYU racked up 451 yards of offense and held Stanford to simply 53 speeding yards and 371 general.
The Cardinal, which went 3-9 for the second-straight season and dropped to 2-1 all-time in opposition to BYU, refused to fold after wanting inept defensively in opposition to the Cougars (7-5) all the first half.
Quarterback Tanner McKee, the one-time BYU recruit whose mother and father each attended the Provo college, introduced the Cardinal again a bit within the second half and completed with 313 passing yards and a landing, finishing 31 of 40 passes.
McKee’s 7-yard landing go to Brycen Tremayne (11 catches, 130 yards) trimmed the Cougars’ massive result in 35-26 with 4:39 remaining, however the Cardinal ruined their try and make issues actually attention-grabbing and the competition a one-score affair by botching the PAT snap.
Tremayne’s catch ultimately zone was dominated a landing on the sector after which reviewed by replay, and it appeared that his knee hit out of bounds earlier than his toe hit inbounds, however the the decision stood.
“From replays on the sector, it didn’t appear like his toe or something touched, so I don’t know,” Sitake mentioned. “They should have noticed one thing, and Karma, dangerous snap. It occurs.”
A way of uneasiness ran by way of the pro-BYU crowd after the Stanford landing as a result of star quarterback Jaren Corridor was watching from the sidelines with an ankle damage and Jacob Conover’s second possession had resulted in a three-and-out.
However the Cougars ran out the ultimate 4:39 on the clock with all operating performs, and Conover tried only one go — a throw into the turf when Stanford blew up a display go.
Fittingly, Cal switch Chris Brooks was the catalyst on an evening when BYU tried simply 12 passes, for 93 yards.
So how is Corridor, who apparently turned his ankle on BYU’s first possession of the second half after the Cougars had pushed on the Stanford 21?
Corridor was stuffed on two straight operating performs, and acquired up slowly after the second try resulted within the twisted ankle.
“It's sore,” he mentioned. “However it was precautionary. I wished to get out earlier than the rest occurred, simply (allow them to) take a look at it and allow them to do their factor. It will likely be all proper transferring ahead.”
Sitake mentioned x-rays on Corridor’s ankle got here again adverse and he expects the fifth-year junior to play within the bowl sport.
“I feel it was going to be troublesome for him performing at a excessive stage, so we made the choice to maintain him out,” Sitake mentioned.
“We felt good about it, however he feels good about with the ability to come again.”
Corridor was 7 of 11 for 93 yards and two TDs — each to tight finish Isaac Rex — and in addition ran 19 yards for a landing.
Operating greater than he has all season, Corridor completed with 11 carries for 69 yards.
As has usually been the case this season, the Cougars struggled briefly yardage conditions to let Stanford keep in it.
The Cougars are 6 of twenty-two on fourth-down conversion makes an attempt this season.
“Properly, we tried plenty of various things and possibly simply easy is the best way to go. Possibly we overthought it slightly bit. Good to get some stuff on movie, however we have to begin changing these and flipping the conversion (charge) our far more,” Sitake mentioned.
“So not completely satisfied about that. That's one thing to work on for the following time.”
After Conover took over and handed the ball off 9 straight occasions, Puka Nacua took a reverse 25 yards to the top zone to present the Cougars a 35-12 lead, they usually held on, however not earlier than some uneasy moments.
Again-to-back landing drives of 75 yards apiece trimmed BYU’s result in 9.
As soon as once more, BYU had stored issues attention-grabbing once they didn’t must be.
“I feel it's a must to give credit score to plenty of guys that we have now performed. They only maintain coming again. We bumped into Stanford on their Senior Night time. They clearly wished to win this sport, understanding they don't seem to be going to a bowl sport. I believed they put every little thing they may into this sport plan,” Sitake mentioned, earlier than Shaw’s shocking announcement.
“With their expertise, like Tanner McKee, these guys can throw the ball on each down. That's just about what they did, and we simply didn’t get sufficient disruption on him within the backfield, however I feel for essentially the most half guys felt good about defending them and making it onerous on them.”
BYU was excellent on offense within the first half, scoring touchdowns on all 4 possessions with drives of 75, 75, 76 and 73 yards.
Stanford virtually moved the ball moderately properly within the first half-hour, punting simply as soon as.
The primary half led to controversy, nevertheless, as officers put one second again on the clock after it had apparently struck zero. That enabled Stanford’s Joshua Karty as well a 54-yard discipline objective and lower BYU’s halftime result in 28-12.
Brooks went for 82 yards within the first half on 10 carries, nevertheless it was Hinckley Ropati who discovered the top zone on BYU’s second possession, out-running Stanford’s secondary for a 43-yard rating.
Sitake mentioned senior operating again Lopini Katoa was ailing, missed some practices and didn’t make the journey.
In all, the Cougars had 199 yards on the bottom and 80 by way of the air within the first half; The Cardinal had 192 yards, all however 32 of them courtesy of McKee’s proper arm.
BYU used a “particular,” a flea flicker from Corridor to Rex for 43 yards to take a 21-3 lead. Brooks took the handoff from Corridor and flipped it to Keanu Hill, who pitched it again to Corridor.
Rex was huge open down the BYU sidelines, eluded a few tacklers and walked into the top zone.
Rex caught the twenty first landing go of his profession on the Cougars’ subsequent drive, passing Clay Brown and transferring right into a tie with Dennis Pitta for second all-time by a decent finish in BYU soccer historical past.
“It was a chance to beat a Pac-12 workforce,” Rex mentioned of the Cougars’ motivation. “We're making historical past with little steps. … We've got been actually motivated since that robust October and it has been cool to see the workforce rally round one another.
“It has been enjoyable.”
And positively not simple, particularly not with these guys.