Three weeks ago when BYU stumbled and fell against the Virginia Cavaliers, it looked like it could be a very long year for the Cougars. BYU, traditionally known for its strong pass offense, completed just 13 of 40 pass attempts in the away loss. The Cougars’ quarterback Taysom Hill finished the day with one touchdown, one costly interception, and one overall poor performance.
Then, the Texas game happened.
In Week 2, the BYU offense exploded at home, going off for 679 total yards of offense in a 40-21 smack down on the then-No. 15 Texas Longhorns. Hill ran for 259 yards and three touchdowns himself and was suddenly earning national recognition and comparisons to Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. Needless to say, the dynamic of the Holy War between Utah and BYU suddenly took on a new twist.
According to Hill, a big reason for the offensive fireworks show was the offensive line.
“The credit starts up front,” Hill said. “Our offensive line fired off the ball, not only were they taking care of the defensive front guys, they were getting to the second level. That allows guys like Jamaal [Williams] and myself to hit those seams and as a result we rushed for 550 yards.”
Hill also credits running Williams, who rushed for 144 yards against Virginia, for taking the attention off the quarterback run game. Williams’ Week 1 performance allowed Hill to catch Texas off guard in Week 2.
This week as the Cougars prepare to host the Utes, fans await anxiously to see if Hill can post anything close to a repeat performance. Thus far, the U’s D-line has been one of the brightest points of their defense, shutting down opponents’ run game for the most part. They are, however, getting hurt badly by big pass plays.
Although he has been criticized for his lack of passing, Hill feels that aspect of his game is ready to shine.
“It comes down to me just making the throws,” Hill said. “I am confident in our passing offense. I don’t worry about what other people say because I know it’s there. There has been a big focus last week and this week in practice on passing so the quarterbacks and receivers get on the same page and we feel like that will allow us to be successful.”
Hill and the Cougars also feel very confident in the home field advantage, although traveling 40 minutes down the road for the Utes is not far from home.
According to Hill, head coach Bronco Mendenhall has stressed eliminating turnovers and settling in early to the offense as the biggest keys of the game. If Hill really is on the same page with his receivers, the Utes could be in big trouble with an inexperienced secondary. If BYU is counting on its running game to save it, things could get ugly running into Tenny Palepoi, Trevor Riley, and the rest of the U front line.
“Anything can happen in this game,” Hill said. “I’m still trying to find the balance on not letting my emotions play too big a role, but this isn’t just another game to me. It’s really important to get a win, and I’m doing everything I can to prepare extremely well so when the game starts, I’ll be calm, confident, and ready to execute.”