Something happened to the defense after the Boise game.

[SpiffCoug]

We lost something. I don't know how/if we get it back.

After 8 games, opponents averaged 93 yards rushing per game & 3.0 yards per rush. The last three it's 169 yards per game & 4.0 yards per rush.

After 8 games, opponents averaged 9.8 "chunk" plays chunk (plays that gain 7-14 or 10-18 yards on a rushing or passing play respectively). The last three, the average is 15.

After 8 games, opponents averaged 3.1 "explosive" plays (plays that 15+ or 19+ yards on a rushing or passing play respectively). The last three, the average is 3.7.

After 8 games, opponents gained 8 1st downs on 3rd & 7 or longer. The last three, BYU has given up 5 such 1st downs.

After 8 games, opponents had 25 3 & outs. The last three, BYU has forced 4.

After 8 games, opponents averaged 27:44 in time of possession. The last three, it's 36:05.

After 8 games, opponents averaged 32.7% on 3rd down. The last three, it's 51.2%.

After 8 games, opponents averaged 14 points per game. The last three, it's 17.

After 8 games, opponents averaged 15 first downs per game. The last three, it's 22.

After 8 games, opponents averaged 285 total yards. The last three, it's 375.

After 8 games, BYU had 21 sacks. They have 5 in the last three.

After 8 games, opponents had 9 drives of 10 or more plays. The last three, they have 7.

[snoscythe]

BYU's defense is like the Colts defenses during Peyton Manning's run. It is built to hold a lead behind an offense that scores. When the offense is scoring early and putting a lead on the board, it puts pressure on opponents to put the ball in the air more to get more yards and slow the clock. It's an offense built to take away an offense's ability to win via the pass. When paired with an explosive offense, it can be extremely effective as the opponent's offense is forced to do what you are best suited to stop.

What it is not built for is a close games or games where your offense starts slow and you find yourself down 2 or more scores--situations where you need to get stops and slow the clock on the defensive side of the ball, because you are not built to stop the run, and the opponent will be looking to run to eat clock and shorten the game.


Early in the season, Zach Wilson and the offense were piling on points early in games and the defense was able to do what it did best. In the CCU and SDSU games, it took the offense longer to get points on the board, and the opposing offenses were able to play with a full playbook and attack our weak point instead of going to the air.

[Fido]

I was shocked to go and look at the time of possession game and see that BYU only had more time of possession than their opponent in 4 games this year. I think part of that was our very good offense against poor defenses but when we play a team who has a solid running game our defense doesn't seem to get the job done.

[hawkwing]

In other words, Tuiaki's defense is a prevent defense, just instead of playing it in the final 4 minutes of a game they play it the entire game.

This shouldn't be a surprise.

[vancouvercougar]

The defense didn’t have any trouble with North Alabama.

So something happened in the last 2 games. They were up against better running offenses. It worked against SDSU but not quite against Coastal. If the last play against Coastal goes for 2 additional yards, we wouldn’t have this post.

[BroncoBot]

level of competition,
teams figuring it out,
lack of adjustments.

[SpiffCoug]

While I think the defense has struggled at times this year, and UCF will present some challenges to the defense, this is a team that BYU is designed to defend.

[snoscythe]

BYU's defense is like the Colts defenses during Peyton Manning's run. It is built to hold a lead behind an offense that scores. When the offense is scoring early and putting a lead on the board, it puts pressure on opponents to put the ball in the air more to get more yards and slow the clock. It's an offense built to take away an offense's ability to win via the pass. When paired with an explosive offense, it can be extremely effective as the opponent's offense is forced to do what you are best suited to stop.

What it is not built for is a close games or games where your offense starts slow and you find yourself down 2 or more scores--situations where you need to get stops and slow the clock on the defensive side of the ball, because you are not built to stop the run, and the opponent will be looking to run to eat clock and shorten the game.


Early in the season, Zach Wilson and the offense were piling on points early in games and the defense was able to do what it did best. In the CCU and SDSU games, it took the offense longer to get points on the board, and the opposing offenses were able to play with a full playbook and attack our weak point instead of going to the air.

....and last night we saw how good the BYU defense can look when the BYU offense races out to a quick big lead.