BYU vs UT OL - What it takes to be relevant

Interesting Desnews blog by Vai Sikahema who states that the difference between UT/BYU offense is that UT is a power team and BYU is a finese team. He feels that power teams are generally more successful because they are able to impose their physical will over the opponent. His gauge differences in the programs by NFL OL representation. He notes that Utah has Jordan Gross, Chris Kemoeatu, Barry Sims and Zane Beadles all starting for NFL clubs while BYU doesn't have a single offensive lineman playing in the NFL.



He asserts that BYU's offensive linemen haven't been successful in the NFL because they focus most of their college careers pass protecting – retreating – never really teeing off on the opponent. He wishes that our OL would pin their ears back and go after people.



His summary conclusion is Utah's system has not only prepared its players well for the NFL, but now playing in a BCS conference, it positions them a little closer to someday winning a national championship than BYU.



He also believes that for BYU to be relevant (either in BCS or future college football playoff system), they must adapt and strike a balance between running and passing.



My take is that our coaching recent coaching changes now reflect what Vai has been saying - striking a balance between passing and running. Our offensive fortunes began to change when Heaps began to complete passes, and coupled with the running attack, we rolled up points and completely flumoxed the defense. It is no surprise that Riker Matthews is a run first, pass second OL. If he learns pass protection, coupled with run blocking, together with the other OL doing the same, we will be awesome.

I said it in another thread, if our offense averaged 200yards on the ground and 300 over the air, we would be unstoppable. I want to see a nasty offensive line road grading holes for our RB's while at the same time, Jake heaps picking the defense apart with his arm. I think that Bronco looked at our finesse offense last year and knew it could never do what he wanted it. Doman is going to change the attitude on the offense and get it to be as physical as the defense was after Bronco took over it last year.

Agree. I remember that when the OL were able to tee off on the opposition as part of our concentration on running, they were delighted with the opportunity to kick some glutimus maximus. With this approach, we are also able to cast a wider net with potential recruits for OL, WR, TE, RB, QB etc. because all are intimately involved in the offense.

I agree with Vai's statements 100%. I think BYU needs to be a balanced run/pass pro-style offense, much like we saw out of Stanford or even Wisconsin this year. BYU's OL is primarily a pass-blocking oriented line, while to effectively implement a power run game, the OL needs to emphasize quickness as well.



I saw the Badgers play a few times this year, and when their line was rolling, there was not stopping them. Despite their size and power, the center, guards, and tackles all had the quickness and agility to get to the second level and man-handle an linebacker. While BYU's line is definitely big and strong, one thing I think they need to focus on is their quickness and agility in run blocking. I also think BYU's run-blocking schemes are a little more rudimentary than Stanford or Wisconsin, which is a function of the pass first emphasis.

frdbtr wrote:
I said it in another thread, if our offense averaged 200yards on the ground and 300 over the air, we would be unstoppable. I want to see a nasty offensive line road grading holes for our RB's while at the same time, Jake heaps picking the defense apart with his arm. I think that Bronco looked at our finesse offense last year and knew it could never do what he wanted it. Doman is going to change the attitude on the offense and get it to be as physical as the defense was after Bronco took over it last year.

So, how do you reconcile the fact that Doman said he loves to pass first then said balance later? Doman loves to pass. He loves Heaps and plans to have Heaps take byu to the promised land.

I'm high on Doman, but not as high or optimistic that he will address what Vai is talking about. And, I wonder if Vai is more likely to be sending Doman a message about not getting too pass happy. AS well, sending a clear statement from a big-time BYU guy who was successful in the pros, that a missing piece in the last 10 years has been mean, aggressive Olinemen. I mean to compare Utah's success to BYU's failure in this area? Thats candor. Them are usually fightin words--accusing the past, hoping for a change in the future. Maybe Vai is even touting his Poly braddah, Wong to come in and teach toughness. Who knows.

All I know is that BYU put way more O-linemen in the NFL back in the 1980's under a pass happy regime than they have recently. Talent an issue perhaps? Let's be honest--many of the Oline guys we have recruited to be great in the last decade did not pan out. Think back to the lines with upperclass guys that just did not get it done. But Matt Reynolds will be the one to change that soon, and the guys we have coming in should as well. More than anything, we have recruited good players, but not great ones. Same with the D-line the last 7-8 years. Facts are facts.

While I agree that BYU needs to let the hog-mollies get nasty in the run game, I disagree with Vai's (and many other pundits') assessment on the BCS Championship game. The difference in that game was not a difference in physical play and hard-nosed football vs. finesse football. The thing that won that game was that Auburn's freshman RB played til the whistle while everyone else on the field stopped and let him scamper another 30 yards. That play set up the fieldgoal that proved to be the difference. Otherwise, the Oregon defense was as impressive as the Auburn defense. Without that hiccup in Oregon following the #1 rule in sports, Oregon is in a position to win that game, with their finesse football team.



To read Vai talk about it, you'd think Auburn dominated that game. It was a evenly matched game that went blow for blow til the final play.

I originally thought this was about the real UT (University of Texas) and what BYU needs to do to beat them. Maybe we should start using lower (ut) case for utah. :)

Any word/rumblings on who the new O-Line coach will be yet??

snoscythe wrote:
While I agree that BYU needs to let the hog-mollies get nasty in the run game, I disagree with Vai's (and many other pundits') assessment on the BCS Championship game. The difference in that game was not a difference in physical play and hard-nosed football vs. finesse football. The thing that won that game was that Auburn's freshman RB played til the whistle while everyone else on the field stopped and let him scamper another 30 yards. That play set up the fieldgoal that proved to be the difference. Otherwise, the Oregon defense was as impressive as the Auburn defense. Without that hiccup in Oregon following the #1 rule in sports, Oregon is in a position to win that game, with their finesse football team.



To read Vai talk about it, you'd think Auburn dominated that game. It was a evenly matched game that went blow for blow til the final play.

I agree 100 percent. Oregon lost by THREE points. A couple better decisions by the qb or take out that ridiculous 40 yard run at the end and the game could have turned out completely different. The whole premise of his article is ridiculous.

dmcougar wrote:

I said it in another thread, if our offense averaged 200yards on the ground and 300 over the air, we would be unstoppable. I want to see a nasty offensive line road grading holes for our RB's while at the same time, Jake heaps picking the defense apart with his arm. I think that Bronco looked at our finesse offense last year and knew it could never do what he wanted it. Doman is going to change the attitude on the offense and get it to be as physical as the defense was after Bronco took over it last year.

So, how do you reconcile the fact that Doman said he loves to pass first then said balance later? Doman loves to pass. He loves Heaps and plans to have Heaps take byu to the promised land.

I'm high on Doman, but not as high or optimistic that he will address what Vai is talking about. And, I wonder if Vai is more likely to be sending Doman a message about not getting too pass happy. AS well, sending a clear statement from a big-time BYU guy who was successful in the pros, that a missing piece in the last 10 years has been mean, aggressive Olinemen. I mean to compare Utah's success to BYU's failure in this area? Thats candor. Them are usually fightin words--accusing the past, hoping for a change in the future. Maybe Vai is even touting his Poly braddah, Wong to come in and teach toughness. Who knows.

I reconcile the fact that if Jake heaps starts throwing 50-60 times per game, folks on this board are going to be calling for his (Doman's) job in a couple of years because BYU will have lost some games we should have won. I am banking that Doman is a very intelligent coach (from what I know about him) and is trying to let the fans know that he is a BYU coach and the Passing game is not going to be replaced since he was known as a running QB in High school and was a QB who relied on his legs in college to be successful. When was the last time a new offensive coach was introduced at BYU without the passing game coming up? Remember Crowton's presser? He said (the ball is going to be flying all over the stadium). BYU fans expect the passing game to be great, Doman is letting them know that he is not going to abandon the pass.

snoscythe wrote:
...The thing that won that game was that Auburn's freshman RB STARTED RUNNING AGAIN AFTER HIS SIDELINE YELLED AT HIM TO KEEP GOING while everyone else on the field stopped and let him scamper another 30 yards.....

Just editing to match my recollection of the play. I don't think the freshman would have kept running without being told to do so.



Although I can't say for sure that part of his plan wasn't to make everyone THINK he was done so he could catch them on their heels, in which case he is a very bright freshman, indeed!



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But having said all of that, BYU needs more players with NFL talent if we expect to start getting to BCS Bowls and we need smart scheduling - like the teams that did bust the BCS.



Nobody seems to want to talk about the 2011 class - the solid but unspectacular 2011 class and how we can take recruiting up a notch. Star ratings are not always correct, but national sources have BCS bustin TCU and Utah both in their top 30 something. BYU is not top 50. BSU is.



Utah, had several recruits from Utah this year - unusual for Utah. Did some of those *** come from LDS HC worthy pool? Are we getting beat locally? IDK - just askin because noone is talking about it.



But forget the star rating of our #3MWC rated class on Rivals. It does not do much, position wise, for our greatest need - DBs ready to go in 2011. There is one JC transfer listed, but that is it.



I really hope Bronco and the defensive coaches are working on some surprise additions.



Go Cougs



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Cougarbib2 wrote:
But having said all of that, BYU needs more players with NFL talent if we expect to start getting to BCS Bowls and we need smart scheduling - like the teams that did bust the BCS.



Nobody seems to want to talk about the 2011 class - the solid but unspectacular 2011 class and how we can take recruiting up a notch. Star ratings are not always correct, but national sources have BCS bustin TCU and Utah both in their top 30 something. BYU is not top 50. BSU is.



Utah, had several recruits from Utah this year - unusual for Utah. Did some of those *** come from LDS HC worthy pool? Are we getting beat locally? IDK - just askin because noone is talking about it.



But forget the star rating of our #3MWC rated class on Rivals. It does not do much, position wise, for our greatest need - DBs ready to go in 2011. There is one JC transfer listed, but that is it.



I really hope Bronco and the defensive coaches are working on some surprise additions.



Go Cougs



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You can't take BYU's recruiting at face value because this year the rating will be low due to shear lack of volume of players. Fill the rest of the class with RM's and maybe it looks better, the problem is, these RM's were already on a previous class rating so you would be rating the twice. Follow me? Me neither, that is why handling the missionary issues is Bronco's job and not mine.

Bib, I don't know what website you've been reading, but we've talked a lot about recruiting here. Everyone knows that this years class is small, because of not many scholarships to hand out, and the fact that we have a number of linemen in this class (a consistently unsexy pick for stars) thus its ranking is lower than typical for recent BYU years. Combine that with the fact that the recruiting for this years class was pretty much finished up a year ago, there really hasn't been a lot of need to discuss it.



BYU does get the best football player in the state in Ryker Mathews. So we're doing just fine, and adds depth and talent at several key positions (D-line).



Class rankings are also wildly unreliable for predicting future outcomes for regular schools, but even more so for an institution like BYU which gets recruits and sends them out on missions.



Any fan should be able to look at our current class and believe that we've done well.

If we are getting all 3 stars and 1 or 2 4 stars then it will be a very good class. Ryker is 4 stars. There are just a few 2 stars there but I expect them to be moved up to 3 stars when they finish their final evaluations.