Is BYU's defense making progress?

Is BYU’s defense improving?

Or is the competition just average at attacking it?

I thought UCLA came to Provo with the coaching staff kind of stuck on a few stale ideas. That ended up being a very costly move.

UCLA thinking: The Las Vegas Bowl defense would probably do just fine against BYU’s offense. And offensively? Seeing film of Husky open receivers against BYU’s defense at Washington, the mindset was that Kevin Craft could dink and dunk its way to some touchdowns in a low scoring game.

Turnovers forced by BYU changed all of that.

UCLA then didn’t have a Plan B. How could a major Division I coaching staff not have a Plan B? But the Bruins had none because they could not run.

So, has this defense really been tested? In a way, yes. In other ways, no.

Northern Iowa had some big plays. Washington’s Jake Locker was uniquely effective but couldn’t hit Lake Washington. Craft and his offensive line and no running threat on offense got bowled over with turnovers that were, in fact, caused by BYU big hits and plays.

This Saturday may not provide an accurate picture of the defense because Wyoming can run the ball, somewhat inconsistently, but the passing game is stinky.

Still, I believe the defense has made progress. Guys are getting in the right place about the right time they are supposed to. Where many of the eight newcomers appeared wide-eyed in the first two games, they were more sound against UCLA and played with more confidence.

I asked Matt Bauman, middle linebacker, what he thought of the defensive progress.

“I feel like we’re maturing rapidly. Guys are filling in roles that they need to fill. We’re becoming more cohesive. Guys are trusting those around them and that is huge. We’ve made great leaps and bounds and we’re heading into the right direction.”

Bauman said the defense has made mistakes here and there. “But in the last game we really played physical and overall, we are complementing each other on the field and coming together. The defensive line is keeping people off me and that’s really helped for me to do my job.”

Bauman’s thoughts on Wyoming?

“They are a physical team. They’ll try to be physical with us and we’ll try and stop the run and force them into passing situations. They have a good offensive line and a pair of good backs. Their quarterback isn’t a run threat like we’ve seen. They’re going to try and run it through the tackles at us.

With the injury to Michael Reed, I think Luke Ashworth with get the first looks, followed by Spencer Hafoka. We will see O’Neil Chambers get some balls thrown his way in this game it the situation (scoreboard) is right.

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The undefeated records of BYU, Utah, Air Force and other non-BCS schools bring into play the argument of parity in college football. I saw a good piece addressing this issue in the American Statesman <a href="http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/other/09/18/0918bohls.html
” target=”_blank”>Read the story here.

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I spent some time with a guy who logged time at some of the WAC meetings the past few months. The word on the street is the replacement for Tom Hansen, the Pac-10 commissioner, will be WAC commissioner Karl Benson.

This is good and bad.

It is good because I am a Karl Benson fan. He is a very good commissioner and is great with the media, coaches and athletic directors. He is a reachable guy who gives people time and never forgets a name. He’s smart which means he’s intelligent enough to realize and convince the Pac-10 that their rule of having their own officials at home games is hurting the league’s credibility. He will also be sensitive to WAC and MWC contracts with the Pac-10 in bowl games.

It is not good because he was the WAC commissioner who was blindsided by BYU, CSU, Utah and other MWC schools who decided to secretly leave the WAC and announce it one day. It hurt the guy and I can understand why. When you sit with presidents and work with them for years and then they do something behind your back, it could cause feelings.

But Benson is a big picture guy and he gets it. I hope he gets the job. I don’t know of anyone else who is qualified as he is to work the college sports game and kill some good ‘ole boy networks that are out of date and hurting college athletics.