BYU defense readies for USU
Jaime Hill says Utah State’s offense has plenty of weapons to pay attention to on Friday night.
QB Sean Setzer is big and athletic and his receivers, Otis Nelson and Stanley Morrison are fast and make plays. The tailback Curtis Marsh is versatile enough to stretch the Cougar front line. If the Aggies go to Diondre Borel, the other QB, he’s averaging over four yards a carry.
While the Cougar defense has feasted on turnovers by UCLA and Wyoming, USU didn’t have any against Oregon. Borel is the leading rusher on the season with 258 yards. Doug Barbour, the Aggie tight end is used and is the second-leading pass catcher.
“We respect them,” said Hill.
The Cougar defense continues to tweak formations and alignments and there have bee a few additions. Hill cautions, however, that his guys have to perfect what he’s got on the table before they go to the well with some new looks. The injury to Vic So’oto forced the staff to go with a nickel package, moving corner Scott Johnson to safety and getting talented Brandon Bradley on the field.
“We talked about it from the beginning but we weren’t ready for it,” said Hill. ” We didn’t have guys with enough experience, nor did they understand what we were doing, but we’re getting better at it, we need to keep working at it; it’s not where it needs to be.”
Hill admits it’s tough to see how tested the Cougars have been so far on the defensive side.
“It’s hard to get a read because offenses haven’t been dynamic. I’m sure we’ll see one eventually. We have to play what’s in front of us and that’s what we play against. We do as well as we can do and what happens, happens.
Hill said BYU’s front seven, particularly the defensive line are doing very well.
In a ton of ways that count, much of what the secondary does, depends on how effective the front seven applies a pass rush or gets to the QB. Put a hand on Setzer and the secondary has an easier job covering in the secondary.
“The front is doing really well right now. One thing about this defense is it’s been a different guy making plays every week, not the front, not the linebackers, but a different guy making plays and that’s what we want to instill here is that everyone do their part and eventually their time will come
“It’s the system. It’s not designed for one guy to make all the plays. It’s designed for you to do your part and another guy to do his part. If you are attacked at your position, it’s up to you to make the play.”
Because of the injury to So’to, the addition of the nickel package, Hill believes the Cougars are more flexible than they were in two-a-days. “We’ll continue to develop this system and when we do it well, we’ll then add some things we’ve planned.”
The Cougars would love to add another shutout, making it three in a row. But that’s a tough order and the odds are against it, especially on the road. The Aggies have talent on offense. It is the USU defense that is the Aggie flat tire. They do not have depth and struggle to play more than three quarters.