Can Beau Hoge Rescue BYU's Offense?

Dreams of putting a powerful offense on the field have turned to nightmares for BYU after only four games. All of the numbers paint an ugly picture for the Cougars.

Facing LSU, Utah and Wisconsin over three consecutive weeks has taken its toll. The Cougars scored just 19 points in those three games and were held without a touchdown against both the Tigers and the Badgers.

Right now, BYU ranks near or at the bottom among 130 FBS teams in multiple offensive categories: 

• 116th in chunk plays of 10+ yards (27)
• 119th in passing offense (144.9 ypg) 
• 124th in rushing offense (77.5 ypg)
• 127th in scoring offense (9.8 points per game)
• 128th in total offense (221.8 yards per game)
• 130th in first downs per game (10.8).

What in the name of LaVell Edwards has happened to BYU?

Many elements have created this offensive ineptitude. The Cougars lack a powerful runner who can consistently make plays with their feet. Wide receivers often run incorrect routes and are prone to dropping passes. An undersized offensive line struggles to open running lanes for the backs or reduce pressure on the quarterback during passing plays.

Quarterback play has been erratic as well. Tanner Mangum lacked mobility and made poor reads in his first three games, leading to quick punts and turnovers. It put the defense in tough spots and kept BYU from generating any real offensive momentum over four quarters.

Is Beau Hoge a solution to any problems on offense?

Hoge didn't light the world on fire in his debut as a starting quarterback. He filled in for Mangum against Wisconsin and threw for 111 yards on 11-of-20 passing, Hoge also tossed a pair of costly interceptions that led to 10 points for the Badgers.

The redshirt sophomore made mistakes you would expect from a first-time starter. Still, Hoge also showed significant promise. He offered a higher dose of mobility than Mangum in the pocket and was able to put together some nice runs on BYU's first scoring drive. Hoge also made better reads with his receivers, at times, than Mangum did in losses to LSU and Utah.

Mangum is expected to be sidelined with an ankle injury for an indefinite period. This means Hoge will get a legitimate chance to show what he can do. Can he raise BYU's offense out of the ashes?

Hoge has the right tools to be a good fit for the pro-style offense Ty Detmer wants to run. He offers greater mobility as a quarterback, which should take some pressure of his receivers. Hoge also seems more patient in attacking shorter routes and taking what the defense gives up, rather than going for home run balls on every play.

BYU should get better on offense as the schedule softens. If Hoge can help the Cougars progress against weaker defenses, he could remain the starting quarterback going forward – regardless of when Mangum is back to full strength.

Three Thoughts on Utah's win over BYU

Nobody can deny Utah has gained the upper hand over BYU in the Holy War.

The Utes notched a 19-13 win over the Cougars on Saturday night to win their seventh straight game in the rivalry series. Utah last won seven straight over BYU when it ran off seven consecutive wins over BYU from 1951 to 1957. That was part of a 12-game unbeaten stretch extending back to 1946 which saw the Utes post an 11-0-1 record.

Even though final score indicates a close hard-fought game, Utah never trailed and led by as many as 16 points early in the third quarter. BYU struggled to move the ball with any consistency, punting on six drives and coughing up turnovers on three others. The Utes possessed a decided advantage in speed, athleticism and depth in every phase of the game and never let the Cougars generate a sustained rhythm.

What transpired reveals quite a bit about the paths both teams seem poised to travel as the season progresses. Here are three observations from Utah's 19-13 win over BYU:

1. Utah has an elite quarterback

There's no question Tyler Huntley is a star in the making. Huntley's skills are a perfect match for the offensive schemes of Utah Offensive Coordinator Troy Taylor. He is an elusive runner, an accurate passer and an effective decision maker.

Huntley gave a good BYU defense fits for four quarters. He threw for 300 yards on 27-of-36 passing, becoming the first Utah quarterback with a 300-yard game since Travis Wilson passed for 311 yards in a 38-34 win over Colorado in 2014. He also rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. His mobility and accuracy kept the Cougars scrambling to keep up with him.

Darren Carrington has become the sophomore's favorite target. Carrington had ninth career 100-yard receiving game – and second straight at Utah – after totaling 129 yards on seven catches. Through two games with the Utes, the Oregon transfer has caught a total of 17 passes for 256 yards.

2. BYU needs to make major changes on offense

Unless BYU does something different on offense soon, the Cougars will face an uphill climb just to post a winning record this season. Elite defenses at LSU and Utah have exposed some serious deficiencies in what the Cougars are doing on offense.

It starts with ineffective quarterback play. Tanner Mangum has struggled with accuracy and decision making in all three of BYU's games up to this point. Mangum threw for 170 yards and a touchdown on 21-of-39 passing while also tossing three interceptions. Utah scored 10 points off of Mangum's interceptions, making them a major deciding factor in another BYU's loss.

The time has come for BYU to scrap the pro-style West Coast offense that Cougars offensive coordinator Ty Detmer installed last season and introduce some up-tempo spread concepts. Mangum has a tendency to panic and get happy feet in the pocket, leading to poor timing and accuracy on his throws. Putting him in shotgun and going no-huddle will give him a chance to react instead of overthink and bring him back to the promising form he showed as a freshman.

BYU also needs to attack the middle of the field more often. The Cougars best offensive weapons in the passing game are tight end Matt Bushman and slot receiver Aleva Hifo. Getting the ball to Bushman and Hifo consistently will draw the defense to the middle and open things up for speedier receivers like Talon Shumway, Micah Simon and Jonah Trinnaman who can snag deeper passes.

3. Utah needs to clean up the penalties

Playing disciplined football has been a serious problem for Utah through the first two games of the season. The Utes are killing their own drives and giving opponents second life on offense with tons of untimely penalties.

Against BYU, Utah totaled 11 penalties for 97 yards. In the Utes' season opening 37-16 win over North Dakota, they accumulated 11 penalties for 135 yards. Utah has totaled 22 penalties for 232 yards. Utah ranks 128^th in the FBS in total penalties and 127^th in penalty yardage.

This trend can't continue against Pac-12 opponents. Utah is talented enough on both sides of the ball to compete with virtually any team. A lack of discipline and a horde of mental errors can counteract that talent, however, and leave the Utes taking home an unexpected loss in a game they should win.