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Week 1 vs Navy
Week 2 vs Troy
Week 3 vs La Tech
Week 4 vs UTSA
How Did BYU Handle Houston's Pass Rush?
Last week against UTSA, the Roadrunners (never thought I'd type that name in a blog) pressured Zach on 9 of his 32 dropbacks. This was concerning given BYU had allowed a total of only 10 pressures against Zach in the first three games. And this was even more concerning given Houston's pass-rush was considered the strongest element of their team coming into the season.
So how did BYU hold up against Houston? A little better than last week. Whereas UTSA managed to create pressure on 28% of Zach's dropbacks, Houston only created pressure on 23% of Zach's dropbacks (9 out of 39).
More importantly, Zach put up his best statistical performance of the season while under pressure. Check out his under pressure numbers against UTSA compared to Houston:
vs UTSA: 9 pressured dropbacks, 3/8 passing, 41 yards, 0 TDs, 1 scramble for 1 yardvs Houston: 9 pressured dropbacks, 3/5 passing, 106 yards, 1 TD, 2 scrambles for 35 yards, 2 sacks
As we covered last week, delivering under pressure is the weakest part of Zach's game (and every quarterback's game for that matter). This Houston performance is extremely encouraging! If Zach continues to improve in this one area, the chorus of Clay Davis "sheeeeeeeitts" coming from Ute fans will grow larger by the day.
Zach using his feet
Zach didn't run for many yards in the first few games of the season. Not counting yardage lost on sacks he'd picked up only 80 yards on the ground in the first four games. I wasn't sure if the reason for this was:
1) a concerted effort on his part to stay in the pocket more or
2) coaches asking him to run less to avoid exposing himself to hits or
3) coaches asking him to run only near the goal line where he's been a huge weapon or
4) the veteran savvy to know that QBs who run only occasionally can surprise the defense with a run when it's needed most
After last week I think it might be number four. Let me state that I love QBs who aren't running QBs but can still produce 15 to 30 yards a game on scrambles or simple QB draws. Max Hall was no running quarterback but he gouged the Utes to the tune of 98 yards, 9 first downs, and 1 touchdown on 14 runs across the 2008 and 2009 rivalry games. If a pocket-passing quarterback can steal three or four first downs a game with his feet that's free money. It extends drives and frustrates the defense.
I'm not sure if Zach purposely had been downplaying his running skill in the first few weeks, but against our toughest opponent of the season he unleashed it. Not counting yardage lost on sacks, he ran 7 times for 62 yards against Houston creating 2 first downs and coming within an inch of a touchdown. After averaging only 20 yards rushing through the first four games, he tripled that against Houston.
YAC in our favor
I don't know if this is a reflection of playing an easier schedule, a byproduct of Zach's accuracy, or a sign of improved wide receiver play, but this is the best year BYU has had for gaining yards after the catch since at least 2013. Last year we only had one player who averaged more than 6 yards after the catch (Lopini Katoa).11. Minimum five receptions This year we have five players averaging 7 YAC or better (Romney, Milne, Allgeier, Wake, Katoa). The team as a whole is averaging 7.7 YAC, compared to
5.2 in 2019
4.9 in 2018
4.6 in 2017
4.3 in 2016
4.1 in 2015
5.0 in 2014
It's early in the year, and YAC is a figure that is easily reduced as volume increases. But at the halfway point of the season this is an awesome sign.
The Layups of the football world
There are easy completions available to quarterbacks. They come in the form of passes thrown at or behind the line of scrimmage. These passes don't travel far, they don't have to clear the outstretched arms of defensive lineman, they usually are released before pressure arrives, and as a result they're completed at an extremely high rate. We're talking about screens, shovel passes, quick throws to the sideline to a receiver. These passes are layups, they are free throws, they are gimmees. They allow a quarterback to get in rhythm and the team to easily put the ball in a playmakers hands.
I bring this up because BYU is taking advantage of these throws in a way they haven't in years.
From 2014 to 2019, on average 11% of BYU's passes came at or behind the line of scrimmage. In 2020 a whopping 19% of BYU's throws are targeting that same space. We run screens now! But it's more than that. It's stealing the Patriots WR screen or the Chiefs underhand scoop pass. It's quick tosses to the running backs. It's stuff like this I don't even know how to describe (a fake option pitch followed by a WR screen in the opposite direction?)
As has been covered ad naseum, Zach is completing deep passes at an unprecedented clip, but we need these freebies too. They are critical to keep the offense diversified and make things easier for Zach so he doesn't have to toss it 30 yards down field every play.
Sidenote: After the unsuccessful RPO dalliance of 2019 it really seems like the Grimes-Roderick-Fesi trio is rolling on all cylinders right now doesn't it?
Who Got Dem Snaps (RB Edition)
It looks like Allgeier has taken top dog status in the running back room. Whereas Katoa and Allgeier were on the field for comparable amounts of snaps during the first three games, Allgeier has now outsnapped Katoa 92 to 44 over the last two weeks, including 40 to 20 on passing downs.
Previously Katoa had monopolized the passing down snaps, so to see this flip in Allgeier's direction suggests the coaches believe that Allgeier is developing nicely as a receiving back. To which I say yahoo! The better our runners are at receiving the more diverse and unpredictable we can be on offense.
By the way, Katoa is great at catching the ball, so much so that he's actually lined up at a wide receiver position seven times this season. It will be interesting to see if his decreased usage at RB coincides with an increased usage at WR. (I'm guessing it won't given the number of young receivers BYU needs to get reps for, but still worth monitoring)
Numbers of Note
Gabe Summers had five pressures against Houston and is second on the team with 9 pressures on the season. Who are you Gabe and where have you been all my life?
George Udo played 22 coverage snaps and was only thrown at once. Compare this with Kavika Fonua who played 21 coverage snaps and was thrown at eight times and gave up eight catches for 110 yards.
Our secondary is not breaking up passes. Keenan Ellis, Zayne Anderson, and Kavika Fonua each have a total of one for the season. Despite this, BYU had no problem with Houston star WR Marquez Stevenson. He was only targeted three times and managed one catch for 19 yards.
Finally, Dax Milne is separating himself as the team's first down maker at receiver. He's moved the chains 23 times; the rest of the WR corps accounts for 26 first downs. Also how about this shocking number: per PFF Milne has had 34 catchable balls thrown his way by Zach this year; he’s caught 33 of them. That’s some Hall-to-Collie level of connection right there. Every QB and WR say they throw a lot during the off-season. From these two I actually believe it.
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