BYU Football Midseason Report Card: Good, but Still a Chance To Be Great

The Cougars have the exact same record through seven games this season as last year.

Looking at the two teams it appears this year’s version is a more complete team. BYU is in a much better position this season heading into their eighth game.

The 2009 Cougars are still undefeated in conference, and control their own destiny as far as winning the conference. This year’s team also has enough games left on their schedule against good teams to get back into the BCS hunt; however, they will still need many things to fall their way.

So far BYU has been impressive. Here is a midseason report card for BYU.

Offense

Offensive Line

BYU was replacing four out of five starters from last year’s team at the beginning of the season. Then in fall camp injuries weakened the offensive line further, with both Reynolds brothers and Jason Speredon catching the injury bug. It looked as though it would cripple any hope which the offense line had for the 2009 season. Yet, the offensive line has proven to be one of the major strengths of BYU’s team this season.

Comparing this season’s offensive line to last season’s version through seven games; the 2009 offensive line is giving up more sacks—1.29 sacks per game compared to 1.14 sacks per game last season. Despite giving up more sacks, the offensive line is helping the Cougars to move the chains, particularly on the ground—averaging 163.54 yards per game compared to 116.57 yards per game last season through seven games.

BYU will need the offensive line to continue to progress in order to win the conference this season.

Grade: A-

Receivers and Tight Ends

The concern for BYU was to find a way to replace Austin Collie. There has been no single receiver who has equaled Collie’s production; however, the receiving core this season has provided many targets for Max Hall.

McKay Jacobson and O’Neill Chambers have proven to be the anchors of the receiving core. Jacobson emerged early as a deep threat target for Max Hall, but an injury to his Hamstring has sidelined him for a large portion of the season.

While the Cougar receivers continue to be sure-handed when catching the ball, the receiving core has been responsible for costly fumbles at key moments in games. This lack of ball control is out of sorts for a BYU receiving core.

The tight ends continue to be key targets for Max Hall. Dennis Pitta leads BYU in both receiving yards, and touchdowns. Pitta is Hall’s go-to receiver when the Cougars need a big play. Andrew George has also proved to be a solid pass catching option for BYU.

Grade: B

Running Backs

Harvey Unga is still the best player on the roster for BYU. Unga got off to a slow start this season due to a hamstring injury, but he has raised his average to 95.83 yards per game, which ranks first in the Mountain West.

Unga doesn’t have to carry the load solo, both Bryan Kariya and J.J. DiLuigi have proven themselves to be an adequate change of pace backs for BYU.

The biggest support for Unga in BYU’s offense comes from fullback Manase Tonga. Tonga is an emotional leader for BYU, and act like another lineman in the offense. Much of the running backs success this season is due to holes which Tonga opens for them. Tonga is also a sure-handed pass catcher out of the back field.

Grade: A

Quarterback

Max Hall is in the midst of his senior season, and that raises the already high expectations placed on BYU quarterbacks. BYU expects to compete for a conference title every year, but with a senior quarterback BYU demands to win a conference title. Anything but perfection in the conference schedule would be considered a failed season for Max Hall.

Hall drew large amounts of criticism in the early part of the season due to his interception numbers. While it cannot be ignored that the interceptions were unwanted, many of them couldn’t be directly blamed on Hall.

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