What Can We Expect From BYU Vs Colorado St.?

In short, who knows?

It is amazing how quickly your team can take you to your highest highs, and lowest lows.  It doesn't matter who your team is, or how good they are, the ride is always a roller coaster. 

BYU started the season on one of the biggest highs they have been on in years.  They won a huge upset and had the whole country talking.  It wasn't a perfect game, but they got the W and that is all that matters when you are playing the big boys. 

They followed that up with blowing out a weak Tulane team that really didn't surprise anyone.  But at least they were looking good and executing the way that they should.

Then came a major low.

Spirits were high, expectations were higher, and it was a home game.  Once the outcome was played out we all realized that the higher you are, the more it hurts when you get slammed to the ground.  Nothing went well, and it really left us all wondering what this team is really all about.

Harvey Unga came back and showed us exactly why we love him so much.  He had some punishing runs and averaged almost 10 yards per carry.  Unfortunately, his services could not really be used in the second half.

The defense looked pretty much lost the whole game.  They applied no pressure which allowed Ponder to pick apart the secondary and run up and down the field.  While not having Johnson around certainly didn't help, if we aren't deeper than one person then it is going to be a long season.

The real question mark comes from the man in the above picture. 

Which Max Hall will show up on Saturday?

In the first two games he was smart, poised, and efficient.  He was making his reads and checking down to tight ends and backs when he needed to.  Last week he was forcing almost every thrown and trying to win the game all by himself.  Unfortunately for him the offense he runs makes it very difficult to come back from much of a deficit and his turnovers just make it worse.

This offense is designed to drive defenses crazy if you just use your options.  He has 4-5 quality receivers, two of the best tight ends in the country, and 3-4 great backs that can catch and run as well as anyone.  It is just up to Max to make good decisions and utilize them all.

Oklahoma couldn't use their vaunted pass rush to full effectiveness because Max was spreading the ball all over and they didn't know what to do.  However, last week he looked like he did last season when he was super predictable.  He doesn't even have Austin Collie to throw to anymore and they still seemed to know where he was going everytime.

Now obviously Colorado St. is not Florida St., but it really won't matter if BYU plays like they did last week.  This team, like last year's team is very slow starting.  The only way we win is if the defense can keep it close until the offense decides to show up. 

Luckily, they show up most of the time and when they do they possess the ball a lot and let the defense rest.  The other variable, that has killed us in our last four losses is turnovers.  Both on offense and special teams we have been far too loose with the ball.

If we can hold onto the ball, get into a flow, and find the heart that got ripped out of our players early last week then we will be just find.  The season is far from over, and one loss is not the end of the world, but I will not be at ease until the game is over and BYU comes out on top.