How to Defeat Jake Locker

Locker vs. BYU in 2008 (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

The BYU Cougars face one of the premier players in college football when they open the season this Saturday against the Washington Huskies in Provo.

Washington quarterback Jake Locker may be the first player taken in next year’s NFL draft.

He’s a strong candidate for the Heisman Trophy in 2010.

He’s big, fast, has a strong arm and can kill you with his ability to run.

The Cougars defeated Locker and the Huskies two seasons ago in Seattle when Jake was whistled for the infamous celebration penalty after leading his team to a last second touchdown.

Of course, the ensuing PAT after the 15-yard penalty was blocked and BYU escaped with a 28-27 victory.

With all of Locker’s athleticism, his Achilles Heel has been his lack of consistent accuracy throwing the ball. Enter former BYU quarterback and new Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian last season.

Under Sark, Locker improved his accuracy in 2009 to just over 58 percent. That’s up some 11 percentage points from 2007 when he burst onto the scene as a freshman. With another offseason and fall camp under Sarkisian, he’s expected to make another leap in his accuracy this year.

When the Cougars take the field on Saturday there will be three keys to limiting Jake Locker’s impact on the game.

1) Keep him on the sidelines:

The Cougars must sustain their drives when they have the ball and keep Locker off the field as much as possible. BYU has been among the leaders in third-down conversions over the past couple of years and they will need to continue that trend.

The secret to the Cougars success in this category has been solid gains on first down and Max Hall’s ability to make plays in manageable third-down situations.

The good news is that the Washington defense has multiple question marks on a squad that was less than stellar last season. The bad news is that the Cougars will be trying to sustain drives with a duo of inexperienced quarterbacks in Riley Nelson and Jake Heaps.

BYU’s ability to run the ball with Kariya and Di Luigi against the Washington front seven may be the key to the game. In 2008, BYU was able to physically punish the Huskies with Unga and Vakapuna behind a big offensive line.

2) Make him beat you with his arm:

That’s a lot easier said than done. Under Sarkisian’s tutelage, Locker has been more selective as a runner and more effective as a passer. That said, if you allow Locker to beat you with both his feet and his arm you are in trouble as a defense.

BYU has traditionally struggled against mobile quarterbacks.

The key will be to keep him in the pocket, be disciplined in rush lanes and limit his opportunities to break containment. The Cougars must also wrap up when they have Locker in their sights. He has a tremendous ability to slip and break tackles and then make you pay with a big play.

BYU’s increase in athleticism at linebacker should be a positive for the Cougar defense this year. It should also help in controlling Locker. The one chink in the armor is that some of the increase in speed and athleticism has come with the price tag of inexperience. Get out of position against a guy like Locker and you could be in trouble.

If the Cougars can limit the damage Locker does running the ball, it should play right into their hands. Jake will face a much better secondary than he saw in Seattle two seasons ago. BYU will play tighter coverages this year and run more packages with man elements. Locker should find the windows to complete passes significantly more narrow than the last time these two teams faced off.

3) Make him pay when he runs:

You must make a quarterback pay when he runs with the football. One of the reasons Aveni Leung-Wai has been tabbed as a starter for this game is that he has shown the ability to lay the wood in fall camp. Look for Jordan Pendleton and Andrew Rich to come head hunting as well when Locker tucks and runs.

Though Locker can hurt you running the ball, he can be hurt as well. His style of play leaves him open to punishment. The Cougars need to be physical with him without drawing penalties for late or unnecessary hits.

Notes:

Last season Jake Locker accounted for 3,188 total yards. He passed for 2,800 yards and 21 touchdowns verses 11 interceptions. He also rushed for 388 yards and 7 touchdowns.