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PROVO — For the second straight game, the BYU Cougars are preparing for an opponent on a short week. BYU will however have its full compliment of offensive players when they take the field on Friday in Logan.
Running back Jamaal Williams (concussion) and receiver Cody Hoffman (suspension) will return to a Cougar lineup that has struggled with consistency over the first four games of the season. However, having both players available will no doubt bolster an offense that seemed to find a good rhythm last week against Middle Tennessee. Offensive coordinator Robert Anae said that it will be 'huge' to have both players back.
"Both of them are proven play-makers...Jamaal has carried the ball a lot of times and Cody has caught the ball a lot of times; we look forward to that addition back into the offense."
Before the season began, Coach Anae was quick to point out that this offensive unit would take time to develop; calling it a marathon, not a sprint. He mentioned in fall camp that he wouldn't really know where his offense stood until at least after the Utah game.
As BYU enters Game 5 of the season, Anae believes the Cougar offense is heading in the right direction. "We're down at least a couple miles down the marathon lane," Anae said.
"I do see progress; I'm very optimistic for our future development, and I look forward to the offense getting better as the season unravels."
Through four games this year, BYU is scoring 27 points on average per game. Statistically, the Cougars rushing attack is flourishing with Taysom Hill at quarterback. Entering Friday's game, BYU is averaging 307 yards on the ground while passing for just 185 yards.
With the season still young, and the players even younger, Coach Anae is not forcing too much on this group.
"Right now it's more about us than the playbook; in other words, what the players do best -- that's what we're trying to focusing on. If a guy carries the ball x-amount of times, how good is the ball security, how good are the yards; those kind of things we are still in the process of discovering about ourselves. I do believe (that) every game we get closer to that revelation of who you are."
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It will surprise no one that BYU's main focus on defense is slowing down Utah State quarterback Chuckie Keeton. As a legitimate dual-threat quarterback, Keeton is the engine that makes the Aggie offense go. "They built their offense around #16 (Keeton)," defensive coordinator Nick Howell said.
"They're doing things that he can do really well, which is quick-game, the run game...and get the ball down field when they need to -- they're good."
Keeton enters Friday night's game in Logan averaging 272 yards passing and is second in the nation in touchdown passes with 17. While focus tends to be on Chuckie's rushing ability, he's only averaging 45 yards on the ground per contest.
The BYU defense has had success against Keeton, beating the Aggies 6-3 last year in Provo and holding Chuckie below his averages. In last year's game, the Cougars kept Keeton out of the endzone and held him to 202 yards passing and only 34 yards rushing.
"I think we hit him early and then we got them into third and long," Coach Howell said of defending Keeton in 2012. "We were able to go after him and we contained him good; we had (a) good pass rush against him last year."
As was the case last season, Howell believes the key to slowing Keeton and the Aggie offense this year is forcing Utah State into long third downs.
"If you give up the quick throws on first down (or) second down, you're going to be in medium; and when they're in medium or short then they're going to be where they want to be. If you don't get them to third and long, then they're going to dictate the tempo of the game -- you gotta be good early."
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You can listen to post-practice audio from Robert Anae, Nick Howell, Jason Beck and Craig Bills by clicking on the links in "Cougar Cuts," above left.
