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After preparing for and beating a Georgia Tech team intent on running the ball and draining the clock, the BYU Cougars are this week getting ready for the opposite approach as presented by the Houston Cougars: a pass-heavy, up-tempo attack that will be more of stylistic match for their namesakes from Provo.
Head coach Bronco Mendenhall said on Monday that he "hardly remembers" the Yellow Jackets and their game plan.
"We've spent all day now defending four receivers and (a team) throwing the ball around," said Mendenhall after an early-evening practice, "and it's college football, which is one of the cool things about it--you're not facing the same offense."
The Cougars from Houston are off to a 5-0 start, albeit against a schedule that ranks among the weakest in college football. UH leads the entire FBS in turnover margin at +14 (18 takeaways, four giveaways) and as a result has the best collective field position advantage in the game.
Houston has a true freshman behind center, as John O'Korn has taken over for returning starter David Piland, whose career ended last week after the latest in a series of concussions. O'Korn has performed admirably in three starts over five games, completing 59% of his passes, with 11 touchdowns and only a single interception. He is also a capable runner.
"I like him a lot," said Mendenhall of O'Korn, "(he's) really mobile, very confident. If you hadn't told me he's a freshman, I wouldn't have guessed. I think he's doing a nice job."
BYU safety Daniel Sorensen says the Lone Star State Cougars "like to throw the ball - a lot."
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Meantime, BYU's offense has shown increasing signs of consistency in racking up 30-plus points in three consecutive games--all BYU victories.
Third-down conversion, pass completion, yards/play and points/play numbers continue to lag nationally, but the Cougars are making fewer drive-killing mistakes and actually doing more with less.
After averaging only 26 points on 96 plays per game through the first three games of the season (1-2 record), BYU has averaged only 75 plays a game but scored 35 points per contest, over the last three games (3-0 record). It is true that defensive scoring has aided the cause, with two touchdowns and a safety over three straight wins, but the offense appears to be coming along at the season's midway point.
"I just feel like everybody's starting to get more comfortable with the motive," said quarterback Taysom Hill on Monday, "and the game is starting to slow down for me and for the guys around me. Receivers are getting set; they now what routes they have on each play and it has shown on Saturday nights."
One of those receivers is on the verge of a handful of BYU career records, as Cody Hoffman is a single catch away from setting the school's alltime mark for total receptions. Hoffman currently stands tied with Dennis Pitta at 221.
"I'm not going to try to do anything outside myself," said Hill when asked if he'll pay extra attention to Hoffman early in Saturday's game. "I'm going to stick to my reads, I'm going to stick to my progression but we have a lot of plays drawn up for Cody; he's gonna break that (record) easily and I'm happy to be here with him to see that happen."
Hoffman is one receiving TD away from tying Austin Collie's BYU record of 30 scoring grabs, and is 226 yards away from tying Collie's career receiving yards record as well.
Hoffman is in his fifth year with the BYU program, having started with the Cougars in 2009--a season he redshirted on the scout team. Mendenhall says "I don't even remember the (redshirt) decision, but I'm glad we did."
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Saturday's BYU-UH game at Reliant Stadium (home of the NFL's Texans) will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs, but allows BYU to return to state the team used to visit rather frequently in years past.
"We actually recruit Texas and Houston specifically," said Mendenhall, "so we expect a great turnout for the (Friday night) fireside and a great turnout for the game. (There has been) a lot of interest already in terms of emails, letters, etc., from people looking forward to us coming."
"I like independence because we have a chance to play on the biggest stages, and more flexibility than what we've had before--so any chance we've had to play in a unique venue, I like it."
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Notes and quotes:
Safety Craig Bills, who missed all but the first play of the Georgia Tech game with a concussion, has passed medical protocol and "should be ready to play on Saturday," said Mendenhall.
Center Terrance Alletto is dealing with recurring stingers, which are likely to keep him out of a second consecutive game this week. Mendenhall says Alletto's strength has not yet returned 100%, and there is "no new status" regarding his availability.
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Mendenhall praised the collective work of the BYU special teams, which the coach says are "the strongest I've seen, because we have the best players doing it."
One of those players with a key role on special teams is starting Kat safety Daniel Sorensen, who has gained a well-deserved reputation as a designated 'punt-downer'; he also has a blocked field goal this season.
"I think the coaches to a good job of emphasizing that special teams aren't any less than offense and defense, that your role is just as important," Sorensen says. "I take special teams just as serious as I take defense. That's the mindset of our whole team; it's the same mindset (that) we go out and try and make plays and do what we can."
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Mendenhall said nose tackle Marques Johnson "played the best of any defensive lineman in that last game--about 30 plays. His role continues to increase. He gives us more size, and a chance for him to play with Eathyn (Manumaleuna) at the same time is positive for us."
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Mendenhall, on leaving the state of Utah for the first time since a trip east for the season-opener at Virginia on Aug. 31:
"I think it's a nice break and some diversity and a lot of times it increases focus; I think our guys are kind of looking forward to getting on the road.
"It's just exciting to change venues. We love playing at home, but part of college football is getting to travel and play in unique cities. It's not the Mountain West, where you go to the same places year in and year out. We get to go to new places each year, which I kind of like, and I think the players do."
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Due to a combination of injuries and competition, BYU has used the same starting offensive line in consecutive games only once all season, for the Texas and Utah games.
The Cougars have fielded five different starting combinations over their six contests, but Mendenhall thinks last week's opening group (Yeck, Kafu, Fusi, Kearsley and Wesley) should be back as a unit again this week.
"I think we're making the very best our of the situation we have," said Mendenhall on Monday. "Looks like this will be the (second) time in seven weeks that we'll have the same five coming back with no injuries and no changes, so that'll be fun."
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You can hear interviews with Mendenhall, Hill and Sorensen in "Cougar Cuts," top left.
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