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PROVO — After last week’s 41-7 trouncing of Texas in Austin, the BYU Cougars have returned home for a short week of preparation before their home opener vs. Houston at LaVell Edwards Stadium this Thursday night.
BYU’s matchup with Texas started slow as the Cougars found themselves missing chances to capitalize and entered the half with what seemed like an under-achieving 6-0 lead. BYU, however, came out strong in the third quarter on both offense and defense.
Taysom Hill capped off the first drive of the second half with an impressive highlight-reel touchdown run, including a leap over a Texas defender for the game’s first touchdown, and it was all BYU from there. The offense went on to score three more times in the third quarter and added another touchdown in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
Hill’s highlight run and leaping touchdown is sure to live on throughout the season as a memorable moment for BYU fans and players.
“When he jumped over that guy I was shocked. I didn’t expect that one at all; it was impressive,” said Cougar wide receiver and Texas native Jordan Leslie.
When asked what the difference was in the team’s success in the second half, Leslie explained, “We just came out and settled down and executed. We had a lot of chances in the first half and we just put them all together.”
Despite the big third quarter and the win against the traditional powerhouse, BYU offensive lineman Tuni Kanuch knows improvement is still needed for this team to reach its ultimate goals.
“We did good, but it’s not enough," he explained. "We’re always grateful for how we did, but we’re never satisfied and we want to be as perfect as we can every week.”
As BYU now focuses in on this week’s opponent, Houston, last season’s game is sure to be on the minds of the players, coaches and Cougar nation, as it was one of the closest games BYU played in all season.
Houston’s offense gave BYU’s defense everything they had last year, and BYU needed a last-minute touchdown drive and a defensive stop to squeak out a 47-46 win.
This week’s game, once again, has the potential to be a back-and-forth contest, and with the short week, could cause some worry about whether there is proper time to prepare coming off the big win over Texas. BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall is choosing to focus on the positives of the exposure that will come from playing a nationally televised game instead.
“In the position we’re in as an independent it’s almost — not quite, but almost — anything for exposure,” he explained.
The players added their perspective on the shorted week as well, including junior running back Adam Hine, who scored two rushing touchdowns against Texas. “Houston has the same amount of time to prepare, and we’re excited that it’s going to be on equal grounds, he said. "We’re both faced with this unique opportunity, and we’re going to have fun with it.”
As Mendenhall seeks more national exposure, BYU is now starting to gain more of it. The Cougars entered the Associated Press Top 25 poll this week at 25, the first time on the list since 2012.
The ranking means that Mendenhall has now led his team to a top-25 ranking in eight of his 10 seasons. But despite the added attention the ranking has brought, Mendenhall’s players seem to be trying very hard to remain focused on Thursday’s game.
“We’re really taking it as a one-game season," said senior safety Craig Bills. "We had two good victories and we still have a ton to work, on so we’re looking forward to Houston and it being another opportunity for us to get that recognition and get another win.”
BYU players, including sophomore safety Dallin Leavitt, were willing to recognize this could be a special season and that they have desires to go undefeated, but that each week needs to be focused on the upcoming opponent.
“We talk about having such a special season — we did in the offseason — but now it’s more focused on staying in the moment, and this week we need to beat Houston,” said Leavitt. You can listen to post-practice audio from Bronco Mendenhall, Craig Bills, Dallin Leavitt, Tuni Kanuch and Jordan Leslie by clicking on the links in "Cougar Cuts," above left.
