DONE DEAL:BYU Cougars football, Officially Commits Another 5-Star QB after 90$ millions extra…
DONE DEAL:BYU Cougars football, Officially Commits Another 5-Star QB after 90$ millions extra…
BYU wrapped up the regular season with a 30-18 win over Houston, and to be honest, I’m not sure I ever want to think of that particular game again as long as I live. Therefore, in lieu of my traditional postgame takeaways, I am going to take the opportunity to look back on the regular season as a whole. Here are six takeaways I had from the wild ride that was the 2024 BYU football season.
1. That was a heck of run
BYU players celebrate with the ROC after win over no. 13 Kansas State
BYU players celebrate with the ROC after win over no. 13 Kansas State / BYU Photo
Over thanksgiving break, my brother asked me a very direct question: “Has this been the best BYU season of your lifetime?” I’ve reflected on that question a lot over the last few days, and now that the regular season is over, I’m ready to give an answer: Yes. Objectively yes. BYU won 10 games when everyone outside Provo thought they’d win four. The demolition of Kansas State, Big Noon Saturday in Provo, the Messianic Miracle over Oklahoma State, and the Holdy War finish are genuinely four of the greatest memories I will ever have as a fan. No, it didn’t end in a conference championship, but neither did virtually any of the great moments I have had supporting BYU football. Arlington or not, this was a beautiful ride all the same.
2. We didn’t appreciate the good times enough when they were here
BYU RB Miles Davis vs SMU
BYU RB Miles Davis vs SMU / BYU Photo
Be honest, when BYU escaped with wins over SMU and Baylor, you were upset with how BYU performed in both games too. Turns out, the win over SMU is one of the best wins of the last 30 years while the win over Baylor proved to be as good as independence era wins over 8-win teams such as Wisconsin, USC, and Tennessee. Lamenting those wins in the moment as if they were losses was a missed opportunity. Winning is hard, especially in a P4 league. It’s best to enjoy them when they come.
3. BYU needs more talent on the lines of scrimmage
BYU offensive line against Utah
BYU offensive line against Utah / BYU Photo
In my opinion, the number one reason that BYU faded down the stretch this year was because of a lack of depth along the lines of scrimmage. One of the underrated story lines over the first half of the year was how good the offensive and defensive lines were playing given the recruiting profiles (or lack thereof) of the players involved. Over half the offensive line two-deep consisted of walk-ons and FCS/JC transfers, while both starting defensive tackles were converted walk-on defensive ends. While that’s an incredible story, the limited talent available wore down as the season wore on.
Cracks in the defensive line were forming against Ollie Gordon and Oklahoma State that were finally ripped open by Cam Skattebo. The offensive line, already dealing with extensive injuries, was bullied by relentless Utah and Kansas pass rushes and was shuffled beyond recognition by the time BYU played Houston. By season’s end, BYU graded 13th out of 16 Big12 teams in pass blocking and 8th in run blocking according to PFF. The defensive line tallied just five sacks in 12 games. Again, the lines outperformed their recruiting rankings, but they also wore down as the season progressed. BYU just didn’t have the playable depth at those positions to have fresh bodies in November.
For BYU to consistently be in Big12 title contention, they simply need more talent along the lines. The good news is that reinforcements are coming. BYU did not have a single starter on either line that had a 247-recruit rating above 85. BYU has committed 9 offensive/defensive linemen rated 87 or above in the last two classes alone. That’s progress, and with the development that’s already been shown by the BYU coaching staff, better days are certainly ahead.
4. This team was one of the best at complimentary football
