Hook'em Headlines
Fansided

Texas Football: 4 reasons the Longhorns can dominate BYU in Week 9

By Andrew Miller

Maalik Murphy, Jonathon Brooks, Texas football. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
Maalik Murphy, Jonathon Brooks, Texas football. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
Kedon Slovis. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
Kedon Slovis. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports /

BYU doesn’t have the speed at the skill positions to threaten in space against Texas’ defense

Roderick and the Cougars run a spread offense traditionally, with three receivers lined up out wide and one tight end. BYU likes to primarily target their big and reliable 6-foot-6 and 250-pound redshirt junior tight end Isaac Rex and the sure-handed 6-foot-4 and 195-pound junior wide receiver Chase Roberts.

BYU gets Rex involved in the short and intermediate passing game, giving senior quarterback Kedon Slovis an easy-to-find target who can pick up valuable yards after the catch with his surprising elusiveness for a tight end of his size at 6-foot-6.

Roberts, meanwhile, is a good and precise route runner who can work down the sideline on intermediate or deep passes or in tight windows between the numbers. He is Slovis’ favorite target this season, leading BYU with 29 catches for 430 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

The one saving grace for the BYU offense when it comes to moving the ball down the field is that it mostly relies on the passing game. According to TeamRankings, BYU ranks 29th in the FBS this season in pass play percentage (53.81 percent).

BYU is still mediocre to bad regarding its production and efficiency through the air this season. In comparison, the passing game isn’t as bad as the ground game for the Cougars. BYU ranks 42nd in the Power Five in passing yards per game (222.0) and 51st in yards per pass attempt (6.8).

While BYU has found some success through the air this season, it hasn’t been enough to conquer quality Power Five opponents. BYU doesn’t have that Swiss-army knife playmaker at the skill positions that can make opposing defenders miss with the ball in his hands at multiple levels of the field.

And with the Texas secondary getting some key pieces back this week, namely the starting trio of senior nickel Jahdae Barron, Watts, and Brooks, BYU could have issues finding a rhythm through the air on offense against the Longhorns.

Home/Texas Football