Game of the Century Preview: #13 BYU Vs. #18 Coastal Carolina

On Saturday, December 5th, Brigham Young University will take the field at 5:30 PM in Brooks Stadium of Conway, South Carolina. In this setting, at Coastal Carolina University, the Cougars will play their most important football game of the century.

When the BYU Cougars (9-0, CFP #13) face off against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (9-0, CFP #18), they will play for an opportunity not seen in Provo since 1997: A coveted bowl slot on New Year’s Day. If BYU exits Conway on Saturday with a win, their second ranked victory of the season, they may deservedly vault into one of the twelve reserved spots for January 1st. Currently ranked 13th, the Cougars are in search of a boost: A defining win, to leave no doubt they belong in that decorated dozen. On a larger scale, the Cougars would remain a long-shot contender for one of four playoff spots. 

With these stakes, based around rankings which are known and definable, Saturday’s game takes on the most significant implications of any game since Lavell Edwards’ retirement. The Cougars know how far they need to climb. It will be their task to start the ascent.

While the stakes may be astronomically high, each team is still viewed by outsiders as an unknown product. Neither has played a particularly difficult schedule, and the playoff committee has notably downgraded BYU based on this weakness. Cougar fans may be unaware that the Chanticleers received a similar committee downgrade, currently ranked four spots lower than their AP rank of 14. Each team impressively remains undefeated through nine games, but some further frame of reference is necessary.

On BYU’s side, the Cougars have consistently been more dominant, with a scoring margin of +31.4 to Coastal’s +21.9. Brigham Young’s margin is first in FBS, and goes up further to +34.3 only counting away games (as this Saturday’s game). Furthermore, BYU has seven barnstormer victories by 30+ points; Coastal Carolina has two victories by said margin. As for similarly ranked opponents, each team faced off against the country’s then 21st-ranked teams during their respective road matchups against Boise State and Louisiana-Lafayette. Brigham Young won convincingly 51-17. Coastal won a dogfight 30-27.

Yet, the Chanticleers have not required pure dominance to accompany a myriad of strengths. Their offense rides behind a prolific, four-pronged rushing attack. Including quarterback Grayson McCall, Coastal boasts four players with at least 300 rushing yards. They are led in this area by multi-talented back Torrance Marable, who has amassed 592 yards on the ground, 163 through the air, as well as 14 all-purpose touchdowns. The Chanticleers run early and often, with nearly twice the number of rush attempts as passing. This is not to imply they cannot or do not pass the ball. Rather, the rushing attack has instead helped buoy their quarterback’s numbers to lethal efficiency.

While redshirt freshman McCall may not employ eye-popping raw numbers, he leads their balanced offense to near perfection. For the season, McCall maintains 20 touchdowns to only one interception, completing 67% of his passes and averaging 10 yards per attempt. He has added 365 yards and 5 TDs on the ground, presenting as a true dual-threat quarterback. What Coastal has not required of McCall has been to become a pure volume passer, as he averages only 218 passing yards per game, topping 300 yards in just one contest. It’s yet unknown how McCall would perform if asked to throw 30 or more times, which number he has yet to reach in 2020.

The Chanticleers have remained perfect without gaudy passing numbers, and in large part due to an agile, tenacious pass defense. Coastal’s pass rush has compiled 31 sacks on the year, with 11 interceptions on the back end. As a unit, CCU allows a paltry 181 passing yards/game, an impressive number regardless of the schedule. Defensive End Tarron Jackson is their defensive player to watch. Jackson is among the top pass-rushers in FBS, projected as a late-round NFL draft pick. He is responsible for 8.5 sacks and 12.5 TFLs on the year. An opposing quarterback would be unwise to live in the pocket against this force. Their most glaring weakness lies with their rush defense, which allows over 140 yards/game and 4.1 yards/carry. They are physical and quick, but slightly under-sized enough to cause issues in ground defense.

The key for Kalani Sitake’s Cougars will be to focus on the ground game on both ends. Defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuika would do well to gameplan heavily against the run, to set Coastal Carolina up as a pass-first offense. The Chanticleers have not yet been forced into a pass-heavy role on the year, and it would certainly cause some discomfort for their option-style attack. On offense, OC Jeff Grimes will need discipline, to not play into Coastal’s pass rush. Dropping Zach Wilson back early and often does little to counter Coastal’s speed on the defensive front. Rather, the initial recipe should focus on wearing down their rush defense. Led by Tyler Algeier, the backs will need to keep star DE Tarron Jackson and his pass rush guessing with multiple looks and directions. BYU should seek to change the defense’s mindset, force them away from the blitz into run gap coverage, and allow Wilson to eventually work with a clean pocket. If Brigham Young can both establish and defend the ground game, they have a good shot at the win. The Chanticleers are built to control possession time, unless their opponent disrupts these facets. Ball control will be crucial.

Brigham Young University has an opportunity this Saturday, in the national spotlight, to define their season. They have an opportunity to play themselves into their biggest postseason stage in more than two decades, and against their best opponent of the season in Coastal Carolina. Like their pioneer ancestors, the Cougars have blazed a rocky but clear trail. From embarking as the only active football program West of the Rockies, to their rise as the premier program among a slew of late-arriving blue-chip names, Brigham Young goes into Conway with the hopes of Cougar Nation riding high on their shoulders. The stage is set at Brooks Stadium. The truck has arrived. The players are ready. As the school’s namesake Brigham Young boldly declared near the finish line of his 1847 pilgrimage, so is echoed to all who have watched the rise of BYU Football in 2020: “This is the right place.” Play on.

Schedule Update: Game against Coastal Carolina expected to move forward

In a rapidly-developing matchup, Brigham Young University is expected to face off against Coastal Carolina on Saturday, December 5th. The game would take place at the Chanticleers’ home stadium in Conway, South Carolina. 

According to a source close to the CCU program, their current opponent Liberty is expected to cancel due to a bevy of positive COVID-19 tests. The Flames’ current case count has reached double-digits, with further tests pending. Their defensive staff has not met since their most recent game against UMASS. Among the positive tests is starting quarterback Malik Willis. The Chanticleers expect the game against Brigham Young will move forward, and anticipate their stadium may be cleared for over 25% capacity.

ESPN’s College Gameday was previously slated to be in Conway this weekend, and will likely cover a matchup between 18th-ranked Coastal Carolina and 13th-ranked Brigham Young. This would mark the second ranked opponent of the season for each program. The Chanticleers defeated No. 21 Louisiana-Lafayette 30-27 on October 14th, while the Cougars handled 21st ranked Boise State 51-17 on November 6th. Each program is hoping that another ranked victory may help their cause to a New Year’s 6 bowl game, which would almost certainly require a top-12 ranking in the official College Football Playoff poll. 

This is a developing story. Further updates may be made as details emerge.

BigXII Sources: BYU Football Not in Discussions

Multiple sources close to the Big 12 have informed The Provo Press that there are no known discussions for games with BYU this season. Not only are there no current discussions about adding the Cougars as a temporary conference member, but there are also no ongoing discussions regarding adding BYU to current schedules. The sentiment remains that the conference will move to a conference-only schedule, while possibly maintaining a previously-scheduled OOC game for each school.

This news comes on the heels of a week’s worth of misfortune for the Cougars, as the B1G, PAC12, ACC, and SEC have each moved to variations of conference-only schedules. These moves have taken half of Brigham Young’s schedule off the books, and left the program scrambling to schedule new opponents. While the effect of COVID-19 on college football remains largely unclear, the effect on BYU Football is potentially devastating.

The program will now have approximately four weeks to chart a course for the coming year. Barring similar conference-only arrangements from the non-Power conferences, a large pool of eligible opponents still exists. BYU Football may still have a viable schedule in 2020. That schedule, however, appears unlike to include schools from the BigXII.

How BYU Football Succeeds in 2020

Back to football for a bit. With a short lull in BYU Basketball season, before the team takes on Pepperdine in the season finale this weekend, I’m going to look toward next August for a moment, and what I believe it would take for the 2020 gridiron year to be successful. With Spring ball heating up in the coming weeks, we’re going to get a first look at how the team plays together, so I’d like to set a few benchmarks for success in the coming year before those first snaps hit Lavell Edwards Stadium.

The schedule is relentless, and the team could be improved without it showing in the wins column. With this in mind, I’m going to look beyond the final record to see what goals this team needs to hit for the program and fanbase to feel satisfied next offseason.

Here’s my thoughts:

1. Zach Wilson needs to start at least 10 games, and to finish the season healthy. In the event he gets injured, BYU needs to have no more than two starting QBs for the season. It would be very tough this year to go through another quarterback carousel, with the associated controversies, and still win at a good clip. We need to keep Zach Wilson healthy, and ensure a system is in place to do so
2. Lose no more than 2 non-P5 games. This would be the best mark for such games in several years. With the amount of above-average FBS teams on the schedule, losing only 2 games outside the power conferences shows progress toward avoiding the letdowns from past seasons.
3. Win over half of the P5 matchups. At first glance, that seems very optimistic. However, with how aggressive the scheduling was for the 2020 season, the Cougars need to show they can handle the pressure and win with the hand dealt. It will be difficult to justify the loaded schedules going forward if the team is unable to navigate the gauntlets with one of the most experienced rosters they’ve had for some time. This year, it’s time to win the tough games.
4. Generate defensive pressure to rank within the top 50 FBS marks. There’s a number of stats to track this, but I’ll be looking specifically at sacks and tackles for loss. The team was deficient in those areas last season, and it showed against oft-passing offenses. To have a chance against quality teams, BYU needs to improve at stopping plays at or before the line of scrimmage. It would go a long way toward the goal of putting up points enough to win those matchups.
5. Get the ball to Matt Bushman. In his senior season, with the weapon he is, Bushman needs at least 800 receiving yards. This would take pressure off a largely unproven receiving corps, and create a trustworthy go-to for Zach Wilson when under pressure. The 2020 offense needs to feature the pass-catching tight end.
6. Win the bowl game, allowing Kalani a winning record in the postseason.
7. In the final team rankings, finish as a top 50 overall team. With the difficult schedule and slightly lower win expectations, this would be a slight over-performance. Kalani has met expectations 3 out of 4 years. He will need to exceed them now that his core players are in place and his guys are on staff.
8. Beat Utah. It will be tough to feel successful if we can’t win 1 out of 10 against the Utes, and unable to beat them in what’s considered a down year. This will be a strong litmus test for where the team and coaching staff is at after consecutive losses to end 2019, and would be sure way to keep fans engaged for the season opener. The Cougars need a rivalry win now more than ever.

I’m optimistic that the team can achieve these goals. They’re experienced, and that leadership should pay dividends during the coming year. Even without a 10-win season, BYU Football can be successful in 2020 by reaching those eight benchmarks. If they do so, it will be a football season to be remembered. BYU Football may yet have a big season forthcoming.

Mark Pope: Passing the Improbable

Mark Pope was never supposed to be here. He was never supposed to be anywhere close. As the 2020 season heats up in the West Coast Conference, BYU’s head coach continues to defy improbability. 

In a career spanning across the continental U.S., conventional wisdom would say that Pope should have broken down at any number of pit stops. A born country-boy out of Nebraska is not supposed to become a star varsity basketball player in Washington. A lanky “6-10” forward should never win freshman of the year in a loaded PAC 12, or heavily contribute to a National Champion at Kentucky. If naysayers were to be believed, that same player should not have heard his name called at the 1996 NBA draft. Mark’s Pope’s critics were rarely correct about his playing career. Somehow, his coaching years have been at least as surprising.

Appearing on the coaching staff of a struggling Wake Forest team, many careers would have been derailed by a middling product. Instead, in a league with the country’s best young players, Pope took what he had and coached big man Travis McKie to an ACC All-Freshman award. When he gained his first opportunity as a head coach at Utah Valley University, a program with less than a decade of full Division I membership, Mark Pope made it work. He “made it work” to the tune of the first consecutive 20-win seasons in program history, and multiple front court all-conference awards.

This is Mark Pope’s business: He deals in improbabilities, and he makes them work.

When he came to BYU without the expectation of initial success, Coach Pope knew it was just another improbability. It was improbable to convince all-time great BYU big man Yoeli Childs to return for a senior season. It was improbable to bring in star Arizona recruit Alex Barcello, an athlete with few program ties. After a significant suspension to Childs, followed by a mid-season injury, there was little faith that the Cougars would accrue a tournament-worthy resume in his absence. 

Even accounting for so many hurdles, Coach Pope sat before the media in May 2019 and boldly declared, “We are going to win, or I get fired.” It didn’t stop there. He added, “I am just dumb enough to think that we can accomplish everything that you dream about accomplishing in college basketball. I believe we can do it right here.”

Entering the final three games of conference season, Mark Pope appears anything but dumb. BYU Hoops began the week ranked as the 23rd best team in the country, their highest ranking in nine years. They have made it there despite injuries, a top schedule, and Yoeli’s suspension. According to Coach, he’s not done exceeding expectations this season. His vision for the Cougars is higher than a ranked team and potential tournament berth. When he mentioned his aspirations before stepping on the floor as head coach, few would have imagined that those visions were for his first season. Yet, the Cougars’ ringmaster continues to assert that the time is now.

“We’re chasing lofty goals,” Pope recently stated. “We’re chasing things that we don’t even like to say out loud because they’re so scary.”

Only his assistant Chris Burgess was willing to clarify. Burgess explained, “We’re trying to be in the second to third week of the tournament.”

That’s just another place Coach Pope isn’t supposed to be. Throughout an illustrious playing and coaching career, Mark Pope has rarely fallen short of his own expectations. The current season has been no exception. Don’t count him out just yet.