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Was BYU's offense Saturday just an aberration? |
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brandonjudd | Wednesday, October 8, 2003, 9:48 am
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Brandon Judd
COUGARBLUE 2
Perhaps it was a glimpse of what was to come.
Minutes before kickoff against San Diego State, thousands of men were attending the priesthood session at the Marriott Center. As the closing prayer finished, many jumped to their feet and hurried out the exit.
It was then that I saw the most amazing spectacle. Men sprinting to their cars while wearing suits to get home to see the start of the game. SPRINTING!!! These were out-of-shape men - okay, maybe some were in shape - who were so excited to see their team play even after the recent struggles they have been having. I thought it would be the best running I would see all night.
I was wrong. Reynaldo Braithwaite made the most amzing run of the night when he scampered 95 yards for a second-quarter touchdown. As I watched the replay, I couldn't help but picture these men I had seen only an hour earlier running to their cars.
Braithwaite's touchdown run, combined with that of John Beck's touchdown run, gives BYU hope. 30 quarters went by without a Cougar score on the ground. After so much anticipation, I screamed at the top of my lungs when Beck scored. Not only did BYU end that terrible streak, it also showed just how good the offensive line can be. BYU rushed for more yards than they passed through the air. Usually, I prefer to watch a beautiful touchdown pass, but on Saturday, it felt so good to see the BYU rushing game get back on track.
So, was the BYU offense outburst a sign of more to come, or was it just an aberration? Does the offense still have some of the offensive gas left in its tank for the rest of the season? Hopefully so, because that was a welcome sight to see BYU get out of the teens in scoring.
Not only was the running game good, but the passing game came to life as well. Sure, Beck didn't throw for 200 yards - he had 180 yard passing - but it was a solid game for the freshman. Most importantly, the Cougars turned those yards into points. Beck completed 17 of 26 passes, and he would have completed more of them had the receivers not been dropping passes. In the first half, Beck connected of 11 of his 14 passes and looked sharp. His passes were sharp and accurate, and he looked poised on the field. His two touchdowns passes to Fahu Tahi were awesome.
One thing still concerns me, however. All those dropped passes still aren't sitting well because the receivers have been dropping many catchable balls all season. Maybe they should take a page from The Replacements and lather their hands in sticky glue. The Cougars do have some good receivers, they just need to be more consistent.
The offense finally was able to move the ball consistently Saturday, something I'm sure gives the young guys some much-needed confidence. Hopefully it's a sign of what to expect the rest of the season. Colorado State will be a good test for just how good they really are.
I must admit, though, it was pretty entertaining to watch guys in suits and white shirts rushing off to watch their beloved team. Who knows, maybe there were some future stars in the Marriott Center that night. Well, maybe not. |
