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PROVO — Believe it or not, BYU Spring football practices start in less than two weeks -- I for one couldn't be happier. The changes on offense have made me more optimistic that things can get back on track. With the talent on the roster, BYU's new offensive coaches will have plenty to work with.
To me, there are three offensive positions that have to improve from last season: quarterback, offensive line and tight end.
Quarterback
If BYU is going to be successful on offense, it starts and ends with the QB; plain and simple. When the Cougars have had good-to-great play out of their quarterbacks, they've won. When the QB play has suffered, like the past two years, BYU has been inconsistent.
While Robert Anae is bringing back a system he used in his previous stint as offensive coordinator, he has implemented some new wrinkles; namely a much faster pace and the QB run. The biggest question these coaches have to ask is whether or not BYU has a guy on the roster that can be successful running the new system.
For me, the answer is yes. I believe Taysom Hill is that guy. I've been impressed with him since seeing him in fall camp last year. While he's known for his running ability, this guy can throw the football. Hill's biggest obstacle will be coming back from injury. By all accounts, he is ahead of schedule and should be ready for full participation next month. While guys like Jason Munns, Ammon Olsen,and Billy Green will also be in the mix, Taysom seems to be the perfect combination of arm strength and mobility. Based off of what we know Anae wants this offense to become, Taysom's skill-set fits the bill.
Offensive line
If you watched any BYU football games last year, it was obvious to you that the Cougars were struggling at the offensive line position. It didn't help that BYU was using back-ups and converted defensive players due to injuries. I mentioned how important the quarterback play is at BYU, but the QB can't do his job effectively unless the offensive line does theirs.
O-line has typically been a position that you didn't have to worry about. Year in and year out, guys stepped in for graduating players and kept the level of play high. The offensive line play has steadily declined over the past few seasons; last season, it was a mess.
Improving the offensive line has been a priority for BYU since the 2012 season ended. They replaced OL coach Mark Weber with Garett Tujague. Coach Anae will also help out at that position. BYU also signed eight offensive lineman on signing day -- four of which were junior college players.
O-lineman never really get talked about unless something goes wrong. Here's hoping we're not talking about the BYU offensive line next season.
Tight ends
For years, the BYU tight end position was a major focal point of the offense. With guys like Chad Lewis, Itula Mili, Doug Jolley, Jonny Harline and Dennis Pitta, it's easy to see why they were so useful. Since Pitta left for the NFL in 2010, the tight end position has been in-flux.
Injuries have played a major role in limiting the productivity of BYU tight ends. Over the past two years, every single Cougar tight end was injured. That's not to say that injuries were solely to blame. There were numerous occasions when it seemed like the tight ends were being ignored on the field.
I fully expect Coach Anae to rectify the situation and bring the TE back into the BYU offense. I think Anae's biggest task will be trying to figure out which players deserve the minutes. Devin Mahina, Austin Holt, Richard Wilson, Marcus Mathews and Kaneakua Friel are all guys that could be relied on as "The Guy" at TE.
No matter who gets the playing time, BYU can't go another season without getting the tight ends involved.
The fact that I'm not focusing on the defense isn't a slap in the face at all. I'm not focusing on that side of the football because I fully expect them to be just as dominant as they were last season. With a few exceptions, the play-makers that made the BYU defense so stingy last year are back. I see no reason that the 2013 version of the Cougar D can't be just as effective.
Some may not think that spring practices are overly important to a team; that fall camp is what really matters. For some programs that may be true. For BYU, spring will be vital. The Cougars will have a new offense run by a new quarterback. The sooner everyone can get on the same page, the better.
March 4th can't get here fast enough. I can't wait!
(Top photo courtesy BYU Photo)
