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PROVO — Through four games of the 2018 season, the BYU football team has nearly matched its win total from last season.
But while Cougar teams of the past have been able to sling the ball around the yard and left their offensive mark as "Quarterback U.," BYU’s passing numbers — to date — have been less than stellar.
The 20th-ranked Cougars (3-1) rank 113th nationally in passing offense, completing 58 percent of their passes for 69 completions and four touchdowns with two interceptions, and averaging a pedestrian 163.8 yards per game.
But how do the Cougars feel about the numbers, going into a game at No. 11 Washington (3-1) at 6:30 p.m. MDT Saturday (Fox, KSL Newsradio)?
"This is a tough week to think about big plays or stats," passing game coordinator Aaron Roderick said. "To me, stats are for losers. We’re 3-1 and we are taking care of the ball, and this week is about trying to find a way to win again.
"We’ll find whatever way to do it."
To Roderick's credit, BYU — led by senior quarterback Tanner Mangum and senior running back Squally Canada — ranks in the top 25 nationally with just two interceptions thrown.
That's not to say the Cougars haven’t improved, either. A program that was among the worst teams in Division I FBS football a year ago in virtually every offensive statistical category is 98th nationally in scoring offense with 25.0 points per game against a schedule that included Arizona, Cal, Wisconsin and FCS foe McNeese State.
And there’s only one number that matters to Mangum, he says: the one in the wins column.
"What matters are the wins," he said. "That’s what gets remembered, and that’s what you care about.
"At the end of the year, you remember the record — not the stats you have. I’m more than willing to sacrifice personal statistics for team victories. That would be extremely selfish of me to be worried about my numbers rather than helping our team win."
What the Cougars have lacked on the air, they've made up on the ground. BYU’s running back tandem that consists primarily of Squally Canada and Lopini Katoa has averaged 156.5 yards per game, or No. 91 nationally. For reference, that's in the same range as Wyoming, Kansas State, Utah, East Carolina and Hawaii.
Could it be better? There’s no question, Grimes said.
But that’s not all Mangum's fault, either. The Eagle, Idaho, native has thrown for 612 yards and three touchdowns in his senior season, including a season-long 30-yard completion to Aleva Hifo.
On the receiver’s end, tight end Moroni Laulu-Pututau is the top target with 120 yards on 14 receptions — but 31 of those yards came on a double-reverse touchdown from Hifo in the 24-21 win over then-No. 6 Wisconsin.
Hifo has 129 yards receiving on 12 receptions, and no other BYU receiver has cracked 100 yards. Senior Dylan Collie and freshman Gunner Romney are the only other receivers with more than 50 yards, coming in at 62 yards receiving on six and five catches, respectively.
No. 20 #BYU ranks 113th nationally in passing offense. OC Jeff Grimes has an idea how the Cougars can get better. pic.twitter.com/dawe4dZPdb
— KSL SportsBeat (@kslsports) September 27, 2018
So while the quarterback needs to share his load of the blame for a lackluster passing attack, so do the rest of the offensive players, Grimes said.
"As with everything on an offense, I believe it starts up front," said Grimes, a former offensive line coach at Boise State, Colorado, Auburn and Louisiana State, among others. "I believe we have to do a better job giving Tanner a clean pocket. He hasn’t been hit a ton yet, but there are more times than there should be where he has had to move off his spot and take his eyes off the routes.
"Then it goes to the quarterback throwing it on time. And we’ve certainly had too many times where guys just haven’t caught the ball. But there are other things that go unnoticed, as well."
There also might not be an immediate boost in improvement. Washington (3-1) boasts the No. 17 total defense in the country, allowing just 302.8 yards per game and five touchdowns in 2018.
The Huskies have held opponents to 21 points or fewer against a slate that includes Auburn, Utah, Arizona State and FCS North Dakota.
The season-high? Last week, when Washington eked out a 27-20 edge over the Sun Devils.
"This is going to be a tough week to make any big jumps statistically in passing," Roderick said. "This week is about being smart, taking care of the football and being as efficient as we can with our opportunities."
