Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PROVO — If BYU’s win over Hawaii two weeks ago before the Cougars’ bye week was a high point of the season — and in the young career of freshman signal caller Zach Wilson — then Saturday’s 7-6 home loss to Northern Illinois represents a low point.
In short, the Cougar offense stank, putting up just 301 total yards, 93 rushing yards, and a mere six points — on two Skyler Southam field goals — in a loss when the defense limited the Huskies to one single, solitary score.
Here are three thoughts on the Cougars’ loss to its Mid-American Conference foe, guaranteeing a losing record at LaVell Edwards Stadium with one home game remaining.
BYU’s offense took a step back Saturday
Zach Wilson’s debut at quarterback couldn’t have been much better. The freshman completed 20-of-30 passes for 258 yards and four touchdowns in a win over Hawai’i.
But his second start — against a stricter, stingier and more stout defense than the one from the islands — didn’t go as well.
To be frank, BYU’s offense in the first half looked like it was led by a true freshman quarterback and a first-year offensive coordinator — which it was, and both Wilson and Jeff Grimes can be excused for some inexperience.
“There’s not a worse feeling for a quarterback,” Wilson said of the loss. “But you learn and grow. It’s how football works. It how life works. We just move on to next week, and approach next week just like normal in our preparation.”
He didn’t get much help on offense. The Cougars employed six players on the ground in the first half — but averaged just 3.0 yards per carry (against an NIU front that allowed just 114.4 yards per game).
For perspective, that’s a Huskie front that allowed just 57 yards per half in its first seven contests, including a 17-6 loss to Utah.
Even as the Cougars moved the ball in the second half, penalties and short drives ended any chance at a touchdown. Rhett Almond punted seven times, and although he averaged 42.0 yards per kick for 294 yards, even he was out-matched by NIU’s Matt Ference — who averaged 46.8 yards per punt with three kicks downed inside the 20.
“The thing about losses is you’ve got to take them,” defensive end Corbin Kaufusi said. “No one is happy after a loss. But the biggest thing is how we come back Monday. That’s when we’ll be able to see how the team reacts.”
BYU’s defense matched NIU’s stingy front
The Huskies came into Saturday’s matchup with one of the leading defenses in the country, allowing just 23.3 points and 350.7 yards per game.
NIU had the nation’s leading pass rusher in Sutton Smith, who had 29 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and seven sacks prior to Saturday.
Smith didn’t do much, and the BYU defense rose up to the same heightened level as the best defense in the MAC.
It won’t mean much — if anything — in a loss, though.
“It sucks to lose overall. But a nail-biter to the end hurts more,” said BYU linebacker Sione Takitaki, who had a game-high 11 tackles and a sack. “We know that one play could’ve changed the game, and we’ve got to take this.”
The Cougars held the Huskies to just one first down, including a 0-for-2 effort on third down, in the first quarter. Even as the offense could only manage Skyler Southam’s 35-yard field goal in the opening stanza, BYU took control with its defense.
NIU didn’t convert on third down until Tre Harbison’s short third-and-1 plunge with 3:01 left in the half. The Cougars limited the Huskies to 204 yards of offense — but allowed 65 yards on 10 plays to start the third quarter with a touchdown drive that proved to be the difference.
“There were times where we were aggressive,” Kaufusi said. “But the lack of turnovers show that there is a lot more to be done with aggression.”
These are the losses that freshmen take
BYU is in the middle of a youth movement — and sometimes, youth flounders.
The Cougars had little business losing to NIU. They out-gained the Huskies 301-204, held the ball for nearly 10 minutes longer, had six more first downs (17-11) and held NIU to one single and solitary touchdown.
So what went wrong?
BYU’s offense settled for field goals on two red-zone drives. The Cougars also had a handful of deep drives pushed out of the red zone by penalties. When Wilson brought the Cougars to the 5-yard line with a scintillating hurdle, for example, BYU was called for back-to-back false start penalties to push them out of surefire scoring range.
That’s an offensive line that starts three freshmen and a sophomore, along with a freshman tight end, a freshman wide receiver, a freshman running back and a freshman quarterback.
Penalties are the surest sign of inexperience, and BYU had seven of them for 52 yards.
It’s not an excuse, but it’s a reality — and it needs to change, the Cougars’ upperclassmen say.
“That’s just something that can’t happen,” junior receiver Talon Shumway said. “We’ve all been there, so whoever it was, it doesn’t matter.
“We’ve got to play with focus. Sometimes that lacks, but we try not to make those mistakes twice.”
