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PROVO — While BYU’s offense was running roughshod over the defense during a recent scrimmage in fall camp, the action was happening on one end of the field.
Sure, Tyler Allgeier was bowling over opponents and Lopini Katoa was showing off out of the backfield and between the tackles. There were wide receivers like Gunner Romney, Dax Milne and newcomer Kody Epps making big plays from a rotating quarterback set that included Zach Wilson, Jaren Hall, Baylor Romney and Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters.
But look closer — or ask about it, as is the case for most media, who aren’t allowed to view practice due to COVID-19 restrictions — and you’ll see another side of those big plays.
A heftier side, even — 6-foot-4, 303-pound center James Empey; 6-foot-6, 300-pound tackle Brady Christensen; and long-armed linemen like 6-foot-5, 310-pound Tristen Hoge and 6-foot-8, 300-pound former Herriman basketball starter Blake Freeland.
The business of the offense’s renewed faith and confidence — and the hopes of improving on an offensive unit that ranked middle of the pack in offensive production and near the back in red-zone efficiency — starts up front.
And the Cougars know it, too.
"They’re the ones who start everything," said Allgeier, who by all accounts has been one of the stars of training camp ahead of his sophomore season. "If they bring the juice, we’re going to bring the juice right behind them.
"We have a lot of leaders on the O-line, and we’re very grateful for them."
It all starts up front. And up front for the Cougars is a lot of size.
"They are monsters. They are modern-day Goliaths," BYU defensive lineman Zac Dawe said. "They know what they’re doing. … I don’t think we’ve had as good an offensive line for the last couple of years as we do this year."
The Cougars ranked 28th in the Football Bowl Subdivision last year in total offense, averaging 6.18 yards per play and 443.8 yards per game. But BYU was just 67th in scoring offense with 28.5 points per game, and was 120th out of 130 teams with a .733 red-zone conversion percentage.
Improving on those numbers starts with the big guys up front.
It’s not just size, but physicality and experience. Of the Cougars' projected starting lineup, there is a senior, two juniors and two sophomores — with another senior and three more juniors projected in the two- or three-man rotation at each position.
A likely starting lineup that includes Empey, Hoge, Christensen, Freeland and sophomore Clark Barrington tips the scales at more than 300 pounds apiece, an average size of 303 pounds.
But being a good lineman is about more than being big. Tackles need to be able to sense a pass rush and adjust, with footwork and technique to match. Guards must work in perfect unison with the center, who literally starts the play by snapping the ball at the line of scrimmage.
And each player has to be more physically imposing than the one lining up across from him.
"That was a big emphasis for the O-line, to get more physical," Christensen said. "We were really excited to get back out there, to play football again.
"I definitely feel like we’ve improved."
But improved isn’t a destination; as soon as the Cougars feel like they’ve arrived on the offensive line, coach Eric Mateos is there to remind them of the "rat poison" of individual awards or recognition.
If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse. And BYU’s offensive line has to get better — and more physical — to improve the offense.
"I think it’s just the desire to hit people in the face, and run through blocks," Mateos said. "The desire to play physical is being able to run through blocks, and wanting to finish people.
"I think we’re better at training camp, but we still have a long way to go. We want to be at the 300 knockdown level."
Experience is a critical teacher in that regard. If the Cougars have one thing as abundant as calories on the offensive line, it’s leadership, from a near-every game starter like Empey to, among others, Hoge, who is in graduate school to get a Masters of Public Administration degree in his fifth season of eligibility that included a six-game freshman career at Notre Dame.
Mateos can see that leadership, even when he’s 15-20 feet behind the group as they run blocking drills in practice. It’s an attitude.
"I’ll take all the blame for bad performances, and they get all the credit for good performances," Mateos said. "But they’ve got to want that on their shoulders. The best players want their best in the big moments.
"I want to see how we play in big moments. Those are things that you have to attack and to improve. They know what I’m going to say, and I barely have to say anything."
