Here's what Boise State coaches are saying about BYU before Saturday's matchup

PROVO — BYU football finds itself in the throes of a four-game losing skid with five losses for the first time since the ill-fated 4-9 campaign of 2017 and faces a team riding a four-game winning streak with conference title hopes.

And Boise State head coach Andy Avalos couldn't be more concerned with the "huge task in front of us."

The Broncos (6-2) haven't lost a Mountain West game since replacing former offensive coordinator Tim Plough with offensive analyst and former NFL head coach Dirk Koetter following a 27-10 loss at UTEP. Now Boise State is preparing to host the Cougars (4-5) in its final nonconference game of the year and the final scheduled meeting between the decade-long rivals before BYU joins the Big 12 in 2023.

But head coach Kalani Sitake's group has Avalos' full attention.

"I have the utmost respect for what Kalani has done at BYU and the program he's built, the competition they've played against … and he's played a bunch of good, ranked teams," the former Oregon defensive coordinator said. "The offense is very high-powered, the quarterback is extremely experienced with a wide receiving corps that is very big, and a run game that has been productive.

"They've always had a really good defense with guys who move around and get to the ball. They've got a big defensive front, with linebackers who are very athletic and active. That's going to pose a big challenge for us as we prepare this week."

Not all teams are comparable to their records, and BYU certainly fits the billing, Broncos co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Kane Ioane added.

"You look at the season as far as the schedule is concerned, and they've had a really grueling schedule," he said. "They're going all over the place to play some really good teams, some really good competition, and they've been competing in those games. We know who we have coming into this stadium, and the challenge that is in front of us."

Perhaps the biggest concern for the Broncos is BYU quarterback Jaren Hall, who continues to impress with an array of wide receivers and a high-powered offense guided by offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick.

The tenured junior starter from Spanish Fork is a 65% passer for 2,245 yards and 21 touchdowns with just three interceptions. He also has 186 yards on 58 runs in Roderick's multiple-set offense that Ioane calls "explosive" featuring star wide receiver Puka Nacua and an emerging cast.

"They've got guys all over the place who can make plays, and a quarterback who is one of the best in the country," Ioane added. "He throws a great deep ball, he scrambles and can use his feet well to make plays, he has a great command of the offense, and a receiving corps that is dynamic.

"They do a really good job of making plays on the ball in the air."

But the Broncos feature a high-powered offense as well, with freshman quarterback Taylen Green getting better and better with each start. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound dual-threat passer from Lewisville, Texas, recently earned Mountain West offensive player of the week honors after throwing for a season-high 305 yards and two touchdowns on 24-of-30 passing in a 49-10 blowout win over Colorado State.

Take a look at each of Green's first four starts, courtesy of Bronco Nation News:

• San Diego State: 5-of-10 passing for 48 yards, no touchdowns and an interception
• Fresno State: 10-of-18 passing for 127 yards, two touchdowns and an interception
• Air Force: 16-of-24 passing for 227 yards, a touchdown and an interception
• Colorado State: 24-of-30 passing for 305 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions

"They get the ball out, and they get it out fast," BYU defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki said, praising Green. "But this team also does a great job running, including him as a mobile quarterback. I'd imagine they are going to be a team that wants to run the ball and establish that, while also playing great defense. But the quarterback is a part of that."

Sitake made moves a couple of weeks ago, taking over as primary play caller on defense and leaving Tuiaki to work exclusively with the defensive line in an on-field assistant role on game day. Preston Hadley, who had been coaching defensive ends, moved up to the coaches' box on game day and has been coaching safeties to allow assistant head coach Ed Lamb to work more in his role as special teams coordinator.

Avalos knows plenty about the defense, though, and so does his staff. Among his assistants are Frank Maile, the former Utah State coach who played BYU annually; Kelly Poppinga, the former BYU linebackers coach who followed Bronco Mendenhall to Virginia; and Demario Warren, who was Lamb's right-hand man at Southern Utah before taking the head job with the Thunderbirds.

"They've been primarily a three-down front, mixing in a four-down front recently," Avalos said of BYU's defense. "They have the ability to change it up and do some things. But how relentless their defense plays has been their strength."

Avalos also praised the Broncos' scout team — led by former American Fork star Maddux Madsen at quarterback — for the 4-0 run. The Bronco coach added that this week, many of those players will be challenged more than any other.

"This will be the best O-line that we've played against," Avalos said.

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