BYU gets blitzed

Thoughts on last night's game:

1. I blogged that this game was on Max Hall's shoulders. "If he takes what the defense gives him and doesn't force anything..." Well, he didn't take what the defense gave him and forced a lot by repeatedly staring down Collie and Pitta and not looking to anyone else. Two seasons ago, Curtis Brown led the team in receptions out of the backfield. Unga's not a factor in the passing game, and the way Anae runs things, he should be. Hall overthrew, underthrew, and behindthrew receivers all night. It was the ugliest game I've seen from a BYU quarterback since Beck, the early early years. 

2. The defense was bad, but what did we expect? They've given up huge chunks of yards all season, and the only reason they haven't given up many points is because they've been helped by fortuitous turnovers. We as fans can't rely on that forever, and tonight we saw what happens when those turnovers don't come. 

3. When your defensive backs line up 15 yards off the line and still get burned long for touchdowns, you have really, really bad defensive backs. In my opinion, BYU might as well line the DB's up in bump-and-run coverage. It looked like that adjustment was made in the fourth quarter and the defense looked a bit better. Of course, TCU was in grind-out-the-clock mode, but it's worth a shot.

4. BYU circled the UCLA game on their game schedules last January. TCU circled BYU. The results are evident. 

That's about it. TCU did exactly what I would have done to the Cougars if I were gameplanning for them: throw deep, take advantage of the 10-yard sideline pattern, and hurry and harrass Max. The offensive line was really bad, giving up seven sacks. BYU's middle linebackers are bad, bad, bad against the run and not that great against the pass.

In short, no one looked good. Thanks heavens we have UNLV at home next week.