Lessons learned from year one in the Big 12

LAS VEGAS — The 2023 football season was not what BYU football players and fans were expecting in year one in its new conference.

The Cougars struggled to end last season, finishing their 2023 campaign losing its last five games and failing to make a bowl game for the first time since 2017.

In that five-game losing streak to end the season, BYU learned a lot about itself, which has them attacking this offseason differently as they prepare for year two in the Big 12.

“I know everyone looks at the record, but we had flashes of where we could compete. We do know about this conference, that it’s a physical conference,” said BYU coach Kalani Sitake. “I can tell you the learning process from year one to year two naturally already happens. Our guys now know what to expect. Last year was a lot of unchartered territory.”

Sitake wants to establish BYU’s brand as a physical football team, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

Physicality, Accountability, and Simplicity

“I think for us, it’s definitely been physicality that has been the focus, and that was the focus of spring ball, especially because that’s vital to have a good offensive line. You have to be physical and move the line of scrimmage,” said BYU offensive lineman Connor Pay. “We want to be the most physical offense in college football.”

In 2023, the BYU offensive line and the running game fell well below its expectations. They finished the season ranked 118th in the nation in rushing offense, averaging 104.3 yards per game. This year they have a chip on their shoulder to be a better, more physical group in the trenches.

“I think there is a different energy … you know, just that juice that comes from just, honestly, for lack of a better word, embarrassment of how we played last year,” said Pay. “Everyone on the team kind of feels that way.”

The Cougars also struggled to finish games in year one in the Big 12. To close the season, they fell just short against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Late-game turnovers and mistakes proved to be too much to overcome despite competing with two of the league’s best.

“Being able to finish games, everything we do we gotta be able to finish whether its in conditioning or if we’re doing a player run practice we gotta finish. We can’t start slow, our biggest thing is tempo and we gotta keep it rolling,” said BYU wide receiver Darius Lassiter.

Along with finishing strong, this BYU team is holding each other accountable where the team leaders have stepped up.

“Accountability, last year I think we lacked a little bit of that, And the leaders have stepped up this year and [when] someone does something wrong we point it out immediately whereas last year we let it slip,” said BYU wide receiver Chase Roberts.

The wide receiver room is specifically focusing on “the basics. I think being able to run plays at a high rate,” said Roberts. “Everyone knowing what they’re doing from the guys who are starting to the three deep, if everyone can be on the same page then practices are just gonna roll.”

Working harder and getting more pressure

It was Jay Hill’s first season as the defensive coordinator at BYU and it showed some flashes. By the end of the season the defense had been decimated by injuries and the Cougars allowed over 35 points per game in their final four games of the 2023 campaign. The focus for the defense this offseason?

“I think just working harder than we did last year,” said BYU cornerback Jakob Robinson. “I think just working together as a team and being more connected as a team will definitely help us. Because last year we were still friends and stuff in locker room but this year the locker room has completely changed.”

One thing that has plagued BYU’s defense in recent years is the lack of pressure they have put on the quarterback. The Cougars need to put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks if they want to turn things around on the defensive side of the ball.

“Realistically, our defensive line we need to have more than 11 [sacks] as a defensive unit sack-wise,” said BYU defensive lineman Tyler Batty. “Eleven would be a great number for me personally, I’d love for that to happen. And as a defensive unit we need to have double or triple what we had last season that if we want to be an elite defense that’s what it’s going to take.”

At Big 12 media days it was abundantly clear that BYU has a chip on its shoulder and is “embarassed” about how it finished last season. Have the Cougars done enough this offseason to have the rebound season they want? We’ll begin to find out in 52 days when BYU kicks off its season against the Southern Illinois on Aug. 31.