Watching BYU football games this year (the few you can see in Texas where the Mtn. is not available) it is very clear that the team's main weakness is a lack of speed and quickness. If we are going to compete on a national stage we need players that can MOVE at each position.
Gary Patterson and Kyle Whittingham have done a great job of recruiting athletes and then putting them in the right position. Many of their defensive players (including linemen) were skill players in high school. This enables them to get pressure on the quarterback without always having to resort to blitzing like we do. On offense this quickness and speed gives them a big advantage in spreading us out and exposing our own lack of speed.
BYU's passing game, which has always been a strength, has been handcuffed this year by the players inability to get separation from the defenders (and the ability to catch the ball, but that is a different post)!!! Other teams do not respect our receivers and backs speed, and therefore often put seven, eight or nine men in the box. In order to effectively run and pass the ball we must open the field up. After all, if schools like Nevada, Utah State and Boise State can recruit ATHLETES, BYU with it's amazing facilities and resources sure should be able to.
Yes. Speed, Speed, Speed is what we NEED!!!!
I completely agree. We haven't had any speed on the team, especially on defense, since Bryan Kehl graduated. If we're going to compete as a legitiment independent team, we have to have more speed at almost every position.
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