Photo Courtesy: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
On Saturday, the Texas Longhorns look to overcome the injury bug against the BYU Cougars as several key players are suffering from injuries, including starting quarterback Quinn Ewers. Today, watch our Devon Messinger and Dylan DeRaud discuss their scouting report of the BYU Cougars by watching the YouTube video above.
If you want to watch their midseason evaluation of the Texas Longhorns, watch our halfway point award ceremony by clicking here.
DeRaud’s Scouting Report of the BYU Offense:
In their inaugural season in the Big 12, BYU’s offense has encountered early challenges, currently ranking 11th in the Big 12 Conference in points per game at 27.6. The Cougars’ aerial attack, led by fifth-year senior quarterback Kedon Slovis, shows promise, as Slovis holds the fourth position in the Big 12 for pass yards and is tied for fifth in pass touchdowns. However, Slovis has displayed a completion rate of just 56.6%, ranking 10th in the conference. In the rushing department, BYU stands last in the Big 12, averaging 79.3 yards per game. Still, the return of Aidan Robbins and the emergence of freshman LJ Martin provide hope for a more robust ground game. Robbins, formerly a 1,000+ yard rusher at UNLV before transferring, has returned from a rib injury, and Martin has exhibited agility and explosiveness in his carries, highlighted by his impressive performance against Texas Tech in which he gained 93 yards on 10 carries.
The receiving corps, led by standout wide receiver Chase Roberts, offers potential, with 6’6″ tight end Isaac Rex and wide receiver Darius Lassiter providing reliable targets for Slovis. Although currently at the bottom of the conference in total offense, BYU’s offense possesses the tools to challenge the Texas defense. Expect the Longhorns to send numerous blitzes to alleviate pressure on their underperforming secondary and disrupt Slovis in the pocket.
Messinger’s Scouting Report of the BYU Defense:
Luckily for Maalik Murphy and his offensive linemen, BYU has struggled at bringing down opposing quarterbacks – only forcing seven sacks on the season – good enough for ranking 124th in the country in total sacks. However, the Longhorns will need to watch out for junior defensive lineman Tyler Batty, a 6’5″ athlete who leads the team with 3.5 sacks. Additionally, the linebacker crew of senior AJ Vongphachanh and senior Max Tooley have combined for 96 tackles so far this season.
Additionally, the BYU’s passing defense has not been stellar either, ranking 98th in the country. However, the Cougars run a high-risk, high-reward defense in the secondary. Despite ranking towards the bottom of the country in passing yards allowed, the Cougars are tied for fifth-place in interceptions (with 11 INTs). Inn fact, junior cornerback Jakob Robinson has a staggering four interceptions and senior cornerback Eddie Heckard adds another three for BYU. As a result, Maalik Murphy will have to protect the football against a group that can be zealous and, sometimes, overzealous.
