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PROVO – Kalani Sitake has promised changes and won in the BYU win over Hawaii on Oct. 27 at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Sitake unleashed his defense against No. 2 seed smuggler Cole McDonald and let his freshmen get a glimpse of what the future might look like.
BYU's youngest quarterback Zach Wilson scored three touchdown passes in his official debut as a Cougar. Wilson operated with an offense consisting of 54% freshmen. Among BYu's 49 points, 76% were scored by Wilson, Lopini Katoa, Dallin Holker, Gunner Romney and Skyler Southam. This was the most points amassed by a BYU offense since 51 against UMass in 2016.
Recently, BYU's offense has not been committed against anyone, not even FCS teams like McNeese State and Portland State.
Wilson was sensational against a struggling Hawaiian defense, and converted linebacker Matt Hadley had 91 yards for an average of 10.1 yards per run against the Warriors. Wilson's pass rate was the highest ever recorded for a freshman rookie (167.2), surpassing Tanner Mangum's mark against Boise State (162.7) three years ago.
But that night, there was something else at work besides the youth movement. BYU became defensive against the legitimate attacks of Hawaii's strike forces, and it was impressive. The Warriors could not handle the physical appearance of BYU.
Thanks to BYU's defensive coaches, especially coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki.
After defeats in Washington and Utah, Tuiaki was targeted for his bland defensive maneuvers in which sacks were scarce and opponents' quarters had time like an hourglass. It seems that the aggression has suffered and that a defense in the process of injury finds nothing to eat.
"We challenged our defense this week to be more physical and play BYU football," Sitake said. "They were relentless."
Against Hawaii, Tuiaki composed a unique set of guarantees in nickel and cents. He deployed a three-man front, which was essentially a 3-5-3, and sometimes showed a five-man front with a defense on the outside, a central Hawaii spy in the center in the form of 6 feet. 9 defensive end Corbin Kaufusi.
He had the corner Michael Shelton who was playing linebacker and found defensive back Bracken El-Bakri and safety Dayan Ghanwoloku. He had sometimes attacked Kaufusi since his linebacker position and was relying on creative pressure from other places. He placed assistant head coach Ed Lamb in the press stand, which Lamb had not done for decades as a university coach to "look closely" at how things against the second-ranked smuggler in the country.
He is a creative, aggressive player who immediately paid off against Cole McDonald, who arrived in Provo with 24 outstanding touchdowns this season. The Cougars, who had only six sacks of the season, had three in the first half and limited McDonald's to no touchdown and 99 yards at halftime.
It was unpredictable. This left Hawaii guessing. It was a part of the Army, the only defeat of Hawaii: eight defeats and three others. McDonald kept the seconds longer.
The Hawaii attack was really disrupted early in the season, and the BYU offensive that struggled to come out of touchdown all season scored 28 points at halftime. McDonald was hit and chased. There were two fumbles, and it was difficult for the Warriors and their quick and fast receivers to find the pace with McDonald's.
The first quarterback bag of Khyiris Tonga at McDonald's was a violent dog throw. It was a statement.
You can decompose games, watch the statistics of this game as deeply as you want, but Tuiaki's program is to inject energy and emotions to players on the field and on the sidelines. After security Austin Lee took McDonald's in the second quarter and brought it back to 36 yards from Situ's sideline. Sitake was seen leaping with Lee with a bear hug.
This might not seem like great moments. And the defense of Hawaii was not very good while Wilson and Company had abused it. But this victory, and the way it happened, was sorely lacking in Provo.
It was a victory bathed in passion. And suddenly, the receivers worked harder, the defenders were attacked harder, the blockers were blocked harder. Dominos. The insertion of Wilson, the youngest quarterback to start at BYU, was rather symbolic. It was a bet to replace a veteran veteran, but it was an initiative to create a positive atmosphere.
Mission accomplished.
A year ago, a BYU team with no emotion and almost detached looked numb and shocked during a series of seven defeats. Football is a game of emotion and momentum. If Sitake has ever needed both, a needle in the vein of his team, something resembling the party, it is this injection late Saturday night on the pitch.
The response of each of the Cougars to this weekend "everyone at hand" and to the performance "must win" they started the approach of the past week is no longer to demonstrate. But the coming week could not come at a better time for injury and reconcentration before battling home with some winnable games and strong clashes at Boise State and Utah.
Saturday night was again fun in Provo. It was the emotion that was needed at the bone. BYU has created a solid base for a bowl game and finish the season much differently than a year ago with only four post-game smiley experiences.
For Sitake, there are 4-3 today, there are still five and a skid of two games ends with an exclamation point.
This, one could say, is making progress with what is a very young team.
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