PROVO — BYU coach Kalani Sitake made it clear following Friday night’s 24-7 loss to Boise State he wants to see more of an emphasis getting freshman running back Ula Tolutau the ball.
“We need to develop an identity — I know it sounds crazy midseason — but we need to have someone we can hang our hat on and I think his name is Ula Tolutau,” Sitake said, as the Cougars dropped to 1-5 on the year.
Tolutau finished the game with nine carries for 38 yards and a first-quarter touchdown, though he only had two carries after halftime when BYU fell behind by double digits.
At essentially the midpoint of the season, the Cougars are one of 10 teams nationally that average less than 100 rushing yards per game, at 97.7 yards on the ground.
Getting Tolutau some help in the rushing attack would pay dividends. There were glimpses, however small, amid yet another night of struggles in the running game against the Broncos.
“In order for us to generate momentum, we need to possess the ball and get first downs,” Sitake said.
One of those options is Riley Burt, who finally earned his first two carries of the season during the loss to Boise State. The sophomore started the year in the backfield before being moved to the defensive secondary, then returning to the offense.
His first carry, which came during the second quarter, picked up a first down as he gained four yards on a third-and-3 play.
His mobility and vision on the play caught the eye of former BYU running back Jamal Willis.
Burt only had one more carry in the game, though, and it wasn’t effective, as he was dropped for a 3-yard loss on a toss play in the third quarter. Boise State defender Kekaula Kaniho wrapped up Burt's ankles in the backfield before the BYU running back could try and shake him.
That 3-yard loss led to the Cougars punting the ball away three plays later.
It remains to be seen how Burt could impact the BYU rushing attack, though the speedy back gives the team another option at a position still looking for playmakers.
What about another option at quarterback? More focus has been given to Joe Critchlow, after the freshman was inserted into the game for BYU’s final drive of the game. He completed 2 of 4 passes for 8 yards on a drive that ended with a fourth-down incompletion.
But there has been another quarterback — who also has spent time at running back this year — who’s seen spot work the past three games, including Friday: Austin Kafentzis.
So far, Kafentzis has been used primarily as a rushing option, with seven carries for 32 yards on the year.
Against the Broncos, he had two carries for 9 yards. The first came on the Cougars' second possession of the second half, after BYU starting quarterback Tanner Mangum had misfired on four of his six previous passes following an 8 of 9 start to the game.
Kafentzis picked up three yards on his first carry, helping BYU convert a short third down two plays later. Following Burt's 3-yard loss on that same drive, Kafentzis was reinserted and picked up six yards on his other carry to set the Cougars up with a more managable third-and-7.
Could the shifty Kafentzis be an effective option if his carries increased?
There are risks, yes. Kafentzis lost a fumble against Utah State in the Cougars’ loss the week before Boise State. The sophomore also hasn't attempted any passes, for whatever reason.
Also, if Kafentzis came in at quarterback, there's the argument of disrupting flow of the game by taking Mangum, the current starter, out. On Monday's depth chart, Kafentzis was listed as the backup to Trey Dye at halfback, with Critchlow listed as co-backup with Beau Hoge to Mangum.
With an offense struggling to find an identity at this point, though, options could be explored getting Kafentzis more involved.
“We need to control the running game and the front and be able to throw off that,” Mangum said.
Cosmo catches Holly Rowe’s eye
ESPN college football sideline reporter Holly Rowe is plenty familiar with the state of Utah. She attended both BYU and the University of Utah, receiving her degree at the U., and has been on the sidelines for numerous games in both Provo and Salt Lake City.
She gave a shoutout to BYU's mascot Cosmo following his hip-hop dance with the Cougarettes during Friday night's game.
Here’s a look at the performance:
Dancing in the moonlight
In addition to the Cosmo/Cougarettes performance, this BYU fan put on a show during the game by standing on the wall and showing off his dance moves.