How bad has BYU been on fourth down? A deep dive into the struggles

BYU’s struggles on fourth down this season are well known — last week after the Cougars’ 27-24 loss to East Carolina, coach Kalani Sitake said short conversion attempts on third and fourth downs are the team’s “nemesis” right now.

Taking a deeper look into the numbers, that is true, particularly on fourth downs over the past seven games. 

During that stretch, BYU is just two of 16 on fourth downs and has won just two games against five losses.

Special Collector's Issue: "1984: The Year BYU was Second to None"

Get an inclusive look inside BYU Football's 1984 National Championship season.

Buy Now

The game against the Pirates highlighted BYU’s fourth-down woes: the Cougars twice went for fourth down in the fourth quarter, and both times BYU was stopped for no gain on runs in a fourth-and-short scenario.

Those two plays helped flip field position — and prevented the Cougars from breaking a tie game — as East Carolina won on a last-second field goal.

“It seems like third and short and fourth and short is our nemesis right now,” Sitake said after the game. “And if that is the case, and looking at analytics and all that stuff, if we are not able to convert those, we just can’t keep going for it on fourth down all the time. And that is my job as a head coach. I make those decisions.”

How bad is BYU on fourth down in the 2022 season?

The Cougars actually started the season well on fourth down — BYU converted its first three fourth-down attempts of the season in wins over South Florida and Baylor. All three came on fourth-and-short scenarios where BYU converted the attempt with a run, and all three happened in BYU territory.

Since then, BYU has gone just two of 16 on fourth down. That includes failing to convert its last seven attempts. Four of BYU’s five conversions on fourth down have come during the first quarter. The other came in the third quarter, against Baylor. BYU is 0-for-8 on fourth down attempts in the fourth quarter, heading into the Cougars’ game Saturday at Boise State.

BYU is one of just seven teams nationally that has converted under than 30% of its fourth-down attempts this season.

Behind the numbers of BYU’s 2-for-16 stretch on fourth downs

BYU, which has seen its season go from a 4-1 start and being ranked in the Top 25 to losing four straight and being under .500 heading into November, saw its struggles on fourth down begin with the Oregon loss in Week 3.

Beginning with that Oregon game, BYU has gone two of 16 on fourth-down attempts. Here’s a look at the details behind those numbers in the past seven games:

• BYU’s average distance has been 4.5 yards to convert on fourth-down attempts.
• Eight times, the Cougars have needed 3 yards or fewer to gain a first down and have converted just once.
• BYU hasn’t run for a first down on fourth down in this stretch, after successfully running for first down on three fourth-down attempts in the first two games. That includes six carries — four for no gain, one that lost a yard and another that came on a scramble that was short of the line to gain.
• Both times BYU has converted a fourth down, it has turned those conversions into touchdowns — one touchdown came on a fourth-and-goal TD pass.
• Twice, the Cougars have faced a fourth-and-10 or longer and were unsuccessful on both, with an incomplete pass and scramble short of the first down.
• Jaren Hall has thrown 10 times on fourth down, with completions and five incompletions. Three completions have ended up short of the line to gain.
• BYU is 0-for-8 on fourth-down attempts in the fourth quarter, including twice in last week’s 27-24 loss to East Carolina.
• Four times, BYU’s inability to convert a fourth down led to an opponent touchdown on the ensuing drive and an opponent field goal on another drive.
• In one-score or tie situations, BYU is 2-for-8 on fourth down, 0-for-8 when one team is leading by 10 or more points.
• BYU is 0-for-3 on fourth-down attempts on its side of the field over the past seven games and 1-for-3 inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

BYU’s fourth-down attempts by game in 2022

South Florida (W, 50-21)

2-for-2 on fourth down

Attempt No. 1

• The scenario: First quarter, BYU leading 7-0
• The play: Fourth-and-2 at BYU 43
• The result: Chris Brooks gained 7 yards on a carry up the middle out of shotgun formation, picking up the first down.
• What happened next: BYU scored its second touchdown of the game on a 5-yard Puka Nacua run six plays later on a 10-play, 65-yard drive.

Attempt No. 2

• The scenario: First quarter, BYU leading 28-0 
• The score: Fourth-and-1 at BYU 35
• The result: Jaren Hall picked up 2 yards on a carry up the middle out of shotgun formation, picking up the first down.
• What happened next: The drive stalled five plays later at the USF 42 and BYU punted.

Baylor (W, 26-20)

1-for-1 on fourth down

Attempt No. 1 

• The scenario: Third quarter, BYU trailing 13-10
• The play: Fourth-and-1 at BYU 34
• The result: Chris Brooks gained 2 yards on a carry up the middle out of shotgun formation, picking up the first down.
• What happened next: The Cougars, who had just fallen behind Baylor 13-10 early in the third quarter, responded with a 13-play, 54-yard — including the fourth-down conversion — that ended with a field goal to tie the game.

Oregon (L, 41-20)

0-for-4 on fourth down

Attempt No. 1

• The scenario: First quarter, tied 0-0
• The play: Fourth-and-7 at Oregon 37
• The result: Jaren Hall completed a 1-yard pass to Kody Epps out of shotgun formation, ending a five-play, 39-yard drive to open the game.
• What happened next: Oregon scored the game’s first touchdown four plays later, going 64 yards in just over two minutes and scoring on a 2-yard Bo Nix run.

Attempt No. 2

• The scenario: Third quarter, BYU trailing 31-7
• The play: Fourth-and-1 at BYU 36
• The result: Chris Brooks ran for 1-yard loss on a run to the left out of shotgun formation, ending a drive that gained just 8 yards moments after Oregon had scored a touchdown on the opening drive of the second half to build a 24-point lead.
• What happened next: Oregon turned the short field into a quick score, going 35 yards in four plays and put up a touchdown when Bo Nix hit Terrance Ferguson for a 9-yard TD catch on a third-and-6.

Attempt No. 3

• The scenario: Third quarter, BYU trailing 38-7
• The play: Fourth-and-10 at Oregon 40
• The result: Jaren Hall scrambled for 5 yards after failing to find an open receiver out of shotgun formation, ending the drive after Oregon had increased its lead to 31 points on the previous possession.
• What happened next: BYU forced a three-and-out after the turnover on downs, the first three-and-out the Cougars forced against Oregon.

Attempt No. 4

• The scenario: Fourth quarter, BYU trailing 41-20
• The play: Fourth-and-5 at Oregon 14
• The result: Jaren Hall threw incomplete to Kody Epps in the end zone on the game’s final play, as BYU drove 61 yards in just over two minutes before stalling in the red zone.
• What happened next: The game ended with BYU’s last chance to cut into the Oregon lead. 

Wyoming (W, 38-24)

0-for-1 on fourth down

Attempt No. 1

• The scenario: Fourth quarter, BYU leading 28-17
• The play: Fourth-and-4 at Wyoming 41
• The result: Jaren Hall threw incomplete to Brayden Cosper as he was hurried on the play out of shotgun formation.
• What happened next: Wyoming couldn’t do anything with the ensuing possession — going back a yard before punting — and BYU scored on a 68-yard touchdown pass to Keanu Hill on its next possession.

Utah State (W, 38-26)

0-for-1 on fourth down

Attempt No. 1

• The scenario: Fourth quarter, BYU leading 38-20
• The play: Fourth-and-3 at Utah State 25 
• The result: Jaren Hall completed a 2-yard pass to Gunner Romney out of shotgun formation, ending a drive that had started at its own 30.
• What happened next: Two plays later, Ben Bywater intercepted the Aggies’ Cooper Legas, who returned the pick 14 yards to the USU 20. BYU didn’t score off that turnover, though, after a missed field goal.

Notre Dame (L, 28-20)

1-for-2 on fourth down

Attempt No. 1

• The scenario: First quarter, BYU trailing 3-0
• The play: Fourth-and-goal at Notre Dame 2
• The result: Jaren Hall threw 2-yard pass to Kody Epps out of shotgun formation for the touchdown, ending a seven-play, 26-yard drive with a score after a 42-yard Hobbs Nyberg punt return started the BYU possession deep in Notre Dame territory. 
• What happened next: The extra point was missed, giving the Cougars a 6-3 lead, a point that loomed large in an 8-point game.

Attempt No. 2

• The scenario: Fourth quarter, BYU trailing 28-20
• The play: Fourth-and-1 Notre Dame 27
• The result: Lopini Katoa was stuffed for no gain on a carry to the right side, ending BYU’s final possession of the game after the Cougars had gained 48 yards on the drive.
• What happened next: Notre Dame was able to run out the remaining 3:37 off the clock to wrap up the win.

Arkansas (L, 52-35)

1-for-3 on fourth down

Attempt No. 1 

• The scenario: First quarter, tied 0-0
• The play: Fourth-and-8 at Arkansas 35
• The result: Jaren Hall completed a 31-yard pass to Puka Nacua along the sideline in a tight window, picking up a first down.
• What happened next: BYU scored on the next play on a 4-yard pass to Isaac Rex to give the Cougars a 7-0 lead. The drive covered 82 yards in 10 plays.

Attempt No. 2

• The scenario: Second quarter, BYU leading 21-17
• The play: Fourth-and-1 at BYU 34
• The result: A bad snap led to a fumble, and Jaren Hall was stopped for no gain, ending the drive. Kalani Sitake told reporters postgame the ball wasn’t supposed to be snapped, as BYU was trying to pull Arkansas offsides. 
• What happened next: Arkansas made BYU pay for the error, scoring a touchdown four plays later on a 4-yard Matt Landers catch. That was a part of a 17-0 run by the Razorbacks to finish the first half and was the last time BYU led in the game.

Attempt No. 3 

• The scenario: Fourth quarter, BYU trailing 52-35
• The play: Fourth-and-8 at Arkansas 32
• The result: Jaren Hall completed a 6-yard pass out of shotgun formation to Puka Nacua, who lost the ball as he was fighting to reach the first down and Arkansas recovered. 
• What happened next: This was BYU’s last real threat at scoring, as the Razorbacks went on a 16-play, 73-yard drive that took over 10 minutes. While BYU prevented a score with a goal line stand, the Cougars got the ball back with under 30 seconds remaining.

Liberty (L, 41-14)

0-for-3 on fourth down

Attempt No. 1

• The scenario: Second quarter, BYU trailing 17-14
• The play: Fourth-and-9 at Liberty 39
• The result: Jaren Hall threw incomplete over the middle to Chase Roberts with 1:15 until halftime, ending the drive one play after Puka Nacua had lost 6 yards on a carry.
• What happened next: The Flames, who trailed 14-3 early, turned the short field into points, gaining 43 yards in eight plays to set up a 37-yard field goal as the half ended to make it 17 straight points in the second quarter.

Attempt No. 2

• The scenario: Third quarter, BYU trailing 34-14
• The play: Fourth-and-12 at Liberty 47
• The result: Jaren Hall threw incomplete over the middle to Chase Roberts on a pass that was broken up, ending the drive. 
• What happened next: Liberty scored its final touchdown of the day on the ensuing drive, moving the ball 53 yards — much of those yards on the ground — before Johnathan Bennett hit CJ Daniels for a 25-yard touchdown on a third-down play to make it 41-14.

Attempt No. 3

• The scenario: Fourth quarter, BYU trailing 41-14
• The play: Fourth-and-3 at Liberty 32
• The result: Jaren Hall threw incomplete to Puka Nacua on the left side of the field, ending the drive with a second straight incompletion after BYU had moved the ball 29 yards in eight plays.
• What happened next: Liberty ran four plays, including a kneel down, to run out the remainder of the clock.

East Carolina (L, 27-24)

0-for-2 on fourth down

Attempt No. 1

• The scenario: Fourth quarter, tied 24-24
• The play: Fourth-and-2 at East Carolina 12
• The result: Miles Davis was stuffed for no gain up the middle out of shotgun formation, ending a 14-play, 68-yard drive with no points on the second play of the fourth quarter.
• What happened next: East Carolina moved the ball 63 yards but came up empty after missing a 42-yard field goal that would have given the Pirates the lead.

Attempt No. 2

• The scenario: Fourth quarter, tied 24-24
• The play: Fourth-and-1 at BYU 44
• The result: Jaren Hall kept the ball up the middle for no gain out of shotgun formation, ending a second straight drive on a turnover on downs and giving East Carolina the ball in BYU territory in a tie game.
• What happened next: East Carolina gained 35 yards before coming up short on its own fourth-and-1 attempt at the BYU 9.
• While the Cougars got the stop, it put BYU in a hole in terms of field position, and after the Cougars went three-and-out on the ensuing drive, East Carolina drove into BYU territory and kicked a field goal as time expired to earn the win.