Jaren Hall used the phrase “Syncing things up” several times this past weekend when asked to describe what he is going through with BYU’s offense.
But what does that really mean?
Generally speaking, it means working well together; in agreement.
In this case, it means taking his own personal investment with his receivers and backs over the offseason and putting it together in a fall practice setting as the Cougars polish things up for the opener at South Florida the first week of September.
Syncing things up.
It involves installing every aspect of the offense. It involves perfecting formations, play calls, formal routes, polishing the run game, deploying run-blocking schemes, mastering pass protections and elevating the general choreography and timing of the offense.
BYU returns nine starters from an offense that had almost perfect balance in the run and pass games in 2021.
A year ago Hall and his guys felt a hefty burden to prove they could duplicate what the 2020 offense did with one of the most prolific offenses in the country — one that featured No. 2 draft pick Zach Wilson at the helm. The knock against that team was that it faced COVID-19 season opponents, a schedule weakened when all P5 opponents canceled games.
Well, Hall and the rest of that offense synced things up in decent fashion during that run.
Aaron Roderick ratcheted things down fairly well sans Wilson.
BYU went 5-0 against Pac-12 opponents (Arizona, ASU, Washington State, USC and eventual league champion Utah). That squad lost to Big 12 champion Baylor in Waco and obliterated Virginia and former BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall at LaVell Edwards Stadium 66-49.
Statistician Ralph Sokolosky states that the 2021 offense committed zero turnovers in the first quarter and only 12 overall, a feat that has not been accomplished another time in BYU history.
That kind of ball protection is what syncing up is all about.
So is Hall’s own ball protection one of his strengths?
Hall had a 20-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio last season and his QB rating would have led the Pac-12 in 2021.
If you talk matrix of what syncing up Roderick and Hall got out of the post-Wilson season, Brett Ciancia, publisher of PicksixPreviews writes: “It turns out, BYU was able to remain in the top 15 of my opponent-adjusted offensive percentiles and is one of the only units to place in the top 40 of all 14 of my stat categories. They showed great balance between run and pass and nearly averaged 200+ in both facets. The even better news is that nine starters return.”
That offense returns all starters from the offensive line except often-injured James Empey. His replacement, Connor Pay, performed at a high level and Blake Freeland and Clark Barrington are listed as two of the nation’s top offensive linemen returning for 2022.
It was behind that line that Tyler Allgeier set a single-season rushing record and it is that group and its potential that brought Cal transfer running back Chris Brooks to BYU.
Hall will miss receivers Neil Pau’u and Samson Nacua but the receivers room, led by Puka Nacua with newcomers Kody Epps and Chase Roberts, is as deep as any time in the Mendenhall and Kalani Sitake era.
Says Hall, “I think spring ball always feels a little smoother right out the gate because it’s only a two-month postseason, but fall camp is 41⁄2 months from the season and the break is much longer. So, just finding your synchronization with receivers with everybody moving around is different but the nice thing today, with all the experienced guys we have, everyone was where they were supposed to be. It’s just a matter of doing it a little quicker, just syncing everything up.”
Part of Roderick’s approach, demanded by his boss Sitake, is BYU’s offense has to be aggressive. That means a lot of targets deep.
That takes synchronization.
Sync: buzzword of the week in BYU’s first week of fall camp.
BYU lineman work the trenches during workout Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022, in Provo.
Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo