By now, BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill has the answer down pat.
The question: How will the Cougars’ defense prepare for an opposing quarterback it knows very little about?
For the third straight week, BYU will see a backup QB making his first career start, in this case Texas redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy, when the Cougars face the No. 7 Longhorns on Saturday at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium (1:30 p.m. MDT) in Austin.
“I liked the way we rebounded and solidified those past defensive issues we had against TCU. That was a big deal for us going into that Texas Tech game.” — BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, the former BYU QB, said as starter Quinn Ewers recovers from a throwing shoulder injury that the 6-foot-5, 238-pound Murphy and former five-star recruit Arch Manning will get reps in practice, but he expects Murphy to start.
Hill’s well-worn response: “We gotta anticipate that the backup quarterback plays better than the starter. He has got elite talent around him. … Yeah, this is business as usual for us. We gotta handle our business first and foremost. It doesn’t really matter who the quarterback is out there. We gotta expect they will play their best.”
TCU fill-in Josh Hoover did play his best in the Horned Frogs’ 44-11 rout of the Cougars on Oct. 14. Last week, Texas Tech third-stringer Jake Strong struggled mightily with turnovers and the Cougars prevailed, 27-14.
BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said Monday and Hill reiterated Tuesday that Texas will have elite talent around Murphy, a former five-star recruit in his own right out of Inglewood, California. For instance, running back Jonathon Brooks is fourth in the nation in rushing yards per game, 117.8.
“They have a great run game. They have a great throwing game,” Hill said. “We obviously gotta do some things to try to confuse him.”
Sitake said there will be no let-up from the Cougars (5-2), who have memories of Hoover’s 439-yard, four-touchdown passing effort still dancing in their heads.
“What a great opportunity it is for us to perform at our best and see what happens,” said Sitake, Sarkisian’s former BYU teammate. “I want them to embrace it, but also be thankful they get this opportunity.
“I wish I could be doing this as a player. Are you kidding me? You ask Sark and myself, do we wish we could be playing in this game? Of course,” he continued. “… So let’s build the appreciation and gratitude. Let’s go do our best.”
BYU’s best might not be good enough against one of the top teams in the country, a team that went into No. 3 Alabama and won in Week 2. But Hill said the defense showed improvement against Texas Tech, a positive sign.
“I liked the way we rebounded and solidified those past defensive issues we had against TCU,” Hill said. “That was a big deal for us going into that Texas Tech game.”
Hill said Tuesday the Cougars will likely be without defensive lineman John Nelson, who left the Tech game with an undisclosed injury and did not return. That could be a key loss, considering BYU’s defense is 88th in rushing yards per carry allowed, 4.31.
They are 98th in total defense, giving up an average of 396.7 yards per game.
The biggest issues for Hill’s defense continue to be the failure to get sacks, and problems getting off the field on third down.
The Cougars are 127th in sacks, of 133 teams, with only seven the entire season. They are 130th in tackles for loss per game, 3.71.
The tradeoff is that BYU is one of the best teams in the country in getting takeaways, a penchant for ballhawking that is as big of a reason for its 5-2 record as anything else.
“There were moments on third down where we looked like we were supposed to look (against Texas Tech),” Hill said. “That is still an area where we got to get better. There are some things still to clean up, but I do believe we are heading in the right direction.”
Considering that BYU has been using two walk-on safeties most of the year, Ethan Slade and Crew Wakley, it is somewhat surprising that the Cougars haven’t given up more yards, more big plays. Hill said Preston Rex and Raider Damuni have also filled in admirably in the absence of starters Micah Harper and Talan Alfrey — who is getting closer to returning.
“We had a lot of third-and-longs that we gave up,” Slade said after the Tech game. “The word coach Hill says a lot is poise. I think in those situations we can do a better job of just settling down and trusting what we have learned throughout the week watching film and the time we have put in and just kinda chillax and play with poise. I think we can do a better job of that on those third down plays.”
