Stopping the run can change a football game, and so far in 2025, no one is doing it better than BYU. The Cougars (2-0) allowed just 14 yards rushing through their first two games, and they will look to stay stingy on Saturday at East Carolina (5:30 p.m., ESPN2).
“When you can stop the run, that allows the defensive coordinator to open the playbook and bring out all the exotic blitzes,” former Cougar star Derwin Gray told the “Y’s Guys” livestream show. “When you know that the team can only throw the ball, first of all, the D-line is going to pin their ears back and you never know in this defense who’s coming, and then for the secondary — it’s feast time. It’s like an all-you-can-eat buffet. Whenever you can make a team one dimensional you have a very high chance of winning the game.”
Gray spent his football years as a safety in the secondary at BYU and with the Indianapolis Colts. Watching Jay Hill’s defense gets him fired up.
“What I enjoy about watching BYU games is this — they are not boring on defense,” Gray said. “As a former NFL player, I appreciate the multiple sets, the multiple personnel packages, the fire zones, the coverages, the 3-3-5 moving to a 3-4 and sometimes a four-man front with linebackers coming from everywhere, safeties and corners — it is an NFL style defense.”
After one-sided wins against FCS Portland State and Stanford, BYU leads the nation in run defense, total defense (106 yards per game) and scoring defense (1.5 ppg).
“I am impressed with their physicality. I’m impressed with their effort.” Gray said. “I’m impressed with how they get after the quarterback, and I’m impressed with their intellect to be able to operate a sophisticated defense that an NFL team would run.”
The Cougars are led by linebackers Jack Kelly (senior), Isaiah Glasker (junior) and Siale Esera (sophomore).
“I am impressed with their physicality. I’m impressed with their effort. I’m impressed with how they get after the quarterback, and I’m impressed with their intellect to be able to operate a sophisticated defense that an NFL team would run.”
— Former BYU safety Derwin Gray on BYU's defense
“Kelly and Glasker could be in the top five linebacker combinations in the country. They are that good,” Gray said. “They can stop the run, they can blitz the passer, they are great tacklers, they are physical. They can get in the cover game. Those guys are dynamic. I think Esera can be equally as dynamic. All three of those guys are going to play on Sundays and make a lot of money.”
Gray contends East Carolina (2-1) will provide BYU’s biggest test of the young season. The Pirates prefer to pass, and they are pretty good at it — leading the American Conference with 346.3 yards per game.
“(BYU) needs to understand there have been teams that have gone to East Carolina and have gotten boat raced. The fans are going to be loud. This team is gonna want to show that they are legit, so BYU is going to have to come ready to play,” Gray said. “The key to this game is what is our offense going to do. I think we have a Big 12 championship defense but right now, our offense is playing (around the middle) of the conference.”
Gray’s to-do list for BYU vs. the Pirates
Gray’s team won 36 games during his four years at BYU (1989-92). At 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, the tenacious safety amassed 13 interceptions and 126 tackles while his quarterback and fellow Texan, Ty Detmer, won the Heisman Trophy (1990). Here is Gray’s to-do list for the Cougars to find success Saturday at East Carolina.
- First: “I want to see us throw for 250 yards with a 65% completion rate and no interceptions. He’s got to cut it loose. The talent is there. Cut it loose. Let your receivers make a play, work that big veteran tight end, play-action pass and lean on our giant offensive line. Smash people in the mouth. We need to pound the rock. We are going to need to score more points than what we have.”
- Second: “I want to see five sacks on defense because ECU is going to be throwing the ball like crazy.”
- Third: “I need to see Parker Kingston be the All-American punt returner that he is. That’s my dude. When he gets his chance again, he needs to be the All-American. He is weapon Z. Parker Kingston — we need you!”
- Fourth: “Get a backup defensive lineman and put him at fullback and (run) at the weakside linebacker that is about 220 pounds and make him decide, ‘Do you want to play football today? How bad do you want to play today?’ ECU wants to throw the ball around and BYU is a physical, big team. Use that to your advantage and hit them in the mouth (early) and say, ‘How bad do you want to play?’
- Fifth: “We need to see a receiver other than Chase Roberts emerge and make some big plays.”
Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.
