When BYU last faced Iowa State in November 2023, the Cougars couldn’t stop the Cyclones.
Iowa State scored on seven of its first nine drives, averaged more than 7 yards per play, went 8 of 14 on third down and scored a season-high 45 points, embarrassing BYU from start to finish to mark one of the lowest points of the Kalani Sitake era.
But the Cougars have come a long way in the 712 days since that 45-13 setback — especially on defense.
Jay Hill’s group was the best in the Big 12 during 2024’s 11-2 campaign, and BYU has continued to see strong success on that side of the ball in its 7-0 start to 2025.
Hill, of course, still wants to see more, especially as the Cougars’ schedule ramps up to the max over the next four games against Iowa State, Texas Tech, TCU and Cincinnati.
“We’ve had moments where we were outstanding, and then moments where we got to clean things up,” Hill said. “(Starting) 7-0, if you’d asked me that at the start of the year, I’d have taken it for sure. I think statistically speaking, there’s some things that we can still clean up right now.”
In 2024, BYU stood atop the conference in points (19.6) and yards allowed (308.8) per game, while also leading the nation with 22 interceptions from 12 different players.
Through seven games this season, the Cougars are no longer top dog in the Big 12 defense business — Texas Tech is on another level — but BYU’s stats are even better than they were this time a year ago.
The Cougars are only giving up 15.6 points and 293 yards per game, while ranking fourth nationally in red-zone defense (66.7%) and with an overall stop rate of 69.8%.
“I think we’re better in the scheme right now,” Hill said. “When we have all of our veteran dudes in there, I think we’re really, really good. We’re more stout inside than we were a year ago. I think there’s just an overall better understanding of just what we’re trying to get accomplished.”
Against Utah, though they allowed 470 yards of offense, the Cougars rose to the occasion when the stakes were highest, stopping the Utes short four times on fourth down, with two such stands coming in the red zone.
“The biggest thing with our defense is execution,” defensive end Logan Lutui said. “We have the pieces to be a really great defense, but it all comes down to everybody doing their part, making the plays when the play comes to you, executing the assignment that you have, and I think everybody’s taken that pretty well, so I’m really impressed by our defense so far.”
While BYU likely won’t eclipse last year’s sky-high interception total, the Cougars are currently on pace to finish with more sacks than they did in 2024 — no small feat considering they didn’t bring back any previous defensive line starters.
“I think we’re better in the scheme right now. When we have all of our veteran dudes in there, I think we’re really, really good. We’re more stout inside than we were a year ago.”
— BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill
Facing Utah’s highly-touted, NFL talent-filled offensive line last week, BYU sacked Devon Dampier three times — doubling his season sack count up to that point — with such a performance potentially showing a sign of things to come for the Cougars’ pass rush.
“I mean, I think it just shows who we are,” Lutui said of BYU’s sack success against Utah. “I think up to that point we’ve been getting close to sacks but never really been able to finish, so it was good to actually have it all come together, and even in that game we left some (sacks) out on the field, too. So it just shows us where we could be, we’re still moving forward.”
Linebacker Jack Kelly had one of the sacks on Dampier, upping his team-high season tally to five. Just the fact Kelly played against Utah — let alone notched a sack — was remarkable considering the seemingly serious upper-body injury he suffered two weeks before.
But Kelly fought to get back on the field after being held out of Oct. 11’s trip to Arizona, and while he may not have been 100% healthy against the Utes, Hill has much more current confidence about his star’s ability to contribute.
“If you look at him on the sack that was so critical on fourth down, he looked like a freak coming off the edge super fast, he looked like Jack. And then there were times where it looked like his shoulder was hurting him still,” Hill said of Kelly. “This week he looks way better than last week.
“I don’t know that anybody (with such an injury) could have been there in practice, and he was. He’s just a tough dude that is already back (from) an injury where most people would not be back right now.”
Kelly and company will be tasked on Saturday with corralling Rocco Becht, one of the most experienced and proven passers in the Big 12. The redshirt junior has 57 career passing touchdowns under his belt — two having come against BYU in 2023 — and keeping him in check will be critical for the Cougars.
“I love Rocco Becht’s competitive nature,” Hill said. “He can throw it, he can run it, he’s really smart. Rarely does he go to the wrong spot with the ball. I mean, he looks like a guy that’s played a lot of snaps in the Big 12 and started a lot of games.”
Added Lutui: “Rocco’s a really great quarterback from what we’ve watched on film. He’s able to really coordinate his offense well. I think if we get to where we’re supposed to be with our game plan — we have a really good game plan — so being able to iron out all the details these last couple practices, I think we’ll be in a really good position.”
Facing Becht’s Cyclones Saturday in Ames isn’t just an opportunity for BYU to win an eighth-straight game. It’s a chance for the Cougars to completely bury the demons of their 2023 loss to Iowa State, showing that their recruiting success and improved depth since then has helped them become tougher and more physical as a group that doesn’t get gashed for 40+ points anymore.
BYU has flipped the script defensively over the past 712 days. On Saturday, Hill’s Cougars could prove that louder than ever.
“That’s something that we haven’t forgotten about, even us being where we’re at right now, that’s something that we still remember pretty clearly,” Lutui said of the 2023 loss.
“We know that they came in here and they did such a great job, and we didn’t really answer back the way we wanted to. So, we’re grateful. We don’t get many second chances. So we’re grateful that we do and we’re going to make the most of it, so that’s what we’re prepared for.”
