BYU Football: USF Preview
We’re baaaaaaaaaaack. The monotonous days of the eternal offseason are over. BYU football is upon us. Remember to set out the Cougartail and Creamery chocolate milk for Cosmo and let’s get to know BYU’s opening opponent.
USF Overview
If you are making the trip to Tampa, be sure to hug a USF fan, because it’s been rough. The Bulls are 3-18 over the last 2 years and have been near the bottom of every statistical category during that span. Optimism abounds, though, thanks to new offensive coordinator Travis Trickett and an influx of 12 P5 transfers, headlined by former Baylor QB Gerry Bohanon. Interestingly, USF trails only BYU in returning production according to ESPN's Bill Connelly, bringing back 85% of their output from a year ago.
Bulls on Offense
One name that will not be returning for USF is perhaps the one BYU fans know best. Former QB Timmy Mcclain almost single handedly kept USF in last year’s matchup against BYU before ultimately falling short. Mcclain transferred to UCF after losing the starting job to the more than capable Bohanon. Bohanon has experience reviving a program, leading Baylor to a BIG12 championship following an abysmal 2020 season for the Bears.
Bohanon is flanked by RB Jaren Mangham, who accounted for nearly half of USFs touchdowns in 2021. USF’s WR room returns their top 3 receivers from last year and is reinforced by all-name team candidate and Clemson transfer Ajou Ajou. Perhaps the most important new face on this offense is Offensive Coordinator Travis Trickett, who ran a balanced attack at West Virginia before making his way down the Atlantic Coast.
Bulls on Defense
USF returns virtually all their production from last year, though that production ranked 117th nationally in total defense. The Bulls hope that number will improve by welcoming Minnesota transfers Rashad Cheney and DJ Gordon into the fold. The defense is headlined by LB Tony Grier, who led the Bulls in tackles, tackles for loss, and sacks in 2021.
What Will Happen
It is hard to know what the USF offense will look like, but improvement on last year will likely be marginal. Bohanon is a passing upgrade from Mcclain, but we will need to wait and see which Bohanon will be leading the Bulls offense. He started hot in 2021, throwing for 11 TDs and 0 picks in Baylor’s first 6 games, but tossed a pedestrian 6 TDs and 6 INTs over the final 5 games on a 56% completion rate before ultimately losing the starting job.
BYU’s defense was stout when healthy last season, giving up just 19 points per game through the month of September. The Cougs welcome back key pieces of that defense in Keenan Pili, Payton Wilgar, and Lorenzo Fauatea, who all missed significant time with injuries last season. USF struggled to run the ball efficiently against this BYU front last year, amassing just 3.6 yards per carry.
Weather conditions are going to be wet and sloppy, and the running game will be key. This favors BYU, thanks to what might be the deepest offensive line in program history. BYU’s passing attack is also poised to be prolific, but with Gunner Romney and Puka Nacua being questionable to go, the vintage BYU offense may have to wait another week.
Expect this game to be ugly. BYU’s offense tends to underperform in week one, averaging six points less than their season averages in the Kalani Sitake era. Couple that with an unknown and upgraded USF offense and this game may be an uncomfortable one for Cougar fans. BYU will control this game thanks to a 125+ yards and 2 TDs from Chris Brooks, but USF will hang around just long enough to make BYU feel the Florida humidity.
BYU bends but doesn’t break on defense, while the offense closes with an extended drive that ends in victory formation inside the red zone, reminding us all why we never bet on BYU to cover the spread.
BYU 31-USF 20.
