Bumbling, stumbling: BYU football starts slow, eventually gets past Utah Tech on Senior Day
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- BYU sophomore tight end Isaac Rex dives for the end zone during the game against Utah Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022.
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- BYU seniors and juniors walk across the field after the game against Utah Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022.
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- BYU junior quarterback Jaren Hall throws a pass during the game against Utah Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022.
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- BYU sophomore wide receiver Keanu Hill catches a touchdown pass during the game against Utah Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022.
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- BYU sophomore defensive back Jakob Robinson makes an interception during the game against Utah Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022.
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- BYU sophomore tight end Isaac Rex dives for the end zone during the game against Utah Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022.
Early in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s Senior Day game against Utah Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium, BYU junior quarterback Jaren Hall dropped back, waited, then spotted sophomore tight end Isaac Rex running all by himself down the near sideline.
The pass was good and Rex hauled it in just inside the 10-yard line. He turned and took a couple of steps forward with no one close enough to stop him before he got to the end zone.
But as he stepped on the 5-yard line, Rex tripped and instead of walking in for the score found himself stumbling the last couple of yards. Just before he hit the ground, the sophomore stretched the ball across the line and got the touchdown.
It epitomized the type of game it was for the Cougars.
Although BYU had two turnovers, 132 yards of penalties and numerous assignment and execution errors, the Cougars still stumbled their way to success as they earned the 52-26 win over the Trailblazers.
“I’m glad we got the win and we are bowl eligible, so we get to extend the season,” BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said. “There are a lot of guys happy that we got the win at home in our last game at LaVell Edwards Stadium this year. Obviously we didn’t play as cleanly as I would’ve liked but a lot of FCS games end up being like that. But we played all four quarters and owned the game like we knew we could.”
The Cougars ended up needing and getting a big game from Hall, who finished with a career high 456 passing yards on 23-of-35 passing with an interception and six total TDs (five passing, one rushing).
“Guys made plays,” Hall said. “There were a lot of 50-50 balls. Puka (Nacua) had two or three guys on him on every play it seemed like, so that left a lot of matchups for all of our other guys. Giving them a chance in the air and they took advantage, made the plays. Then there was the offensive line holding up, giving me time. Everything starts with them and goes back to them. Those were the keys to all the success we had out there.”
BYU certainly didn’t have the start to the game it wanted. The Cougars were forced to punt on their first drive, surrendered a big pass to get set up a Utah Tech field goal, fumbled on the next drive and gave us a second field goal.
“You have to give credit to Utah Tech,” Sitake said. “They made some plays in the first half. I think everyone expects you to be up by 50 on an FCS team in the first quarter. But all throughout football you have to keep playing for four quarters. We knew we were going to get their best shot and things looked rocky, especially in the first quarter. But it’s a long game and we knew our guys would settle down.”
No BYU player, coach or fan could’ve been pleased to see the first quarter end with the Cougars trailing 6-0, but Hall got his team on the board on the second play of the second period.
He fired the ball deep to sophomore wide receiver Keanu Hill, who managed to haul it in for a 30-yard score despite being hit by the Trailblazer defender in coverage.
It was the first of three TDs from Hall to Hill in the quarter (as well as one from Hall to freshman wide receiver Chase Roberts).
“It’s a blessing,” Hill said. “Shout out to the offensive line and to the running backs, giving Jaren the time to sit in that pocket and give me a good ball. Shout out to Puka Nacua as well. He’s been drawing double teams away from us, so we just have to win our one-on-ones. We call ourselves playmakers in the receiving room. That’s what we do.”
BYU needed all of them, since the Utah Tech offense made a couple of big plays as well.
Trailblazer freshman quarterback Victor Gabalis found senior wide receiver Deven Osborne behind the BYU defense for an 80-yard touchdown to put his team up 13-7, then hit sophomore wide receiver Joey Hobert for a nine-yard score to make the score 20-14.
But from that point on, the Cougar offense and defense took control of the game.
BYU scored two more TDs before halftime, then added a 10-yard run from Hall in the third quarter to push the lead to double digits.
The Cougar defense got an interception by sophomore cornerback Jakob Robinson and held the Utah Tech offense to just two first downs until late in the fourth quarter when BYU emptied the bench.
“Defensively we wanted to control the run game with three men rushing and that’s what we did in the second half,” Sitake said. “That’s how we got some pressure on the quarterback. We missed some sacks but just felt like we could do that with the three-man rush.”
Although the Trailblazers did get another TD pass from Gabalis to Hobart, BYU capped the game with the Rex TD and a 25-yard jet-sweep scoring run from freshman wide receiver Terence Fall.
The end result was a win that made BYU bowl-eligible at 6-5 and sent the players who played their final game at LaVell Edwards Stadium off with a victory.
“It really does teach you just never taken any of these games for granted,” BYU senior running back Christopher Brooks said. “When you get to that senior walk and you’re walking across that field, everything just flashes before your eyes. I’m just grateful.”
The Cougars had 13 seniors play their final home game, while another 22 juniors who have been in the program for at least four years were honored as well since they may choose to leave.
“First, I feel old,” Sitake said. “Looking back, my senior game was a long time ago. But I’m really happy. It’s hard to say goodbye but I’m happy that we get the bowl game because it delays the inevitable of having to say goodbye to a bunch of guys I care about and have done so much for our program. I’m also happy that they got the win, that their last feeling they have on this field is getting a victory.”
