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BYU football defense pleased to have past latest toughness test

By Jared Lloyd - | Sep 13, 2022

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

BYU linebacker Max Tooley makes a tackle during the 2OT win over Baylor at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022.

When BYU defensive coordinator ‘Ilaisa Tuiaki was asked Tuesday after practice about what it was like to see his athlete pass the toughness test against Baylor, he grinned and shook his head.

“It’s a test of toughness every single week,” he said. “The boys played hard and wanted it, so I thought that was a good thing.”

Cougar defensive back Kaleb Hayes said the entire BYU defense should be pleased with what it was able to accomplish in the 26-20 2OT victory over the Bears.

“I’m very proud of our defense,” Hayes said. “Everybody did fantastic. We knew it was going to be a tough, physical game. We feel it to this day. It was great seeing it and getting that respect.”

Cougar sophomore linebacker Ben Bywater said during Monday’s teleconference that it was rewarding to see his unit step up to the physical challenge presented by the Bears.

“I was proud of our guys and the way we handled battling up front, playing big-boy football, smash-mouth football,” Bywater said. “We had a lot to prove especially after what happened last year, so I was proud of the way the guys handled their business. It’s just a testament to what we did in the offseason, getting big and just having that pride.”

That emphasis certainly made a difference, although Bywater said that the rest of the credit for holding Baylor to half as many yards on the ground than in 2021 and forcing sacks was the scheme.

“Our coaches did a great job putting us in good positions to make plays,” he said. “But at the end of the day, it’s just you winning those one-on-one matchups. Did you put in work to win your one-on-ones? Are you being relentless?”

It’s no secret that some BYU supporters have doubted Tuiaki and his defensive schemes over the years, but you don’t get that from the Cougar players.

“I think a lot of times when we lose a game, too much of the blame goes on Coach Tuiaki,” BYU senior safety Malik Moore said. “The reality is it’s not all his fault. Sometimes players mess up assignments or do things that make it so plays don’t work. He’s always been a good coach so anyone who has been hating on him is pretty dumb. I think this last game showed that he is a capable coach and we are a capable team.”

Moore was quick to point out, however, that the Cougar defenders want to be a lot better against Oregon on Saturday.

“We can improve on a lot,” Moore said. “We can improve on tackling. We can improve on rallying to the ball. We can most definitely improve on our eye control and keeping them where they are supposed to be. We need to be aware. There were those sneaky plays near the end of the game that allowed Baylor to score. I think a big area of improvement for us is focusing on our assignment and our alignment.”

Tuiaki said the main emphasis for his defense is on being ready for the next challenge.

“You’ve got to continue to win games,” Tuiaki said. “That’s what it is all about, so there is a lot to work on. We’ve watched the film and it’s really about refining the process, getting batter at what we do. It’s never really changed from the beginning for us. You’re not going to completely change what you do. You just fix what you need to fix and move on to the next game.”

Hayes agreed, saying it was nice to savor the big win but now it is time to move on.

“It was nice celebrating on Saturday and Sunday but when Monday comes its time to get ready for the week,” Hayes said. “We’re going to come in expecting another big challenge.”

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