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BYU's Chase Roberts (2) reacts to a catch by teammate Darius Lassiter in a Big 12 football game at UCF on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Here’s what’s going on inside Darnell’s head as BYU football heads into another bye week undefeated.

We thought the Cougars would be better in 2024, but none of us likely expected an 8-0 start. Too many variables and too much ground to make up after five straight losses in 2023. BYU coach Kalani Sitake has talked about how the team is just doing what they thought they could do, but even the most optimistic Cougar probably didn’t envision this.

The Las Vegas oddsmakers had BYU as a 2.5-point dog going on the road against a UCF team that had lost four straight games. Of course, the betting line isn’t really a prediction of who will win, it’s more about trying to part fans from their money. Still, the Cougars had to take being an underdog as disrespect.

“What is it: Day games, traveling across the country?” BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff said after Saturday’s 37-24 win against the Golden Knights. “I don’t know what excuse the book is going to come up with next. We definitely took two-and-a-half personally. I’d say our locker room took a look at that and got a little extra fired up, for sure.”

Underestimating BYU is probably over. At 8-0 and 5-0 in Big 12 play, the Cougars will likely be favored in its remaining four games. The more wins pile up, the more that will be expected. Saturday’s victory was dominant (as was BYU fans’ takeover of FBC Mortgage Stadium) but there were enough missteps that no one in the locker room should be chirping about how great they are.

Some Cougar fans will always grumble about the blemishes and imperfections, even in a victory. Others will recognize that BYU has played eight games and won every one of them and will be grateful.

You might have heard, but BYU and Utah will be meeting in two weeks, the first Cougars-Utes battle since 2021. Never mind that the Utes just lost at Houston on a last-second field goal, Utah’s fourth straight loss.

Both fan bases will unbearable over the next 14 days.

I’m just warning you.

Now it’s time for Perfectly Rational Overreactions (PROs)

PRO No. 1: BYU lacks the killer instinct to put teams away.

Some of this observation stems from Sitake’s desire not to embarrass BYU’s opponents. Some of it is related to late-game substitutions. Some of it can be attributed to play calling when the Cougars hold a substantial lead and are just trying to run out the clock.

Saturday was a pretty good example of what drives BYU fans crazy. Up 34-10, the Cougars couldn’t convert a third-and-4 early in the fourth quarter. BYU made some pretty significant substitutions on defense (two true freshmen cornerbacks, for instance) and fourth-string UCF quarterback Dylan Rizk led his team to a touchdown in four plays.

Later, with almost the entire starting defense back in, the Cougars allowed another late touchdown drive where a busted coverage gave Rizk an easy throw for a score.

BYU had a big enough lead where it didn’t really matter. But you certainly would like to see a better ability to reel off four or five first downs, run the clock and get out of Dodge with a more dominating score.

And for the love of Mike, can the defense stop giving up third-and-longs on tunnel screens?

PRO No. 2: The BYU running game is elite.

With LJ Martin and Hinckley Ropati both healthy, you could make that argument. Both running backs were really good on Saturday. Martin had his second straight 100-yard rushing game (15 carries, 101 yards, one TD) and Ropati had 13 carries for 83 yards. The Cougars ran for 255 yards (5.3 yards per carry). With a potent running game, Retzlaff can exploit the defense with the play-action pass game. Really, offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick can go deep into his bag and run just about anything with success.

PRO No. 3: This is Sitake’s best team.

Again, you can certainly make that argument. Sitake’s first team in 2016 (with Taysom Hill and Jamaal Williams) was really talented and went 9-4. The Cougars lost those four games by a total of nine points. The 2020 team went 11-1 against a weak schedule due to COVID and the 2021 gang, led by Jaren Hall, was 10-3. But none of those teams played a power conference schedule. The 2024 version of BYU is deeper and more talented than maybe any team in program history.

Finally, PRO No. 4: BYU is the class of the Big 12 right now.

In a league defined by parity, the Cougars are the only team to win eight games, five in league play. Yes, Iowa State is 7-0 (5-0 in the Big 12) but barely escaped against this same UCF team. Despite its loss to the Cougars, Kansas State is getting some pub as a title contender. It’s been so long since BYU was a front runner, I wonder how the Cougars will handle the pressure? It’s different to be the hunted instead of the hunter and every win puts on a little more pressure to keep winning. The Cougars still have a clear path to the Big 12 championship game.

Heady stuff, indeed.

Who Carried the Boats and the Logs?

A lot of candidates, as always. I really liked Retzlaff’s game: 16 of 24 for 228 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions along with a rushing score. He did have a turnover on a fumble in the second half. He loves the two-minute drill and came through with a dime to Chase Roberts for a TD at the end of the first half. This is really becoming Jake’s team. Who would have thought a junior college quarterback of the Jewish faith would be the face of the BYU program?

Trick play

How much fun do you think Sam Vander Haar and Will Ferrin had practicing that fake field goal for the past few weeks?

Boo-tiful

My wife and I are activities co-chairs for our ward. We put on a chili dinner/Trunk or Treat on Friday night to great success. Despite a sore back from setting up and breaking down tables and chairs, I feel fine. Unfortunately, our Christmas activity is only just over a month away. Any suggestions?

Don’t be stupid

College football players sometime do dumb things, like dropping the ball before crossing the goal line in order to look cool. It seems pretty simple to avoid — just hold onto the ball until you are IN the end zone.

Another dumb play that’s pretty easy to avoid is taunting.

Late in the first half, UCF quarterback Jacurri Brown lowered his shoulder at the sideline and knocked over BYU’s Crew Wakley. He stood over Wakley and stared at him, a clear violation of the taunting rule. The 15-yard penalty took the Golden Knights from third-and-five from the BYU 10-yard line to third-and-20 at the Cougar 25. UCF ended up with a field goal on that drive and allowed a BYU touchdown on the ensuing possession.

I understand how players can get frustrated with the targeting penalty, which happens so “bang-bang” that sometimes it’s impossible to avoid.

But the taunting penalty? It’s really simple. Don’t do it. College football officials are a lot more lenient these days and are letting players celebrate with their teammates after big plays. You’ll see dancing and gyrations just like you see on Sunday in the NFL.

But taunting is unacceptable. It’s disrespectful to the game. Stop it.

Rising star

BYU sophomore Brielle Kemavor is making a serious case for All-Big 12 honors.

The 6-foot-5 middle blocker posted a double-double (14 kills, 12 blocks) in the Cougars’ 3-1 victory at Colorado on Friday. It’s the first time a BYU middle blocker has done that since 2013.

Kemavor was pretty raw when she joined the Cougar program last season, big and strong but still learning to play the college game. She played in 12 matches in 2023 and totaled 18 total blocks as mainly a defensive substitution.

BYU coach Heather Olmstead said Kemavor really put in the work in the offseason and it shows. She’s logged 112 total blocks (1.47 per set) and has become an offensive force as well, totaling 150 kills (1.97 per set) while hitting .375. To see her blast the ball on a quick set in the middle is something BYU fans don’t want to miss.

Make no mistake, sophomore Claire Little is the leading hitter on this team and the Cougars will go as far as she can take them. But Kemavor deserves some attention as well.

Did you hear the one …

I was going to tell you a time travel joke but you didn’t think it was funny.

That’s all for now, but for this: By this time next week, I will have watched Kevin Young’s BYU men’s basketball team play against someone in a different uniform.

Sure, it will be against a Division II team (Colorado Christian), but I’m still pretty excited to cover the Cougars this year. Maybe more excited than any other year because of all the changes in the program.

According to reports, BYU won its “secret” scrimmage with Boise State on Saturday 91-86. It might be significant because the Broncos reportedly beat Washington 92-69 in another “secret” scrimmage last week.

I actually saw that someone posted video from Utah’s secret scrimmage. What’s secret about that?

Anyway, enjoy the off week. Have a great Halloween and for goodness sakes, pace yourself with the BYU-Utah hype.