The Opening Drive

USU likely had these plays scripted, and they highlight how BYU was totally not prepared for USU's gameplan.

This is a questionable formation for the 1st play of the game vs a brand new QB. I understand we didn't want them to go over the top, but a 4-1-6 is overly cautions. A 2nd LB and this play likely goes nowhere.

This play should have been stopped for no gain (maybe a yard), but Pili was hit before the snap. This is pure unlucky. If Robinson were a step earlier or later he doesn't hit Pili.

 Utah State dials up a bizarre run-blocking pattern, with double-pulling OL and the FB on the edge. Very creative. Alfrey over-pursues outside and Pili missed a tackle. This play should've been a 3-4 yard gain. Instead, it was 16. This isn't assignment sound

USU dials up a CurlFlat concept, a predictable call here. But, BYU is caught totally out of position by a bizarre alignment. Fisher Jackson (53) is a DL, lining up in press coverage. This should simply not happen. I simply don't understand this formation.

This is a great blocking scheme, USU deserves tons of credit for getting their QB 1on1 in the open field. A more mobile QB and this could be lethal against any defense. BYU simply executes extremely poorly. Hannemann's tackling attempt is just embarrassing.

The 2nd Half

A few select plays that demonstrate the changes made (or not made)

In what was USU's only real positive play of the 2nd half before late in the 4th, the Aggies go with a PA shot right out of the gate of the 2H. BYU had been stomped by the running game in the 1H, so the defender bites and USU makes a great play. A great DL effort would force the field goal a few plays later.

A tale of two halves. BYU plays assignment sound football, and USU is choked at the LOS. Bywater could have shrugged off his man to try and make the big play, but he stays smart and limits the 1st down run to just a few yards.

Eventually, it's going to come down to who can make the better play. USU blocks this quite well, Fauatea is taken out of the play long enough to spring the RB to the edge, and the OL filters to the 2nd level. Tooley is able to beat his man but misses the tackle. Slade makes a great play and turns a worrying play into a loss. USU played this well, BYU played it better. Forced a 3rd and long in which good coverage forced a check-down for minimal yards. Great defensive stop

Sometimes the other guy is just gonna make a mistake. USU missed a pulling block, and BYU turned a 5-6 yard gain into no gain.

On 3rd and 7, BYU is playing conservatively, and USU keeps pounding the rock. USU blocks this play EXTREMELY well, but Harper makes a great effort to lay a big hit, stopping the play in its tracks

USU's OL was getting past BYU's DL all night, but on 4th down the DL held a solid front long enough for Batty to make a play, forcing the TOD. 

Conclusions: I believe Kalani when he said BYU was simply not ready for USU's gameplan. I haven't watched any USU film to see if they changed their running looks, (I'm inclined to say they don't normally pull the G and T with a TE in the backfield, that's certainly unique) or if BYU simply wasn't prepared.

BYU has the talent to shut teams like USU down - as demonstrated in the entire 2nd half, but a combination of bizarre formations (the first 3rd down above is a prime example), poor individual effort, and lack of assignment-sound football allowed Utah State to sustain drives that should have been cut off after just a few plays. 

The 2nd half adjustments were extremely well executed. Formations matched personnel groupings, players made smart reads, and skilled players made great plays. What I don't understand is, why did these adjustments have to wait until halftime?

I don't mind the idea of drop-8 coverage, but we need to be dropping players good in coverage. Playing a DE in press coverage on a TE, when three DBs cover half the field with only 1 WR is just... mind-boggling. just... Why?

I trust the coaches know the issues BYU faced in this game, and how to address them, but I can't understand why we started so poorly against an overmatched opponent.