SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah built a football identity around tough defense under Kyle Whittingham. BYU made its mark with high-flying passing offenses under LaVell Edwards.
Both teams are bucking their traditional football identities going into the latest edition of their Holy War rivalry on Saturday. This season, the Utes are overwhelming opponents with offense while the Cougars are relying on stingy defense for wins.
A prolific offense has helped No.
3 Utah (8-0, 5-0 Big 12, No. 3 CFP) enter the week as one of three remaining unbeaten FBS teams.
Under first-year offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven, the Utes lead the Big 12 with 145 plays covering 10 or more yards from scrimmage. Utah ranks second in the league in scoring offense (38.9 points per game), total offense (485.4 yards per game), first downs (209), and third down conversions (54.1%).
Five players have at least 100 rushing yards for the Utes this season and seven players have at least 100 receiving yards.
“It makes it really hard for defenses to gameplan (against) us because you never really know who’s going to step up and have a really good game,” Utah tight end Hunter Andrews said. “Coach McGiven will get the ball to the right people whenever we need it.”
It all starts with quarterback Devon Dampier. His ability to make big plays with his arm and his legs continually keeps defenses off balance.
Dampier has racked up 2,269 total yards on offense while accounting for 23 touchdowns.
“Confidence is everything in our offense,” Dampier said. “I feel like when I’m able to bring that, the other guys on the team are able to feel that confidence and also apply that to themselves.”
Dampier is far from a one-man wrecking crew on that side of the ball.
Wayshawn Parker is on pace to be Utah’s latest 1,000-yard rusher. Parker has racked up 726 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground through eight games while averaging 6.66 yards per carry. He’s also a reliable pass-catching threat with 264 yards and four TDs through the air.
“He is an NFL running back. I really like his game,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “I don’t know if enough people talk about him as a receiver. He has really good ball skills in the pass game. He’s really tough, hard to bring down. We’re gonna have to be really good with our technique and our tackling to get him down.”
If there’s a team properly equipped to slow down the Utes, No. 7 BYU (7-1, 4-1, No. 9 CFP) fits the bill with how it has played defensively against Big 12 opponents.
The Cougars are allowing 19.2 points and 305.6 yards per game in league games. They’ve held four of five Big 12 opponents to 20 or fewer points. UCF and Notre Dame are the only teams to gain more than 350 yards on BYU this season.
“They run to the ball, they’re active, they play with really good technique up front. Secondary is very solid,” Utah coach Morgan Scalley said.
BYU’s defensive prowess has allowed the Cougars to weather an injury to running back LJ Martin in early October that greatly reduced their offensive production.
Bear Bachmeier has taken on a heavier load on offense in Martin’s absence. He’s paced a running attack that’s averaged 123.0 yards on the ground over BYU’s last five games. Bachmeier also has four consecutive games throwing for at least 200 yards.
“When I first started watching Bear, I’m like, ‘This guy cannot throw. He is a running back playing quarterback.’ I was wrong. Dead wrong,” Scalley said. “He has zip on his ball. He makes great decisions and add to that the fact when he runs it’s like ‘okay, bring your lunch’ every time. He is thick. He’s tough to bring down.”
Sitake hopes to get better production from the running game this week to divert pressure from Bachmeier and the Cougar defense.
“The running game can’t just be all on the running back or even the o-line. It takes all 11 guys on the field doing their part,” Sitake said. “It might be tough sledding (but) you have to find ways to make things work.”
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