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David Nixon has been impressed with the BYU defense this season, but now that crunch time is here and with the offense struggling, the former Cougars linebacker wants to see his favorite side of the ball do a little bit more — even score points themselves.
“From a defensive guy’s standpoint, my mentality is we have to go produce our own points. We have to get a fumble recovery or a pick-six. We have to do something,” Nixon told the “Y’s Guys” podcast this week. “We have seen special teams come to play this year. You have to go produce points when your offense isn’t, but ultimately, this offense has got to find a way to sustain an energy level throughout the entire 60 minutes.”
During the September and October months, BYU was scoring points in all three phases of the game, including passes, runs, fumble returns, interceptions, kickoff and punt returns. The creative point creation is how they marched into November without a loss.
The offense, however, hit a wall against Utah and hasn’t been the same since. Prior to kickoff in Salt Lake City on Nov. 9, the Cougars averaged 35.1 points a game — second most in the Big 12. But over the last three games, including Utah, BYU’s point production has dropped to 19.3 – enough to beat the Utes, but not enough to beat Kansas or Arizona State or to maintain control of its postseason destiny.
During last week’s 28-23 loss to the Sun Devils, the Cougars managed just a field goal in the first half while Arizona State built an insurmountable 21-3 lead. The early woes followed a 17-13 home loss to Kansas, where BYU managed a lone field goal in the second half.
The defense isn’t doing its part either — at least early on. In the last three games, BYU has surrendered 52 points in the first half to just 14 in the second. The Cougars pulled off a miraculous comeback at Utah, but they fell short against the Jayhawks and Sun Devils.
Nixon senses a familiar trend that the Cougars need to buck, and fast.
“You look at last year, BYU finished on a five-game losing streak. Right now, they are on a two-game skid at the end of this season,” Nixon said. “It’s something in the postseason that Kalani (Sitake) as the team will have to think about — why is it when we get toward the end of the season, we start losing a little steam?”
Steam will be a hot commodity on a cold Saturday night when BYU (9-2, 6-2) hosts Houston (4-7, 3-5) in the home finale (8:15 p.m. MST, ESPN). The visiting Cougars pose a stingy defense (22.3), but they have their own scoring woes. Houston’s 13.6 average ranks at the bottom of the Big 12. On Tuesday, they fired their offensive coordinator.
To reach the conference championship, BYU needs a restoration of focus and urgency and a win against Houston. They also need Arizona State to lose at Arizona or Iowa State to fall against Kansas State.
“We need to start fast and not let (Houston) linger around,” said Nixon, a BYUtv football analyst. “Also, we need to win the turnover battle and, I love these running backs but let Jake (Retzlaff) sling the rock. You have very capable receivers. Air it out.”
Even if BYU beats Houston, but doesn’t get to the Big 12 title game, the Cougars will walk off the field Saturday with a 10-2 record — arguably the best 10-win season in school history when you factor in the strength of schedule.
“I’m elated that they will have gotten to 10 wins. That would be unbelievable,” Nixon said. “The disappointment comes from the two losses that were both winnable games. That’s the part that will sting.”
Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.