BYU football: Cougars look for answers in Colorado

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Through eight games, and with just four regular-season games remaining, questions still abound about the 17th-ranked BYU football team.

A couple of those questions just might be answered today when the Cougars visit Colorado State.

• Is the offense back on track?

BYU, which faces a Ram squad ranked No. 89 in the nation in total defense, boasts a bevy of offensive weapons — including quarterback Max Hall, running back Harvey Unga, wide receiver Austin Collie and tight end Dennis Pitta — as it showed in last week's 42-35 victory over UNLV.

In that game, the Cougar offense displayed balance, rushing for 209 yards and passing for 245 as nine different receivers caught passes.

"That's how it was to start the season. The ball was going everywhere," said tight end Andrew George. "We were keeping the defense guessing a little bit. For some reason, we got away from it. We got back to it and it was nice to get back in that rhythm again and see different guys catching the ball almost every play. It makes it almost impossible for defenses to key on one or two people."

• Can the Cougars' defense rebound?

After surrendering 62 points over the first six games, BYU's defense has yielded 67 points — and 873 total yards — in its last two outings.

"We know we can do better. We had two consecutive shutouts this year," said defensive lineman Brett Denney. "I think we've been playing against really good teams lately and they've been putting points on the board. We're not comfortable with what's been happening. There's definitely more motivation this week."

Prior to the TCU game, coach Bronco Mendenhall was asked how he would evaluate his own defense if he were an opposing offensive coordinator.

"I would think that they are average and wonder how they're keeping the points off the board," he replied. "And they play hard."

Even after his defense's recent performances, Mendenhall isn't panicking. "I think our secondary is actually gaining momentum, and I think they are improving," he said this week. "I think they're playing better."

Both TCU and UNLV utilize spread offenses with five-receiver sets and were able to move the ball with relative ease against the Cougars. The Rams feature a more conventional offensive approach, a type of offense that the BYU defense has performed well against this season.

• Can the Cougars win, and win convincingly, on the road?