BYU football: Will Cougars get their offense revved up against UCLA?

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Well, that didn't take long.

What's wrong with BYU's offense?

Critics are already taking pokes at new offensive coordinator Ty Detmer and fifth-year senior quarterback Taysom Hill, and the season is just two games old.

Detmer, Hill and receiver Mitchell Juergens gave their explanations on Wednesday, and you can read them in this piece in Thursday's Salt Lake Tribune.

My take?

The Cougars have faced two good defenses, especially last Saturday against Utah. They should be able to move the ball more effectively against UCLA, but the Bruins have a better offense than Utah or Arizona. It should be a shootout at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Utes hold San Jose State to fewer than 10 points on Saturday night, perhaps pitch another shutout.

Remember last year against another Power 5 conference foe, Missouri? BYU put up just 290 total yards in the 20-16 loss, including just 46 on the ground, partly because the defense couldn't get Mizzou off the field on third down.

That will be critical against Josh Rosen and UCLA on Saturday at LES.

"We have capable players, and we have guys that are making plays, but I think why not blow it up this weekend and see what happens?" said BYU coach Kalani Sitake. "I think we are right there on the bubble of it. We will just have to keep anticipating that our guys will make plays, and big things will happen this weekend. We have great players, great talent and a great coaching staff. I anticipate a good game."

Receiver Nick Kurtz is also hopeful.

"Well, the defense is doing a really good job, which is good to see, but we kinda need to step it up a little bit, you know, just fix those little things up, patch a few things up here or there, and next thing you know you are scoring a lot of points," Kurtz said. "It will happen — next week or the week after, whenever it is, we are going to keep going hard."

The Cougars are inexperienced at receiver — aside from Kurtz and Mitchell Juergens — so I expect Detmer to try to get the ball into the hands of running backs Jamaal Williams and Algernon Brown more this week. The duo has combined for three receptions — one for Brown and two for Williams.

"I don't know the exact number, but I think we are farther ahead [throwing the ball to the backs] than where they were the year before," said running backs coach Reno Mahe. "I mean, we've had a lot. When we first came here, they were like, 'no, they never throw to us.' But they've already caught a couple passes out of the backfield already. So I think we are doing that."

Cougar quarterbacks were under center almost every play in spring camp that was viewed by the media, but Taysom Hill has surprisingly been in shotgun formation almost every play in the regular season.

A surprise?

"No, this is kinda what I anticipated," Hill said Wednesday. "I think when they initially installed most of our stuff in the spring, we were under center. But as we've gotten into it, we've added some zone read stuff and a few other things off of that. So, this is about what I expected."

Mahe said Wednesday that Jamaal Williams will be ready to go Saturday, after missing some time against the Utes with an undisclosed ailment. Williams had 29 carries for 162 yards against Arizona, but just 12 carries for 58 yards against Utah.

"I think Arizona, the strength of their defense was speed rushing the outside, but they were a little bit smaller, so we were able to run the ball against those guys. Jamaal got more carries," Hill said. "We didn't see that as much against Utah. It was harder to run the ball against those guys. They got into a five down [defensive front]. A lot depends on the scheme and if we are getting a push up front. Our run game is reliant on that, and so it will change. It is whatever is working. Against Utah, our zone read stuff and getting out on the edge was working better, so we stuck to more of that."

Hill said he will look for more opportunities to throw deep against the Bruins; Detmer said the Utah game dictated more short, ball-control type of passes.

"Yeah, we have had some [downfield passes] called, and then they've come out in a cover two and have kinda taken the deep stuff away on certain plays like that," Detmer said. "So we have had our shots called at times. There is always that fine line; when do you take those shots and find yourself, if it is incomplete, in second and 10? Or third and long? So, as a play caller that is the quandary you live in all the time, is if you are managing the game all the time, and you are in a tight game, you want to stay within range of a third down conversion. When do you take those shots? Those are things that are kinda going through and processing all the time. But we always want to be aggressive and a lot of times those options are available if the quarterback feels like that's the throw he wants to make."

Obviously, Detmer would like to see the same kind of execution that BYU displayed in its final drives against Arizona and Utah take place throughout the game. But its not that easy, he said.

"When we were in a hurry up mode last week we were pretty efficient. Taysom ran for a long one. That's obviously something you talk about as a coaching staff, but at the same time we will still pick our spots.

And the defensive mentality is a little different too, where they are playing a little more prevent as well in a couple of those situations.

It is that give and take. They are playing it a little different. we are playing it a little different. But obviously you go back and look at when you are successful and what made you successful and then try to incorporate more of those things in there.

"As an OC, you want to score 40 a game, but it doesn't happen that way all the time, when you get into the flow of the game, and how the game is playing out, there are times when you got to be a little more careful and take care of it knowing you are playing a field position game, too. We felt like our defense would play well against Utah. Our plan was to not go in and turn it over," Detmer continued. "Obviously a couple tipped balls, bad breaks on those two. The first play of the game set you on your heels a little bit. That was just kind of a fluke play that went their way."