This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Lincoln, Neb. • Amid all the euphoria BYU felt at an improbable 33-28 comeback victory over Nebraska here — with a 42-yard bomb thrown by freshman quarterback Tanner Mangum and caught by receiver Mitch Mathews on the final play of the game — there were concerns. Concerns beyond the ended season of starting QB Taysom Hill due to a fractured foot.
The Cougars' defense fractured, at times, too, frequently showing major vulnerability.
It played OK, but it yielded 445 total yards to the Cornhuskers, 319 of those coming through the air. Often, that secondary was beaten badly, exhibiting an inability to stay with receivers that were quicker than anything BYU could scratch together to stop them. Nebraska quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. hit on 24 passes, with three touchdowns and one interception. There were moments when he threw unencumbered by the Cougar pass rush, although he was sacked a few times.
Moreover, BYU missed tackles, a less-than-complicated problem defensive end Bronson Kaufusi said needed addressing and improving.
"It comes down to fundamentals," he said. "We have to have our second or third guy there, not assuming the first guy will make the play."
On the other hand, the defense did mount some fine stops, including a great stand before BYU's final game-winning drive, when it halted Nebraska on third-and-3, deep in Cougar territory, before a missed field-goal attempt. From there, the BYU offense worked its wonders.
Despite its limitations, head coach Bronco Mendenhall, who also heads the defense, said in the postgame interview that he didn't want to fret too much about the defensive shortcomings on this particular occasion. He'll save that for later.
"They made some critical stops when they needed to," he said.
They'll need to make more in the weeks ahead.
Twitter: @gordonmonson