There was nothing like a home game, and a defensively poor opponent, to help BYU get back to some positive results with an offense that had been a severe deterrent to the Cougars’ hopes of winning games.
They did more than enough to throttle Hawaii, 47-0, the only offensive detriments being a couple of missed extra points.
BYU outgained Hawaii (1-3) 540 to 149 total yards, while improving the Cougars to 3-2 following narrow losses in consecutive weeks to Utah (missed a field goal that would have forced overtime) and Boise State (failed on a two-point conversion with about four minutes left, losing 7-6.)
For what it’s worth, the 149 yards gained by UH marked the 11th consecutive game the Cougars have held their opponent to under 300 total yards, and the total of Hawaii — led by longtime BYU assistant Norm Chow — is the lowest during that streak.
BYU’s 396 rushing yards are the most under eighth-year head coach Bronco Mendenhall and the most since racking up 410 yards on the ground in a 56-34 win over Colorado State in 2001. It was led by a couple of freshmen, quarterback Taysom Hill and Jamaal Williams, who each got significantly longer chances to showcase themselves because of injuries to teammates.
But now the real fun begins: A schedule that appeared to be hitting its crescendo in October now looks even tougher. The Cougars will bring in surprisingly good Utah State, which won the meeting two years ago and also should have won last year, before facing nationally ranked Oregon State and then encountering trips to better-than-expected Notre Dame and Georgia Tech.
Mendenhall has a defense that he’ll rely on in October. The offense showed some hope against UH, but it still isn’t nearly the consistent force as the other side of the ball.
“Our defense can still get better,” Mendenhall said. “I tell them that all the time. We have high expectations for them. We do have great players, our front three, our inside and outside linebackers and our safeties. They all have great abilities.”
For one game, it was good to see some out of the offense, too.