BYU Offensive Players to Watch vs. Baylor in Week 2
The Baylor Bears enter their Week 2 road trip against the BYU Cougars fresh off a dominant Week 1 victory over the Albany Great Danes. While the Bears' defense had little issue with Albany, handling BYU will be a whole different animal.
Last season, the BYU offense was one of the most potent offenses in college football, averaging 29.1 points per game, which was good for 29th in the FBS. The Cougars would also put up a staggering 452.2 yards of total offense per game, boasting an offense that could put up points in bunches with ease.
In their season opener against the South Florida Bulls, it was more of the same for the Cougars on offense. They recorded 575 yards of total offense in the 50-21 blowout victory, including 314 rushing yards.
Be sure to stick with InsidetheBears.com through our season preview series, where we will analyze every opponent on Baylor's schedule in 2022.
Now, on to the Cougars' offensive players the Bears should be studying:
Quarterback Jaren Hall
First and foremost, BYU quarterback Jaren Hall is the engine that makes the BYU offense go. When Hall is on, he is arguably one of the best quarterbacks in college football and a special talent to watch on the field. Unless he's picking apart your favorite team's defense, that is.
Against the Bulls in Week 1 didn't put up gaudy numbers, but he was efficient and sliced through the defense. He completed 25 of 32 passes for 261 yards and two touchdowns with only one interception. He also rushed five times for 17 yards.
Running Back Chris Brooks
Brooks is one of the few new faces on the offensive side of the ball, as the transfer from Cal will look to fill the shoes of Tyler Allgeier. Over four seasons at Cal, Brooks racked up 1,734 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 4.5 yards per carry.
His first game as a Cougar was as good as advertised, as he ran all over the Bulls' defense. He received 13 carries which he took for 135 yards and a touchdown, averaging a staggering 10.4 yards per carry. If he can have that success against the Bears' defense, then Baylor could be in for a slugfest this Saturday.
Wide Receiver Puka Nacua
Hall found comfort in throwing to Nacua in 2021, as the wide receiver would lead the Cougars in receiving yards with 805 yards on 43 receptions, averaging a staggering 18.7 yards per reception. Nacua would also haul in six touchdowns on the season while adding 148 yards rushing on the ground.
Nacua was a catalyst for the Cougars' offense early in their opener against the Bulls, taking a jet sweep 75 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the game. He finished the game with 98 total yards of offense and two touchdowns but exited before halftime with an ankle injury. If he suits up against the Bears, he won't make their lives easy come Saturday.
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
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Connor Zimmerlee is a writer and reporter for the FanNation network. Zimmerlee received his Bachelor's of Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and graduated from Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism with a Master's of Science in Journalism with a Specialization in Sports Media.