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I think Blue Zone is an appropriate title, because BYU has been cold. They've converted at a high rate, 96%, good for 12th in the country. However, they're not getting there enough, and they're not getting enough points when they go.
Currently BYU averages 4.7 points per red zone trip, which would be good for 63rd in the country tied with UNLV. By comparison Michigan is tops at 6.42 points per trip, USC #2 at 6.2 points per, TCU is 7th at 5.8 points per, and Utah is 9th at 5.7 points per. BYU is at least coming away with points, though not enough. Oregon is actually just right ahead of BYU with only 4.8 points per trip. However...
You can get away with not getting the points IF you're getting inside the 20 enough. BYU currently ranks 96th in Red Zone attempts per game at a pathetic 2.8 trips. To contrast, teams like Tulsa (1st at 6.4), Ohio State (2nd at 6.2), Stanford (3rd at 6), TCU (7th at 5.4) and even Oregon (14th at 5.2) are getting there more frequently. It's part of why Oregon can not convert at as high of a rate, but still be doubling the offensive output as BYU, getting roughly 25 red zone points a game compared to BYU's 13 points a game.
If you look at what I like to call "Red Zone Output" (Avg. Points per possession x avg. possessions/game, or, total red zone points/total games) BYU ranks tied for 92 at 13.4 per game. Ohio State is 1st at 34.2. Stanford 2nd at 32.8. TCU 3rd at 31.8. Utah is 27th at 24.25 per game. Even if BYU converted TDs 100% of the time they got to the red zone, they would only have the output of 19.6 per game, which would put them about 54th in the country. A few factors need to get them there, but mostly in my mind the defense being able to get stops (or turnovers) and giving the offense decent field position. The fact that we are 120th in run defense speaks volumes to this issue in my mind.
In addition, teams like Oregon, Michigan, Ohio State, etc. aren't relying on only their Red Zone scoring to get them points. Outside of JJ's TD against Washington, every TD has come from within the 20. You cannot have that high of a percentage of your scoring coming from within the 20 when your scoring is so low. This speaks to another need, and that is a need for playmakers, which BYU just doesn't appear to have right now.
Currently BYU averages 4.7 points per red zone trip, which would be good for 63rd in the country tied with UNLV. By comparison Michigan is tops at 6.42 points per trip, USC #2 at 6.2 points per, TCU is 7th at 5.8 points per, and Utah is 9th at 5.7 points per. BYU is at least coming away with points, though not enough. Oregon is actually just right ahead of BYU with only 4.8 points per trip. However...
You can get away with not getting the points IF you're getting inside the 20 enough. BYU currently ranks 96th in Red Zone attempts per game at a pathetic 2.8 trips. To contrast, teams like Tulsa (1st at 6.4), Ohio State (2nd at 6.2), Stanford (3rd at 6), TCU (7th at 5.4) and even Oregon (14th at 5.2) are getting there more frequently. It's part of why Oregon can not convert at as high of a rate, but still be doubling the offensive output as BYU, getting roughly 25 red zone points a game compared to BYU's 13 points a game.
If you look at what I like to call "Red Zone Output" (Avg. Points per possession x avg. possessions/game, or, total red zone points/total games) BYU ranks tied for 92 at 13.4 per game. Ohio State is 1st at 34.2. Stanford 2nd at 32.8. TCU 3rd at 31.8. Utah is 27th at 24.25 per game. Even if BYU converted TDs 100% of the time they got to the red zone, they would only have the output of 19.6 per game, which would put them about 54th in the country. A few factors need to get them there, but mostly in my mind the defense being able to get stops (or turnovers) and giving the offense decent field position. The fact that we are 120th in run defense speaks volumes to this issue in my mind.
In addition, teams like Oregon, Michigan, Ohio State, etc. aren't relying on only their Red Zone scoring to get them points. Outside of JJ's TD against Washington, every TD has come from within the 20. You cannot have that high of a percentage of your scoring coming from within the 20 when your scoring is so low. This speaks to another need, and that is a need for playmakers, which BYU just doesn't appear to have right now.
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