Last week against Portland State, BYU looked like a team determined to prove a point. They didn’t just run the ball, they dominated on the ground to the tune of 468 rushing yards. That kind of performance makes you sit up a little straighter and realize that this offensive line might be ready to carry the load this season.
Now the challenge gets real. Stanford rolls into town with their own big bodies up front, and this matchup is going to be all about who wins in the trenches. If BYU can establish the run again, Bear Bachmeir will settle into the game, and the Cougars will be in the driver’s seat.
Why the Run Game Matters
Running the ball isn’t just about picking up yards. It sets the tone, keeps the defense honest, and opens up the field for your quarterback. For a young QB like Bachmeir, having a strong ground game behind him is like having training wheels. It allows him to take shots when he wants to rather than when he has to.
Against Portland State, BYU’s offensive line pushed defenders off the ball and gave running backs wide lanes to hit. That confidence carries over, but Stanford’s front will test just how far this line has come.
BYU’s Offensive Line Starters
Meet the Big Men
- LT Isaiah Jatta – 6′6″, 315 lbs
- LG Weylin Lapuaho (out vs Portland State, availability pending) – 6′4″, 310 lbs
- C Bruce Mitchell – 6′4″, 305 lbs
- RG Austin Leausa – 6′5″, 315 lbs
- RT Andrew Gentry – 6′8″, 315 lbs
This is a big, seasoned group with plenty of experience. They showed against Portland State that they can create holes, but the true test will come against a deeper, more physical Stanford defensive line.
Stanford’s Defensive Line Two-Deep
- LDE Anthony Franklin – 6′3″, 285 lbs
- LDE Omar Staples – 6′3″, 270 lbs
- NT Zach Rowell – 6′3″, 285 lbs
- NT Braden Marceau-Olayinka – 6′3″, 300 lbs
- RDE Clay Patterson – 6′3″, 280 lbs
- RDE Zach Buckey – 6′3″, 270 lbs
Stanford brings size across the board and will rotate bodies to stay fresh. They are built to clog lanes and force opponents to get creative.
What BYU wants to do
Start the game with downhill body blows, mix in a stretch look to test the edges, and use a counter when Stanford starts chasing. If first down stays on schedule, everything else opens up.
BYU’s run toolbox in plain English
| Concept | What it looks like | Easy fan cue | Why it matters vs Stanford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight-ahead doubles | Two linemen team up and drive a defender backward | You see the line surge right at the snap and the back hit downhill | Stanford’s ends and tackles are strong but not massive. Vertical push turns second and eight into second and three |
| Stretch and cut | Line steps laterally, back presses outside then plants and gets vertical | The back rides the tackle’s hip, one cut, upfield | If Stanford overpursues, the cutback is there. If they sit, the ball bounces outside behind the tight end |
| Counter with pullers | Backside guard and tackle pull and lead the run | A lineman wraps around and meets a linebacker square in the hole | Misdirection slows movement fronts. Make the defense hesitate and angles get easier |
The matchups that decide it
The first battleground sits on the edges. If BYU’s tackles can widen Stanford’s rotating defensive ends and keep them from folding the corner, the stretch game starts to breathe. That edge width also unlocks simple play action and makes screens safer because the rush has to take a longer path to the quarterback. Inside, the center and guards go to work on the nose and the 3-tech. When those double teams move the nose a yard and keep bodies out of the backfield, the downhill runs stay on schedule. That is when Duo and inside zone turn second and eight into second and three, and the whole tempo of the game tilts toward BYU.
The last piece is on the perimeter, where tight ends have to handle overhangs and safeties. If they seal the edge and clean up support, the back’s cutbacks are there and eight-yard gains start to pop into explosives. When those three things happen together, the run game controls first down and everything else in the offense gets easier.
Player to watch in the trenches: Andrew Gentry. He sets the tone on the right side. When he wins the first two steps and keeps the edge wide, BYU’s stretch looks feel comfortable, the counter game has room for pullers to wrap, and play action becomes a layup for Bear. If you see Stanford’s end getting driven past the landmark or stuck outside Gentry’s hip, that is your cue the Cougars are winning the plan.
How Stanford will try to fight it, and the simple answers
If Stanford crowds the line with a safety, they are adding one more body to the run fit and trying to force long yardage. The simple answer is quick play action. Hit an in-breaker or a hitch into the space that defender just vacated, then go right back to the run once the box lightens.
If Stanford leans on slants and stunts up front to create confusion and tackles for loss, BYU can settle it with split-flow runs. That is where the tight end slices across the formation to cut the crashing end and clean up the edge. Mix in the occasional counter and you punish that fast flow with a crease going the other way.
If Stanford brings pressure off the edge to speed up the quarterback and pin the run, take what the defense gives you. Run away from the blitz with counter, or throw quickly into the area the blitzer left. Either choice makes pressure feel expensive for Stanford and keeps BYU on schedule.
What to Watch
- First Quarter Runs: Does BYU lean on the ground game early to set the tone?
- Inside Push: Watch how Mitchell and the guards handle Stanford’s nose tackles.
- Tackle Matchups: Gentry and Jatta will need to hold their own on the edges to keep the playbook wide open.
Final Thoughts
BYU has a chance to make another statement in the run game. Against Portland State, they showed flashes of what this offensive line can do when it gets rolling. Against Stanford, proving it again will mean controlling the tempo, protecting Bachmeir, and giving BYU the balance it needs to come out on top.
This one is going to be won or lost in the trenches. Grab your popcorn and keep your eyes on the big men up front.
