Utah Utes vs BYU Cougars Football Recap

Utah 17, BYU 16

A haunting figure, a nasty but prevalent one, emerged from the gray environs of Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday afternoon. This Halloween-like presence crept into the mind of Brigham Young University coach Bronco Mendenhall, and as a result, the annual game known as “The Holy War” fell into the hands of the University of Utah.

Yes, there’s a spooky someone who lingers in the background but then emerges in the final minute of some football games that are extremely close, close enough to be decided on a field goal. As soon as the ball approaches the 30-yard line in a game decided by three points or fewer, this presence makes itself known to the coach whose team possesses the pigskin. Coaches are wise to ignore this apparition, but if they pay attention to it, it will make their lives miserable.

What is this thing? It is called The Ghost Of the Long, Late Field Goal. BYU lost its annual rivalry game to Utah because of it. Mendenhall - a generally solid coach who has made BYU a consistent winner during his tenure – will be haunted by this ghost throughout the offseason.

It was all so simple in the final minutes of Saturday’s game. Utah – dead as a doornail for three quarters – awakened from its slumber on offense to not only avoid a shutout, but score 17 points and take a 17-16 lead over BYU into the dying moments of this emotional duel, a frenzied battle which regularly manages to become a nail-biter in the Beehive State. However, while the homestanding Utes had taken their first lead of the day, BYU had the ball, and freshman quarterback Jake Heaps was smartly leading his offensive unit down the field. The visiting Cougars gained a first down at the Utah 24 with roughly one minute left to play, thanks to a 12-yard pass from Heaps to receiver McKay Jacobson. Heaps had gone 4-of-4 as a passer on the drive for 49 yards. Given that a full minute still existed on the game clock, BYU appeared likely to drive the ball inside the 15- or 10-yard line and set up a chip-shot field goal.

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That’s when The Ghost Of The Long, Late Field Goal entered the picture. Mendenhall, like so many other coaches in his position, suddenly became very cautious and conservative, despite the fact that his offensive was performing well thanks to a quarterback who was making good decisions under pressure. In moments like these, many coaches obsess about kicking a field goal and avoiding a turnover. They run the clock down instead of continuing to pursue additional yards. They settle for long kicks when they easily could have gained shorter kicks. That’s the Ghost in action; it haunts coaches into thinking that long field goals are okay when much shorter attempts are attainable. In the minute BYU still had left, the Cougars should have been able to gain 15 additional yards and set up a try of under 30 yards in length. Instead, Mendenhall ordered a series of running plays that lost one yard all told. Instead of trying a chip shot, BYU kicker Mitch Payne was brought on to attempt a 42-yard kick on the game’s final play. Because of the greater distance, Payne had to hit a kick with a lower trajectory.

Naturally, Utah blocked the kick and won the game. That, folks, is how The Ghost Of The Long, Late Field Goal haunts coaches… and decides games decided by three points or fewer.

Welcome to football’s haunted house, Bronco Mendenhall. Have fun in your offseason once your bowl game is over.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer