BYU's Pass Rush 'Has To' Generate More Sacks in 2024

On the last day of Spring camp, BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill met with the media to recap camp. When asked about BYU's pass rush in 2024, Hill didn't mince words, saying BYU "has to" generate more sacks in 2024.

"It has to [generate more sacks], Hill said when asked about the pass rush. "For as much as we blitzed last year, we do need to generate more sacks. I will say this. In the Big 12, quarterbacks did a phenomenal job last year of getting the ball out of their hands. Most of the teams did not give up a lot of sacks last year because they do, they get the ball out of their hands well. You've gotta give credit to the opponent and we've gotta be better at putting pressure on the quarterback."

Hill inherited a BYU defense that was one of the worst in the country at generating pressure on the quarterback. In 2022, BYU ranked 129th out of 130 teams in total sacks. Despite sending more blitzes and running a new scheme in 2023, BYU was again among the worst in the country at getting after the quarterback. BYU ranked 129th in team sacks in 2023.

In the opinion of this author, BYU's inability to pressure the quarterback had more to do with talent than scheme. With all due respect to the players on the roster in 2023, BYU's prior defensive staff really struggled to recruit high-level defensive linemen during their tenure in Provo. Years of poor recruiting led to the sack output in 2022-2023.

The defensive staff knew it too. Following the 2023 season, BYU's defensive staff hit the recruiting trail to address the talent deficiency along the defensive line. BYU landed a long list of defensive linemen that have the talent to bolster the pass rush in 2024 and beyond.

Perhaps most impactful in 2024, BYU brought in Weber State transfer Jack Kelly. Kelly was tied for second in the Big Sky in sacks and was a first-team All Big Sky selection.

Then BYU flipped Texas Tech commit Danny Saili. Saili is a massive lineman at 6'3, 360 pounds and he was recruited by the likes of Oklahoma and Miami. Saili will make an impact in 2024. During camp, Coach Sitake said Saili "will be on the field" this season. "Yeah [Saili] is going to be a guy that's going to be on the field," Sitake said. "We've gotta get him in playing shape, but we're starting to see a lot of the big guys doing a lot of good things."

The additions didn't stop there. BYU added another pair of JUCO defensive linemen in Sani Tuala and Luke Toomalatai. Tuala picked BYU over Washington, Utah, and others. Tuala, an Australian native, is brand new to football. 2023 was his first year playing football after moving from Australia. Physically speaking, he will be one of the most gifted players on the defense. It might take him a minute to get up to speed, but he has the potential to be a very good player for BYU.

It was the high school ranks where BYU landed some of the best defensive line prospects in the class. BYU added Ephraim Asiata, Naki Tuakoi, Kini Fonohema, Devoux Tuataga, Adney Reid, and Siosefa Brown. All of those players held competing P4 offers.

BYU has upgraded the talent. Now it's up to the coaches to develop and mold that talent. Coach Hill was right - BYU has to generate more pressure on the quarterback.