Aaron Roderick Explains Misheard Play Call on Stalled BYU Red Zone Drive

On a critical fourth down against Iowa State, BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier misheard Aaron Roderick and called the wrong play, leading to a turnover on downs deep in Iowa State territory.

BYU uses a wristband with numbers assigned to every play. Bachmeier misheard Roderick and accidentally called a back-shoulder fade to Walker Lyons instead of the original call. Despite the miscommunication, the pass hit Lyons in the hands and was nearly completed. It fell incomplete and the Cougars turned it over on downs.

"We had a communication problem down there the the play called was not what we called. Bear heard the wrong wristband number...[he] had a little trouble hearing a few times through the communication device. Unfortunately, that was not the play we were trying to run that right there...I thought we still had a chance there."

Before this play, BYU had kicked a field goal on 4th & 3. However, Iowa State jumped offsides on the field goal, so BYU brought the offense back on the field to go for it on 4th & 1. Some questioned why BYU would call a low-percentage throw on fourth down like that. Turns out, Roderick didn't call that play. With a quarterback the size of Bear Bachmeier, the Cougars probably could have gone under center and run a quarterback sneak.

Roderick did take the blame for a 4th & 1 call that failed near midfield. Journee Tonga got stuffed on back-to-back plays for a turnover on downs.

"This probably for me is the most disappointing part of the night is just we didn't execute well there," Roderick said on the failed third down play. "That second play (the fourth down), I I would like if I could have that one back. I would have called a different play, so I put that one on me... maybe a sneak or something to get the ball fast out on the perimeter and just run for a yard with somebody have some speed...I'll take that one I need to do better there."

Against Notre Dame, converting on short-yardage situations will be critical. It will be difficult enough to sustain drives against a stingy Notre Dame defense. Failing to convert on short-yardage situations could cost them the game.

There were communication problems happening on both sides on Friday night. After the game, Iowa State head coach Jimmy Rogers said the Iowa State coordinators came down from the booth in the third quarter.

"Our headset went out in the third and fourth," Rogers said. "That's why you saw the coordinators come down out of the booth. It was a little chaotic there."

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