2008 BYU Cougars football team
Encyclopedia
The 2008 BYU Cougars football team represented Brigham Young University
in the 2008 college football season
.
Prior to the 2008 season, BYU had won consecutive Mountain West Conference
(MWC) championship titles without losing a conference game. It had also finished with an 11-2 overall record for consecutive seasons. The Cougars have won four MWC championships since the league began in 1999 (Co-Champions with CSU and Utah in 1999, and sole Champions in 2001, 2006 and 2007), and 23 conference titles overall. BYU ended last season ranked 14th in the nation in the major polls, one of its best finishes in the last two decades.
BYU was selected to win the MWC according to the conference's annual media poll.
The Cougars made their fourth consecutive post-season appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl
at Sam Boyd Stadium
in Las Vegas, Nevada
, losing to the Arizona Wildcats Football
31-21. BYU beat the Oregon Ducks
in 2006 and the UCLA Bruins
in 2007. BYU lost to the California Golden Bears
in the 2005 game.
BYU played its home games at LaVell Edwards Stadium
, named after its former coach, LaVell Edwards
.
Fall camp began on August 1 with actual practices starting on August 4. Camp ended August 20 with a final scrimmage. Preparation for the first game began on August 22.
BYU begins the season ranked #17 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and #16 in the AP Poll.
David Nixon
and Jan Jorgensen for the defense and Max Hall
and Travis Bright
for the offense were chosen by their teammates as captains for the 2008 season.
, #16 by CBS College Sport's Adam Caparell, and #10 by New York Times' Paul Myerberg. They started the season ranked 17th in the Coaches Poll (with 547 votes), and ranked 16th in the AP Poll (with 590 votes).
agreed to distribute the MountainWest Sports Network
(The mtn.) nationally on its satellite system beginning August 27, 2008 on channel 616. National satellite distribution was the MWC's primary media goal for the previous two years. The mtn. was the first regional sports network dedicated solely to a college conference's sports. In 2004, CSTV (now called CBS College Sports Network) was originally designated as the channel for carrying MWC sports, but it was later announced that The mtn., would carry primarily coverage of the MWC. Over time The mtn. was rolled out in various cable markets. On February 21, 2008, San Diego State University Athletic Director, Jeff Schemmel, stated in a media conference that a deal had been struck to broadcast the mtn on DirecTV beginning in August. Spokesmen for the MWC, the mtn. and DirecTV confirmed this the following day. The mtn. will be available on DirecTV as a regular channel in each market in the MWC footprint. In other areas, it will be available on DirecTV's Sports Pack package. Although the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex
is within the Mountain West Conference footprint with TCU
's presence in Fort-Worth, Charter Communications
and Time Warner Cable
companies are the only cable companies in the Mountain West Conference footprint who have failed to pick up The mtn on their channel line-up.
Northern Iowa (UNI) was ranked No. 1 in the FCS until a loss to Delaware
in the FCS playoffs. UNI was ranked #3 in the 2008 FCS preseason poll. The Panthers agreed to play BYU at the last minute after Nevada
backed out of its agreement to play BYU in 2008. Northern Iowa ended the 2007 season with a considerably stronger Sagarin rating than Nevada and finished #4 in the FCS.
In a very physical game from both teams, the Cougars jumped out to a wide early lead of 27-3 at the half. The Panthers could not stop the Cougar offense from driving the field. Despite an ugly, scoreless, third quarter for BYU, which included four fumbles, the Cougars pulled away again in the fourth quarter to defeat the Panthers 41-17 in front of a sold-out crowd in Provo. BYU's Dennis Pitta
caught eleven passes for 213 yards and Max Hall threw with an 83% completion for 486 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Pitta lead the nation in receiving yards and Max was second in the nation for passing yards with a 198.6 rating. On the defensive end, junior college transfer Coleby Clawson made his hard hitting debut, knocking out UNI's quarterback Pat Grace three times. Justin Sorensen put all seven kickoffs into the end zone.
With the exception of three big plays, UNI's offense struggled against BYU's defense, but UNI capitalized on the turnovers in the third quarter to earn both of its touchdowns. UNI quarterback, Pat Grace, broke through for a 69 yard gain that resulted in a field goal. The play after recovering a BYU fumble, UNI ran a reverse with wide receiver, Victor Williams, making a 76 yard touchdown pass. UNI's final score came on a blind-side, forced fumble against Max Hall in the end zone.
David Tafuna carried the team flag onto the field, and LaVell Edwards carried the alumni flag on to the field.
The Cougars had to contain the Huskies' athletic quarterback, Jake Locker, who ran for nearly 1,000 yards last season. BYU held Locker below his rushing average to 62 yards on 18 attempts. Locker completed only 17 of his 32 passes for 204 yards. Washington had 337 yards of total offense to BYU's 475.
BYU only punted twice in the game. After driving the length of the field again, BYU looked to take the lead early in the fourth quarter when Harvey Unga, who rushed for 136 yards in the game, fumbled the ball at the goal line which was recovered by Washington.
The Cougars won the game by blocking a Washington PAT attempt in the fourth quarter. With 2 seconds left in regulation, the 35-yard extra-point kick by Huskies' Ryan Perkins was blocked by Jan Jorgensen. The PAT was moved back 15 yards on an unsportsmanlike penalty on Locker when he tossed the ball in the air after running the ball in for a touchdown. Two of the last three games BYU has played, they won the game by blocking a last second kick.
Max Hall was named Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Week. Hall hit 31 of 40 pass attempts for 338 yards passing and three touchdowns, including a 15-yarder to tight end Dennis Pitta
with 3:31 left.
Jan Jorgensen's game winning block was the ESPN Pontiac Game Changing Performance for the week.
Washington Leads series 4-3
(former OC at BYU), and UCLA quarterback, Ben Olson
(former BYU player) came back to Provo for the 10th meeting between the Bruins and BYU. The teams faced off twice during the 2007 season. The Cougars defeated UCLA in the 2007 Las Vegas Bowl
after the Bruins won a close regular-season meeting. Ben Olson did not play due to injuries.
Kellen Fowler carried the team flag onto the field, and Vai Sikahema
carried the alumni flag on to the field.
BYU scored first on a Max Hall pass to Dennis Pitta
for 10 yards for a touchdown; Hall then passed to Austin Collie for another score (2 yards). The Cougars recovered a fumble and scored on the next play to take a 21-0 lead. After another Bruins fumble, Hall passed to Michael Reed for another touchdown. Another Bruins fumble gave Hall his 5th pass touchdown in the first half. Hall's 6th touchdown pass was thrown to Pitta.
In the second half, Max Hall passed to Harvey Unga for a 6-yard touchdown, Mitch Payne kicked a 24-yard field goal and Wayne Latu rushed for a 13-yard touchdown to give BYU the 59-0 win. UCLA's worst loss in nearly 80 years.
Given the injuries to BYU's linebackers since fall camp through the first two games, BYU added a nickel package to its defense that proved to be effective.
So far BYU is 16-18 for scoring in the "Blue Zone" including 15 for touchdowns and its first field goal attempt for the season in the UCLA game. BYU's 2 failures were both fumbles, one at the goal line against Washington that rolled in for a touchback.
BYU has no 100 yard rushers against it, and leads the nation in third down conversions to this point.
For the second week in a row, Max Hall was named the MWC Offensive Player of the Week and the Walter Camp Football Foundation's Offensive Player of the Week. Hall broke the BYU record of passing touchdowns during a half with 6 and tied the BYU record for passing touchdowns at 7.
This was the worst loss the Bruins endured since a 76-0 defeat in the very first UCLA-USC rivalry
football game in 1929.
UCLA Leads series 7-3
BYU allowed Wyoming's offense to move early, but on the Cowboys' first drive the Cougar defense picked up a dropped lateral pass, returning it for six points. BYU's offense started slow, but ended up scoring frequently in the second quarter. The Cougar defense stepped up and held Wyoming to zero points in all four quarters, leading to the second straight shutout, the first consecutive shutout in twenty three years.
David Oswald carried the team flag onto the field, and Ty Detmer
carried the alumni flag on to the field. David Nixon, who returned an interception 19 yards for a touchdown, was honored as the MWC Defensive Player of the Week. C.J. Santiago was named as the MWC Special Teams Player of the Week. Santiago had seven punts for an average of 46.7 yards per kick, including a season high punt for 61 yards. His first three punts were all downed inside the Wyoming 20 yard line: the first at the 11, the second at the 5 and the third at the 4-yard line.
BYU Leads series 40-30-3
The Cougars started fast in the first quarter with a 76 yard touchdown pass, followed by a 35 yard fumble recovery for a touchdown, a field goal, and then an interception resulting in another touchdown. Hall completed 23 of 47 passes for 303 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Unga rushed 21 times for 86 yards and a touchdown. Collie added 8 receptions for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns.
BYU was plagued with penalties particularly in the last quarter. They had 12 penalties for 123 yards with several personal fouls including an unnecessary roughness penalty by Max Hall.
The Aggie's mobile quarterback, Diondre Borel, and speedy running back, Robert Turbin, gave the Cougars some trouble rushing for a combined 117 yards including a 40 yard break-away run for a touchdown by Turbin early in the fourth quarter.
BYU Leads series 42-33-3
BYU Leads series 43-14-1
This was the first loss for the BYU Football program since the 2007 setback against Tulsa. TCU Head Coach Gary Patterson had said this was a game his program was pointing towards since January of that year.
BYU Leads series 7-3
BYU Leads series 13-3
BYU Leads series 36-27-3
BYU Leads Series 25-7-1
BYU Leads series 23-6
." Along with Utah State, these teams also compete annually for the "Beehive Boot
." This game is typically the most anticipated of the season for the teams and their fans. In November 2005, The Wall Street Journal
ranked the BYU-Utah Football Rivalry
as the fourth best college football rivalry game in the country. This will be the 84th game between the teams dating back to 1922. Utah dominated the series 34-2-4 through 1964. Since that time BYU has led the series 28-16. The Cougars were throttled in a 48-24 defeat against the Utes. It was the largest margin of victory since 2004 when the Cougars lost to the Utes 52-21. The rivalry is known for close, exciting finishes. Since 1993, the margin of victory has been seven points or less in all but three games. At stake is the MWC championship, Utah's winning streak (longest in the nation), and a BCS Bowl berth.
Utah leads Series 53-33-4
Vic So'oto moved from tight end to outside linebacker as a starter. Daniel Sorensen, a safety, also moved to outside linebacker.
(tail back), Austin Collie
and Michael Reed (wide receivers), Dennis Pitta
(tight end), Travis Bright
and Ray Feinga
(offensive guards), Dallas Reynolds
and David Oswald
(offensive tackles), Jan Jorgensen and Ian Dulan (defensive ends), Russell Tialavea (nose tackle), David Nixon
(linebacker), and Kellen Fowler (free safety). Bryce Mahuika also returns as a slot back and kick holder. Experienced lettermen starting this year include: Fui Vakapuna
(fullback), Matt Bauman, Shawn Doman, and Coleby Clawson (linebackers), Brandon Howard (field corner), and David Tafuna (strong safety).
As of November 15, 2008
Terrance Hooks, a reserve inside linebacker, tore his patella tendon during Spring practice and underwent surgery the following day. He has missed most of the 2008 season.
In late spring, senior fullback Manase Tonga was ruled to be academically ineligible for the 2008 season, and was suspended from school. Tonga may re-apply for admission in October for the 2009 Winter Semester.
Just prior to Fall Camp Grant Nelson, a backup for outside linebacker behind Vic So'oto, had two surgeries related to kidney problems and will miss the 2008 season. Austin Collie, starting wide receiver, had limited participation in Fall Camp while recovering from a stress facture in his lower leg. Matt Bauman, starting inside linebacker, missed the beginning of camp while he recovered from a foot injury suffered in a scooter accident.
Projected starting center, Tom Sorensen, had limited participation in camp with a shoulder problem. After attempting a moderate treatment, he opted for surgery and will miss 4 to 6 weeks to recover.
Dan Van Sweden, reserve inside linebacker, broke his leg during camp and will be out 8 to 10 weeks.
In the third week of camp, Kelly Bills, reserve fullback, quit as a player after suffering his fourth concussion, but was enthused to stay on as a graduate assistant for the team.
Starting fullback, Fui Vakapuna, missed the first game against Northern Iowa due to an academic issue which he resolved that week.
Vic So'oto, starting outside linebacker, broke his foot in the first half in the game against Washington and is expected to be out for about 5 to 8 weeks.
Michael Reed, starting wide receiver, injured his knee in the Wyoming game and was out for 3 weeks before returning for the New Mexico game.
G. Pittman became academically ineligible under team rules about mid-season and chose to transfer to Washington State.
Scott Johnson suffered an unlikely double groin tear in the Colorado State game and was out for the rest of the season.
s. Because of this religious and cultural affiliation, many of the team members have served a two-year proselyting mission (often in a foreign country, speaking the native language), are married, and sometimes have children. Because of missions the average age of the team is often slightly higher than other college football teams. The effect of a mission is believed to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. It is an advantage in that the players can be either more physically developed, or more intellectually or emotionally mature. It is a disadvantage in that the player often returns from the mission grossly under-conditioned and out of practice. A player often redshirts his first year back from his mission.
Because of the long-standing ties of the LDS Church in Polynesia
, many football players are also Polynesian. Bryce Mahuika, for example, is Māori, and he introduced the tradition of the team performing the Haka in 2005.
Of the players participating in 2008 fall Camp, 60 served a two-year mission and 42 speak a second language. Sixteen players speak Spanish, twelve speak Tongan, eight speak Portuguese, two speak German, and one each speaks Mandarin Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, and Tagalog. There are 27 married players. The most recent newlywed, Dennis Pitta, married quarterback Max Hall's sister-in-law.
{| style="w>dth:100%"
|+
| align="left" |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! SE/XR
|-
| Michael Reed
|-
| O'Neill Chambers
|-
|}
|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! LT !! LG
!! C
!! RG
!! RT
|-
| Matt Reynolds Ray Feinga
Dallas Reynolds
Travis Bright
| R.J. Willing Terence Brown
Garrett Reden
Jason Speredon
{| style="w>dth:100%"
|+
| align="center" |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Kicker
|-
| Mitch Payne or
Justin Sorensen
|-
|}
| align="center" |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Punter
|-
| C.J. Santiago
|-
| Justin Sorensen
|}
| align="center" |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! DS
|-
| John Pace (PK/FG)
or
Chris Muehlmann (Punt)
|}
| align="center" |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Holder
|-
| Bryce Mahuika
|-
| Austin Collie
or Brenden Gaskins
|}
|-
watch list. BYU boasts two previous Outland Trophy winners, defensive lineman Jason Buck (1986) and offensive lineman Mohammed Elewonibi (1989).
's Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. He is one of 42 preseason candidates being considered for the award.
which is awarded to the best defensive player in college football.
presented to the premier defensive end in college football.
, was named on the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award
, given to the year's best college football player. Ty Detmer
won the award at BYU in 1990.
watch list. The award honors the nation's best quarterback. Jim McMahon
, Steve Young, and Ty Detmer (twice) have all won the award. Honored four times, BYU has earned more Davey O' Brien Awards than any other team.
for the Player-of-the-Year. In his first year as a starter in 2007, Hall was the nation's top sophomore quarterback in terms of passing yards. On the season, he completed 298-of-496 passes for 3,848 yards and 26 touchdowns.
preseason watch list.
.
.
. Luke Staley
won the award at BYU in 2001.
First Team Defense: Jan Jorgensen
Second Team Offense:
Second Team Defense:
Offensive Player of the Year: Max Hall
Honorable Mention:
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
in the 2008 college football season
2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 28, 2008, progressing through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 8, 2009, where the #2...
.
Prior to the 2008 season, BYU had won consecutive Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
(MWC) championship titles without losing a conference game. It had also finished with an 11-2 overall record for consecutive seasons. The Cougars have won four MWC championships since the league began in 1999 (Co-Champions with CSU and Utah in 1999, and sole Champions in 2001, 2006 and 2007), and 23 conference titles overall. BYU ended last season ranked 14th in the nation in the major polls, one of its best finishes in the last two decades.
BYU was selected to win the MWC according to the conference's annual media poll.
The Cougars made their fourth consecutive post-season appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl
Las Vegas Bowl
The Maaco Bowl Las Vegas is an NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually at 40,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. since 1992. From 1992 to 1996, matchups featured the champion teams from the Big West and Mid-American...
at Sam Boyd Stadium
Sam Boyd Stadium
Sam Boyd Stadium is a football stadium located in Whitney, Nevada, an unincorporated community in the Las Vegas metropolitan area; the mailing address of the stadium is "Las Vegas". The stadium is named after Sam Boyd, a major figure in the hotel/casino industry in Las Vegas. The stadium consists...
in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, losing to the Arizona Wildcats Football
Arizona Wildcats
-Athletic program:The University of Arizona participates in the NCAA's Division I-A in the Pacific-12 Conference Arizona participates in the conference's South Division, along with Arizona State, Colorado, UCLA, USC, and Utah...
31-21. BYU beat the Oregon Ducks
2006 Oregon Ducks football team
The 2006 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon in college football's 2006 season. The team was coached by Mike Bellotti and played their home games in Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, United States....
in 2006 and the UCLA Bruins
2007 UCLA Bruins football team
The 2007 UCLA Bruins football team represented UCLA in the college football 2007-2008 season. They played their home games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California and were coached by Karl Dorrell for the regular season. It was Dorrell's fifth, and final season as the UCLA head coach. UCLA's...
in 2007. BYU lost to the California Golden Bears
California Golden Bears
The California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 29 varsity athletic programs and various club teams of the University of California, Berkeley...
in the 2005 game.
BYU played its home games at LaVell Edwards Stadium
LaVell Edwards Stadium
LaVell Edwards Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Provo, Utah, on the campus of Brigham Young University. Primarily used for college football, it is the home field of the BYU Cougars....
, named after its former coach, LaVell Edwards
LaVell Edwards
R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time...
.
Pre-season
Spring Practice started March 17 and ended April 12 with the annual Blue/White game.Fall camp began on August 1 with actual practices starting on August 4. Camp ended August 20 with a final scrimmage. Preparation for the first game began on August 22.
BYU begins the season ranked #17 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and #16 in the AP Poll.
David Nixon
David Nixon
David Nixon was an English magician and television personality. At the height of his career, Nixon was the best-known magician in the UK.-Early life:...
and Jan Jorgensen for the defense and Max Hall
Max Hall
Max Hall is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at BYU.-Early years:...
and Travis Bright
Travis Bright
Travis Bright is an American football guard who is currently a free agent. He was signed an undrafted free agent in 2009 by the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at BYU.-High school career:...
for the offense were chosen by their teammates as captains for the 2008 season.
Rankings
| Poll | Pre | Wk 1 | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12 | Wk 13 | Wk 14 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP | 16 | 15 | 18 | 14 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 21 | 20 | 25 |
| Coaches | 17 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 19 | 18 | 21 |
| Harris | Not released | 9 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 17 | |||||
| BCS | Not released | 21 | 20 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 18 | 18 | ||||||||
Preseason rankings
In the pre-season, the Cougars were ranked #19 and then later #14 by ESPN's Mark Schlabach , #12 by Rivals.com David Fox and Steve Megargee, #22 by College Football News, #17 by Stewart Mandel of CNN's SI.com (Sports Illustrated), #12 by Lindy's, #14 by CBS Sportsline, #13 by Tony Barnhart (a.k.a. "Mr. College Football") of the Atlanta Constitution-Journal, #14 by Athlon Sports, #17 by Phil SteelePhil Steele
Phil Steele is an American sportswriter and analyst who focuses exclusively on college and professional football. He currently writes a column for the Orlando Sentinel, and is considered a "highly respected prognosticator" within the sports media...
, #16 by CBS College Sport's Adam Caparell, and #10 by New York Times' Paul Myerberg. They started the season ranked 17th in the Coaches Poll (with 547 votes), and ranked 16th in the AP Poll (with 590 votes).
MountainWest Sports Network
Early in 2008, DirecTVDirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
agreed to distribute the MountainWest Sports Network
MountainWest Sports Network
MountainWest Sports Network, informally known as the mtn. , is an American regional sports network dedicated to the Mountain West Conference.-History:...
(The mtn.) nationally on its satellite system beginning August 27, 2008 on channel 616. National satellite distribution was the MWC's primary media goal for the previous two years. The mtn. was the first regional sports network dedicated solely to a college conference's sports. In 2004, CSTV (now called CBS College Sports Network) was originally designated as the channel for carrying MWC sports, but it was later announced that The mtn., would carry primarily coverage of the MWC. Over time The mtn. was rolled out in various cable markets. On February 21, 2008, San Diego State University Athletic Director, Jeff Schemmel, stated in a media conference that a deal had been struck to broadcast the mtn on DirecTV beginning in August. Spokesmen for the MWC, the mtn. and DirecTV confirmed this the following day. The mtn. will be available on DirecTV as a regular channel in each market in the MWC footprint. In other areas, it will be available on DirecTV's Sports Pack package. Although the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex
Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003, encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas–Plano–Irving and Fort Worth–Arlington. Residents of the area...
is within the Mountain West Conference footprint with TCU
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
's presence in Fort-Worth, Charter Communications
Charter Communications
Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
and Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
companies are the only cable companies in the Mountain West Conference footprint who have failed to pick up The mtn on their channel line-up.
Schedule
Northern Iowa
This was BYU's first-ever game against the University of Northern Iowa Panthers from the Division I FCS. In recent years the Panthers have proven to be a perennial top program in FCS football. Last year2007 Northern Iowa Panthers football team
The 2007 Northern Iowa Panthers football team represented the University of Northern Iowa in the 2007 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The team was coached by Mark Farley and played their home games in the UNI-Dome...
Northern Iowa (UNI) was ranked No. 1 in the FCS until a loss to Delaware
2007 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team
The 2007 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football in its seventh season as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association , and the football program's...
in the FCS playoffs. UNI was ranked #3 in the 2008 FCS preseason poll. The Panthers agreed to play BYU at the last minute after Nevada
2008 Nevada Wolf Pack football team
The 2008 Nevada Wolf Pack football team represented the University of Nevada, Reno in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the 2008 season. Nevada competed as a member of the Western Athletic Conference .The team was led by...
backed out of its agreement to play BYU in 2008. Northern Iowa ended the 2007 season with a considerably stronger Sagarin rating than Nevada and finished #4 in the FCS.
In a very physical game from both teams, the Cougars jumped out to a wide early lead of 27-3 at the half. The Panthers could not stop the Cougar offense from driving the field. Despite an ugly, scoreless, third quarter for BYU, which included four fumbles, the Cougars pulled away again in the fourth quarter to defeat the Panthers 41-17 in front of a sold-out crowd in Provo. BYU's Dennis Pitta
Dennis Pitta
-Baltimore Ravens:Pitta was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was signed to a three-year contract on June 21, 2010.-External links:**...
caught eleven passes for 213 yards and Max Hall threw with an 83% completion for 486 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Pitta lead the nation in receiving yards and Max was second in the nation for passing yards with a 198.6 rating. On the defensive end, junior college transfer Coleby Clawson made his hard hitting debut, knocking out UNI's quarterback Pat Grace three times. Justin Sorensen put all seven kickoffs into the end zone.
With the exception of three big plays, UNI's offense struggled against BYU's defense, but UNI capitalized on the turnovers in the third quarter to earn both of its touchdowns. UNI quarterback, Pat Grace, broke through for a 69 yard gain that resulted in a field goal. The play after recovering a BYU fumble, UNI ran a reverse with wide receiver, Victor Williams, making a 76 yard touchdown pass. UNI's final score came on a blind-side, forced fumble against Max Hall in the end zone.
David Tafuna carried the team flag onto the field, and LaVell Edwards carried the alumni flag on to the field.
Washington
BYU and Washington met for the seventh time. This was BYU's first win in a non-conference road game game since 2002. The last meeting with the Huskies was in 1999, when BYU won in Provo 35-28. Washington marred what would have been a perfect season for BYU in 1996. BYU went on to finish #5 in the country with a 14-1 record, winning 13 regular season games, a NCAA record that still stands.The Cougars had to contain the Huskies' athletic quarterback, Jake Locker, who ran for nearly 1,000 yards last season. BYU held Locker below his rushing average to 62 yards on 18 attempts. Locker completed only 17 of his 32 passes for 204 yards. Washington had 337 yards of total offense to BYU's 475.
BYU only punted twice in the game. After driving the length of the field again, BYU looked to take the lead early in the fourth quarter when Harvey Unga, who rushed for 136 yards in the game, fumbled the ball at the goal line which was recovered by Washington.
The Cougars won the game by blocking a Washington PAT attempt in the fourth quarter. With 2 seconds left in regulation, the 35-yard extra-point kick by Huskies' Ryan Perkins was blocked by Jan Jorgensen. The PAT was moved back 15 yards on an unsportsmanlike penalty on Locker when he tossed the ball in the air after running the ball in for a touchdown. Two of the last three games BYU has played, they won the game by blocking a last second kick.
Max Hall was named Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Week. Hall hit 31 of 40 pass attempts for 338 yards passing and three touchdowns, including a 15-yarder to tight end Dennis Pitta
Dennis Pitta
-Baltimore Ravens:Pitta was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was signed to a three-year contract on June 21, 2010.-External links:**...
with 3:31 left.
Jan Jorgensen's game winning block was the ESPN Pontiac Game Changing Performance for the week.
Washington Leads series 4-3
UCLA
UCLA offensive coordinator, Norm ChowNorm Chow
Norman Chow is the offensive coordinator for the Utah Utes, a position he started on January 22, 2011. He previously held the same position with UCLA, the NFL's Tennessee Titans, USC, North Carolina State, and Brigham Young University....
(former OC at BYU), and UCLA quarterback, Ben Olson
Ben Olson
Benjamen James Olson is an American football quarterback. He played for the UCLA Bruins football team. He excelled in football at Thousand Oaks High School, earning high school All-American honors in 2001....
(former BYU player) came back to Provo for the 10th meeting between the Bruins and BYU. The teams faced off twice during the 2007 season. The Cougars defeated UCLA in the 2007 Las Vegas Bowl
2007 Las Vegas Bowl
The 2007 Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl was an NCAA-sanctioned Division I post-season college football bowl game between the UCLA Bruins and the Brigham Young University Cougars. The Las Vegas Bowl gets its first choice of bowl-eligible teams from the Mountain West Conference and the fourth/fifth choice ...
after the Bruins won a close regular-season meeting. Ben Olson did not play due to injuries.
Kellen Fowler carried the team flag onto the field, and Vai Sikahema
Vai Sikahema
Vai S. Sikahema is a Tongan former American football player. The first Tongan ever to play in the National Football League , he played running back and kickoff returner in the league for eight seasons, from 1986 to 1993. He played college football for the Brigham Young University Cougars, and was...
carried the alumni flag on to the field.
BYU scored first on a Max Hall pass to Dennis Pitta
Dennis Pitta
-Baltimore Ravens:Pitta was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was signed to a three-year contract on June 21, 2010.-External links:**...
for 10 yards for a touchdown; Hall then passed to Austin Collie for another score (2 yards). The Cougars recovered a fumble and scored on the next play to take a 21-0 lead. After another Bruins fumble, Hall passed to Michael Reed for another touchdown. Another Bruins fumble gave Hall his 5th pass touchdown in the first half. Hall's 6th touchdown pass was thrown to Pitta.
In the second half, Max Hall passed to Harvey Unga for a 6-yard touchdown, Mitch Payne kicked a 24-yard field goal and Wayne Latu rushed for a 13-yard touchdown to give BYU the 59-0 win. UCLA's worst loss in nearly 80 years.
Given the injuries to BYU's linebackers since fall camp through the first two games, BYU added a nickel package to its defense that proved to be effective.
So far BYU is 16-18 for scoring in the "Blue Zone" including 15 for touchdowns and its first field goal attempt for the season in the UCLA game. BYU's 2 failures were both fumbles, one at the goal line against Washington that rolled in for a touchback.
BYU has no 100 yard rushers against it, and leads the nation in third down conversions to this point.
For the second week in a row, Max Hall was named the MWC Offensive Player of the Week and the Walter Camp Football Foundation's Offensive Player of the Week. Hall broke the BYU record of passing touchdowns during a half with 6 and tied the BYU record for passing touchdowns at 7.
This was the worst loss the Bruins endured since a 76-0 defeat in the very first UCLA-USC rivalry
UCLA-USC rivalry
The UCLA–USC rivalry is the American college rivalry between the UCLA Bruins sports teams of the University of California, Los Angeles and the USC Trojans sports teams of the University of Southern California ....
football game in 1929.
UCLA Leads series 7-3
Wyoming
This was the 73rd game between Wyoming and BYU. The Cougars have won their last five games against Wyoming by an average of almost 24 points.BYU allowed Wyoming's offense to move early, but on the Cowboys' first drive the Cougar defense picked up a dropped lateral pass, returning it for six points. BYU's offense started slow, but ended up scoring frequently in the second quarter. The Cougar defense stepped up and held Wyoming to zero points in all four quarters, leading to the second straight shutout, the first consecutive shutout in twenty three years.
David Oswald carried the team flag onto the field, and Ty Detmer
Ty Detmer
Ty Hubert Detmer is a former National Football League and NCAA quarterback. He starred at Brigham Young University, where he set many records and won the Heisman Trophy in 1990...
carried the alumni flag on to the field. David Nixon, who returned an interception 19 yards for a touchdown, was honored as the MWC Defensive Player of the Week. C.J. Santiago was named as the MWC Special Teams Player of the Week. Santiago had seven punts for an average of 46.7 yards per kick, including a season high punt for 61 yards. His first three punts were all downed inside the Wyoming 20 yard line: the first at the 11, the second at the 5 and the third at the 4-yard line.
BYU Leads series 40-30-3
Utah State
This was the 78th game between the Utah State Aggies and BYU. The annual winner of this interstate contest is awarded The Old Wagon Wheel. The Aggies have not beaten BYU since 1993. BYU defeated Utah State 38-0 in their last meeting in 2006.The Cougars started fast in the first quarter with a 76 yard touchdown pass, followed by a 35 yard fumble recovery for a touchdown, a field goal, and then an interception resulting in another touchdown. Hall completed 23 of 47 passes for 303 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Unga rushed 21 times for 86 yards and a touchdown. Collie added 8 receptions for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns.
BYU was plagued with penalties particularly in the last quarter. They had 12 penalties for 123 yards with several personal fouls including an unnecessary roughness penalty by Max Hall.
The Aggie's mobile quarterback, Diondre Borel, and speedy running back, Robert Turbin, gave the Cougars some trouble rushing for a combined 117 yards including a 40 yard break-away run for a touchdown by Turbin early in the fourth quarter.
BYU Leads series 42-33-3
New Mexico
This was the 58th game between New Mexico and BYU. The Cougars have won four games in a row against the Lobos.BYU Leads series 43-14-1
TCU
This was the 10th game between TCU and BYU, played on a Thursday night for the third straight year.This was the first loss for the BYU Football program since the 2007 setback against Tulsa. TCU Head Coach Gary Patterson had said this was a game his program was pointing towards since January of that year.
BYU Leads series 7-3
UNLV
This was the 16th game between UNLV and BYU.BYU Leads series 13-3
Colorado State
This was the 67th game between Colorado State and BYU.BYU Leads series 36-27-3
San Diego State
This was the 33rd game between San Diego State and BYU. It was "Senior Day" for BYU, and in honor of the occasion, the field had a different look then usual. The endzones were painted in blue, along with the 50-yard line logo. That too, was filled in with blue.BYU Leads Series 25-7-1
Air Force
This was the 29th game between Air Force and BYU. BYU has won the last 5 games against the Falcons.BYU Leads series 23-6
Utah
This is an annual rivalry game unofficially dubbed "The Holy WarHoly War (Utah vs. BYU)
The Holy War is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the University of Utah Utes and the Brigham Young University Cougars. The game is part of the larger Utah–BYU rivalry...
." Along with Utah State, these teams also compete annually for the "Beehive Boot
Beehive Boot
The Beehive Boot, which signifies instate football supremacy among Division I universities from the state of Utah, was conceived in 1971. The authentic pioneer boot, which is estimated to be well over 100 years old, is awarded annually to the Utah school with the best record against its instate...
." This game is typically the most anticipated of the season for the teams and their fans. In November 2005, The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
ranked the BYU-Utah Football Rivalry
Utah-BYU rivalry
The University of Utah and Brigham Young University have a longstanding athletic rivalry that encompasses several sports. The annual college football game is frequently referred to as the Holy War. In the 1890s, when BYU was still known as Brigham Young Academy, the two schools started competing...
as the fourth best college football rivalry game in the country. This will be the 84th game between the teams dating back to 1922. Utah dominated the series 34-2-4 through 1964. Since that time BYU has led the series 28-16. The Cougars were throttled in a 48-24 defeat against the Utes. It was the largest margin of victory since 2004 when the Cougars lost to the Utes 52-21. The rivalry is known for close, exciting finishes. Since 1993, the margin of victory has been seven points or less in all but three games. At stake is the MWC championship, Utah's winning streak (longest in the nation), and a BCS Bowl berth.
Utah leads Series 53-33-4
Bowl Game
BYU became bowl eligible by finishing the season with a strong 10-2 record. On December 7, the Cougars were officially invited to the Las Vegas Bowl for the fourth consecutive year. On December 20, 2008, BYU played the Arizona Wildcats who finished fifth in the Pac-10 conference with a 7-5 record. The cougars lost the game, 31-21, to finish the season with a 10-3 record.Coaching and player changes
Jaime Hill was promoted to defensive coordinator on January 10. Prior to this, Bronco Mendenhall was acting as both head coach and defensive coordinator. Mendenhall has retained responsibility for play-calling during games.Vic So'oto moved from tight end to outside linebacker as a starter. Daniel Sorensen, a safety, also moved to outside linebacker.
Coaching staff
| Name | Position | Year at BYU | Alma mater Alma mater Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:... (Year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronco Mendenhall Bronco Mendenhall -Personal life:Mendenhall has three children: Raeder-Steel, Breaker, and Cutter. Mendenhall is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.-External links:**- References :... |
Head Coach | 6th 2003–present |
Oregon State Oregon State University Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the... (1987) |
| Lance Reynolds | Assistant Head Coach/ Running Backs |
26th 1983–present |
BYU Brigham Young University Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students... (1980) |
| Robert Anae Robert Anae Robert Anae is the offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the Arizona Wildcats football team. Prior to this role, Anae served as offensive coordinator for the BYU Cougars football team... |
Offensive Coordinator/ Inside Receivers |
4th 2005–present |
BYU Brigham Young University Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students... (1986) |
| Jaime Hill | Defensive Coordinator/ Defensive Backs |
3rd 2006–present |
San Francisco State University San Francisco State University San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges... (1986) |
| Brandon Doman Brandon Doman Brandon Doman is an American football coach and is currently the offensive coordinator for the Brigham Young Cougars. Doman played quarterback for BYU in 2000-2001 and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2002 NFL Draft.... |
Quarterbacks | 4th 2005–present |
BYU Brigham Young University Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students... (2002) |
| Patrick Higgins | Outside Receivers/ Special Teams |
4th 2005–present |
William Penn University William Penn University William Penn University is a private, liberal arts university in Oskaloosa, Iowa, United States. It was founded by members of the Religious Society of Friends in 1873 as Penn College... (1986) |
| Barry Lamb | Outside Linebackers/ Safeties |
16th 1994–present |
Oregon University of Oregon -Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :... (1978) |
| Paul Tidwell | Inside Linebackers | 8th 2001–present |
Southern Utah University Southern Utah University Southern Utah University, or SUU, is located in Cedar City, Utah. It was founded in 1897 as an extension of the Agricultural College of Utah, by the citizens of Cedar City.During its history, the school has been known as:... (1979) |
| Mark Weber | Offensive Line | 2nd 2007 |
Cal Lutheran California Lutheran University California Lutheran University is a university of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Thousand Oaks, California.-Mission statement:The University's mission statement is as follows:... (1980) |
| Steve Kaufusi Steve Kaufusi Sitiveni P. Kaufusi is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1989-1990.... |
Defensive Line | 7th 2002–present |
BYU Brigham Young University Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students... (1994) |
| Jay Omer | Strength and Conditioning | 8th 2001–present |
Southern Utah University Southern Utah University Southern Utah University, or SUU, is located in Cedar City, Utah. It was founded in 1897 as an extension of the Agricultural College of Utah, by the citizens of Cedar City.During its history, the school has been known as:... (1972) |
| Kelly Bills | Graduate Assistant | 1st 2008 |
BYU Brigham Young University Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students... (current) |
Players
The 14 returning starters from last season are Max Hall (quarterback), Harvey UngaHarvey Unga
-Chicago Bears:Unga was selected by the Chicago Bears with a seventh round selection in the 2010 Supplemental Draft. He was signed to a four-year contract on July 21, 2010....
(tail back), Austin Collie
Austin Collie
Austin Kirk Collie is a Canadian-American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Colts in the fourth round in the 2009 NFL Draft...
and Michael Reed (wide receivers), Dennis Pitta
Dennis Pitta
-Baltimore Ravens:Pitta was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was signed to a three-year contract on June 21, 2010.-External links:**...
(tight end), Travis Bright
Travis Bright
Travis Bright is an American football guard who is currently a free agent. He was signed an undrafted free agent in 2009 by the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at BYU.-High school career:...
and Ray Feinga
Ray Feinga
Leimoni "Ray" Feinga is an American football guard who is currently a member of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
(offensive guards), Dallas Reynolds
Dallas Reynolds
-Philadelphia Eagles:Reynolds was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles on April 27, 2009. He was waived on September 5, 2009, but was re-signed to the Eagles' practice squad on October 21 after Mike Gibson was signed off the practice squad by the Seattle Seahawks...
and David Oswald
David Oswald
David Oswald is an American football tackle who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Brigham Young University.-Early years:...
(offensive tackles), Jan Jorgensen and Ian Dulan (defensive ends), Russell Tialavea (nose tackle), David Nixon
David Nixon
David Nixon was an English magician and television personality. At the height of his career, Nixon was the best-known magician in the UK.-Early life:...
(linebacker), and Kellen Fowler (free safety). Bryce Mahuika also returns as a slot back and kick holder. Experienced lettermen starting this year include: Fui Vakapuna
Fui Vakapuna
Fui Vakapuna is an American football fullback who most recently was a member of the Indianapolis Colts. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Brigham Young. His attempt to make the Bengals' roster was chronicled on the...
(fullback), Matt Bauman, Shawn Doman, and Coleby Clawson (linebackers), Brandon Howard (field corner), and David Tafuna (strong safety).
Statistical Leaders
http://www.byucougars.com/uploads/stats/football/stats.pdfAs of November 15, 2008
Passing
| Passing | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | COMP | ATT | Pct. | YDS | TD | INT | QB Rating |
| Max Hall | 279 | 390 | 71.5% | 3,424 | 34 | 8 | 169.95 |
Rushing
| Rushing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD |
| Harvey Unga | 208 | 945 | 4.5 | 8 |
| Fui Vakapuna | 49 | 225 | 4.6 | 3 |
| Austin Collie | 7 | 60 | 8.6 | 0 |
| Max Hall | 48 | 57 | 1.2 | 2 |
| Wayne Latu | 14 | 51 | 3.6 | 2 |
| J.J. DiLuigi | 13 | 48 | 3.7 | 0 |
| Bryan Kariya | 8 | 36 | 4.4 | 1 |
Receiving
| Receiving | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | REC | YDS | YPC | TD |
| Austin Collie | 85 | 1,315 | 15.5 | 15 |
| Dennis Pitta | 76 | 992 | 13.1 | 6 |
| Michael Reed | 35 | 414 | 11.8 | 2 |
| Harvey Unga | 38 | 298 | 7.8 | 4 |
| Andrew George | 21 | 204 | 9.7 | 5 |
Defense
| Tackles & Interceptions | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Solo | Asst | Total | TFL | Sacks | QBH | Int | BrUp | FF | FR | Blkk |
| Matt Bauman | 39 | 50 | 89 | 8.5 | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - |
| David Nixon | 37 | 40 | 77 | 10.5 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Kellen Fowler | 43 | 22 | 65 | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | 1 | - |
| Scott Johnson | 27 | 30 | 57 | 2 | - | - | - | 5 | 1 | 1 | - |
| Shawn Doman | 17 | 34 | 51 | 1 | - | 1 | - | 3 | 1 | 2 | - |
| Jan Jorgensen | 20 | 29 | 49 | 7.5 | 5 | 11 | - | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| David Tafuna | 27 | 21 | 48 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - |
| Coleby Clawson | 23 | 23 | 46 | 10 | 4 | 3 | - | 2 | - | 3 | - |
| Matt Ah You | 16 | 28 | 44 | .5 | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - |
| Brandon Howard | 15 | 17 | 32 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - |
| Brett Denney | 19 | 11 | 30 | 7.5 | 1 | 4 | - | 1 | - | 3 | - |
| Brandon Bradley | 24 | 4 | 28 | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | 1 | - |
| Andrew Rich | 12 | 12 | 24 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - |
| Matt Putnam | 14 | 9 | 23 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | - | - | - |
| Ian Dulan | 7 | 11 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 4 | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Russell Tialavea | 7 | 9 | 16 | 2.5 | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | 1 |
Injuries and Suspensions
Russell Tialavea (nose tackle) and David Tafuna (strong safety) are recovered from their injuries suffered during the 2007 preseason. Both Travis Bright (right guard) and Garret Reden (reserve left guard) have recovered from their broken leg injuries. Bright holds the title of the team's strongest man aka Strong Man On Campus (SMOC): he holds the football team's school record for bench press (540 pounds) from his workout this summer, and the team record for the hang clean lift (434 pounds).Terrance Hooks, a reserve inside linebacker, tore his patella tendon during Spring practice and underwent surgery the following day. He has missed most of the 2008 season.
In late spring, senior fullback Manase Tonga was ruled to be academically ineligible for the 2008 season, and was suspended from school. Tonga may re-apply for admission in October for the 2009 Winter Semester.
Just prior to Fall Camp Grant Nelson, a backup for outside linebacker behind Vic So'oto, had two surgeries related to kidney problems and will miss the 2008 season. Austin Collie, starting wide receiver, had limited participation in Fall Camp while recovering from a stress facture in his lower leg. Matt Bauman, starting inside linebacker, missed the beginning of camp while he recovered from a foot injury suffered in a scooter accident.
Projected starting center, Tom Sorensen, had limited participation in camp with a shoulder problem. After attempting a moderate treatment, he opted for surgery and will miss 4 to 6 weeks to recover.
Dan Van Sweden, reserve inside linebacker, broke his leg during camp and will be out 8 to 10 weeks.
In the third week of camp, Kelly Bills, reserve fullback, quit as a player after suffering his fourth concussion, but was enthused to stay on as a graduate assistant for the team.
Starting fullback, Fui Vakapuna, missed the first game against Northern Iowa due to an academic issue which he resolved that week.
Vic So'oto, starting outside linebacker, broke his foot in the first half in the game against Washington and is expected to be out for about 5 to 8 weeks.
Michael Reed, starting wide receiver, injured his knee in the Wyoming game and was out for 3 weeks before returning for the New Mexico game.
G. Pittman became academically ineligible under team rules about mid-season and chose to transfer to Washington State.
Scott Johnson suffered an unlikely double groin tear in the Colorado State game and was out for the rest of the season.
Players' backgrounds
Because BYU is sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), many of the team members are Latter-day Saints (LDS) commonly referred to as MormonMormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
s. Because of this religious and cultural affiliation, many of the team members have served a two-year proselyting mission (often in a foreign country, speaking the native language), are married, and sometimes have children. Because of missions the average age of the team is often slightly higher than other college football teams. The effect of a mission is believed to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. It is an advantage in that the players can be either more physically developed, or more intellectually or emotionally mature. It is a disadvantage in that the player often returns from the mission grossly under-conditioned and out of practice. A player often redshirts his first year back from his mission.
Because of the long-standing ties of the LDS Church in Polynesia
Polynesia
Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs...
, many football players are also Polynesian. Bryce Mahuika, for example, is Māori, and he introduced the tradition of the team performing the Haka in 2005.
Of the players participating in 2008 fall Camp, 60 served a two-year mission and 42 speak a second language. Sixteen players speak Spanish, twelve speak Tongan, eight speak Portuguese, two speak German, and one each speaks Mandarin Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, and Tagalog. There are 27 married players. The most recent newlywed, Dennis Pitta, married quarterback Max Hall's sister-in-law.
Roster
| http://www.byucougars.com/Roster.jsp?SP=130&NUM | ||||||
| Edit | ||||||
Wide Receivers
Fullbacks Offensive Linemen
Punters/Kickers |
Tight Ends
Quarterbacks
Tailbacks
Defensive line
(†)† |
Linebackers
Cornerbacks
Safeties
Defensive backs
|
||||
Depth chart
| Shawn Doman | Matt Bauman | >- | Matt Ah You | Iona Pritchard | |} | Russell Tialavea | >- | Ian Dulan |
{| style="w>dth:100%"
|+
| align="left" |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! SE/XR
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
|-
| Michael Reed
|-
| O'Neill Chambers
|-
|}
|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! LT !! LG
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
!! C
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
!! RG
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
!! RT
|-
| Matt Reynolds
| R.J. Willing
{| style="w>dth:100%"
|+
| align="center" |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Kicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
|-
| Mitch Payne or
Justin Sorensen
|-
|}
| align="center" |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Punter
Punter (football position)
A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a...
|-
| C.J. Santiago
|-
| Justin Sorensen
|}
| align="center" |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! DS
Long snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
|-
| John Pace (PK/FG)
or
Chris Muehlmann (Punt)
|}
| align="center" |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Holder
Holder (American football)
In American football the holder is the player who receives the snap during field goal and extra point attempts made by place kick. The holder is usually positioned between seven and eight yards behind the line of scrimmage. The holder kneels down and places the hand farthest from the line of...
|-
| Bryce Mahuika
|-
| Austin Collie
or Brenden Gaskins
|}
|-
Recruits
Recruits joining the team this year include O'Neill Chambers and Justin Sorensen. Justin Sorensen was widely regarded as the best high school football kicker in the country last year with a record high 62 yard field goal and kickoffs that regularly go into the endzone and often through the goal posts.Outland Trophy
Senior offensive linemen, Ray Feinga and Dallas Reynolds, were named to the 2008 Outland TrophyOutland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
watch list. BYU boasts two previous Outland Trophy winners, defensive lineman Jason Buck (1986) and offensive lineman Mohammed Elewonibi (1989).
Lott Trophy
Jan Jorgensen was selected as a preseason candidate for the Lott TrophyLott Trophy
The Lott IMPACT Trophy is presented annually to the college football Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. IMPACT is an acronym for: integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community, and tenacity. The award purports to equally recognize the personal character of the winning player as well as...
's Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. He is one of 42 preseason candidates being considered for the award.
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Jan Jorgensen was named to the preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski TrophyBronko Nagurski Trophy
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America to be the best defensively in the National Collegiate Athletic Association; the award is presented by the Charlotte...
which is awarded to the best defensive player in college football.
Ted Hendricks Award
Jan Jorgensen is also a candidate for the Ted Hendricks AwardTed Hendricks Award
The Ted Hendricks Award is given annually to college football's top defensive end. The award is named after Ted Hendricks, who is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is presented by his own 501 foundation, called the Ted Hendricks...
presented to the premier defensive end in college football.
Maxwell Award
Junior quarterback, Max HallMax Hall
Max Hall is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at BYU.-Early years:...
, was named on the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award
Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
, given to the year's best college football player. Ty Detmer
Ty Detmer
Ty Hubert Detmer is a former National Football League and NCAA quarterback. He starred at Brigham Young University, where he set many records and won the Heisman Trophy in 1990...
won the award at BYU in 1990.
Davey O'Brien Award
Max Hall is one of thirty-one quarterbacks named to the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback AwardDavey O'Brien Award
The Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
watch list. The award honors the nation's best quarterback. Jim McMahon
Jim McMahon
James Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. is a former American football player. He played college football at Brigham Young University, where he was a two-time All-American and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona...
, Steve Young, and Ty Detmer (twice) have all won the award. Honored four times, BYU has earned more Davey O' Brien Awards than any other team.
Walter Camp Award
Max Hall was one of 35 candidates named on the watch list for the Walter Camp AwardWalter Camp Award
The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football Player of the Year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A head coaches and sports information directors under the auspices of the Walter Camp Football Foundation;...
for the Player-of-the-Year. In his first year as a starter in 2007, Hall was the nation's top sophomore quarterback in terms of passing yards. On the season, he completed 298-of-496 passes for 3,848 yards and 26 touchdowns.
John Mackey Award
Dennis Pitta is one of thirty tight ends named to the John Mackey AwardJohn Mackey Award
The John Mackey Award is presented annually to college football's most outstanding tight end.The award is given to the collegiate tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, academics, and community values of NFL Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey....
preseason watch list.
Fred Biletnikoff Award
Junior Austin Collie is on the watch list for the Fred Biletnikoff AwardFred Biletnikoff Award
The Fred Biletnikoff Award has been presented since 1994 to America's top college football receiver by the TQC Foundation, Inc. , an independent not-for-profit organization which created the award in 1994 and has sponsored it since...
.
Dick Butkus Award
Senior outside linebacker, David Nixon, is on the watch list for the Dick Butkus AwardDick Butkus Award
The Butkus Award, instituted in 1985, is given annually to the top linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of football...
.
Doak Walker Award
Sophomore Harvey Unga is one of 42 of the nation’s top college running backs named as a candidate for the Doak Walker AwardDoak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
. Luke Staley
Luke Staley
Lucas Staley is a former American football player who starred as a running back at Brigham Young University from 1999 to 2001.-High school career:...
won the award at BYU in 2001.
All-America Team
Candidates for the All-America team are Ray Feinga, Dallas Reynolds, Jan Jorgensen, Max Hall, Harvey Unga, Dennis Pitta and Austin Collie. Fifty-three BYU players have earned 59 All-America citations including 11 consensus All-Americans and 21 Academic All-America citations. Harvey Unga earned Freshman All-America accolades last year.All-Mountain West Conference Football Team (Pre-season)
First Team Offense: Max Hall, Harvey Unga, Austin Collie, Dennis Pitta, Ray Feinga, and Dallas ReynoldsFirst Team Defense: Jan Jorgensen
Second Team Offense:
Second Team Defense:
Offensive Player of the Year: Max Hall
Honorable Mention: