2008 BYU Football


August 4, 2008 | Posted By Larry Cook

Bronco Mendenhall has the BYU Cougars football program making national headlines this year.  They are the preseason favorite to win the Mountain West conference, and anything less than a BCS appearance will be considered a disappointment.  The Info Plays team previews the upcoming season for this squad with our 2008 BYU Cougars football predictions and season preview below.

Offense:

Last year’s numbers of 442.8 yards and 30.1 points per game should be even better this season.  A senior-dominated offensive lined and a seasoned backfield are the reasons.  All the receivers are back, with the brightest prospects in the spring being Luke Ashworth and Spencer Hafoka.  It all starts with Max Hall.  He knocked off the rust last season from not playing since 2003.  He originally went to Arizona State, left for a church mission, redshirted at BYU in ‘06 and was named the spring ball starter.  Although he’s not physically imposing at 6-1, 201 pounds, he put up the best passing numbers of any sophomore in the country last year, excluding Tim Tebow of course.  Hall threw for 3,848 yards last year.

Harvy Unga carried the ball 244 times last year and became the school’s first freshman 1,000-yard rusher.  He’s a bruising runner who can catch the ball out of the backfield as well.  All-MWC second-teamer Austin Collie leads the receiving corps.  He caught 56 passes for 946 yards and seven touchdowns last year.  The emergence of tight end Dennis Pitta last year allowed the staff to move Vic So’oto to linebacker.  None of these gaudy numbers last year would have been possible without a stellar line.  The four seniors, led by awards candidates Ray Feinga and Dallas Reynolds, have a combined 131 games under their belts.  Lone newcomer Tom Sorenson is a transfer from Vanderbilt. 

Defense:

Despite the ridiculous offensive numbers put up, the BYU defense actually ranked better nationally.  They were 10th in total defense, including 9th in the country against the run at 97.5 yards/game.  This is the area hit hardest by graduation, though.  BYU lost most of its linebackers and there’s plenty of youth to go around in the secondary as well.  Defensive end Jan Jorgensen figures to see double teams all game, every game.  Jorgensen was a dominant sophomore with 14 sacks.  Ian Dulan returns as the starter on the other side, and there’s decent experience at the tackle positions on the inside. 

There was one setback when linebacker Terrance Hooks was lost in spring to a severe knee injury.  He isn’t expected to return until at least midway through the season.  Mendenhall originally came to BYU in 2002 as the defensive coordinator after working miracles at New Mexico.  His scheme is entrenched to the point where only the names and faces change. 

BYU Football Predictions at Info Plays:  1st in the Mountain West

Non-conference games against Washington and UCLA will go a long way in determining whether BYU draws the BCS berth grabbed by unbeaten WAC teams the past two seasons.  The Cougars swept through the league in each of the past two seasons, but it won’t be easy to do it three times in a row.  Along the way there’s a crucial Thursday night game at TCU, but the Cougars’ BCS berth may rest on the season-ender at rival Utah.  BYU has the talent to get it done.

You think BYU will be a flop this year with all these BCS expectations?  Voice your opinion on this football team at Cougarblue here.

Mountain West Wins Expected in ‘08:  WYOMING, NEW MEXICO, UNLV, at Colorado State, SAN DIEGO STATE, at Air Force

Potential Scares/Losses:  at TCU, at Utah

Related Articles You May Be Interested In:

Online Sports Betting at Sportsbook

Deposit Instantly Using Your Credit Card at Sportsbook.com!

Filed Under College Football