With a daily dose of television details and start times lighting up social media, the gap between spring and fall appears to be closing. Summer temperatures haven’t arrived yet, but the August heat has already arrived for BYU.
After a 5-7 season, including just two wins in their Big 12 debut, Las Vegas know-it-alls predict less success in 2024, with 4.5 wins and another non-bowl holiday. The Cougars believe that while they have work to do, they will prove the prognosticators wrong.
Offense
Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick is selling the idea that quarterbacks Jake Retzlaff and Gerry Bohanon can run their offense, score points and take care of the football. Las Vegas isn’t buying it.
Receivers coach Fesi Sitake is convinced that Chase Roberts, Darius Lassiter, Kody Epps, Keelon Marion, Parker Kingston and JoJo Phillips are big and fast enough to separate themselves in Big 12 secondaries. Las Vegas isn’t so sure.
New Cougars coach Kevin Gilbride believes Keanu Hill’s conversion from receiver to tight end will be a perfect match. Las Vegas is not a believer.
Running game coordinator TJ Woods and running backs coach Harvey Unga trust a healthy LJ Martin, Hinckley Ropati and Miles Davis can rejuvenate the ground attack and average four yards per carry. Las Vegas has its doubts.
Woods is also the new offensive line coach. Their anchors up front include starters Connor Pay, Caleb Etienne, Braden Keim and Weylin Lapuaho. They are big and experienced, with a young group of reinforcements. Woods envisions this group providing the protection that Unga, Gilbride, Sitake and Roderick need for their players to move the ball. Las Vegas doesn’t see that.
Defense
Jay Hill is optimistic about the “other” side of the ball in his second year as defensive coordinator and safeties coach. Las Vegas is pessimistic.
Hill kept his team together, including Sione Po’uha (tackles), Kelly Poppinga (tights), Justin Ena (linebackers) and Jenaro Gilford (cornerbacks). Each position coach has a key returner, including John Nelson (tackles), Tyler Batty (ends), Ben Bywater (linebackers), Jakob Robinson (cornerbacks) and Micah Harper (safeties).
During BYU’s seven conference losses, the defense has allowed an average of 38.7 points. The number is a byproduct of poor play on both sides of the ball. Coach Kalani Sitake likes the adjustments being made and the new players arriving to help. Not Las Vegas.
Beating the Odds
To refute a 4.5 game win total requires BYU to start at least 2-1. The Aug. 31 opener against Southern Illinois at LaVell Edwards Stadium becomes much more than an adjustment. It’s a pressure-packed game to show naysayers and an anxious fanbase that the problems of 2023 are in the past.
Defeating the Salukis and splitting road games at SMU (September 6) and Wyoming (September 14) would put BYU in Big 12 play, needing three wins to surpass Las Vegas expectations and four to become eligible for the bowl.
According to ESPN, start times and television details for the Cougars’ first three games will be announced on May 30.
Kansas State, Arizona, Oklahoma State, Kansas and Houston play conference games in Provo, where the Cougars have historically been a tough team to beat. If BYU goes 3-2 at home, it will need to win on the road at Baylor, UCF, Utah or Arizona State to qualify for the postseason.
This can be done? BYU says yes. Las Vegas says no. The answer is hidden in the coming months, but it starts with a must-win in August. The excessive heat on the Cougars early in the game won’t be solely due to the weather, but more of a byproduct of a disappointing 5-7 season and the fear of it happening again.
From now until opening night it’s summer, when fans pass the time with parades, granddaughters’ dance recitals and fireworks, while football players lift weights and bulk up. The 106 days will pass slowly, but the 16 weeks will certainly pass – they always do.
Rest assured, the clock will keep ticking and the pressure will keep mounting until the time comes when BYU can start arguing that Las Vegas got it all wrong.
Dave McCann is a contributor to the Deseret News and a broadcaster and talk show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” on ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar”, available at deseretbook. with.
