BYU 2007 Season Preview

Last year, BYU won it’s first Mountain West Conference Championship in five years and posted an 11-2 record. They ended the regular season with one of the best finishes in BYU history against Utah and capped the season off by destroying PAC-10 team Oregon in the Las Vegas Bowl. BYU outdid many people’s expectations and was able to finish second in the NCAA in scoring offense and tenth in scoring defense. BYUs only two losses were by a total of 10 points. ’06 MWC Offensive Player of the Year John Beck moved into second place at BYU in passing yards and RB Curtis Brown was able to break the record for total rushing yards. ’06 MWC and Western Region Coach of the Year Bronco Mendenhall has his squad rekindling the rich BYU tradition of winning back to Cougartown, having the best scoring advantage in the NCAA at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

Players to Watch This Season:
QB Max Hall, HB Fui Vakapuna, WR Austin Collie, TE Dennis Pitta, TE Vic So’oto, LB Kelly Poppinga, DB Ben Criddle

Offensive Strengths:
BYU has the heaviest and most experienced offense line in college football. BYU is also very deep and experienced in the backfield with two bruising runners in Manase Tonga and Fui Vakapuna. BYU is also very experienced at the wide receiver position with three returning starters, including MWC 2004 Freshman of the Year, Austin Collie, who has been on a LDS church service mission the past two years.

Offensive Weaknesses:
QB Max Hall is a potential weakness only because he has never taken a snap in Division 1 college football. Another weakness for the Cougars could be the TE spot, which is left vacant by All-American Senior Jonny Harline.

Defensive Strengths:
BYU is bringing back a strong defensive line and quick linebackers that are able to get to the quarterback. LB Bryan Kehl is assuming the position of captain for the BYU defense.

Defensive Weaknesses:
BYU has been hampered in their secondary with injuries and the loss of DB Justin Robinson. Recently, nose tackle Russell Tialavea has went down with a potential season ending injury. BYU must find a player to step up and fill some big shoes.

2007 Season Summary Projection:
BYU starts the season with three huge games that will set the tone for the rest of the year. They start with Arizona at home, whom they lost to in last season’s first game. Then the Cougars head to The Rose Bowl to play UCLA and then back on the road at Tulsa. If BYU wins two of those first three games then they may be on their way to another stellar year.

Arizona – W
@UCLA – L
@Tulsa – W
Air Force – W
@New Mexico – W
@UNLV – W
Eastern Washington – W
@ SDSU – W
Colorado St – W
TCU – W
@Wyoming – W
Utah – W


Big Games of the Year: @UCLA, TCU, and Utah.

2007 Projected Bowl: Las Vegas Bowl
BYU may have the chance to be a BCS-buster if they go unbeaten in ’07, but is more likely that they will lose a few and end up in the LV Bowl. The LV Bowl would love to see BYU back, as they have had record attendance the last two years in which BYU competed.