This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Provo • Any predictions of success for the BYU football team in coach Bronco Mendenhall's 11th season have to begin or end with one particular clause:
If quarterback Taysom Hill stays healthy.
Really, it is as simple as that, because there might not be a player in college football this season who means more to his team than Hill does to the Cougars. For evidence, examine BYU's 0-for-October in 2014 after the fringe Heisman Trophy candidate suffered a season-ending fractured leg against Utah State.
The team crumbled without its leader and took a month to recover.
The difference this season is that the Cougars won't have an experienced backup like Christian Stewart to step in. They went 8-5 for the third-straight season last year after entering November with a 4-4 record.
Adding to Hill's value is the fact that not a single QB backing him up in 2015 has played a down of college football — though expectations are high for freshman returned missionary Tanner Mangum, who has been as good as advertised in preseason camp, by most accounts.
But the highly touted prospect from Eagle, Idaho, hasn't experienced the "fog of war," as offensive line coach Garett Tujague calls it, and has yet to gain the confidence of his teammates. He hasn't taken a snap in a real football game in nearly four years.
"I would be worried more if it wasn't Tanner," Mendenhall said recently. "Man, he loves football. He reminds me a little bit of John Beck, in terms of how hard and how much he studies and the detail that he has. Plus, he throws it so well, and he has great leadership. So, our future at quarterback is strong."
At media day in June, before it was announced 43 days later that star running back Jamaal Williams had withdrawn from school and would not be playing in 2015, Mendenhall said the talent was in place to put together a "special" season.
"We have a good team," he said. "If they stay healthy and the leadership is set for our program, which I think it is, they give us a good chance to win a lot of games. It could be fun."
Citing chemistry, leadership and preparation, Mendenhall said last week that he's still bullish on his team, but he noted that every coach in the country is optimistic right now.
"The only thing that has changed since then is depth at running back," he said. "But I still feel strongly about this team."
The trouble is that the 2015 Cougs could be better than the 2012, 2013 and 2014 editions, but they likely will have a similar or worse record because of the schedule. They might have bitten off more than they can chew, and just extending their streak of consecutive bowl game appearances to 11 will be an accomplishment.
Senior receiver Mitch Mathews acknowledged the difficulty of the September schedule and the November road trip to face Missouri in Kansas City, but he added that some Cougar fans might be overlooking Group of 5 teams such as East Carolina, Cincinnati and Utah State.
"We just have to worry about ourselves and take care of ourselves, and we will have a really good team," Mathews said.
And taking care of Taysom Hill? That might be the biggest challenge of all.
Twitter: @drewjay The Cougars will succeed if ...
Their leaders and frontline players can stay healthy, specifically quarterback Taysom Hill. They are not deep enough to absorb injuries. Also, having taken over the defense again, head coach Bronco Mendenhall must bring back the defensive intensity, accountability and focus that was lacking last season.
The Cougars won't succeed if ...
A killer September schedule in which they will likely be underdogs in all four games takes the wind out of their sails early. Losing Hill for the season, like they've done in two of the past three seasons, would be catastrophic for a team that has put many of its eggs in the basket of its star QB and is without one of its all-time leading rushers, Jamaal Williams.
The bottom line is ...
The Cougars must find a way to break even in September against Nebraska, Boise State, UCLA and Michigan. Anything less than a 2-2 record and October and November games lose their luster for an independent program trying to re-establish itself as a player in the new college football landscape. BYU schedule
Sept. 5 at Nebraska 1:30 p.m.
TV: ABC
BYU is familiar with new NU coach Mike Riley, formerly of Oregon St.
Sept. 12 Boise State 8:15 p.m.
TV: ESPN2
Cougars out for revenge after getting humiliated last year in Idaho
Sept. 19 at UCLA 8:30 p.m
TV: FS1
First meeting since Cougars embarrassed the Bruins 59-0 in Provo
Sept. 26 at Michigan TBA
TV: TBD
In their only previous meeting, BYU beat the Wolverines 24-17 in the 1984 Holiday Bowl to clinch national championship
Oct. 2 Connecticut 8:15 p.m.
TV: ESPN2
Rematch of last year's opener, won 35-10 by BYU, is on the Friday before LDS General Conference
Oct. 10 East Carolina TBA
TV: TBD
Cougars will return the trip to Greenville, N.C., in 2017
Oct. 16 Cincinnati 6 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Another first-ever meeting, one of four this season for Cougars
Oct. 24 Wagner 1 p.m.
TV: BYUtv
From Staten Island, N.Y., Seahawks went 7-4 last year in FCS
Nov. 6 at San Jose St. 9:30 p.m.
TV: CBSSN
A late-night special from the Bay Area
Nov. 14 at Missouri TBA
TV: TBD
Cougars venture into SEC territory to test the Tigers just 126 miles from their home at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
Nov. 21 Fresno State TBA
TV: TBD
Bulldogs are 5-4 against BYU, won last meeting 31-21 in 1998
Nov. 28 at Utah St. 1:30 p.m.
TV: CBSSN
Could be a matchup of dynamic senior quarterbacks if Taysom Hill, Chuckie Keeton stay healthy BYU two-deep
Offense
QB Taysom Hill, Sr., 6-2, 234 Tanner Mangum, Fr., 6-3, 197
RB Algernon Brown, Jr., 6-1, 246 Adam Hine, Sr., 6-1, 216
WR Mitch Mathews, Sr., 6-6, 215 Kurt Henderson, Sr., 6-1, 190
WR Nick Kurtz, Jr., 6-5, 205 Devon Blackmon, Sr., 6-0, 187
WR Terenn Houk, Sr., 6-5, 225 Colby Pearson, Jr., 6-0, 204
TE Bryan Sampson, Jr., 6-4, 235 Tanner Balderree, Soph., 6-3, 242
LT Ryker Mathews, Sr., 6-6, 322 Austin Hoyt, Fr., 6-8, 263
LG Kyle Johnson, Jr., 6-4, 303 Manu Mulitalo, Jr., 6-4, 368
C Tejan Koroma, Soph., 6-0, 270 Parker Dawe, Jr., 6-3, 295
RG Tuni Kanuch, Soph., 6-3, 330 Jaterrius Gulley, Fr., 6-2, 340
RT Ului Lapuaho, Soph., 6-7, 330 Brad Wilcox, Jr., 6-7, 287
Specialists
PK Trevor Samson, Sr., 5-11, 177 Austin Brasher, Jr., 6-0, 183
KR Adam Hine, Sr., 6-1, 216 Eric Takenaka, Jr., 5-11, 203
Defense
LE Bronson Kaufusi, Sr., 6-8, 257 Remington Peck, Sr., 6-4, 270
NT Travis Tuiloma, Jr., 6-2, 300 Kesni Tausinga, Soph., 6-2, 301
RE Logan Taele, Sr, 6-2, 293 Graham Rowley, Sr., 6-4, 280
OLB Fred Warner, Soph., 6-4, 225 Teu Kautai, Sr., 6-1, 228
MLB Harvey Langi, Jr., 6-3, 240 Austin Heder, Jr. 6-3, 240
MLB Manoa Pikula, Sr., 6-1, 235 Jherremya Leuta-Douyere, Sr., 6-0, 230
OLB Sae Tautu, Jr., 6-4, 246 Sione Takitaki, Soph., 6-2, 240
CB Jordan Preator, Soph., 6-0, 183 Michael Shelton, Fr., 5-8, 169
CB Michael Davis, Jr., 6-2, 189 Micah Hannemann, Soph., 6-0, 185
SS Eric Takenaka, Jr., 5-11, 203 Grant Jones, Soph., 6-6, 210
FS Kai Nacua, Jr., 6-2, 213 Matthew Hadley, Soph., 6-0, 195
Specialists
P Jonny Linehan, Jr., 6-0, 195 Rhett Almond, Fr.,6 -4, 190
PR Mitchell Juergens, Jr., 5-10, 182 Eric Takenaka, Jr., 5-11, 203
LS Matt Foley, Fr., 6-1, 215 Parker Dawe, Jr., 6-3, 295