2020 BYU Cougars

Shadowlight

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Since 2005 the white starter count is 18,16,15,16,16,16,14,12,14,9,9,8,11,12 and 12. This year it is roughly 12 again.

Out of all the college teams the BYU tale during the Covid-19 crisis is the craziest. As an Independent they have basically had to rebuild their schedule from scratch and are now up to 8 games and chances are they will actually add some MAC games while the season is underway. Very unprecedented but these aren't normal times. They are also a coveted market as ESPN has signed them to a nice big deal. They open this Monday in the first big game of the season against Navy. Clean cut young men I don't anticipate any virus spreading wild dorm parties.

I think overall this team looks to be a bit better than last year's squad. Two solid starting white wide receivers is a good start. But there are also quite a few non white receivers waiting in the wings. Their QB Zach Wilson has all the tools. If he can put it all together this year then the NFL will start to take notice. He is exciting to watch. Their schedule is much weaker than usual so I expect some big games from Zach. The most intriguing defender is Zayne Anderson. Sadly Zayne was banged up last season but they have switched him to S from LB this season. If he can stay healthy we could be looking at a Tanner Muse type of player. He has 4.4 speed and is a stud of an athlete. RB Jackson McChesney is a cracker jack speedster but for now he is a bit buried on the depth chart but I still think he will see the field. TE Matt Bushman is seen as a high draft pick for 2021. One thing I have noticed. Most of the white players go on two year missions and seemingly none of the black or Poly players go on missions. I don't know how accurate that observation is but it seems to be the case as far as I can tell? Bunch of interlopers.

Players to watch: FB Masen Wake, RB Jackson McChesney, TE Isaac Rex, OL Harris LaChance, OL Clark Barrington, OL Connor Ray, OL Chandon Herring, DL Gabe Summers, LB Ben Bywater, NB Max Tooley, SS Hayden Livingston, SS Matt Criddle, LB Drew Jenson, SS Morgan Pyper, DE Tyler Batty ( just a freshman) and WR Brayden Cosper.

OFFENSE:
QB Zach Wilson (JR)
WR Gunner Romney (JR)
WR Dax Milne ( JR)
TE Matt Bushman (SR)
OT Brady Christensen (SR)
OG Keiffer Longson ( SR)
OC James Empey (JR)
OG Tristen Hoge (SR)
OT Blake Freeland (SO)

DEFENSE:
DE Zach Dawe ( SR)
LB Payton Wilgar (SO)
FS Zayne Anderson ( SR)
 

Leonardfan

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Bad news on Bushman:

According to Jay Drew of the Deseret News, BYU senior TE Matt Bushman suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during Monday's practice.
Bushman (6'5/245) was due to undergo an MRI on Tuesday, and while there were some early reports that he would not play this season BYU did not confirm the news until later in the day. This is a huge personnel loss for the Cougars, as Bushman was expected by many to be one of the top tight ends in college football. Without their senior tight end BYU will have to lean even more on junior wideouts Neil Pau'u, Gunner Romney and Dax Milne in the passing game.
 

Red Raider

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BYU released their official depth chart yesterday and Bracken El-Bakri is listed as a starter at DT and Hayden Livingston is actually listed at 2nd with an OR designation at CB. Would love to see them give Livingston some playing time, he’s an NFL size CB at 6’1” 200lbs.
 

Bucky

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Another SnowPlow!

Bad news about Bushman indeed. Time to rehab for The Draft already..

Seems like BYU has more Depth on Defense than in recent years!
 

Leonardfan

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McChesney out for the rest of the year with a foot injury that required surgery. :BangHead:
 
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BYU has had a strong start to the season. BYU beat the Troy Trojans 48-7 with Zach Wilson balling out. Wilson completed 23 of 28 passes for 392 yards and two touchdowns. He ran for two others. His pass efficiency rating was 223, his second time with a rating over 200 this shortened season. It was Wilson’s new career-high in passing yards (331) with a previous high of 317 vs. Western Michigan in 2018. Dax Milne had 140 yards receiving with a TD and Gunner Romney had 138 yards receiving. Masen Wake put the cherry on top with 2 rushing TD.
 
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BYU improve their record to 3-0 with QB Zach Wilson having another impressive game. WR Gunner Romney had 7 receptions for 101 yards and a TD, whilst WR Dax Milne also had 7 receptions for 89 yards.
 

ximasa

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Bushman injured, letting TE Carter Wheat have room to grow, he caught TD last week.
Daddy is Warren Wheat, drafted by Rams in 1989.

If Trey Lance is hyped, why not QB Zach Wilson?
 

Leonardfan

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Bushman injured, letting TE Carter Wheat have room to grow, he caught TD last week.
Daddy is Warren Wheat, drafted by Rams in 1989.

If Trey Lance is hyped, why not QB Zach Wilson?

Dane Brugler mentioned something about Zach Wilson on twitter but brought up the level of competition Wilson has faced so far. I asked him why no one is questioning the level of competition Lance faced at the FCS level
 

Jimmy Chitwood

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it should be noted that Dax Milne, currently #5 in the nation with 550 receiving yards (including 4 touchdowns on 33 catches), is a former walk-on.
 
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