 |
| |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Crowton both answers and dismisses that question with this response: "The good thing about football is that season's over," he says. "It's gone and done with. … This is a completely different year." Crowton's two-year record is a commendable 17-9, but the way he arrived there was highly unusual: 12-2 and 5-7, the school's first losing record since 1973. As Crowton has pointed out, that was LaVell Edwards' second season, and he never had another losing year. Whether Crowton can recover and have anywhere near that kind of success is another issue. For the Cougars to bounce back this season, their quarterback play must improve and the defense must respond well to a new coordinator. OFFENSIVE KEYS: Matt Berry had the distinction of becoming the first redshirt freshman to start at quarterback for BYU since Ty Detmer did so in 1988. But Berry couldn't salvage BYU's season after taking over in the middle of the year, struggling in losses to New Mexico and Utah that cost the Cougars a bowl bid. He finished with nine interceptions and seven touchdown passes.Running back Marcus Whalen would easily have topped the 1,000-yard mark last season, but he missed the game against Utah State, a team that ranked 112th in the nation in stopping the run. As it was, Whalen finished with 918 yards in 11 games, showing the burst that makes him particularly effective on draw plays. Senior Toby Christensen and junior Rod Wilkerson are the primary receivers. Christensen caught 30 passes for 346 yards; Wilkerson caught 27 for 371 yards but was inconsistent. Sophomore Chris Hale should warrant an expanded role because of his speed, and junior David Christensen will be back from an injury that kept him out of spring drills. Three freshmen could start on the offensive line this season, if highly recruited guard Ofa Mohetau is judged ready. DEFENSIVE KEYS: Brady Poppinga led the Mountain West with eight sacks last season, and now he's playing in a scheme that sends pass rushers from all over the field, which should create even more opportunities for him in defensive coordinator Bronco Mendenhall's high-pressure 3-3-5 scheme.The linebackers' leader is Paul Walkenhorst, who ranked fifth in the conference with 8.9 tackles per game in 2002. He's fast and tough, and Mendenhall will make the most of his talent. Senior Colby Bockwoldt has many of Walkenhorst's traits, and senior middle linebacker Mike Tanner was a pleasant surprise last season, working his way into a starting role. Aaron Francisco should thrive as the "Cougar," a combination linebacker/safety, after making 99 tackles as a safety last season. The Cat safeties are senior Kip Nielsen, who intercepted three passes, and junior Jon Burbidge, who improved a lot in the spring. At cornerback, BYU is counting on a healthy Jernaro Gilford, one of the league's most talented corners. He battled injuries all of last season but was not bothered during the spring. SPECIAL TEAMS: Matt Payne led the nation in punting last year with a 47.6-yard average. Payne is also BYU's placekicker; he made 13-of-16 field goals. David Christensen showed his return ability in limited work, returning eight punts for a 10.0-yard average and six kickoffs for a 28.3-yard average.FINAL ANALYSIS: As if the wild ride of coach Gary Crowton's first two seasons were not interesting enough, his program will really become intriguing this year. Crowton faces a schedule with Georgia Tech and USC at the start and Notre Dame at the end, with an unproven quarterback, a young offensive line and a new defensive scheme. Regardless of what happens early in the year, Crowton's theme will be to keep improving.• Click here for complete index of 2003 team previews
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
