This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated.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.

With Taysom Hill going down for the season again on Saturday in the Cougars' 33-28 season-opening win over Nebraska, BYU's depth chart at quarterback reads freshman, freshman or freshman.

Crazy, but true.

First, you can read more about Hill's injury — it is a Lisfranc sprain, not a fracture, but just as serious as originally believed — in this report filed earlier today.

Freshman Tanner Mangum is now the starter, followed by Beau Hoge or Koy Detmer, Jr., according to the depth chart BYU released Monday.

Although there is an "or" on the depth chart, BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said today that Hoge is the backup, "if I were to say today."

"That is as clear cut as I can give you, as of Monday at noon," he said. "It might be different on Wednesday, but if I am saying now, that's who I think it is."

Some thought sophomore walk-on McCoy Hill, who played a bit last year behind Hill and Christian Stewart before suffering a foot injury the first day of spring camp, would move into the two-deep due to his experience. Apparently not.

Mendenhall said the four players who were suspended for the Nebraska game — linebacker Sione Takitaki, safety Kai Nacua, receiver Trey Dye and defensive end Tomasi Laulile — will all be back for the Boise State game. Nacua is listed as the starter at free safety, ahead of Jordan Preator, while Dye is the backup at H-back behind Mitchell Juergens and Laulile the backup at left defensive end behind Bronson Kaufusi.

Takitaki did not make the two-deep chart, but Mendenhall said he will still be a factor.

"What we will get back from Sione Takitaki is more of a pass rush threat and more of a dynamic playmaker kind of personnel off the edge. And so that is what he demonstrated a year ago was the ability to pressure the quarterback. And he is a playmaker. He has that capability," Mendenhall said. "In terms of Tomasi [Laulile], same thing — a little bit more athleticism on the D-line, blended with some physical play. So, more depth as far as possibly more play-making ability and athleticism. I would put those two together in the same category."

As you can read in the aforementioned article, BYU clarified on Monday afternoon that Hill suffered a sprained foot, and not a fractured foot. Seemingly, that's why he was able to return to the game and play on the damaged foot, at least for a little while. Here's what Mendenhall said when I asked him today if putting Hill back in the game might have done more damage to the injury.

"So the nature of the injury, and I have learned a lot more from when I just announced [it] after the game, and I was a little premature with that, other than I was just passing on what I was told. But it was made very clear to Taysom and our trainers, through our doctors, that there is no risk of damaging it further. So once those words came out of the trainers/doctors' mouth, Taysom said, 'what can I do?' So then there was a tape job and different things that allowed him to go back and last for awhile, but it was made clear to him.I wasn't involved in that at all. But it was made clear to him that there was not a chance for it to be worse."

Exposure from national media outlets regarding BYU's Hail Mary pass that beat Nebraska continued throughout the weekend. Good Morning America, CBS News and others showed clips of it on Monday morning.

"Oh, man, I don't know if I wanted it through a Hail Mary," Mendenhall said. "There are only so many of those you have in you, the last one I think being against SMU, so it doesn't happen very often. At the foundation of the point, though, is yeah, the best teams we can play, on the biggest stages, in front of the most people, and then demonstrate that we have a quality football team, a great program, and it is not only good for our football program, but it is good for the institution and it is good for the church."

Mendenhall confirmed what he said on Saturday that junior nose tackle Travis Tuiloma is out 4-6 weeks with a knee injury. Jordan Preator and Manoa Pikula left the game early as well, but Mendenhall said both defenders are OK and should play this week. As for the changes with Tuiloma out of the lineup, he said:

"Logan Taele will move into nose tackle. Graham Rowley will move into Logan's spot, and Travis is not replaceable. Certtainly not as visible as Taysom is, but that is a big loss for the defense."

Finally, Mendenhall was asked if receiver Devon Blackmon will say the prayer after every Friday night fireside after the senior asked for a BYU win in his prayer last week in Nebraska.

"Refreshing," Mendenhall said. "That would be the word I would use for that."