This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Provo • Brigham Young University coach Bronco Mendenhall's never-ending efforts to keep his 3-5 football team unified this season have been justifiable, considering that the Cougars face myriad potential divisions.

First, the defense has clearly outplayed the offense. In all three victories, the defense had to come up with a key stop late in the game to preserve a win after the offense failed to keep the ball away from the opposing team in the final few minutes.

Although linebacker Shane Hunter and others have said the defense relishes those opportunities, it does get old, at least one defender has acknowledged.

Second, there's the youth vs. experience dilemma. Mendenhall has generally erred on the side of giving the bulk of the playing time to more experienced players who he believes have earned it, while more talented, but inexperienced, players wait in the wings.

That philosophy has caused some friction, and probably led as much as anything else to Mendenhall going with the two-headed quarterback system to start the season, a decision that undoubtedly slowed the progress of freshman quarterback Jake Heaps.

One of Mendenhall's answers to the potential split is to change the way the Cougars ride to their games.

No longer is there a bus just for the defensive players, and a bus just for the offensive players. Now, both buses have signs on them that say "Band of Brothers," and players are encouraged to mingle with their brethren on the other side of the ball just a little bit more.

"I remember getting on the bus the other day and looking at the offensive guys, and I was like, 'What are you guys doing on the bus?' " defensive back Brian Logan said. "It has definitely changed the culture, and guys are starting to interact more with each other."

The players acknowledge that the change is mostly symbolic, but at this point, anything helps.

"It is about unity, having not one side or the other side, just a bunch of guys ready to play football," defensive end Vic So'oto said.

The Cougars, who face 1-7 UNLV on Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium (noon, The Mtn.), are doing their best to avoid finger-pointing although their defense is in the middle of the pack in the NCAA rankings and their offense is one of the 10 worst in the country. BYU is 69th in total defense and 71st in points allowed, but 113th in points scored and 107th in total offense.

"Yeah, the 'Band of Brothers' signs are just there to remind us that, hey, we are all brothers, we are all cheering each other on, and we are pulling for a common goal," said offensive lineman Jason Speredon.

A senior, Speredon said the "Band of Brothers" theme has been part of Mendenhall's program for six years, but that it has been re-emphasized this year as more of a precautionary measure because of the potential for the aforementioned divisions.

Logan said the togetherness theme isn't just something that's spelled out on the side of a bus, or on the T-shirts that Mendenhall and other coaches have worn on game days. It's preached every day in practice, too.

"Oh yeah, it is definitely happening," Logan said. "I remember when we used to do sprints when coach Mendenhall took over [the defense], and how many points we gave up [determined the frequency]. Now the offense is doing it with us. And then he went one step farther, not only with the offense and the defense, but with the scout [team] offense and defense. So the whole team is doing it together. It's helping."

drew@sltrib.com Twitter: @drewjay, @sltribbyu —

Saturday's game

P UNLV (1-7) at BYU (3-5), noon

TV • The Mtn. —

Offense isn't keeping up

BYU's defense has clearly outplayed its offense this season:

Points for • 113th (16.0 ppg.)

Points against • 71st (27.0 ppg.)

Total offense • 107th ( 302.6 ypg.)

Total defense • 69th (374.5 ypg.)