This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Provo • Bronco Mendenhall's BYU football program is on a precipice.

The 1-2 Cougars are coming off one of the most devastating losses in the coach's seven-year tenure, staring down a pair of very loseable Friday games at home and in danger of plunging into national irrelevance for the second-straight season, if they haven't already.

The heat is on Mendenhall perhaps like never before. It is also on new offensive coordinator Brandon Doman and sophomore quarterback Jake Heaps as the Cougars get set to take on dangerous Central Florida (2-1) on Friday night at LaVell Edwards Stadium (6 p.m., ESPN) just six days after getting blasted 54-10 at home by Utah, a back-of-the-woodshed beatdown that saw thousands of fans head to the exits before the fourth quarter was one-third over.

The Knights are catching the Cougars at a crossroads, as Utah State will next Friday. A loss to both probably means the 2011 season is destined for disappointment, considering the high hopes that accompanied this crew just two weeks ago when it won its road and season-opener at Ole Miss.

A grave outlook? Sure.

But certainly imaginable, even if Mendenhall himself isn't buying it.

"I really don't [see cause for great concern]," he said. "I would probably tell you if I felt it was that way. I don't. I am not sure if there have been must-win games before. Maybe in my first year, against New Mexico, that one kind of felt like that going in, in relation to my perspective of coaching at that time.

"I see this game as a chance just to move forward. My hope is that we play well enough to win. But there is so much ground now [to make up] that I see after three games — not after two games, but after three games — so much ground that it might be a week or two before I see us reach, maybe a point like that."

Interpretation: The Cougars haven't fallen off the cliff yet, but are headed in that direction unless the risk-taking, points-scoring offense that Doman promised over the summer finds its legs, Heaps finds the last half of last season's form and Mendenhall figures out how to get his team to play four full quarters instead of just two.

Still, no time to panic, the coach insists.

"I will feel bad for [the players, if BYU loses], but it will just strengthen our resolve, because they know they can play better," he said. "… Our current execution isn't able, and I haven't trained it to be able to hold for four full quarters against a good team. Close against Ole Miss, and close at Texas. This one [against Utah], it didn't hold."

Offensively, Doman continues to preach execution, saying he believes in the plans he has implemented and the plays he's called, while running backs coach Joe DuPaix said the players have simply got to play better.

"Our whole mentality is let's go out and show the world that we are better football players than what we were last [Saturday]," he said.

Even then, that might not be enough to take down a Central Florida team that is ranked No. 2 in the country in total defense, No. 3 in scoring defense, No. 1 in pass defense and No. 13 in rushing defense. Offensively, the Knights feature the type of quarterback, Jeff Godfrey, that always seem to give BYU defense's fits because he can run and scramble effectively.

BYU has started 1-2 in five of Mendenhall's seven seasons, but only once — last year — has it dropped to 1-3. But the feeling this year is "different," he said, calling comparisons "very premature at this point."

Another poor performance, though, and it might be time to pull out the parachutes.

drew@sltrib.comTwitter: @drewjay —

Central Florida at BYU

P At LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo

Kickoff • Friday, 6 p.m.

TV • ESPN

Radio • 1160 AM and 102.7 FM

Records • BYU 1-2, Central Florida 2-1

Series history • First meeting

Last meeting • N/A

About the Cougars • They have not lost back-to-back home games since the end of the 2004 season and start of the 2005 season. … They are 7-4 in Friday night games since 2000. … They are 24th in the nation in pass defense, yielding 168.7 yards per game. … They are averaging just 13.3 points per game.

About the Knights • They have not thrown an interception this season. … They are coming off a 17-10 loss to instate rival Florida International. … They have allowed just 93.7 passing yards per game, best in the country… Head coach George O'Leary is in his 8th season at UCF and is 47-45 there. … They are led by quarterback Jeff Godfrey — on several watch lists for the country's top quarterback.