This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Provo • Play on national television for three straight weeks, humiliate Texas 41-7 in Week Two, feature an exciting, play-making quarterback who is a fringe Heisman Trophy candidate, stay undefeated and crack the national rankings.
That's what the BYU Cougars did the first quarter of the college football season, and naturally national attention has followed for the independent going against the grain in the college football world.
Coach Bronco Mendenhall has appeared on a handful of national college football radio shows since BYU downed Houston 33-25 last Thursday to improve to 3-0, including College GameDay on ESPN radio and CBS Sports Radio's Eye on College Football.
"It is great exposure, and we have earned it for the first three weeks, and we have earned it over the past 10 years, so I think it is well-deserved through three weeks of this season," Mendenhall said. "That could change [in the ensuing weeks], so, we are eager to play Virginia, and then we will answer whatever questions come after that."
The Cougars play host to the surprising Cavaliers on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at LaVell Edwards Stadium. ESPN will televise the game, rather than hand it off to the lesser-viewed ESPNU.
Mendenhall said most of the questions have revolved around BYU's chances of making it into the new College Football Playoff, or a New Year's Six bowl game, if it goes undefeated.
Some of the questions have been easier to answer than others.
For instance, quarterback Taysom Hill was asked by Ryan Russillo of the SVP & Russillo Show on ESPN radio if it bothers him that the state of Texas "hates" him after he had huge games against Texas and Houston in both 2013 and 2014. Hill laughed and said he "likes it" and replied that his wife, the former Emily Nixon, is from College Station and a big Texas A&M fan "so I know that I have a few fans down there, at least A&M fans."
Stout up the middle
With tackling machine Uani Unga having graduated, and not much experience returning, there was concern among BYU fans that the Cougars would struggle at the two inside linebacker positions this year.
But as middle linebacker Zac Stout's safety against Houston showed, the group is performing well. Manoa Pikula and Jherreyma Leuta-Douyere are splitting time at the buck linebacker spot.
Teu Kautai and Utah transfer Harvey Langi are also seeing time, and coaches were so confident in Langi's quick grasp of the defense that they had him on the field for Houston's last possession.
"I've got five guys there that we feel comfortable putting in," inside linebackers coach Paul Tidwell said.
The Cougars are fifth in the nation against the run, allowing just 54.3 yards per game.
Briefly
Mendenhall said Monday that linebacker Bronson Kaufusi, nose tackle Marques Johnson, offensive lineman Brayden Kearsley and running back Algie Brown are all nursing ankle injuries and all four are "hopeful" for Saturday's game. He said hopeful is between doubtful and probable. … Center Tejan Koroma has been cleared to play the entire game, after being ejected in the UH game. Officials told Mendenhall that Koroma threw a punch, but Big 12 officials viewed the replay and cleared the freshman of wrongdoing.
Twitter: @drewjay