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Provo • Until Thursday, it had been a relatively quiet summer for BYU's football program.

There were no major announcements at the school's football media day, no high-profile transfer from a big rival in the middle of July, and no out-of-the-blue proclamation from coach Bronco Mendenhall that the Cougars belonged in the Big 12.

Then Jamaal Williams happened. BYU announced Thursday that the star running back will skip the 2015 season "for personal reasons" and hopes to return for his senior year in 2016. That bombshell changed everything.

All the predictions, speculation and excitement (among BYU fans, at least) for the 2015 season will have to be re-evaluated as the Cougars embark on perhaps their most challenging schedule in the Mendenhall era.

They open their fifth preseason camp as an independent on Saturday at 4:20 p.m. at the practice field behind the Student Athlete Building hoping to get over the hump after three consecutive 8-5 seasons.

At media day on June 24, Mendenhall said his expectations haven't changed, and most likely he will reiterate that on Saturday evening when he is asked what impact Williams' absence will have this year.

"What I did learn is, man, the health of your best players does matter," Mendenhall said more than six weeks ago. "Having enough depth does matter."

The coach also said winning close games matters, something the Cougars were good and bad at last year. They beat Houston, Virginia and Cal by a touchdown, but lost in overtime to Central Florida and Memphis and dropped a one-touchdown game at home to Nevada.

"Managing overtime, that's a huge thing as well," Mendenhall said. "Two overtime losses would have given us 10 wins if we change those around, and that's a whole different thing if we change that margin. So regardless of who we play, if our team is performing at the highest level that they possibly can, and I have a great idea of what that looks like. That is how I will measure [success]."

With the opener at Nebraska just four weeks away, there are plenty of question marks surrounding the Cougars. Here's a look at five:

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1. How will BYU replace Jamaal Williams? • Williams was arguably the team's second-most important player, behind quarterback Taysom Hill. Not only was Williams a huge offensive weapon, but he was often the emotional spark for a team that doesn't get a lot of that from its head coach.

Look for the Cougars to open up the offense even more, throw it around like they did during offensive coordinator Robert Anae's first stint when he had the likes of John Beck and Max Hall directing the attack.

Anae hinted that was coming during spring camp, and Williams' absence probably only speeds it up.

The bulk of the carries will go to junior Algnernon Brown, who played well in a starting role after Williams was lost for the season in 2014, although senior Adam Hine is listed as Williams' backup on the post-spring depth chart.

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2. How will the Cougars keep Taysom Hill healthy? • Thursday's news certainly makes this task even more difficult, because without the threat of Williams' explosiveness in the backfield, Hill will be tempted mightily to take off and run. But that's what caused him to suffer season-ending injuries in two of his three years in Provo, as Cougar fans and Hill himself are well aware.

Besides the usual admonitions from Mendenhall and Anae to slide and/or get out of bounds when he does take off, other precautions will be taken, both coaches said well before Williams departed.

That means the zone read will be used less, giving way to some creative formations designed to get the ball into the hands of other playmakers such as Brown, Mitch Mathews, Colby Pearson and Mitchell Juergens.

Turning defensive linemen Tanner Balderree and Stephen Richards into tight ends brought a more physical dimension to the offense in spring camp, and Anae hopes that mentality, that newfound toughness provided by the so-called "Bash Brothers," carries over into the fall.

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3. Will the Wintrich effect work? • The Cougars suffered so many soft tissue injuries last year that it almost became comical. Sprained ankles were commonplace and sidelined key players such as Brown, Williams, Jordan Leslie and Alani Fua for significant stretches.

Jay Omer retired at season's end, and Mendenhall brought in a young, tough taskmaster with warrior mentality by the name of Frank Wintrich. The new strength and conditioning coach drew rave reviews from players and coaches alike during spring camp, and Mendenhall noticed that injuries were down in March. Will that carry over into September, October and November?

Athletic director Tom Holmoe famously said in February that the Cougars don't have the depth later in the season to compete with Power 5 programs. Strength has also been an issue; Mendenhall believes Wintrich will be the remedy.

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4. Will the secondary be any better? • Yes, this is an annual question heading into preseason camp for BYU, which struggles to recruit the types of athletes necessary to compete against high-powered offenses. Some things never change.

Last year, the secondary was riddled repeatedly by average quarterbacks, but that had as much to do with a lackluster pass rush as anything else. Craig Bills, Robertson Daniel, Harvey Jackson and the underrated Skye PoVey graduated, while Dallin Leavitt transferred to Utah State, leaving plenty of spots to fill.

"Establishing depth at the [offensive] line and in the secondary, those are probably the two things that are on my mind the most," Mendenhall said when asked for areas of concern.

Two names BYU fans will hear a lot in camp as the secondary takes shape: Eric Takenaka, the transfer from Snow College, and returned missionary Micah Hanneman.

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5. Which players will be suspended? • This is the elephant in the room after BYU's 2014 season ended with that embarrassing brawl with Memphis in the aftermath of the Miami Beach Bowl. Certainly, some players will be suspended for the opener, although Mendenhall said in June that he would "rather not share" the exact number, or any names.

"There are none that can work their way back in, "Mendenhall said. —

BYU camp

Key dates, first week:

Saturday • First practice begins at 4:20 p.m.

Monday • Second practice begins at 10 a.m.

Thursday • Team Photo Day at IPF, 1:30 p.m.

Aug. 15 • Scrimmage at LaVell Edwards Stadium (open to public), 10 a.m.