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Provo • When they were serving in the same LDS Church mission in Antofagasta, Chile, for almost two years, quarterback Tanner Mangum and receiver Moroni Lualu-Pututau got together occasionally to throw the football around and talk about how fun it would be to play together at BYU.
But that time has arrived faster than either returned missionary envisioned, and on Saturday the freshmen connected on an 18-yard touchdown pass, Lualu-Pututau's first touchdown as a Cougar.
"I was just happy for him," said Mangum, who has thrown for 17 touchdowns and 2,778 yards since relieving Taysom Hill in the season opener. "It was fun to just be out there on the field with him, and throwing a touchdown to him was pretty awesome."
Laulu-Pututau would love to see history repeat itself this week, because the Cougars (8-3) play the Utah State Aggies (6-5) in Logan, which is just a few miles away from Hyrum, where he grew up.
The former Mountain Crest High star said he is trying not to think too much about his return to the Cache Valley.
"It will be fun playing in my hometown again," he said. "That's where I grew up, so everything will look familiar. It won't be an away game for me. But [Utah State] is just a nameless, faceless team. So we will play just like we would against any other team."
Lualu-Pututau said he never considered attending Utah State because BYU offered him a scholarship early and was the only school that "pushed hard for me."
Due to Terenn Houk's concussion and unclear playing status last week, Lualu-Pututau got some reps at inside receiver in practices and was playing that position when he got the touchdown pass. He will play both inside and outside receiver moving forward.
"It is two different worlds, I realized," he said. "I like it because you can be more physical. The referees are more lenient. You can bang with people more than you can on the outside. So I like that about it."
Personnel news
Coach Bronco Mendenhall said Monday that freshman defensive back Zayne Anderson suffered a season-ending injury against Fresno State, but didn't divulge the exact nature of the injury.
Besides that, the Cougars came out of the game relatively unscathed, although running back Adam Hine hasn't fully recovered from the ankle injury he suffered against Michigan.
"And so basically we are integrating [freshman RB] Riley Burt into the offense until Adam is 100 percent," Mendenhall said.
Linebacker Manoa Pikula didn't play and is "still under team discipline, and a lot of [chances for his return] has to do with what happens this week," Mendenhall said.
As for Mangum, who pulled a hamstring against East Carolina, the freshman quarterback said Tuesday he's still not 100 percent.
"No, not yet," he said. "That is a part of the season. It is a grind. I don't have a whole lot of time to get back to 100 percent. But I am doing the best I can, and the training staff is doing a good job helping me out, and I am definitely not using it as an excuse for anything. The whole nation is playing banged up. Every team has little injuries, little bumps and bruises here and there. … It is not holding me back or anything."
Mangum's funny moment
Mangum explained Tuesday why he wasn't on the field with two seconds remaining in the first half against Fresno State last Saturday. The Cougars had to call timeout while they searched for their quarterback.
"People have been giving me a hard time for that one," he said with a laugh. "I saw the clock go down to zero, so I ran into the locker room thinking it was halftime, and then one of the equipment managers said they put two seconds on the clock, and I was like, 'OK.' I quickly ran back out and made it for the last play."
He said he didn't run into the locker room for a quick bathroom break, as some speculated.
Briefly
Safety Kai Nacua, who played quarterback in high school, has returned two interceptions for touchdowns this season and was used briefly as a backup QB last year. Could he see some time on offense in a game? "We haven't thought about that this year, but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen," Mendenhall said. … The Cougars are now ranked No. 1 in the nation in red-zone scoring, having been successful on 95.3 percent of their trips inside the 20. That's 31 touchdowns and 10 field goals in 43 trips.
Twitter: @drewjay —
BYU at Utah State
P Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
TV • CBS Sports Network