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Provo • Has Taysom Hill lost a step?
Some observers of the BYU senior quarterback's performance in Saturday's 18-16 win over Arizona seemed to think he wasn't quite as fast, didn't have the same burst, as he did in last year's opener at Nebraska before he injured his foot.
But Hill said he's fine, feels just as fast, and will show that speed he was known for as the season progresses.
"I am a little heavier than I was last year," he said. "I don't feel quite as quick, but I think throughout the course of the season I will lean up a little bit, and we won't be lifting as much, which will be helpful as well. But I felt really good."
Hill carried the ball 11 times for 37 yards and was sacked once. He said the game plan going in was for him to carry the ball only to the edges, "where I could protect myself."
The Cougars were well-balanced, rushing for 213 yards and passing for 202, but Hill said they really didn't go deep into the playbook.
"We didn't really get into a lot of depth of what we have offensively, which was nice," he said. "We had that much offensive productivity, and we didn't really dive into the nitty gritty of our offense."
No calls this week
Coach Kalani Sitake said he and Utah coach Kyle Whittingham exchanged a lot of phone calls and text messages throughout the summer, but won't communicate this week leading up to their first matchup as head coaches.
"We have a great relationship — we played golf together in the summer," Sitake said during Monday's weekly press briefing in Provo. "We will hang out. We have that relationship that has been there for a decade. We will always remain friends. But this is one of those weeks where we want to respect their preparation, and they can respect ours. We will see each other before the game. I will hug a lot of people, see a lot of people in the stands, and on the other sideline that I really love and appreciate."
Sitake, who was Utah's defensive coordinator under Whittingham for nearly a decade before leaving to become Oregon State's DC in 2015, said there will be plenty of time for talking after the game.
"Once the coin toss goes up and the game starts, we will go right back to game mode and then afterwards we will hug, and our friendships will all continue," he said. "But in that 60 minutes it is going to be competitive, and it is going to be fun and both sides are going to want to win, and do their best to do that."
Family affair for Nacua
BYU senior safety Kai Nacua's younger brother, Timpview High product Samson Nacua, is a freshman receiver on the Utes' roster but didn't play in Utah's 24-0 win over Southern Utah last Thursday.
"If he does get in, I told him, 'Keep your head on a swivel, because I might just leave my assignment and go hit it, just for fun,'" Kai Nacua said.
Changes in the
depth chart
Sitake said the Cougars came out of the Arizona game fairly healthy, except for the usual bumps and bruises. He said defensive back Troy Warner was cramping up and missed some plays, but was able to return to the game.
There were some minor changes on the depth chart released Monday, as Saturday's hero Jake Oldroyd moved into the starting place-kicker spot.
"We all know his name now," joked running back Jamaal Williams.
Also, Merrill "Meti" Taliuali moved into the starting spot at nose tackle and Tomasi Laulile moved into the top spot at defensive end opposite Harvey Langi. Dayan Lake "or" Isaiah Armstrong has replaced Akile Davis as the backup at left corner.
Offensively, Tuni Kanuch has moved into "or" status with Parker Dawe at right guard.
Twitter: @drewjay —
BYU at Utah
Saturday, 5:30 p.m.
TV • Fox Sports