This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Provo • Starting with the first play of the game against Utah a few weeks ago when Taysom Hill's pass skipped off the hands of freshman Aleva Hifo and directly to the Utes' Sunia Tauteoli, who returned it for a touchdown, luck hasn't exactly favored Hill or the BYU Cougars this season.
Bad breaks have seemingly been the 1-3 team's constant companion in 2016, after fortuitous bounces went BYU's way in the first two games last year, wins over Nebraska and Boise State.
"It is football. Stuff happens," Hill acknowledged Monday as BYU got back to work after losing 35-32 to West Virginia when his last-minute throw to Hifo was deflected into the arms of WVU's Maurice Fleming near the goal line.
"We have been unlucky, and I expect our breaks will come, hopefully soon," Hill continued. "But that's the way it goes sometimes."
Despite all the adversity and rotten luck they've faced so far, the Cougars insisted Monday that they are still united as they began preparing to play undefeated Toledo (3-0) on Friday at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
"If anything, this season being 1-3 right now has brought our team closer than ever," said coach Kalani Sitake. "This is one of the closest teams I have ever been a part of. And so nothing is going to divide this group. … Our guys are preparing hard to make sure we play our best game this Friday."
With games at Michigan State, Boise State and Cincinnati and home encounters with Mississippi State and Utah State still on the horizon, winning Friday's contest is probably vital to BYU's bowl-eligibility (six wins) hopes.
"I have said it before: We need to have our best game this weekend," Sitake said. "It needs to happen. I know a lot of people are impatient. Trust me, we are more impatient here as a coaching staff, and as a team."
Hill also said morale remains high. The Cougars' strength of schedule so far ranks ninth nationally, and they've lost the three games by a total of seven points.
"We all realize we are one or two plays in each of these games from potentially being 4-0, easily being 3-1," Hill said. "We all love each other. We all trust and respect each other. We still have a lot to play for, and we want to go out and be successful for one another as a team, and that's definitely the vibe from everybody."
Hill said the Cougars need to start creating their own breaks, like WVU's Nana Kyeremeh did to preserve the Mountaineers' undefeated season.
"Aleva had been playing really well, and we wanted to give him the opportunity to make a play," Hill said. "The safety in coverage there made a really good play where Aleva had the ball and he flipped it out of his hands and into the corner's hands. It was an unlucky play. … But hats off to that DB who got his hand in there and flipped it out."
Earlier, the Cougars had another unlucky play when Hill's pass bounced off a wide-open Mitchell Juergens' hands and directly to WVU safety Jeremy Tyler.
While the offense improved, linebacker Francis Bernard acknowledged the Cougars' defense faltered for the first time, allowing four long touchdown drives. Bernard echoed Sitake's comment about the team's unity.
"Like he said, we are as tight as can be," Bernard said.
Toledo will be the first non-Power 5 opponent for BYU this season, but Sitake said there is no chance his club will suffer a letdown against the Rockets, who have thumped Arkansas State, Maine and Fresno State, outscoring them by a combined 128-40.
"We don't even worry about that," Sitake said. "Nope, nope. Everybody is a P5 to us. We talk a lot about respecting our opponents, and they deserve our respect because they are a great team. You see things that they have done, not just this year but things they've done in the past … I think that is the best way to do it. They have every bit of respect that we can give to an opponent."
To win, the Cougars have to be more consistent on offense and defense, and score touchdowns instead of field goals when they reach the red zone.
"Our players are excited to get back on the field again," he said, downplaying the fact that Toledo is coming off a bye and it is a short week of preparation for BYU. "Iit is one less day to wait. I mean, the guys are champing at the bit. They want to play well. As long as we just show more poise and do what we are supposed to and trust each other, we will be fine."
Sitake praised the way Hill played in the loss, despite the pick-six in the first half on a ball that never should have been thrown. Talk of giving sophomore QB Tanner Mangum a shot has died down considerably.
"Taysom is starting to feel more comfortable running the ball. You can see that he is starting to trust his foot and starting to [regain] his vision of the field, and starting to find [open] grass," Sitake said. "I was really impressed with the things he did. For a quarterback to run for that many yards [101] is difficult to do. He's going to keep doing that. We will keep relying on him to do things with his feet, as well as with his arm."
Twitter: @drewjay —
Toledo at BYU
P Friday, 8:15 p.m. TV • ESPN2