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Provo • Although the BYU Cougars went a respectable, if not satisfying, 4-4 through the most difficult part of their schedule, questions of what might have been linger as Saturday's game at Cincinnati approaches.
Chiefly, what if the Cougars' offense had been just a little bit better in coordinator Ty Detmer's first season and quarterback Taysom Hill's last? Also, could sophomore gunslinger Tanner Mangum, a better passer than Hill, have made a difference for an offense that ranks 126th - out of 128 — in yards per completion?
Answers to those questions will never come, but on Wednesday Detmer did shed some light on another question on the minds of many Cougar fans after some inaccurate passes and poor decisions on Hill's part led in part to the 28-27 loss at Boise State: When will Mangum get a shot?
"I don't know if it will be this week," Detmer said. "We are still playing to win games, and so you don't want to change up a rhythm or those kinds of things. But we have talked in the past, he and I, about at some point here towards the end of the season getting him a series, whether it is to start the second quarter, or maybe one a half, to just get him some playing time."
Mangum confirmed that he's had discussions with Detmer since the time in August when Hill was named the starter about getting some meaningful snaps later in the season. Has that time come?
"We will see," Mangum said Wednesday. "As far as specifics go, I am not sure. As always, I will be ready to go whenever I am called upon, and I will do my best in practice to get better. That way, when I am called upon I will be ready to go."
Detmer said it is difficult in the course of a close game, as all BYU games have been this season, to make a change at any position, let alone quarterback.
"I don't think this week we are going to go in with that mindset as much as maybe we will the last three to make sure [Mangum] gets some time here going into the next season," Detmer said.
Hill also spoke to the media on Wednesday for the first time since before the Boise State game. Asked if Mangum's stellar play last season has caused him to look over his shoulder, he answered succinctly: "No."
Hill has arguably won games with his ability to pick up first downs with his running ability and the way he has directed the two-minute offense late in tight games. Mangum clearly would have been sacked more, given BYU's injury-plagued and inconsistent offensive line.
But Hill's passing accuracy has seemingly diminished, with the caveat that BYU's receivers have dropped a lot of balls. Detmer said there were six drops alone against Boise State.
Hill is 68th in the country in completion percentage (58.5 percent) and 103rd in passing efficiency (115.2). Asked to assess his performance through eight games, he gave himself a mixed review.
"I mean, I think there are definitely things that I could improve on, be better on," he said. "But overall I feel like I've been able to manage each game the best that I could, and do what we needed to do inside our offense. We've had opportunities to win close games. We've won close ones and so it has been OK."
Regarding BYU's standing as the third-worst offense in the country in yards per completion, Hill bristled a bit.
"We take what the defense gives us," he said. "So far, that has been underneath stuff. We take a few shots here and there, but we are not going to force something that is not there."
Monday, head coach Kalani Sitake reiterated that Hill is the starter, Mangum is "our backup quarterback" and that there are no immediate plans to alter that situation.
"The main key is to try and win the game," Sitake said, obviously believing that Hill still gives them the best chance to do that. "I don't know if that [answers the question], but basically what has been going on is pretty much [staying] the same, yeah."
BYU ranks 78th in total offense at 394.6 yards per game and 76th in scoring at 28 points per game, but there have been some positives. For instance, the Cougars are 27th in third down conversion percentage (45.5) and second in red zone offense with a 96.7 percent success rate. Jamaal Williams, whom Detmer said has recovered from his sprained ankle and will play against the Bearcats, is one of the leading rushers in the nation. BYU's overall attack is more run-oriented to utilize the talents of Williams and Hill, often to the detriment of the passing attack.
"We are playing much stiffer competition than I ever did, and the game has changed," Detmer said. "I know our fans want to see it in the air, and see us throw the deep ball all the time. But realistically in a game, you are trying to stay out of third and long. So you are constantly chasing the sticks. When do you take your shots? When do you get four [yards] and put yourself in third-and-6 or third-and-2? That's the battle you fight as a play caller. … So, we constantly evaluate as a staff, and we feel like we've been in every game and given ourselves a chance. That's the key result—- what is your record at the end of the year? Not what your stats are. We are trying to win games."
Twitter: @drewjay —
Hill in national rankings
Category Rank Actual
Passing Yards 66 1,607
Passing Yards per Game 68 200.9 ypg.
Completion Pct. 68th 58.8%
Completions Per Game 35 19.63 cpg.
Passing Efficiency 103 115.2
Yards Per Completion 112 10.24