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Provo • Mike Empey's first season as BYU's offensive line coach — after a stint working with offensive tackles and tight ends from 2000-2004 — has been anything but uneventful.
The former Cougar was dealt a bad hand before the season started, when two projected starters — seniors Kyle Johnson and Brad Wilcox — weren't in camp. Johnson returned from several injuries to play briefly against Cincinnati and Southern Utah, but Wilcox's career is apparently over.
Then three-year starting right tackle Ului Lapuaho went down with a season-ending injury in the Utah game — after catching a deflected pass and rumbling 4 yards — and had to be replaced by Thomas Shoaf. Lapuaho is eligible to apply for a medical hardship to get the year back because he played in fewer than one-third of the games this season.
Then Shoaf, an undersized freshman, sprained an ankle versus Mississippi State, forcing third-stringer Austin Hoyt into action in the madness and cacophony at Boise State.
Through it all, the Cougars have transformed into a run-first team, thanks to the rapid progression of the makeshift offensive line. BYU takes on UMass on Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium hoping to continue the offensive dominance it displayed last week against Southern Utah.
"I feel like we are progressing," Empey said. "There is always work to do, but overall, I'm happy with how we've played. … We are just trying to find consistency across the board, no matter who we are playing."
Southern Utah transfers Andrew Eide and Keyan Norman have been godsents in the absence of Wilcox and Johnson (who probably won't crack the starting lineup now but serves as a nice insurance policy if one of the starters gets injured). Junior Tejan Koroma is quietly having another standout year at center, and senior Parker Dawe and junior Tuni Kanuch form a solid rotation at right guard.
Empey was named the national offensive line coach of the week by CoachingSearch.com after the Toledo and Michigan State games as BYU rushed for 338 yards against the Rockets and 260 against the Spartans. The Cougars have rushed for more than 200 yards five times in 2016.
"The thing I am most pleased about so far is that everybody knows we are going to run the ball, and yet we still do," Empey said. "So I am pleased with that part of our game. We have established that as something we are going to do. And our guys understand that."
Running back update
Offensive coordinator Ty Detmer said sophomore Squally Canada (sprained thumb) practiced Wednesday and should play against UMass. Senior Jamaal Williams (ankle) "is probably going to be a game-time decision every week," Detmer said, noting that the offense won't change even if KJ Hall, Colby Hansen and Brayden El Bakri are pressed into action again, like they were against SUU.
"We are going to play with the guys that we have," Detmer said. "Those guys stepped up and played well. KJ hit the hole quick and gave us a glimpse of his shakes and the things he brings to the table."
Rematch wanted
It looks more and more like BYU's opponent in the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 21 will be Wyoming, Air Force or New Mexico, especially if San Diego State makes it to a New Year's Six game or the Las Vegas Bowl. Asked on Monday who they would like to play in the game, receiver Colby Pearson and safety Eric Takenaka mentioned another MWC team: Boise State.
"Oh, I would love that, actually," Pearson said. "I would love to play Boise State again. … Yeah, that would be awesome. Preference: Boise State."
Twitter: @drewjay —
Saturday's game
P UMass at BYU, noon MT
TV • ESPN3 and BYUtv