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Provo • Just when it appeared the BYU Cougars had recovered from the rash of injuries that has plagued them since the opener against Nebraska, Saturday night happened.
Most significantly, freshman quarterback Tanner Mangum went down with an apparent hamstring injury late in the third quarter after having played his best overall game since replacing starter Taysom Hill the first week. Mangum returned and led the Cougars on the game-winning drive after third-stringer Beau Hoge did next to nothing in four straight possessions.
Immediately after the 45-38 win over East Carolina improved BYU's record to 4-2, the focus shifted from Mangum's heroics to his health as the Cougars started thinking about Friday's 6 p.m. game with 3-2 Cincinnati at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
There are plenty of reasons for concern, and not just because the Bearcats will be well-rested, having last played on Oct. 1, a 34-23 win over Miami at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati.
"We saw what we look like with Tanner, and we saw what we look like without him, and man, the dynamic changes pretty drastically," BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said.
More will be known about the extent of Mangum's injury when Mendenhall addresses the media on Monday at noon, but the player himself spoke late Saturday night as if the "little tightness in my hamstring" was not troublesome.
"As long as we win, that is all I really care about," Mangum said. "I will be OK. I will be all right."
Asked if the short turnaround might keep him off the field, Mangum shrugged.
"That will be up to the training staff," he said. "I am not worried about that right now. But we are excited for the challenge. Cincinnati is a good team, a good program. They've got some good wins, so it will be a good Friday night game."
BYU was established Sunday as a seven-point favorite, which seems high if Mangum can't go. Hoge, who splits his practice time between the scout team and the second-team offense, looked totally unprepared against the Pirates.
The 18-year-old from Kentucky completed just one of five passes — a 9-yarder to Mitch Mathews — and then promptly threw an ill-advised pass across his body to the middle of the field that was picked off by ECU's Yiannis Bowden. In fairness, the Cougars probably would have had a first down on Hoge's first pass as a Cougar, but it was dropped in the flat by Algie Brown.
The Cougars' only other options at QB are converted tight end McCoy Hill, a 6-foot-6 junior who missed most of spring and fall camp with a foot injury, and true freshman walk-on Koy Detmer Jr., the 5-foot-10 nephew of Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer.
Mendenhall said Hoge had "a very limited package" of plays to run, but did a "nice job" managing the calls sent in for him to run.
"We have all known that it is just going to take time to figure out how to get [Hoge] enough reps and Tanner enough reps," Mendenhall said. "So, we know what that looks like now … Beau has a bright future. But it gave us all a good idea of just how important Tanner is to us."
Mangum said Hoge kept his head up on the sidelines when things were going sour.
"I told him, 'Hey, picks happen. We all throw picks. So don't worry about it,'" Mangum said. "He did a good job stepping in and completing a good pass to Mitch [Mathews]. It was fun to see him in. He did just fine. … Naturally, he was frustrated with himself, but I told him, don't worry about it."
Offensive lineman Ului Lapuaho suffered a leg injury and did not return. Cornerback Micah Hannemann left the game with an injury, which forced safety Kai Nacua to play some cornerback because Mendenhall had suspended two backup cornerbacks before the game.
Starting linebacker Harvey Langi didn't play for the second-straight week, but is expected to be back on Friday.
Although ECU proved to be a formidable opponent, BYU's strength of schedule rating dropped from No. 1 to No. 4. The Bearcats are 66th in the Sagarin Ratings and are seemingly similar to the Pirates — explosive on offense with two excellent quarterbacks, but prone to defensive lapses.
Twitter: @drewjay —
Cincinnati at BYU
P Friday, 6 p.m.
TV • ESPN