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Provo • Rather than using his start in the Poinsettia Bowl as a springboard into next season, BYU quarterback Tanner Mangum said his primary goal in the Dec. 21 game against Wyoming at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego will be to get the victory for injured senior Taysom Hill.

"I texted him after the news, after the story [came out], that we are going to do whatever we can to make sure we finish what he started here," Mangum said Thursday after the Cougars' first official practice since they learned Wyoming would be their opponent.

Mangum and head coach Kalani Sitake said the Cougars took the week off following their 28-10 win over Utah State, then began conditioning drills and weightlifting sessions last Monday. Hill suffered a left elbow injury against the Aggies and will not play in the bowl game.

Sitake confirmed Thursday that Mangum, who started in 12 games in 2015, will start against the Cowboys and that his backups will be fellow sophomores Beau Hoge and Koy Detmer Jr. BYU's offense will change a bit with the strong-armed Mangum at the helm instead of the run-oriented Hill, Sitake allowed.

"It will be a little different because Tanner's skill set is different than Taysom's," Sitake said. "We just want to get points on the board and march the ball down the field. Tanner is capable of doing it, maybe in a different style than Taysom, but if you saw what Tanner did in high school, he can run the ball, too."

Mangum appeared in four games in the regular season, completing 14 of 18 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for 59 yards, but sacks took that total in the stat book back to 35 yards. In 2015, Mangum completed 60 percent of his passes for 3,377 yards and 23 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.

"There will be some differences in the offense," Mangum said. "Obviously we have different skill sets. I am not the runner that Taysom is, so probably not as much zone read as we've done in the past. Maybe a little bit more passing sets, passing plays, here or there."

Mangum said the ultimate goal won't change: "We want to dominate the running game with Jamaal [Williams] and establish that, and then be able to keep the defense on their toes with the passing game and play action. But the goal remains the same: control the ball and score points and win."

Mangum said he took no joy in Hill's injury, and didn't want to be pressed into action this way, calling his mentor's fourth season-ending injury a tough pill to swallow for the entire team.

"No one wants to see him go through another surgery, another rehab," Mangum said. "It is heartbreaking to see a friend go through that. But this season goes on, so you just gotta put that part aside and focus on the game and play the game."

Mangum said he improved mentally and physically this past season, despite the lack of playing time, and is confident he can pick up where he left off last year when he threw for 315 yards and two touchdowns in the Las Vegas Bowl against Utah.

"It will also be good to have a couple of weeks of practice, to get all the reps and sharpen up and be able to get polished before the game," Mangum said. "I am feeling strong. I feel confident and healthy. Jamaal is healthy, and a lot of our weapons are doing well. I think we are excited to be able to sharpen up these next two weeks and be able to come out for the bowl game ready to go."

Twitter: @drewjay —

Poinsettia Bowl

BYU (8-4) vs. Wyoming (8-5), 7 p.m.

Dec. 21, 6 p.m. MST

At Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego

TV • ESPN