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Cougars play without several expected contributors

(Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Neil Pau'u (84) celebrates his touchdown with Brigham Young Cougars tight end Matt Bushman (89) and Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Inoke Lotulelei (83) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday, August 26, 2017.

(Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Neil Pau'u (84) celebrates his touchdown with Brigham Young Cougars tight end Matt Bushman (89) and Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Inoke Lotulelei (83) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday, August 26, 2017.

Provo • BYU defeated Portland State 20-6 Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium without four players who were expected a few weeks ago to be key contributors this season.

Of course, linebacker Francis Bernard, who was said by BYU to be redshirting this season, did not play. Bernard was with the team on the sidelines, however. Last week, his brother, James Bernard Jr., told The Salt Lake Tribune that Francis wanted to transfer to Utah.

BYU officials have said Bernard has not decided yet whether he will leave BYU.

Fellow linebacker Butch Pau’u, tight end Moroni Laulu-Pututau and running back Riley Burt also did not play.

“There were a lot of guys, well you know, that we were hoping to play this week,” coach Kalani Sitake said when asked about Pau’u’s status. “It just happened that some of them were able to go and some of them weren’t. With the hardships of fall camp, that’s what happens. We plan on having a lot of those guys back, and having Butch back next week.”

Squally Canada led BYU in rushing with 94 yards on 15 carries, but supposed backup tailback Burt did not see action.

“I don’t know [why Burt didn’t play],” Sitake said. “I will have to see how many snaps he had. If he didn’t [have] any, then it wasn’t in the game plan.”

According to one internet report, Laulu-Pututau has an issue with his foot and may be out awhile, but Sitake would not elaborate on the junior’s condition.

“We will have to evaluate it a little bit more,” Sitake said. “I couldn’t tell you. We don’t really discuss injuries. I know [reporters] have to ask it. All the guys who didn’t play today, we are going to evaluate it. I think when there is a season-ending injury, we are going to confirm it with you guys on that.”

(Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brigham Young Cougars tight end Matt Bushman (89) makes a catch over Portland State Vikings cornerback Donovan Olumba (29) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday, August 26, 2017.

Bushman’s big debut

A lot was expected of freshman Matt Bushman, and the tight end from Tucson, Ariz., delivered on Saturday. He caught three passes for 56 yards, with a long of 36.

“It was an awesome experience to play in front of a huge crowd like that,” Bushman said.

Receiver Talon Shumway just missed getting his first career touchdown reception when he was ruled down at the 1-yard line.

“We’ve got work to do, but you always have work to do,” Shumway said. “We all have things we wished we could have done better.”

Takitaki takes off

In his first game since Oct. 15, 2015, against Cincinnati, junior defensive end Sione Takitaki made up for lost time. Takitaki, who missed the entire 2016 season for personal reasons, had seven tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks.

“I thought he did good,” Sitake said. “He was disruptive and he was active. We played him a little bit at linebacker, too. He did some really good things at linebacker, and obviously his pass-rushing skills are nice. I thought he really did a good job holding up in the run game.”

Senior linebacker Fred Warner led the team with 10 tackles and safety Zayne Anderson made his first career start and had his first career interception.

Junior Tanner Jacobson was the other starter at safety, filling in because senior Micah Hannemann sat out the first half due to a targeting ejection in the second half of the Poinsettia Bowl last December.

Briefly

Former players Tim Hanshaw (offensive line), Charlie Peterson (quarterback) and Eric Drage (receiver) carried out the alumni flags. Freshman defensive lineman Motekiai Langi brought out the U.S. flag, while Takitaki and offensive lineman JJ Nwigwe brought the team flags. … Temperature was 88 degrees at the 1 p.m. kickoff, 94 degrees at halftime and 95 when the game ended.