BYU coach Kalani Sitake appears on throughout observe Aug. 6, 2022, in Provo. The Cougars open the season Saturday, Sept. 3, at South Florida. Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photograph
BYU coach Kalani Sitake speaks to his staff throughout fall camp Aug. 6, 2022, in Provo. Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photograph
This text was first printed within the Cougar Insiders e-newsletter. Signal as much as obtain the e-newsletter in your inbox every Tuesday night time.
One lever BYU coach Kalani Sitake is pulling in the course of the early portion of fall camp is protecting competitors for positions stoked. That is necessary to maintain gamers centered and engaged in practices and provides significant reps to severe contenders for the three-deep and touring staff to South Florida the primary week of September.
The Cougars have one week of observe below their belts and are per week away from giving potential starters and backups a lot of the reps.
Cougar Insiders predictions
Right here’s the query of the week: In a column earlier this week, I wrote that it might be disappointing if BYU didn’t have no less than three offensive linemen drafted within the subsequent few years. Is that this a professional projection or simply wishful pondering?
Jay Drew: I feel the evaluation that there are no less than three offensive linemen on this 12 months’s BYU soccer staff prone to be drafted within the coming years is spot on. In truth, it is perhaps a tad low. There might simply be 5 gamers drafted if guys proceed to progress.
For starters, left guard Clark Barrington and left deal with Blake Freeland look like positive bets. Versatile participant Campbell Barrington and heart Connor Pay additionally look like good prospects, with somewhat extra seasoning. Then there may be Oregon switch Kingsley Suamataia, the previous Orem Excessive product whom OL coach Darrell Funk and OC Aaron Roderick raved about after observe Monday.
“Freakish athleticism,” Roderick stated of Suamataia. “I've by no means seen something prefer it. Ever. He’s the perfect athlete I've ever seen on an offensive line. He’s a really gifted man.”
Funk stated Monday there are eight guys on the O-line that might simply begin if the season started tomorrow. That’s excessive reward.
Dick Harmon: My reasoning for this prediction relies on the actual fact Blake Freeland and Campbell Barrington are listed by Professional Soccer Community’s preseason offensive line honors as two of the highest linemen within the nation and Freeland is a top-10 man. I imagine that interprets into each being drafted. Then you will have a bunch of linemen that might transfer into that class within the coming two or three seasons. These guys included the middle Connor Pay, freshman Kingsley Suamataia, and JC All-American from Snow Faculty Lisala Tai. There are others, together with Harris LaChance and Brayden Keim who're each 6-8 and greater than 300 kilos.
Many usually are not conscious of the skills of the Snow switch, Tai, who's from Inglewood, California. He's 6-7, 336, and Butch Pau’u, the previous Cougar linebacker who's teaching at Snow, stated Tai is frightening fast on his ft. With that dimension and explosive capacity, he might be the sleeper within the room.
Cougar tales
- With Gunner Romney and Dallin Holker, confirmed expertise taking a number of reps and practices off, offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick explains how “load administration” figures into fall practices on this piece by Jay Drew.
- Right here is what different coaches are saying about BYU soccer anonymously in Athlon’s preseason soccer journal.
- Former All-American QB Marc Wilson explains on this piece by Dave McCann how LaVell Edwards prevented a muntiny within the McMahon-Wilson period.
- Here's a breakdown of BYU’s receiving group, which can be one of many deepest in reminiscence.
From the archives
From the Twitterverse
Q: evaluating what you’ve confronted and seen within the SEC, How does this BYU staff match up? pic.twitter.com/2d3UaorZCl
— Benjamin Criddle (@CriddleBenjamin) August 9, 2022
Washington has as many ultimate appearances as BYU's 19 within the ultimate AP Ballot over the past 50 years, however that is regardless of having 18 extra preseason head begins. https://t.co/DsSh2pf2gu
— CougarStats (@CougarStats) August 8, 2022
"This dude is so silly athletic."
— Jets Movies (@snyjets) August 7, 2022
- CJ Uzomah on Zach Wilson pic.twitter.com/h0FCVE9gG7
Additional factors
- Scouting report on Jaren Corridor (Professional Soccer Community)
- Three-star LB commits to BYU (BYU Insider)
- BYU absent from first Coaches Ballot (247Sports)
Fanalyst
Feedback from Deseret Information readers:
BYU has 14 gamers on the offensive line which can be 6-5 or taller and 12 of them are over 300 kilos. These guys are absolute monsters and plenty of of them are extremely regarded. You realize they’re legit when five-star switch Kingsley Suamataia isn’t mechanically penciled in as a starter to begin the season.
BYU might be in each sport they play in the event that they keep wholesome — and possibly even when they don’t, as a result of BYU lastly has high quality depth.
— BeFair
These articles are written yearly it looks as if. I can’t let you know what number of occasions I've examine BYU having the perfect O-line up to now 5 years, no 10 years, no 50 years! ... after which BYU goes out and scores 20 factors on Idaho State. I hope it's true, however preseason guarantees rely about as a lot as preseason touchdowns.
— Kameleon
Up subsequent
Aug. 13 | 4 p.m. | Soccer | vs. North Carolina | @Raleigh, North Carolina
Aug. 18 | 8 p.m. | Soccer | vs. Cal State Fullerton | @Fullerton, California
BYU coach Kalani Sitake speaks to his staff throughout fall camp Aug. 6, 2022, in Provo.
Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photograph