BYU receiver Kody Epps fights for yardage towards Utah State in Provo on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. BYU coach Kalani Sitake introduced Monday that Epps will miss the rest of the season on account of harm. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Information
Fears that third-year freshman Kody Epps, BYU’s main receiver, can be out for the season after he sustained an obvious shoulder harm two weeks in the past at Liberty had been confirmed Monday by head coach Kalani Sitake.
Epps didn't play in final Friday’s 27-24 loss to East Carolina.
“Unlucky,” stated Sitake throughout his weekly press briefing because the Cougars began preparations to face 6-2 Boise State on Saturday at Albertsons Stadium. “We had been hoping to get some (extra optimistic) data again in assembly with the docs, however that sucks, as a result of he has handled some accidents up to now.”
“It's in the direction of the tip of the yr. Now we have a bye after this recreation, so that is 10 weeks straight. We knew we had been going to have to check our depth, and I hate that we have now needed to take a look at it as typically as we have now needed to this yr. However that’s the sport. No one is feeling sorry for us. We gotta preserve rolling.” — BYU soccer coach Kalani Sitake
Epps, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound receiver from Los Angeles who prepped at Mater Dei Excessive and was a highschool teammate of Alabama quarterback Bryce Younger, handled nagging foot and ankle accidents in 2020 and 2021 however had damaged out this yr with 39 catches for 463 yards and 6 touchdowns.
“He's in excessive spirits,” Sitake stated. “I've spoke with him and he's excited to maintain his position as a frontrunner on this staff, and to maintain working with us. So I'm enthusiastic about his power and his strategy to it. Not excited that we don’t get his manufacturing on the sector.”
One other offensive starter who missed Friday’s recreation on account of harm, Cal switch operating again Chris Brooks, has a hamstring situation and isn't out for the season, Sitake stated.
“It's form of a day-to-day, week-to-week factor with Chris,” Sitake stated. “Even at this time, I don’t know as a lot as I ought to. I'll in all probability know extra later. However it's not season-ending, from what we perceive.”
Brooks stays BYU’s main rusher with 463 yards on 76 carries, and is third on the staff in touchdowns with 5. In Brooks’ absence Friday, Lopini Katoa rushed for a season-high 116 yards on 20 carries, and Miles Davis picked up 46 yards on 11 carries.
Quarterback Jaren Corridor additionally appeared at Monday’s press briefing and stated the accidents are simply a part of school soccer and gained’t preserve the Cougars from competing arduous towards the Broncos, who've gained 4 straight video games. BYU (4-5) has misplaced 4 straight.
“You all the time pray for his or her well being. You want to see them get again as quickly as they'll, and also you need your entire weapons on the market on the similar time,” Corridor stated. “However the nature of soccer is that it's a bodily recreation.
“Not a variety of groups within the nation undergo the entire season with all their guys on the sector on the similar time,” Corridor continued. “That’s the fact. You may’t actually make excuses with that. You may’t let that develop into a burden for anyone to attempt to carry extra weight.”
Puka Nacua (seven catches, 79 yards), Brayden Cosper (4 catches, 37 yards) and Keanu Hill (three catches, 11 yards) had been focused probably the most towards ECU in Epps’ absence.
“I acquired a variety of confidence in all of our guys, and we have now seen all of it yr,” Corridor stated. “Everyone stepped up at sure factors and made performs, so now it's a matter of, ‘How can we get everyone that's accessible to have the perfect recreation of their season on the similar time?’ I believe that's what we have now been missing and one thing that may assist us discover a spark once more and get rolling like we all know we will.”
On the defensive facet, rover linebacker Payton Wilgar missed his second straight recreation with a decrease leg harm, and is questionable on Saturday. Flash linebacker Chaz Ah You sustained an harm early within the recreation and didn't return. Free security Malik Moore and reserve defensive lineman Josh Larsen have been out for awhile with season-ending accidents and linebacker Max Tooley missed the ECU recreation with an undisclosed ailment.
Sitake didn't give any defensive participant harm updates.
“It's in the direction of the tip of the yr. Now we have a bye after this recreation, so that is 10 weeks straight. We knew we had been going to have to check our depth, and I hate that we have now needed to take a look at it as typically as we have now needed to this yr,” Sitake stated. “However that’s the sport. No one is feeling sorry for us. We gotta preserve rolling.
“Now we have some younger guys that need to step up and make performs and provides us some manufacturing. I don’t know all the small print of all of the stuff ... so far as accidents go. The gamers will in all probability launch it or announce it if their accidents are season-ending.”
Cougars on the air
BYU (4-5)
at Boise State (6-2)
Saturday, 5 p.m.
Albertsons Stadium, Boise, Idaho
TV: FS2
Radio: KSL NewsRadio 102.7 FM/1160 AM