STAR-BULLETIN / 2001
Members of the UH football team celebrated with a special edition of the Star-Bulletin after beating BYU 72-45 on Dec. 8, 2001.
The AstroTurf burns have finally healed and Brigham Young coach Gary Crowton was pleased to hear the carpet will be pulled out of Aloha Stadium the next time his team comes to visit. But the Cougars are still stinging from the embarrassing numbers pasted on them by Hawaii last Dec. 8 -- 72-45. BYU out to avoid
SECOND OF 13 PARTS
another UH bakingPREVIEW OF HAWAII OPPONENTS
By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comThe Warriors put a physical hurting on BYU, and damaged the Cougars' national credibility while they were at it.
The Mountain West champions went into the game unbeaten and wondering why they weren't being considered for a BCS game. Then, after the Hawaii debacle, BYU lost 28-10 in the Liberty Bowl.
For all intents and purposes, the Warriors ruined an otherwise wonderful season for the Cougars. BYU would like nothing better than to return the favor when UH visits Provo on Sept. 6.
First, though, there is the matter of Syracuse, which Brigham Young opens against Aug. 29.
"We're doing a good job of concentrating on one game at a time," BYU coach Gary Crowton said. "When the week comes to play Hawaii, we will be very focused. Right now we're in fall camp and we're thinking about camp stuff and our first opponent, Syracuse. There are a lot of very good teams on our schedule."
The Cougars lost a lot of their offensive firepower from last season with the exodus of quarterback Brandon Doman and Doak Walker Award-winning running back Luke Staley (who missed the UH game due to injury). But senior wide receiver Reno Mahe (5-feet-11, 185 pounds) is back. He caught 91 passes for 1,211 yards and nine touchdowns last fall. Mahe is also slated to return kicks and punts.
"He's a great playmaker," Crowton said. "We expect another great year of him making plays downfield for us."
Speedy sophomore Rod Wilkerson (15 catches for 292 yards and three TDs) and senior Andrew Ord (17 receptions for 183 yards) are the other starters in the three-wide set.
Sophomore Marcus Whalen (6-0, 206), who redshirted last year, is expected to replace Staley.
At quarterback, junior Bret Engemann (6-4, 235) is the projected starter. But BYU also has one of the most sought-after quarterback recruits of last year in camp in Ben Olson (6-4, 210).
Olson is among a freshman class some consider the best recruiting crop in the nation.
"I don't know how many of them will contribute right away," Crowton said. "Some will, but the program's in good enough shape where we don't have to rush anybody."
The most accomplished offensive players besides Mahe are senior tackles Ben Archibald (6-4, 317) and Dustin Rykert (6-7, 317). Archibald is a candidate for the Outland Trophy.
"Those two are as good as there are in the nation," Crowton said.
Brigham Young
All-time record: 434-335-26
Against Hawaii: 18-8
Now you know: UH has never won in Provo, losing seven games there. ... Warrior student manager Kurt Gouveia was a linebacker on the 1984 BYU national championship team and went on to a long NFL career.
The Cougars are big and bulky again on defense which probably hurt them last year against Hawaii's run-and-shoot offense, as linebackers tried to cover slotbacks.
Big things are expected from strong safety Aaron Francisco (6-2, 206), the Kahuku grad who recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass as a true freshman nickel back against the Warriors.
Junior left tackle Ifo Pili (6-3, 328) anchors the front of a young defense that has only one senior listed as a starter. He is left end Jeff Cowart (6-5, 265).
Freshman defensive end C.J. Ah You (6-4, 265), a relative of former Kahuku and CFL great Junior Ah You, was expected to start. But he is out for the year after injuring his left knee in BYU's first practice last Thursday.
Obviously, Crowton and defensive coordinator Ken Schmidt will need to find a way to slow down Hawaii's offense.
"We'll just have to wait and see. We won't give away any secrets of course," Crowton said. "Hopefully we'll figure out a way so they won't score 70."
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