Boise State preparing for a 'physical' BYU team


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PROVO — The BYU Cougars are on the road this week to take on the Boise State Broncos Friday.

Boise State and BYU have played a few times in the past but the Cougars have never won on the blue turf in Boise. BSU is 5-2 on the season and leads the Mountain West Conference Mountain Division. The last meeting between BYU and Boise State came in 2013 and it resulted in a 37-20 Cougar win.

In BSU’s weekly press conference, Bronco head coach Bryan Harsin gave his thoughts on BYU and how he sees back-up quarterback Christian Stewart filling in for the injured Taysom Hill. Harsin is in his first season as head coach for the Broncos but knows from previous years as an assistant that BYU is a physical team.

“They are big, they have got a bit of maturity in there as well and they play extremely well so that is where the challenge comes in," Harsin said. "Those one-on-one battles are huge. There are going to be those in the game and guys are going to have to step up. And it is going to be a physically challenging game. Every game I’ve seen BYU play is a physical game, so we have got to prepare ourselves for that.”


Christian Stewart is in a position right now that I think guys are rallying around him, his game is improving. When your quarterback goes out you got to get the next guy going and it takes a little bit of time. They have had a few injury issues from that standpoint but those guys and Christian are getting better.

–Bryan Harsin


Perhaps part of BYU's physicality comes from wide receiver Mitch Matthews, who seems to lead the team on offense since Hill’s ankle injury.

“Personnel wise, No. 10, Mitch Matthews is a giant," Harsin said. "That guy is a big tall wide receiver and he is athletic. You don’t really expect that from tall guys like that. He has got very good hands. He makes a lot of great catches, even low ones for as big as he is. The last game against Nevada he had a career-high 16 catches.”

With Hill out for the season, Harsin realizes that the Cougar offense isn’t the same but knows Stewart is improving and can lead the BYU team. Stewart has seven touchdowns on the season to go along with four interceptions.

“Christian Stewart is in a position right now that I think guys are rallying around him, his game is improving.” Harsin said. “When your quarterback goes out you got to get the next guy going and it takes a little bit of time. They have had a few injury issues from that standpoint but those guys and Christian are getting better.”

Although the Cougars have dropped three in a row, BSU knows that it can’t overlook BYU.

“I know for BYU that (Nevada) was their second home loss and they are going to go back to work, they are going to be preparing. I’ve seen their quarterback each week since Taysom has been out and he has gotten better," he said. "I think our guys are excited about the couple wins we have had in Nevada and Fresno and they are excited to get back (this week).

BYU and Boise St. will kickoff at 7 p.m. at Albertsons Stadium.

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