Some BYU underclassmen may be playing their final game this week in Hawaii

Estimated read time: 7-8 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

PROVO — BYU head coach Kalani Sitake wants his team to focus on the outgoing seniors in the final game of their Cougar career Tuesday in the Hawaii Bowl.

That’s not an uncommon refrain for college football coaches during bowl season, and the thought of “emptying the tank” for the offseason against Hawaii (6 p.m. MST, ESPN) shouldn’t be seen as a slight to the Rainbow Warriors or anything outside of the norm.

But BYU’s senior class might not be the only ones playing their final collegiate game next week.

Two of the biggest standouts of the Cougars’ 7-5 campaign have been tight end Matt Bushman and defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga. Both are juniors, and both have received preliminary attention from the NFL, making a jump to the pro ranks a true consideration for them.

And while both have said they will wait until well after the bowl game to decide if they will return to BYU for their senior seasons, it’s also something the duo have considered all year.

BYU tight end Matt Bushman gives the ball back to the official after a catch during the Cougars' college football game against San Diego State, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019 at SDCUU Stadium in San Diego. (Photo: Michael Lu for KSL.com)

Matt Bushman, tight end

If Bushman, who is the son-in-law of former BYU tight end great Chad Lewis, decides to forgo his senior season, the former Freshman All-American leaves quite the legacy with the Cougars, tight ends coach Steve Clark said.

“He was the first tight end, really when I got here,” said Clark this week of Bushman, the 6-foot-5 pass catcher with 1,628 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. “We took Tanner Balderree from the D-line and got some walk-ons to come in. But Matt was the first true tight end that came in and took us back to the old stretch tight end that BYU used to have, like Pitta, George and Harline. He got us back into that type of offense.”

The good news for BYU tight ends? Bushman will play in the Hawaii Bowl before making his formal decision, and freshman tight end Isaac Rex will be eligible to play in the bowl game, Clark confirmed.

Khyiris Tonga, defensive lineman

Tonga first announced that he wanted to enter the NFL draft several years ago, and though his initial statement as a freshman and sophomore may have been seen as grandstanding by some, his actions have backed up a likely pro career for the 6-foot-4, 320-pound defensive lineman.

The Granger High alum has piled up 91 tackles, five sacks and two quarterback hurries in 56 games with the Cougars, and he reportedly ran a 4.91-second 40-yard dash during BYU’s mock pro day last spring — or so he says.

If that’s all the case, he’ll find himself shooting up NFL draft boards.

“I was feeling good that day, too,” Tonga said with a laugh.

Not bad for a homegrown former tight end whose biggest concern when he stepped foot on campus as a freshman in 2017 was whether or not he’d make it in switching over to full-time defensive player.

“I was sad; I told (the coaches), I can’t (play) there,” Tonga recalled this week. “I can’t put my hand in the dirt; I should be running routes.

“Now I’m over here excited to line up in zero-tech. It’s been a journey, it’s been a blessing, but it’s just been awesome to be able to transition and to continue to learn.”

Tonga’s fears were assuaged, of course, by running the scrum package — a specialty series of plays run primarily by assistant head coach Ed Lamb that takes defensive players and puts them in offensive roles. Tonga has been primarily as a fullback in the set, including on defensive back Dayan Ghanwoloku’s lone touchdown run of his career Sept. 14 against USC.

He didn’t just campaign for the role. He lobbied and pleaded to move back to offense. Anywhere at all: tackle, guard, fullback — even scout team. He just wanted to block. Being involved with the scrum package was like mana from heaven.

“When they told me to do scrum and they wanted me at fullback, I was so excited,” Tonga said. “I’ll just do the blocking. I wanted to see them score or get the first down.”

BYU quarterback Joe Critchlow (11) carries the football during the third quarter of an NCAA college football game against Hawaii, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017, in Honolulu. (Photo: Eugene Tanner, AP)

Joe Critchlow, quarterback

Another player that will likely be seeing his final snaps in a BYU uniform is quarterback Joe Critchlow. The redshirt sophomore recently put his name into the NCAA transfer portal, and plans to graduate this semester with a degree in finance.

Critchlow is best known as the true freshman walk-on who took the reins of the Cougars’ 2017 season after injuries to the team’s top three signal-callers, throwing for 642 yards and three touchdowns to help salvage mediocrity out of a 4-9 campaign.

But the 6-foot-4, 220-pound passer from Franklin, Tennessee, redshirted the next season, married the former Ali Romney (granddaughter of Utah Sen. Mitt Romney) and played in just three games in 2019 while being buried behind Zach Wilson, Jaren Hall and Baylor Romney on the depth chart. Even Rhett Reilly, the Cougars’ scout team quarterback from Inland Empire, California, has shown promise in the backfield, and BYU recently signed Washington D.C.-area signal caller Sol-Jay Maiava during the recent early signing period, as well.

Critchlow has spoken regularly about his love for BYU since he followed former Southern Utah coach Ed Lamb from Cedar City to Provo following a two-year church mission. Transferring as a graduate student, with two years of eligibility remaining, is strictly a matter of playing time.

Sitake also hinted that other players are expected to enter the portal — for the same reasons — after the bowl game, but didn't name any specific players.

“Looking at the competition, I think (Critchlow) was given a fair amount of chance to compete and wants to be on the field more. We want what’s best for him, too,” Sitake said. “We’ll probably see some more, too. We have guys who want to be on the field more, and I imagine there will be others (in the transfer portal).”

Brigham Young Cougars running back Ty'Son Williams (5) runs against USC Trojans in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019. BYU won 30-27 in overtime. (Photo: Jeffrey D. Allred, KSL)

Ty'Son Williams, running back

BYU graduate transfer running back Ty'Son Williams won't be lining up in the Hawaii Bowl after suffering a season-ending ACL injury just four games into his lone season in Provo.

But there's a chance he could return for another year, which merits an update.

Williams is in the process of requesting a medical hardship waiver, and though the Cougars don't know if that waiver will be granted (or that Williams will accept it), running backs coach AJ Steward said they are prepared to accept either decision: to bring Williams back, or help him finish his master's degree after he earned a bachelor's from South Carolina prior to enrolling at BYU.

“We won’t know anything until after the bowl game,” Steward told the Locked on Cougars show. “We’re just waiting it out. With hardships, it can go either way and it’s hard to determine.

“He’ll do whatever he needs to do to get it cleared up. But we’re supporting him, no matter what. Either way, we’ll continue to be there by his side, for whatever works.”

Not even his best friend on the team, wide receiver Micah Simon, knows his plans. The two will often be sitting together at home, watching television in the living room, and Williams will tweet something — which will draw the ire of Simon.

“I’ll just look at him — won’t even say anything,” Simon said. “I just don’t know what he’s talking about, either. I’ll let him answer those questions."