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PROVO — With BYU Fall Camp set to begin on August 3, I wanted to look at the roster to gauge what should be the Cougars' strengths this year. I've come up with three positions that I believe will stand out for BYU in 2013.
Linebackers
It's becoming pretty common to see Kyle Van Noy's name attached to any BYU Football story. This article will be no different. The BYU linebackers, led by KVN, should be the Cougars biggest strength in2013. This really shouldn't be much of a surprise, even with the losses of Brandon Ogletree and Uona Kaveinga.
This season's linebacking corps, like last year's, begins and ends with Van Noy. Opposing offenses will have to be very aware of #3 coming around the outside. In fact, BYU's outside linebackers are probably the strength of the entire defense. Spencer Hadley is a beast, finishing last season sixth on the team in tackles. In fact, Hadley had two more tackles than Van Noy did. Hadley is the perfect complement to KVN. Both are quick and have the strength and power to get to the quarterback as well as drop back into coverage.
One player to keep your eye on this season will be Alani Fua, who is listed as a backup at outside linebacker. Alani played well as a freshman and then really asserted himself last season. Head coach Bronco Mendenhall has sung the praises of Fua for some time. The only reason he isn't starting in 2013 is because KVN and Spencer Hadley are still here.
BYU's starting inside linebackers this season will be Uani 'Unga (middle) and Tyler Beck or Manoa Pikula (buck). ‘Unga backed up Kaveinga last year and got plenty of reps; Beck on the other hand only played in four games, while Pikula saw action in 12 games, with nine tackles - including 1.5 tackles for loss.
For a defense looking to build on a dominating 2012 season, BYU's linebackers should set the tone.
Running back
I'm expecting big things this season from the running back position - and with good reason. Jamaal Williams was an unexpected surprise, handling the bulk of the carries by himself after taking over as lead-back once Michael Alisa went down with an injury. Jamaal had 166 carries for 775 yards and 12 touchdowns (the most carries, yards and touchdowns by a BYU true freshman).
The Cougar running game should be potent in 2013. Williams will no doubt be the featured back, but with the number of plays being run due to the Cougars' new up-tempo offense, BYU will have plenty of opportunities for other players to join the party. Besides Jamaal, Michael Alisa, Adam Hine and Paul Lasike will all be relied on to carry the rock. A.J Moore and Algie Brown return from LDS missions (both redshirted as freshman), however it remains to be seen what role either player will have in 2013. One thing this group of backs will not be lacking in is speed.
The running back position will ultimately come down to Williams. He proved last season that he's not only durable and can handle the workload, he proved he can also play mistake-free football. Jamaal finished the 2012 season with only one fumble - that's impressive!
BYU offenses are always better when they have a solid running game. This year's group of running backs should prove that statement right.
Quarterback
While I realize the only evidence we have is two starts against Hawaii and Utah State, I believe the quarterback position, led by Taysom Hill will be a strength for the Cougars in 2013. In the limited time we saw Taysom in 2012 (six appearances), combined with his performance in spring, all signs point to a significant improvement at quarterback.
Hill is the perfect balance between a quarterback that can pass and one that can run. As we've heard from BYU coaches, Taysom will run, but it will be more controlled and with an emphasis on sliding or getting out of bounds. Athletically, Hill is about as good as it gets. His combination of size and speed will cause major problems for opposing defenses this season.
Last year, due to many factors, the quarterback position significantly underperformed. The talent surrounding Riley Nelson was there, but the execution from the QB position was below average. I expect that execution to jump up considerably this year. Hill has proven to be an accurate passer and spreads the ball all over the field. BYU's new offense should put Taysom in a position to thrive in 2013.
