PROVO — Injuries are part of the game of football, and they are becoming more and more linked in an era of increased sports medicine research that has helped prevent many injuries.

And though no one at BYU's weekly press briefing Monday would use the injuries as an excuse or a crutch, it's hard to deny that the Cougars haven't been hit significantly by them.

Add another name to the list.

Head coach Kalani Sitake pronounced linebacker Grant Jones out for the season after sustaining an injury Saturday in the Cougars' 41-20 win over San Jose State, a win that snapped a seven-game losing streak.

Fellow linebacker Fred Warner and running back KJ Hall, who ran for 112 yards and a touchdown for the Cougars (2-7), also left the game early with injuries. But Sitake said the duo remained "day-to-day" with their ailments, and a chance remains that they may return to play as early as Saturday night on the road against Fresno State (5-3).

Jones, who also played wide receiver during his tenure with the Cougars, effectively finishes his career with 28 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and an interception.

Sitake won't blame his team's second-year struggles on the injury bug. But he acknowledged that they exist Monday.

“Life wold be simple if you could name one factor for things that happen," Sitake said. "But there are always a bunch of factors. Sometimes it's (not acclimating from a return from LDS missions), sometimes it's field surfaces, sometimes it's just wear and tear of football. Injuries are part of this game, from Little League to the NFL.

“If there were a secret remedy, I’m still trying to figure it out.”

Coaches have taken notice of the rise in injuries, and the team's sports medicine staff has helped track the types of injuries across the season. But it's hard to say one factor causes them.

Sitake also defended strength and conditioning coach Nu'u Tafisi, who has been under public criticism from some fans and former players via social media about methods that may be contributing to injuries.

“There have been a lot of different injuries," Sitake said. "I think there is a wide variety, and it’s not the weight room, if that's what you're asking. We have the best strength staff in the country. I’ll back Nu’u Tafisi 100 percent.”

BYU's linebacker corps has been hit particularly hard by the injuries. Of the list of more than 30 players who have missed at least one game with an injury, all three starting linebackers are on it. Butch Pau'u missed earlier in the season, Jones — who played wide receiver earlier in his career at BYU — also missed time before Monday's season-ending announcement, and now Warner is likely to miss at least a game after leaving last Saturday with an apparent ankle injury.

But Adam Pulsipher, who joined Jones as a potential starter to replace former linebacker Francis Bernard in the front-seven at the start of the season, said it's a similar story as the first nine games of the year.

“It’s been the story of the season, but next man up," Pulsipher said. "Guys are ready to step up, no matter who goes down. Morgan (Unga) came in and had a huge game for Fred when he got banged up.”

Hall, meanwhile, had just returned from an injury before rushing for 112 yards and a 75-yard touchdown Saturday. That doesn't make any particular injury news easier to digest for quarterback Tanner Mangum.

But he is getting accustomed to a rotating staff of backfield players, which also includes Ula Toluta'u, Squally Canada, Riley Burt and fullback Brayden El-Bakri.

“Regardless of who is in, I feel good about it," Mangum said. "Guys are ready. They know if someone gets a little hurt, they need to step up and make plays. They are ready to go, and I am confident in them.”

Offensive high

Spirits were high Monday after the Cougars' first win in eight tries, especially on the offensive groups that put up season highs in points iwth 41 and total yardage with 498.

“We were all excited that we had close to 500 yards. It was awesome to have the offense rolling and making plays," said tight end Matt Bushman, who scored a touchdown for his second-straight game Saturday. “That’s what we need to do for the rest of the season: make big plays.”

Of course San Jose State (1-8) is a different team from upcoming Fresno State, which leads the Mountain West and ranks among the top 30 teams in the country in most major statistical categories.

Homecoming game

One player who knows plenty about the Bulldogs is Pulsipher, the junior linebacker who grew up in Temecula, California. He expects a lot of family at Bulldog Stadium to see him and younger brother Addison, a sophomore offensive lineman, play for the Cougars.

"My parents grew up in Modesto nearby, so I’ll have a lot of family in town," Pulsipher said Monday. "My grandparents still live there. They will be there, and it will be fun to play in California."

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