2008 record: 10-3, 6-2 (3rd in Mountain West)
2008 bowl: Lost to Arizona 31-21 in Las Vegas
2008 final AP/coaches' ranking: 25/21
Coach: Bronco Mendenhall (38-13, 5th year)
Offensive coordinator: Robert Anae (5th year)
Defensive coordinator: Jamie Hill (2nd year)
Returning offensive starters: 4
Returning defensive starters: 8
Location: Provo, Utah
Stadium: LaVell Edwards Stadium (grass; 64,045)
Last league title: 2007
2009 schedule: [view]
2009 roster: [view]
2008 statistics: [view]

Offensive: As usual, look for Brigham Young to feature one of the nation’s top pitch-and-catch attacks. Senior quarterback Max Hall helped BYU to 444.8 yards per game (tops in the Mountain West Conference and 16th nationally). He has one of the nation’s top tight ends in senior Dennis Pitta, but will look for new targets at wide receiver. One of them could be sophomore McKay Jacobson, who served a Mormon mission in Japan following an outstanding freshman season. There’s a bruising 239-pound running back in junior Harvey Unga, who had back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons. The offensive line is in transition, although sophomore left tackle Matt Reynolds performs at an all-conference level.

Defensive: It will be tough to follow last season’s best stretch, which featured 11 consecutive shutout quarters, but BYU’s front seven looks capable of maintaining a high standard. Two seniors — defensive end Jan Jorgensen (24 career sacks) and middle linebacker Matt Bauman (108 tackles last season) — are the standouts. There is moderate concern in the secondary, a weak spot in the losses against TCU and Utah, where senior free safety Scott Johnson, a converted cornerback, is the only player with heavy experience. 

Specialists: The Cougars have a new crew with junior Mitch Payne at place-kicker and sophomore Tyler Holt at punter. Sophomore O’Neill Chambers, one of the starting receivers, is a blazing option in the return game.

Coaching: Bronco Mendenhall has been nothing but consistent — four straight bowl games, two Mountain West Conference titles and three consecutive Top 25 final rankings. BYU has won at least 10 games in three straight seasons. Never — not even during the legendary reign of LaVell Edwards — have the Cougars had four consecutive 10-win seasons.

Heisman Hopefuls: Hall is in the conversation. He had 35 touchdown passes last season, including seven in a 59-0 rout of UCLA.

Game of the year Sept. 5 vs. Oklahoma at Arlington, Texas Talk about an opportunity! BYU gets a Top 5 team (Oklahoma) and its Heisman Trophy winning quarterback (Sam Bradford) in the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium. The Cougars have a puncher’s chance. The upside is enormous.

Overview: BYU will definitely be tested early (with games against Oklahoma and Florida State), but the bigger picture is Mountain West contention. The Cougars lost to the league’s top-two teams last season (TCU, Utah), so revenge is in order. With Hall leading the way, BYU looks like a team that will be feared by every opponent on the schedule.

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