2015 Football Previews – (Independent) – Cougars
The Cougars started the 2014 season a perfect 4-0, and were ranked as high as No. 18, before it all came undone.
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2015 College Football Preview – BYU Cougars
NCAA Division I FBS Independent Schools
Head Coach: Bronco Mendenhall
2014-15 Record: 8-5
BYU Cougars odds to win the 2016 FBS Championship +25000
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This season, head coach Bronco Mendenhall should have some renewed hope however, as he welcomes back quarterback Taysom Hill, who should help the Cougars get back on top of the college football rankings.
Team Strengths
Heisman candidate and superstar athlete Taysom Hill is going to be the catalyst behind the success of the Cougars this coming season. Hill, who missed all but five games last season with a broken leg, is a strong runner and has showed signs of becoming a good passer since his sophomore season.
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He completed 66.7 percent of his passes in five games as a junior, and ran for 460 yards and eight touchdowns in 2014.
Running will be a huge part of the Cougars offense, and to help out will be Jamaal Williams, BYU’s second all-time leading rusher. He like Hill, had a 2014 season that was cut short because of a knee injury. If he’s at full strength in 2015, he will complement Hill, and BYU should have a dynamic offense.
Team Weaknesses
Probably the biggest limitation the Cougars will possess this year is their depth on the offensive line. They do, however, have a few good starters, led by Freshman All-American center Tejan Koroma.
Another Achilles’ heel will be BYU’s defense, which ranked 56th in total defense, allowing 391.5 yards per game in 2014.
The front seven is solid with players such as Bronson Kaufusi and Harvey Langi, but there are big holes and big concerns in the secondary, where junior college transfer Eric Takenaka will play safety.
Finally, the Cougars will be looking for a replacement for punter Scott Arellano. Two freshmen, Taylor Parker and Chasen Brown, are among the contenders.
BYU Cougars 2015 Prediction (9-4)
The Cougars’ 2014 season started good, but did not end quite so well. And to make matters worse, their schedule is much more difficult this fall as compared to last season, and includes games with Nebraska, Boise State, UCLA and Michigan early on.
Those big games could go a long way toward defining BYU’s 2015 season, as well as offering opportunity for the Cougars to gain some confidence in themselves.
Everyone remembers last season’s loss to Memphis, followed by a postgame brawl, as it really left the team a wreck. But in an era where BYU is an Independent, Mendenhall is looking to get his team back on track in his 11th season, and getting Hill back could more than compensate for the increased difficulty in the team’s schedule.
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If the Cougars can capitalize on their offenses abilities, they could very well find themselves playing their way into contention, while regaining some much-need national recognition.
BYU 2015 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sept. 5 at Nebraska 2:30 p.m.
Sept. 12 Boise State TBD
Sept. 19 at UCLA TBD
Sept. 26 at Michigan TBD
Oct. 2 UConn 8:15 pm
Oct. 10 East Carolina TBD
Oct. 16 Cincinnati 6:00 pm
Oct. 24 Wagner 1:00 pm
Oct. 31 BYE
Nov. 6 at San Jose 8:30 pm
Nov. 14 at Missouri TBD
Nov. 21 Fresno State TBD
Nov. 28 at Utah State 1:30 pm
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