If you want to be able to predict how well a college football team will perform,  look at two key indicators:
A) Experience at quarterback
and
B) Experience on the offensive line
If you can check both A and B, your team will probably have a very good season. In BYU’s case it’s almost always a memorable one.
Since the Cougars will begin the 2010 campaign with little-to-no experience at QB, their saving grace will be the “big uglies” (the word uglies is use with a great deal of reverence) on the offensive line.
BYU returns …

The BYU defense began fall camp with several question marks.
The Cougars needed to replace the majority of their front seven. They were also searching for a solution at free safety, which was the only question mark in an otherwise solid defensive backfield.
As we approach the end of the first full week of practice some answers are beginning to unfold.
The ability of Travis Tuiloma to come into the rotation at nose tackle allows Eathyn Manumaluena to move out to defensive end.
That development greatly solidifies the defensive line and creates a rotation …

The BYU quarterback battle has quickly boiled down once again to a choice between Riley Nelson and Jake Heaps.
The question is which one of these signal callers is best suited to take advantage of the talent the Cougars will put out the field this season. They vary vastly in their strengths and style of play.
Heaps is the prototypical pocket passer, while Nelson is a guy that relies on his feet as much as his arm.
In our previous segment, we mentioned that the Cougar offense will operate with more receivers on …

2010 marks the return of the wide receiver for the Cougars.
The BYU offense will look a little different this season. Expect to see more receivers on the field and fewer double tight end sets.
BYU is well known for employing its talented tight ends with great effectiveness, but this year the combination of inexperience at tight end and depth and talent at wide receiver will necessitate a change in the way the Cougars approach things.
As usual, there is talent galore at tight end, but there isn’t a single tight end on …

Our final preview focuses on the oft-overlooked special teams.
Any football coach will tell you that special teams make up a significant portion of plays during a game and execution in special team situations can make or break you during a game or season.
The Cougars weren’t spectacular on special teams last year, but they did turn in a mostly solid performance in ‘09.
This year brings higher expectations and the hope for more big plays and more consistent performances in certain areas.
Here’s how the various BYU special team units shape up this …

Weak things have been made strong at BYU.
On paper the defensive secondary appears to be the strength of the BYU defense in 2010.
The Cougars return three starters to a area of the defense that is traditionally the weakest link in the program.
BYU will be without the leadership and experience of graduated free safety Scott Johnson however.
Scotty was the unquestioned leader in the defensive backfield last year and was responsible for making the play calls in the secondary and making sure the DB’s were in proper position.
BYU fans found out how …

BYU football fans are salivating at the thought of having four linebackers with NFL-caliber athleticism on the field at the same time.
Jordan Pendleton, Uona Kaveinga, Zach Stout and Kyle Van Noy would represent perhaps the most athletic group of linebackers in the history of the program. The question is, will we see that combo together in 2010?
As BYU opens fall camp this Saturday, the Cougars find themselves needing to replace three of four starters at linebacker.
Jordan Pendleton (6-2, 228 Jr.) is the lone returning starter. The former Bingham High star …

The BYU Cougars start 2010 with task of replacing six starters on the defensive front seven, including all three defensive lineman.
Gone are Jan Jorgensen, Brett Denny and  Russell Tialavea.
The athletes stepping into the starting roles have playing experience and the Cougar coaches hope and expect them to step up to the plate.
Bronco Mendenhall has stated in the past that the program has reached a level of maturity such that he expects the next wave of players to come in and get the job done.
The overall speed and athleticism has been …

By far the biggest question in Provo these days is who will be the new BYU quarterback in 2010.
Head coach Bronco Mendenhall announced this week during Mountain West Conference media days that the race could go on well into the season.
Oh-oh!
Prevailing wisdom says that that doesn’t usually work out very well. You know the old saying – “If you have two starting quarterbacks, you don’t have any.”
Mendenhall mentioned Wednesday in an interview with Salt Lake City radio station 1280 The Zone that he wants to allow time for the competition …

The BYU Cougars face life without Harvey Unga in 2010.
Unga has taken his trade to the NFL and the Cougars are left to pick up the pieces in the backfield.
Cougar head coach Bronco Mendenhall admitted this week that BYU will operate with a running back by committee approach this season.
Entering fall camp it appears Bryan Kariya, JJ Di Luigi, Joshua Quezada and Mike Hague will be the backs called upon to try to lessen the pain of the loss of Unga.
Tuesday the Cougars released a depth chart as they prepare …

To say that there are big shoes to fill at the tight end position for BYU in 2010 is an understatement.
With the departure of Dennis Pitta and Andrew George, go a combined career total of 286 catches, 3,683 yards and 32 touchdowns.
Virtually all of the candidates that will be trying to measure up to the task are freshmen.
They are talented group for sure, but September 4th against the Washington Huskies will be the first time any of them has stepped onto the field in a Division-1 football game.
BYU’s recent history …

BYU begins this upcoming football season with an abundance of riches at wide receiver.
The Cougars return all four members from last years primary rotation and add a promising star to the mix in 2010.
Don’t be surprised to see the receivers play a bigger role this year, seeing as the Cougars also start the season with freshman trying to replace Dennis Pitta and Andrew George at tight end.
Cougar fans are likely to see more three and even four receiver sets.
Here’s how things break down at wide receiver:
I selected McKay Jacobson (5-11, …

The start of fall camp is less than two weeks away for the BYU Cougars. Today we begin a 9-part series over the next several days, breaking down the 2010 Cougar football team position by position.
We begin by covering what is considered the number one strength of this year’s team, the offensive line. With four returning starters and a legitimate All-American candidate at left tackle, BYU enters the season with one of the best offensive lines in the country. The only question up front is who will take over at …

BYU Basketball is poised to receive the most national attention it has garnered since Danny Ainge made his mad dash between all five Notre Dame defenders to knock off the Irish in the NCAA Tournament nearly 30 years ago.
During the upcoming 2010-11 season, the Cougars are likely to be on ESPN SportsCenter on regular basis. The reason? People just can’t seem to get enough of Jimmer Fredette.
Fredette is currently in Las Vegas working out with many of the top college players as a member of the USA Select team, which …

Deep Shades of Blue has learned that BYU inside linebacker Uona Kaveinga has asked the NCAA for a ruling regarding his situation.
The former USC Trojan transferred to BYU this year in time to participate in spring practice.
Typically transfers must sit out a season when transferring schools. They may participate in practices but may not play in games.
However, the NCAA recently handed down stiff sanctions against the USC program for rules violations. One of the penalties dished out to the Trojans allows juniors and seniors to transfer from USC without having …