From: "CougarFan.com" Subject: FB Pre-Game: Utah St. -- Friday 7:00 p.m. MDT Date: 05 Oct 2001 13:57:34 -0600  
CougarFan.com FB Pre-Game:  Utah St. -- Friday 7:00 p.m. MDT

 
Quick Facts
Team Utah State University Aggies
Location Provo, UT
Day Friday, 10/5/2001
Time 7:00 p.m. MDT
TV Local Utah:  KSL
Regional: SportsWest (Stations)
Satellite: (C-Band) Galaxy 4, Transponder 22
Tape Delay: KBYU, BYU-TV 11pm MDT
Internet Radio  http://www.ksl.com/radio/listen/listen.php
Records BYU 4-0, Utah St. 0-4
Last Meeting 2000:  BYU 38, Utah St. 14
Weather Sunny : high 71, low 43
Latest Line BYU by 19 points

 
Game Overview

BYU comes into this game with grand thoughts of rolling through the season undefeated.  On paper, Utah State doesn't figure to be much of a bump in the road.  BYU's offense continues to shine, leading the nation in scoring, and placing second in total offense.  The Cougars may need every score and yard, because the defense will be facing the best offense they've seen since Tulane.

Utah State's offense features workhorse Emmett White, who leads the team in rushing and scoring.  Add QB Jose Fuentes and WR Kevin Curtis, and USU's offense has produced an average of 413 yards per game against a tough early schedule that included ranked teams Oregon and LSU.  Their defense, on the other hand, has given up 34 points/game and is the main reason the Aggies are 0-4.
 
 
Players to Watch

BYU

#4, Jernaro Gilford (CB) -- His task this week is to shut down the Aggies leading receiver, Kevin Curtis.

#11, Brandon Doman (QB) -- If his shoulder is healthy, he should have a big day against a weak USU defense.
 

Utah St.

#3, Kevin Curtis (WR) -- This walk-on wide receiver, who played at Snow College, leads the nation in receptions per game.

#13, Jose Fuentes (QB) -- The junior QB is averaging 373.8 yds/game passing.

#32, Emmett White (RB) -- Always a dangerous runner and pass receiver out of the backfield.  He is currently second in the nation in all-purpose yards.
 
 
Statistics

Team Statistics (National Ranking, Statistic)
 
 
BYU
Utah St.
Category
Rank 
Stat
Rank 
Stat
Total Offense (yds/g)
 2
 567.0
 28
 413.3
Total Defense (yds/g)
 80
 381.8
 113
  500.5
Scoring Offense (pts/g)
 1
50.3
 60
24.0
Scoring Defense (pts/g)
 58
22.3
 101
33.8
Rushing Offense (yds/g)
 7
 251.5
 69
 133.0
Rushing Defense (yds/g)
 75
 172.0
 109
 235.8
Passing Offense (yds/g)
4
 315.5
 15
 280.3
Passing Defense (yds/g)
 65
 209.8
 101
 264.8
Passing Defense (efficiency)
51
 112.0
 100
143.0
Turnover Margin
 32
.75
 110
-2.25
Punt Returns (yds/ret)
 22
 13.1
 9
16.5
Kickoff Returns (yds/ret)
36
23.3
 100
17.3
Net Punting (yds/punt)
 25
38.4
 5
42.4

Individual Statistics - Players in the Top 50 Nationally
 
 Category  Player
Rank
 Statistic
BYU
Rushing Luke Staley
 34
  97.5 yds/g
Passing Efficiency  Brandon Doman
5
  169.8 rating
Total Offense Brandon Doman
 4
  317.3 yds/g
Receptions Reno Mahe
 4
  7.8 rec/g
Receiving Yards Reno Mahe
 30
  82.0 yds/g
Interceptions  Paul Walkenhorst
 31
  .50 ints/g
Punt Returns Mike Rigell
26
  12.4 yds/ret
Kickoff Returns Mike Rigell
39
  25.3 yds/ret
Field Goals Matt Payne
47
  1.0 fg/g
Scoring Luke Staley
 10
  10.5 pts/g
Brian McDonald
 28
  9.0 pts/g
Matt Payne
25
  9.3 pts/g
Brandon Doman
49
 8.0 pts/g
All-Purpose Yds Luke Staley
21
 145.3 yds/g
Mike Rigell
31
 135.5 yds/g
Utah St.
Rushing Emmett White
8
  136.5 yds/g
Total Offense Jose Fuentes
21
  264.8 yds/g
Receptions Kevin Curtis
1
  10.5 rec/g
Emmett White
45
  5.3 rec/g
Receiving Yards Kevin Curtis
3
  139.0 yds/g
Punting Steve Mullins
3
  47.6 yds/pt
All-Purpose Yds Emmett White
2
  209.8 yds/g
Kevin Curtis
23
  143.5 yds/g

Hypothetical Game
(If the the teams played an exactly average game)
 
BYU
Utah St.
Score
42
23
Total Offense (yds)
534
398
Rushing Offense (yds)
244
153
Passing Offense (yds)
  290
245
Turnovers
2
4

Fan Picks from the Football Challenge

98% of you picked BYU to win this week.
The average score was BYU 40, Utah St. 17
.
 
National Rankings

BYU and Opponents
 
 AP
Coaches
BCS*
 Result
BYU
20
18
23
 -
Tulane
-
-
106
 W: 70-35
Nevada
-
-
90
 W: 52-7
Cal
-
-
78
 W: 44-16
UNLV
-
-
88
 W: 35-31
Utah State
-
-
103
 Fri, Oct 5
New Mexico
-
-
87
 Sat, Oct 13
Air Force
-
-
46
 Sat, Oct 20
SDSU
-
-
76
 Sat, Oct 27
Colorado St.
-
-
64
 Thu, Nov 1
Wyoming
-
-
83
 Sat, Nov 10
Utah
-
-
50
 Sat, Nov 17
Mississippi St.
40
39
40
 Sat, Dec 1
Hawaii
-
-
100
 Sat, Dec 8

* BCS = Bowl Championship Series, a composite ranking including the other polls mentioned here.  This ranking is used to determine the #1 versus #2 bowl matchups.
 
 
Go Cougs!

Copyright 1999-2001, CougarFan.com

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------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "CougarFan.com" Subject: FB Pre-Game: New Mexico -- Saturday 1:00 p.m. MDT Date: 12 Oct 2001 13:42:35 -0600  
CougarFan.com FB Pre-Game:  New Mexico -- Saturday 1:00 p.m. MDT

 
Quick Facts
Team University of New Mexico
Location Albuquerque, NM
Day Saturday, 10/13/2001
Time 1:00 p.m. MDT
TV Local Utah:  KJZZ (Ch. 14)
ESPN+Plus, ESPN GamePlan
Internet Radio  http://www.ksl.com/radio/listen/listen.php
Records BYU 5-0 (1-0), New Mexico 2-3 (1-1)
Last Meeting 2000:  BYU 37, New Mexico 13
Weather Partly Cloudy : high 68, low 48
Latest Line BYU by 14 points

 
Game Overview

BYU holds the 7th longest winning streak in the country (7 games dating back to New Mexico game last season).  It is no coincidence that 7 games ago, Brandon Doman won the starting QB position.  Facing the 9th best rushing defense in the nation, Doman may need to use his arm more than his legs to keep BYU the #1 scoring team in America.

Among other successes, BYU's offense has been incredible on fourth-down conversions.  After going 2-for-2 at UNLV, the Cougars went 3-for-3 on fourth-down conversions against Utah State, improving their season average to .890 (8-for-9). BYU has converted six straight fourth-down conversions. Two of those fourth-down conversions have gone for touchdowns, including Luke Staley's 37-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-three in the third quarter against Utah State.
 

New Mexico is coming off a 30-29 victory over Wyoming in Laramie and is the first team that BYU has faced this year that entered the game with any wins.  The strength of the Lobo team is their defense and specifically their run defense.  Thus far, the New Mexico defense is allowing opponents only 73 yards/game on the ground.

The defensive unit also prides themselves on forcing turnovers.  Although the pass defense is giving up 277 yards/game through the air, against the Cowboys, the defense returned two interceptions for touchdowns.
 
 
Implications

BYU hopes to continue its undefeated season.  If they win, there's a good chance they'll climb the polls this week as several teams ranked ahead of them face tough games.

New Mexico would love to pull off the upset.  Their last victory over the Cougs came in 1997, and prior to that you have to go back to 1980.  If the Lobos are able to win tomorrow, it will make the conference race a lot more interesting.
 
 
Players to Watch

BYU

#3, Ned Stearns (RB) -- Even though he's averaging 5.3 yards per carry, this Oregon native hasn't gotten too much attention.  This week, he'll probably get the most playing time he's seen during his time at BYU as he fills in for an injured Brian McDonald-Ashford.  Watch for this rugby all-american to be up to the challenge.

#19, Dustin Staley (S) -- Even though he doesn't get as much attention as his little brother, he holds his own on the gridiron.

#47, Paul Walkenhorst (LB) -- He and the rest of the front seven will need to stop a good Lobo rushing attack as well as put pressure on an inexperienced quarterback.

#82, Soren Halladay (WR) -- His BYU career has been hampered by injuries, but he's finally able to been able to play a significant role in the offense this year.

New Mexico

#23, Stephen Persley (CB) -- Though not necessarily big or fast, his instincts and tackling helped him get all-conference recognition last year.  Persley had a superb year in 2000, recording 39 tackles, 12 passes broken up and two interceptions.  He also blocked two punts and scored a pair of touchdowns off of blocks.

#28, Jarrod Baxter (RB) -- An incredibly strong running back that can run over defenders, or knock them on their backs during blocking duties.

#47, Brian Johnson (DE) -- After starting at tight end as a freshman, this 6'3" 285 pounder begged the coaches to switch him to defense, where he has started for the past two years.  His 2000 campaign earned him consensus first team all-conference honors.  As a junior last season, he led the Mountain West in sacks (9.5), and showed his soft hands, returning five kickoffs when opponents kicked short.

#74, Jeremy Sorenson (OL) -- This 300 pounder is a team captain and a vocal leader on the field.  A Utah native, he lettered in football all four years at Bingham High School, where he was an all-state tight end and team defensive MVP.  He served an LDS mission to North Carolina before playing two years and Ricks College and moving on to New Mexico.  He recorded 81 knockdowns last season.
 
 
Records to Watch

BYU holds an ongoing NCAA record of 329 consecutive games without being shut out.

Luke Staley used his five touchdowns against Utah State last week to jump into seventh place on BYU's single-season touchdown list.  Now with 12 scores on the year, the school record of 16 isn't far from Luuuuuke's grasp.  Staley also vaulted from ninth to second on the career touchdown list last week.  At 32 career TDs, it's just a matter of time until he breaks the record of 40 set by Jamal Willis.

Gary Crowton is the first coach to start his BYU career with a 5-0 record.  The previous best was a 2-0 start by various coaches.  Look for him to extend his record this week.
 
 
Injury Report

BYU

Brandon Doman (QB) -- The latest report on his shoulder is that it's feeling pretty good.

Brian McDonald-Ashford (RB) -- He tore an anterior cruciate ligament during the Utah State game.  Although it's usually a season-ending injury, there is a chance that he'll be able to keep playing this season with a knee brace.  He is definitely out this week, though.
 
 
Statistics

Team Statistics (National Ranking, Statistic)
 
 
BYU
UNM
Category
Rank 
Stat
Rank 
Stat
Total Offense (yds/g)
 2
 566.2
 81
 333.6
Total Defense (yds/g)
 83
 390.6
 50
 349.6
Scoring Offense (pts/g)
 1
51.0
 63
23.0
Scoring Defense (pts/g)
 64
24.6
 76
26.0
Rushing Offense (yds/g)
 5
 253.0
 38
 172.0
Rushing Defense (yds/g)
 67
 166.2
 9
 72.8
Passing Offense (yds/g)
5
 313.2
 93
 161.6
Passing Defense (yds/g)
 78
 224.4
 106
 276.8
Passing Defense (efficiency)
56
 113.8
 67
 120.4
Turnover Margin
19
0.8
 32
0.6
Punt Returns (yds/ret)
 20
 12.8
 53
9.6
Kickoff Returns (yds/ret)
22
24.7
 44
21.7
Net Punting (yds/punt)
 19
38.8
 71
34.4

Individual Statistics - Players in the Top 50 Nationally
 
 Category  Player
Rank
 Statistic
BYU
Rushing Luke Staley
 13
  119.4 yds/g
Passing Efficiency  Brandon Doman
4
  171.2 rating
Total Offense Brandon Doman
 2
  315.8 yds/g
Receptions Reno Mahe
 10
  7.2 rec/g
Receiving Yards Reno Mahe
 25
  83.6 yds/g
Punt Returns Mike Rigell
25
  12.1 yds/ret
Scoring Luke Staley
 3
  14.4 pts/g
Matt Payne
46
  8.0 pts/g
All-Purpose Yds Luke Staley
9
  176.2 yds/g
Mike Rigell
31
  133.2 yds/g
New Mexico
Rushing Jarrod Baxter
34
  95.2 yds/g
Receiving Yards Dwight Counter
46
  73.0 yds/g
Interceptions Stephen Persley
14
  0.6 ints/g
Scott Gerhardt
14
  0.6 ints/g
Kickoff Returns Javier Hanson
45
  24.3 yds/ret
Field Goals Vladimir Borombozin
27
  1.4 fgs/g

Hypothetical Game
(If the the teams played an exactly average game)
 
BYU
UNM
Score
39
24
Total Offense (yds)
458
362
Rushing Offense (yds)
163
169
Passing Offense (yds)
  295
193
Turnovers
2
2

Fan Picks from the Football Challenge

96% of you picked BYU to win this week.
The average score was BYU 36, New Mexico 16.
 
 
National Rankings

BYU and Opponents
 
 AP
Coaches
BCS*
 Result
BYU
18
17
23
 -
Tulane
-
-
108
 W: 70-35
Nevada
-
-
97
 W: 52-7
Cal
-
-
80
 W: 44-16
UNLV
-
-
86
 W: 35-31
Utah State
-
-
98
 W: 54-34
New Mexico
-
-
82
 Sat, Oct 13
Air Force
-
-
46
 Sat, Oct 20
SDSU
-
-
74
 Sat, Oct 27
Colorado St.
-
-
73
 Thu, Nov 1
Wyoming
-
-
93
 Sat, Nov 10
Utah
-
43
37
 Sat, Nov 17
Mississippi St.
-
43
48
 Sat, Dec 1
Hawaii
-
-
92
 Sat, Dec 8

* BCS = Bowl Championship Series, a composite ranking including the other polls mentioned here.  This ranking is used to determine the #1 versus #2 bowl matchups.
 
 
Go Cougs!

 

Copyright 1999-2001, CougarFan.com

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------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "CougarFan.com" Subject: News Recap - TE Commits; 2x Trouble for AFA Date: 17 Oct 2001 09:03:54 -0600 3D"CougarFan.com"<= font color=3D"#000000">News Recap - TE Commits; 2x Trouble for AFA

Selected articles included here. See all the latest news at:  http://CougarFan.com

Colorado Sleeper Tight End Commits t= o BYU (PacWest Football)
See: http://pacwestf= ootball.theinsiders.com/2/21048.html

"He isn't on the radar of top recruits at the tight end spot, but Andr= ew George, a 6-5, 225 pound senior at Cherry Creek High in Colorado, is the type of player who no one knows in high school, but emerges as an all-con= ference player in college.

"BYU coaches wanted to see how George would perform during the season and after Cherry Creek started off the season 6-1 and rated No. 4 in the state, behind the senior=92s 15 receptions for 347 yards (23.1 yards per reception) and six touchdowns, the Cougar coaches had seen enough.

"This week, BYU line coach Mike Empey called and offered a full ride and George accepted immediately."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Relive the memories of yesterday with Classmates.com,
and find out what your high school friends are doing now.
h= ttp://by.advertising.com/1/c/22559/27606/102950/102950
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cougars Fantastic on Fourth (Spo= rts Illustrated)
See: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/news/2001/= 10/16/thisweek_mwc/

"If the Brigham Young Cougars wind up fulfilling their wildest dreams by going undefeated and reaching the Bowl Championship Series this season= , they will be able to look back and pinpoint precisely one play that has fueled the drive like no other.

"Fourth down.

"The 18th-ranked Cougars are becoming masters at it, eschewing the kic= k and calling the perfect play so often you'd swear they were destined to win every game they play."
 

Double Trouble Awaits Falcons (C= olorado Springs Gazette)
See: http://www= .gazette.com/archive/01-10-17/daily/spts9.html

"Brigham Young devotes a page on its sports Web site to starting quart= erback Brandon Doman. A large poster adorns the page, which salutes him with the "Domanator" nickname.

"There might be an additional page soon for BYU running back Luke Stal= ey if Air Force doesn't improve its rushing defense.

"Staley already ranks second in the Mountain West Conference in rushin= g at 119.4 yards per game. He must be itching for a shot at the Air Force defense, which has been tortured by opposing runners this season."
 

McDonald-Ashford May Play Saturday (Provo Daily Herald)
See: http://www.harktheherald.com/article.php?sid=3D27656

"BYU senior running back Brian McDonald-Ashford participated in non-co= ntact drills Monday at practice and might play Saturday against Air Force.

"We're very optimistic right now," BYU coach Gary Crowton said. "If he can go through it without a lot of swelling, then there's a good chanc= e he'll be able to play this weekend."
 

Other Articles featured at CougarFan= .com
See:  http://CougarFan.com

  • Fumbles Causing Headaches (Provo Daily Herald)
  • League Agrees Bad Call Aided Cougars (Salt Lake Tribune)
  • Crowton, Rykert, Doman Honored at Mid-Season (Sports Illustrated)
  • BYU Turns Attention to Safeguards (Provo Daily Herald)
  • Some Stooge Slipped Up? Y, Certainly (Salt Lake Tribune)
  • Volleyball's Win Home Win Streak Ends at 20 (BYUCougars.com)
  • One Road Game, One Home Game for Soccer (BYUCougars.com)
  • Soccer Heads for Showdown with #5 Nebraska (BYU NewsNet)
  • Northcutt Named MWC Athlete of the Week Again (Press Release)
  • Athlete of the Week: Rugby Player Kalem Nordstrom (BYU NewsNet)
  • Vote for Doman to Wilkerson as Play of the Week (ESPN.com)

 
Copyright 1999-2001, CougarFan.com

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------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "CougarFan.com" Subject: FB Pre-Game: Air Force -- Saturday 3:45 p.m. MDT Date: 19 Oct 2001 17:01:13 -0600  
CougarFan.com FB Pre-Game:  Air Force -- Saturday 3:45 p.m. MDT

 
Quick Facts
Team Air Force Academy Falcons
Location Provo, UT
Day Saturday, 10/20/2001
Time 3:45 p.m. MDT
TV ESPN2
Internet Radio  http://www.ksl.com/radio/listen/listen.php
Records BYU 6-0 (2-0), Air Force 4-1 (2-0)
Last Meeting 2000:  Air Force 31, BYU 23
Weather Sunny : high 68, low 40
Latest Line BYU by 13 points

 
Game Overview

BYU will face its stiffest challenge of the season when Fisher DeBerry and his cadets roll into town with their vaunted option attack.  The Cougars enter the game favored on paper, but know that you can never take anything for granted when Air Force comes to play.  BYU will focus on protecting the ball, as they have shown a propensity toward fumbles during the past few games.  Two fumbles late in the game were what spelled defeat for the Cougars last season in Colorado Springs.  Defensively, the Cougs will have to be alert as they go up against the unpredictable Air Force offense.

Air Force is riding a four-game winning streak after a season-opening loss to the defending national champion Oklahoma Sooners.  Although BYU holds a 17-4 edge in the all-time series, the Falcons have also had BYU's number for the last few years, having won three of the last four meetings between the schools.  Their only win in Provo came in 1982 in the first game in the expanded 65,000 seat Cougar Stadium.  The Falcons have been business-like in the red zone this year, converting 18 of 19.  Fisher DeBerry demonstrated the kind of confidence he had in his offense last week by going for a fourth down from his own 24 in the fourth quarter of a tight game against Wyoming.  The Falcons converted it, as they have on all seven 4th down attempts this season.  At times, the Falcons have been their own worst enemies, uncharacteristically picking up numerous penalties.

The Air Force defense has been stingy, allowing an MWC-best 19.2 points per game.  Most impressive is their dominance once they get backed down to the goal line.  Despite giving up 516 yards of total offense to Wyoming last week, they held the Cowboys to just six points in three trips inside the red zone.
 
 
Implications

BYU faces a team with a winning record for the first time this season, so it's time for the Cougs to show what they're made of.  A homecoming victory over the Falcons would assure BYU of a winning season, making them bowl eligible.

Air Force could move into the driver's seat in the race for the conference championship by knocking off the Cougs for the second year in a row.  A win would also likely vault them to a top 25 ranking.
 
 
Players to Watch

BYU

#21, Isaac Kelley (LB) -- He and his fellow linebackers will have to make split-second decisions to contain the Air Force option.

#87, Doug Jolley (TE) -- He's been a solid contributor during his time at the Y.  Last year against the Falcons he caught two passes for 66 yards.

Air Force

#5, Ryan Fleming (WR) -- He broke the Air Force mold in last year's matchup by hauling in five passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns.  He has caught passes in 18 consecutive games, a record during Air Force's "option era."  At 6'5", he's a tough assignment for most defensive backs.

#18, Keith Boyea (QB) -- Following in the tradition of Thiessen, Bonds, Morgan, etc. etc. etc., this unselfish senior is making the Falcon offense click and is averaging 111 rushing and 122 passing yards per game.  He's coming off career highs in rushing (194 yards) and passing (168 yards), and even caught a halfback pass.  His 364 yards total offense were the fourth best in Academy history.
 
 
Records to Watch

BYU holds an ongoing NCAA record of 330 consecutive games without being shut out.

BYU can guarantee its 28th consecutive non-losing season by beating Air Force.

Luke Staley has a good chance to climb BYU's single-season touchdown list.  He is currently in 7th place with 12 scores on the season, and needs two more to move into a tie with Ronney Jenkins and Jamal Willis.  The record of 16 is held by Waymon Hamilton.

Gary Crowton can become the first BYU coach to start out his career 7-0.
 
 
Injury Report

BYU

Ryan Denney (DE) -- He's still being bothered by the turf toe that has slowed him for the past three games, but it is getting better.

Levi Madarieta (S) -- A grade 1 AC shoulder separation sustained against New Mexico shouldn't hold him out of action this week.

Brian McDonald-Ashford (RB) -- He put on a brace and practiced this week, but on the second day, his knee became swollen and sore, so he will miss another game and undergo exploratory surgery to determine the extent of his ACL tear.

Andrew Ord (WR) -- Same injury as Madarieta, same diagnosis.

Jason Scukanec (OL) -- He suffered a concussion in last week's game in Albuquerque.  After missing practice this week as a precaution, he's as "all there" as he ever was, and will play against Air Force.

Rod Wilkerson (WR) -- Against New Mexico, he suffered a knee injury in the form of a torn meniscus that will put him out for two to three weeks.

Air Force

Ryan Carter (LB) -- He's out with a knee injury.

John Eccles (LB) -- An injury to his left knee has this senior listed as questionable.

Paul Mayo (CB) -- A sprained left ankle sustained against Wyoming shouldn't keep him out of the game..

Jeff Overstreet (S) -- He left last week's Wyoming game early with a sprained ankle, but is probable for the BYU game.

Sam Meinrod (S) -- He has a sprained right ankle, but is probable.

John Welsh (P) -- He's out with an injury to his right knee.
 
 
 
Statistics

Team Statistics (National Ranking, Statistic)
 
 
BYU
AFA
Category
Rank 
Stat
Rank 
Stat
Total Offense (yds/g)
 2
 532.7
 49
 390.0
Total Defense (yds/g)
 79
 388.5
 86
 399.4
Scoring Offense (pts/g)
 1
46.5
 43
27.6
Scoring Defense (pts/g)
 55
23.8
 29
19.2
Rushing Offense (yds/g)
 11
 228.7
 4
 256.2
Rushing Defense (yds/g)
 75
 171.5
 82
 183.0
Passing Offense (yds/g)
10
 304.0
 108
 133.8
Passing Defense (yds/g)
 71
 217.0
 67
 216.4
Passing Defense (efficiency)
37
 109.8
 43
 111.3
Turnover Margin
16
1.2
 18
1.0
Punt Returns (yds/ret)
 35
 10.8
 37
10.8
Kickoff Returns (yds/ret)
16
24.5
 103
16.7
Net Punting (yds/punt)
 48
36.1
 63
35.3

Individual Statistics - Players in the Top 50 Nationally
 
 Category  Player
Rank
 Statistic
BYU
Rushing Luke Staley
 14
  119.4 yds/g
Passing Efficiency  Brandon Doman
6
  162.3 rating
Total Offense Brandon Doman
 4
  312.3 yds/g
Receptions Reno Mahe
 14
  6.7 rec/g
Receiving Yards Reno Mahe
 42
  73.2 yds/g
Interceptions Jernaro Gilford
4
  .67 ints/g
Punt Returns Mike Rigell
49
  10.1 yds/ret
Scoring Luke Staley
 3
  14.4 pts/g
Matt Payne
47
  7.7 pts/g
All-Purpose Yds Luke Staley
9
  176.2 yds/g
Mike Rigell
31
  130.5 yds/g
Air Force
Rushing Keith Boyea
19
  111.0 yds/g
Total Offense Keith Boyea
40
  233.8 yds/g
Punt Returns Leotis Palmer
29
  11.6 yds/ret
Scoring Keith Boyea
19
  8.8 pts/g

Hypothetical Game
(If the the teams played an exactly average game)
 
BYU
AFA
Score
33
26
Total Offense (yds)
466
389
Rushing Offense (yds)
206
214
Passing Offense (yds)
  260
175
Turnovers
2
2

Fan Picks from the Football Challenge

85% of you picked BYU to win this week.
The average score was BYU 33, Air Force 20.
 
 
National Rankings

BYU and Opponents
 
 AP
Coaches
BCS*
 Result
BYU
18
13
18
 -
Tulane
-
-
97
 W: 70-35
Nevada
-
-
98
 W: 52-7
Cal
-
-
78
 W: 44-16
UNLV
-
-
75
 W: 35-31
Utah State
-
-
96
 W: 54-34
New Mexico
-
-
79
 W: 24-20
Air Force
40
43
39
 Sat, Oct 20
SDSU
-
-
91
 Sat, Oct 27
Colorado St.
-
-
73
 Thu, Nov 1
Wyoming
-
-
93
 Sat, Nov 10
Utah
-
41
41
 Sat, Nov 17
Mississippi St.
-
-
74
 Sat, Dec 1
Hawaii
-
-
84
 Sat, Dec 8

* BCS = Bowl Championship Series, a composite ranking including the other polls mentioned here.  This ranking is used to determine the #1 versus #2 bowl matchups.
 
 
Go Cougs!

 

Copyright 1999-2001, CougarFan.com

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------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "CougarFan.com" Subject: FB Pre-Game: San Diego State -- Saturday 7:00 p.m. MDT Date: 26 Oct 2001 14:16:10 -0600  
CougarFan.com FB Pre-Game:  San Diego State -- Saturday 7:00 p.m. MDT

 
Quick Facts
Team San Diego State University Aztecs
Location San Diego, CA
Day Saturday, 10/27/2001
Time 7:00 p.m. MDT
TV Local Utah:  KSL (Ch. 5)
Local San Diego:  Channel 4
Satellite:  Telstar 5, Transponder K24 (KU-Band)
Internet Radio  http://www.ksl.com/radio/listen/listen.php
Records BYU 7-0 (3-0), San Diego State 2-5 (1-2)
Last Meeting 2000:  San Diego State 16, BYU 15
Weather Partly cloudy : high 68, low 60
Latest Line BYU by 14 points

 
Game Overview

BYU travels to San Diego with hopes of administering a dose of revenge.  Last year, the Aztecs led BYU in Provo for most of the game as Owen Pochman uncharacteristically missed three fourth-quarter field goals.  With 46 seconds remaining, the senior kicker redeemed himself with a 50 yarder to put the Cougs ahead, 15-13, and the ESPN+Plus TV crew awarded him player of the game honors.  However, Lon Sheriff marched the Aztecs on a frantic 62-yard drive, capped by a 36-yard field goal with one second remaining.  It was the last time the Cougars lost in Provo, and it was the game that effectively knocked them out of bowl contention for the 2000 season.

My, how things have changed over the course of the past year.  Now, behind a breakout season by Brandon Doman and his supporting cast, the BYU offense is the most explosive in the country, and more importantly, refuses to lose.  The high octane offense has produced 10 scoring drives of one minute or less so far this year, and has scored on 37 of 39 red zone appearances.  The defense stepped up in a big way last week to help the team play a complete game against Air Force, dominating both sides of the ball and establishing momentum and flow that left the Falcons' heads spinning.  In the wake of Fresno State's loss last week, the Y has received an onslaught of national publicity as the non-BCS school that could crack the corrupt system.  Coach Crowton now has the task of keeping his team level-headed and focused on winning the conference.

San Diego State is a team in flux.  After waffling between quarterbacks Lon Sheriff and Adam Hall for most of the season, coach Ted Tollner thought he had found a winner in Sheriff during last week's tilt at Ohio State.  The junior led the Aztecs to a halftime lead, but then threw four interceptions and fumbled a snap on SDSU's first five possessions of the second half, giving the Buckeyes the game.  The starting quarterback this week will be a game-time decision.  Adding to coach Tollner's headaches is the fact that his premiere running back, Larry Ned, suffered an ankle sprain in Columbus, and his status for this week's game is unknown.  Besides having scored nine of the Aztecs' 13 touchdowns on the season, Ned leads the MWC in rushing with 133 yards per game, and set a single-game conference rushing record of 285 yards earlier this season, that stands as the best mark in the nation this year.  Ned trails only Marshall Faulk on SDSU's career rushing yardage list.

If you're going to play a conference game on the road, San Diego's not a bad place to do it.  Since the inception of the Mountain West Conference, the Aztecs are only 1-7 in home conference games, not having won since 1999.  However, the Aztecs did beat Eastern Illinois in their last home game and will be aiming for their first back-to-back home wins in nearly three years.  Gary Crowton is the fourth first-year coach that SDSU has faced this year, and will likely be the fourth to beat them.  The Aztec defense is solid, ranking second in the Mountain West Conference.  They held Ohio State to just 136 yards rushing last week, and got to the quarterback for four sacks.  However, the inconsistency of the offense has often put them in tough positions to defend.
 
 
Implications

BYU faces the same situation almost weekly from here on out:  Win or be exposed as a pretender.  As long as the Cougs remain undefeated, they will continue to forge ahead in the polls and, if the stars align, they could end up in a BCS bowl with a big payout.  Even one loss, though, would end those hopes and would make the conference title anything but a sure thing.

San Diego State realizes that their next loss will doom them to a losing season and exempt them from any bowl opportunities.  Also on the line is head coach Ted Tollner's job.  Chances are this will be his last season in San Diego unless he is able to turn things around in a hurry.  The former BYU quarterbacks coach has had success in the college ranks and in the pros, but has remained loyal to San Diego State amidst further offers from the NFL.
 
 
Players to Watch

BYU

#11, Brandon Doman (QB) -- Watch for him to become the first BYU QB to win his first 10 games as a starter since Robbie Bosco in 1984.

#55, Justin Ena (LB) -- He leads the Cougars with 56 tackles, one sack, one interception, and a fumble recovery.

#92, Ryan Denney (DE) -- His size and speed make him hard to block.  Even when he doesn't get to the quarterback, he's often able to bat down passes with his long arms.

San Diego State

#16, J.R. Tolver (WR) -- One of the most consistent receivers in the conference, he has caught 39 passes for 551 yards on the season.  This year, he has caught nearly three times as many passes as SDSU's second leading receiver, and has the Aztecs' only two touchdown receptions on the season.  He will likely overtake Webster Slaughter at #10 on the school's career reception list within the next game or two.

#27, Brian Simnjanovski (P) -- After walking onto the team and handling kickoff duties for two years, this junior is now averaging 44.6 yards per punt to lead the conference and rank eighth nationally.  Expect to see him get a good workout on Saturday night.

#47, Will Demps (S) -- A returning all-conference safety, he leads the team with 69 tackles through seven games so far this season.  Over his past ten games, dating back to last season, he's averaging a whopping 11.2 tackles per game.
 
 
Records to Watch

BYU holds an ongoing NCAA record of 331 consecutive games without being shut out.

BYU can play three straight games without a turnover for the first time in school history.

Luke Staley has scored 14 touchdowns this year and is tied at fifth with Ronney Jenkins (1996) and Jamal Willis (1994) on the school's single-season touchdown list.  One more TD will move Staley into a second-place tie with Ronney Jenkins (1998), Clay Brown (1980), and Roy Oliverson (1951) at 15 scores.  Two more will tie him with Waymon Hamilton (16 TDs in 1981), while three would give him sole possession of the record.

Gary Crowton will try to become the first BYU head coach to start his career 8-0 at the Y.
 
 
Injury Report

BYU

Ryan Denney (DE) -- His turf toe is healing up, slowly but surely.

Brett Keisel (DE) -- He sprained his right ankle against Air Force and missed some practice this week, but will be ready to go on Saturday.

Levi Madarieta (S) -- After playing sparingly last week, he is mostly healed from his shoulder separation and should be back in the starting lineup.

Brian McDonald-Ashford (RB) -- He's still out with his knee injury and should know his season's fate within a few days.

Brandon Stephens (DL) -- He has a sore knee that has been locking up and could cause some problems for him.

Rod Wilkerson (WR) -- His knee is healing quickly, and coach Crowton expects him to be back in time for next Thursday's game against CSU.

San Diego State

Larry Ned (RB) -- He suffered a high ankle sprain after grinding out 112 yards on the ground at Ohio State last week.  He's questionable for tomorrow night.
 
 
Statistics

Team Statistics (National Ranking, Statistic)
 
 
BYU
SDSU
Category
Rank 
Stat
Rank 
Stat
Total Offense (yds/g)
 2
 543.9
 90
 324.6
Total Defense (yds/g)
 83
 404.7
 34
  326.0
Scoring Offense (pts/g)
 1
48.9
 104
15.3
Scoring Defense (pts/g)
 59
25.1
 63
25.4
Rushing Offense (yds/g)
 12
 225.0
 62
 145.0
Rushing Defense (yds/g)
 92
 194.7
 58
 149.4
Passing Offense (yds/g)
8
 318.9
 83
 179.6
Passing Defense (yds/g)
63
 210.0
 21
 176.6
Passing Defense (efficiency)
39
 110.8
 57
119.6
Turnover Margin
 14
1.14
 114
-1.71
Punt Returns (yds/ret)
 49
 9.9
 89
7.3
Kickoff Returns (yds/ret)
20
24.6
 44
21.7
Net Punting (yds/punt)
 52
36.3
 60
35.4

Individual Statistics - Players in the Top 50 Nationally
 
 Category  Player
Rank
 Statistic
BYU
Rushing Luke Staley
 13
  121.8 yds/g
Passing Efficiency  Brandon Doman
4
  166.7 rating
Total Offense Brandon Doman
 4
  317.7 yds/g
Receptions Reno Mahe
 25
  6.1 rec/g
Interceptions  Jernaro Gilford
 14
  .57 ints/g
Kickoff Returns Mike Rigell
32
  25.4 yds/ret
Scoring Luke Staley
 2
  14.0 pts/g
  Matt Payne
 32
  7.9 pts/g
All-Purpose Yds  Luke Staley
16
  149.7 yds/g
Mike Rigell
41
  119.8 yds/g
SDSU
Rushing Larry Ned
8
  132.7 yds/g
Receptions  Greg Tolver
30
  5.5 rec/g
Receiving Yards Greg Tolver
34
  78.7 yds/g
Punting Brian Simnjamovski
8
  44.6 yds/p
Scoring Larry Ned
43
  7.7 pts/g
All-Purpose Yds Larry Ned
15
  150.1 yds/g

Hypothetical Game
(If the the teams played an exactly average game)
 
BYU
SDSU
Score
37
20
Total Offense (yds)
435
365
Rushing Offense (yds)
187
170
Passing Offense (yds)
  496
195
Turnovers
1
 4

Fan Picks from the Football Challenge

96% of you picked BYU to win this week.
The average score was BYU 37, San Diego State 17.
 
 
National Rankings

BYU and Opponents
 
AP
Coaches
BCS*
 Result
BYU
16
10
16
 -
Tulane
-
-
98
 W: 70-35
Nevada
-
-
96
 W: 52-7
Cal
-
-
77
 W: 44-16
UNLV
-
-
85
 W: 35-31
Utah State
-
-
97
 W: 35-31
New Mexico
-
-
83
 W: 24-20
Air Force
-
-
54
 W: 63-33
SDSU
-
-
93
 Sat, Oct 27
Colorado St.
-
-
73
 Thu, Nov 1
Wyoming
-
-
95
 Sat, Nov 10
Utah
35
36
35
 Sat, Nov 17
Mississippi St.
-
-
82
 Sat, Dec 1
Hawaii
-
-
80
 Sat, Dec 8

* BCS = Bowl Championship Series, a composite ranking including the other polls mentioned here.  This ranking is used to determine the #1 versus #2 bowl matchups.
 
 
Go Cougs!

Copyright 1999-2001, CougarFan.com

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------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "CougarFan.com" Subject: News Recap - Huge FB & BB Commitments Date: 29 Oct 2001 07:40:39 -0700 CougarFan.comNews Recap - Huge FB & BB Commitments

Selected articles included here. See all the latest news at:  http://CougarFan.com

Ben Olson, Nation's #1 QB, Commits to BYU (PacWestFootball.com)
See: http://pacwestfootball.theinsiders.com/2/22561.html

"The 6-5, 210 pound lefty from Thousand Oaks, Calif. put an end to the increasingly time-consuming recruiting process when he committed to BYU head coach Gary Crowton before the Cougar game at San Diego State on Saturday.

"Olson drove with his parents to San Diego and told Cougar head coach Gary Crowton before the BYU game against the Aztecs.

"I felt in my heart this was the best place for me," Olson told Student Sports. "I have family there, it's my church school and from a football standpoint, I really like the direction of the program."
 

6'11" Center Commits to BYU Basketball (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
See: http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Oct-28-Sun-2001/sports/17324471.html

Rafael Araujo, a 6-11, 260-pound sophomore from Arizona Western College Junior College, chose BYU over UNLV.

"Araujo said Saturday his commitment to BYU over UNLV came down to a lifestyle choice.

"It was a tough decision," Araujo said at the North Gym, where Arizona Western was scrimmaging Dixie College. "I liked UNLV very much, and I know I could have done well there. But BYU had a lot more to offer, and (Provo) is a nice city. I was very comfortable there."

"Araujo's wife, Cheyenne, is Mormon, and BYU has on-campus housing for married couples -- something UNLV doesn't offer."
 

Other Articles featured at CougarFan.com
See:  http://CougarFan.com

  • BYU Post-game: BYU 59, San Diego State 21 (ESPN.com)
  • BYU Ranked 8th in Coaches' Poll, 13th in AP (CougarFan.com)
  • Defense Delivers Big Plays, Scores (Provo Daily Herald)
  • Ned Proves He's Healthy with Big Game (North County Times)
  • Ned, Staley Put On a Show (Provo Daily Herald)
  • Winning Simply Out of Reach for SDSU (San Diego Union-Tribune)
  • Perfect Cougars Keep It Loose (Provo Daily Herald)
  • Former Cougars Lending Support (Provo Daily Herald)
  • Women's Volleyball Sweeps past New Mexico (BYUCougars.com)
  • Second Shutout of the Week for Soccer (BYUCougars.com)
  • Men's Tennis Plays Well at Regional Tourney (BYUCougars.com)
  • Reynolds, Ferrell Advance to Quarters in Tulsa (BYUCougars.com)

 
Copyright 1999-2001, CougarFan.com

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To subscribe to or unsubscribe from CougarFan Insider, go to http://CougarFan.com/insider, or send an email to: majordomo@xmission.com with "subscribe byuinsider" OR "unsubscribe byuinsider" in the body of the message.