Hill, Williams, Mathews have BYU offense confident in 2015


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PROVO — There has been plenty of optimism around the BYU offensive skill position players through the summer and at BYU media day. As well there should be.

The Cougars return all but three starters from last year's offense that averaged 37.1 points per game, and quarterback Taysom Hill and running back Jamaal Williams have been healthily working through the spring to be back to full form by the season opener Sept. 5 at Nebraska.

All of it leads to reasons to be optimistic for the experienced squad.

"I love our team. A lot of things have to come together to have a great season," BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said at media day. "A few things: a healthy, senior quarterback; a senior running back; an offense that scored the most points since 2001 comes back and only misses three players.

"Leadership and key pieces at the right places, and the best opponents? It's the key ingredients for something special."

Sure, the Cougars lost wide receiver Jordan Leslie, running back Paul Lasike and offensive lineman DeOndre Wesley. But the returners seem more than ready to pick up the slack.

"I think we can expect to raise the bar a little bit — do what we did last year, and then a little bit more," Hill said while also noting the trio of departed starters. "If we do just a little bit more, we will be one of the best offenses in the country."

KSL's Dave McCann talks with quarterback Taysom Hill, running back Jamaal Williams and head coach Bronco Mendenhall during media day June 24, 2015, at the BYUtv broadcast facility in Provo. (Photo: Scott G Winterton/Deseret News)
KSL's Dave McCann talks with quarterback Taysom Hill, running back Jamaal Williams and head coach Bronco Mendenhall during media day June 24, 2015, at the BYUtv broadcast facility in Provo. (Photo: Scott G Winterton/Deseret News)

Any great offense starts with the offensive lineman, and bulky center Tejan Koroma will be the man in the middle tasked with keeping his teammates working together to help protect the BYU backfield.

BYU usually has one of the oldest offensive lines in the country, owing to so many returned missionaries. But the line also returns 69 career starts in 2015.

"With any OL, you want to get guys who it is easier to hold back than push them out and be back," offensive coordinator Robert Anae said. "Tejan is really holding his skills as a center with one year of college football under his belt. Some good things are in the process of happening."

Improved line play would give Hill plenty of time to find his open receivers, not the least of whom is senior Mitch Mathews. One of the oldest returning players on the team, Mathews is ready to buck the trend of finishing 8-5 as a starter.

And he could be primed for a special season individually, his quarterback said.

"I honestly think Mitch is one of the best receivers in the country," Hill said. "He's 6-foot-6, and he can jump out of the gym. He creates a lot of mismatches with corners. He creates a lot of opportunities for me to just throw the ball up to him.

"His ability to make adjustments on the football is the best I've ever played with. I think the sky's the limit for Mitch, if he can stay healthy."

Mathews finished last season with 922 receiving yards, the most among BYU receivers — and he could've had even more, according to fellow wideout Terenn Houk, who believes Mathews could've been a 1,000-yard receiver last season.

"It sounds like a lot, but I feel like we could've thrown so much more last year," Houk said. "There were times when our offense seemed unstoppable. We could throw, catch, run, block.

"I feel like that's why coach Anae gets on us so much; he wants us to throw for more, run for more, and be an amazing offense."


I think we can expect to raise the bar a little bit — do what we did last year, and then a little bit more. If we do just a little bit more, we will be one of the best offenses in the country.

–BYU quarterback Taysom Hill


There are a few question marks in the receiving corps beyond Mathews, Hill said. But once the whistle goes off Sept. 5 in Memorial Stadium, he expects expectations to become reality for his receivers.

"Mitch has proven himself on the field," Hill said. "But there aren't a lot of guys with a lot of game experience. I could rattle off name after name and experience, but until you get into the stadium and start performing, then the hype can come.

"I think Nick (Kurtz) is going to be great, I think Devon (Blackmon) has the potential to be great. But until they get into the stadium and do it, we'll see what happens."

It seems, then, there is only one thing that could stop the BYU offense. Williams explains it best.

"It just depends on us," the senior running back said. "We were rolling in the spring game and those practices, throwing the ball as far as we want, making plays and having fun. I feel like our ceiling is unlimited. We can go anywhere we want.

"We have to play like nobody can beat us. We can play with anybody, honestly. I believe that we can beat anybody in the nation."

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