BYU Football with Bronco Mendenhall 10-2-13


Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

PROVO — Going into a hostile environment to play a Utah State team that leads the Mountain West Conference in several areas and has a 2-2 record on the season can be a challenge. But BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall likes his team's chances to get a win in such a scenario as the Cougars take on the Aggies on Friday night at 6 p.m.

Much of that confidence likely stems from BYU's recent 37-10 home win over Middle Tennessee.

"It's always good to have a win and see coaches smile, and players happy," Mendenhall said Wednesday night on "BYU Football with Bronco Mendenhall." "They've worked hard enough to earn that. I see glimpses of something stronger; I like what I see."

Mendenhall is particularly excited to see the matchup between Utah State's offense and the Cougars' front seven, including nose tackle Eathyn Manumaleuna, who is coming into one of the best years of his long-lasting career at BYU. How Manumaleuna can bottle up Utah State quarterback and outside Heisman contender Chuckie Keeton will be key in the matchup.

"There's a ton of deception in Utah State's offense," Mendenhall said. "It happens methodically, at a super fast tempo. They also run plays quickly, but the nature of the plays sees the ball out very fast ... it's kind of a barrage of full-field offense."

The game, which will airs live following a two-hour pregame show on KSL Radio, could also see Keeton defer often to standout Utah State running back Joey DeMartino.

I think they're looking for other players (than Keeton) to rely on," Mendenhall said, "and they have a lot of weapons around him to be successful."

******

For the first time of the season, Mendenhall named his Firehouse Subs Firestarter of the Game for the win against Middle Tennessee. This week, the defensive coach focused on the special teams effort, with kick returner Adam Hine earning the honor.

"It doesn't take long after you kick off to him to see what happens," Mendenhall said of Hine. "He was among the most effective to me."

Hine's performance highlighted a standout effort on special teams for the Cougars.

"We did some great things in special teams," Mendenhall said. "We had some turnovers there from a normally reliable player, which was uncharacteristic, but I think we're making some progress."

Hine, who suffered a concussion in the win over the Blue Raiders, will not play against Utah State. The 6-foot-1 sophomore is on track for a return against Georgia Tech, which also coincides with BYU's homecoming week.

Mendenhall declined to reveal who would replace Hine on kick returns against the Aggies. Running back Paul Lasike took an extended role against Middle Tennessee.

******

Senior wide receiver Skyler Ridley stopped by the show to chat with hosts Greg Wrubell and Marc Lyons about his recent nomination as team captain.

"It's a privilege to represent the team, and be voted captain by my teammates," said Ridley, who originally came to BYU as a walk-on. "I hope I'm doing all right."

BYU Football with Bronco Mendenhall 10-2-13

In the much-maligned BYU passing game, Ridley — who moonlights as a strong downfield blocker — said it is only a matter of time and opponents' defense before the Cougars' offense starts to open up.

"We didn't really need to throw the ball a whole lot. When you run for 500 yards, you just keep doing it," Ridley said. "We really established ourselves as a good running football team. But I think, moving forward, we need to find a balance."

Ridley came to BYU from Murietta, Calif., after a high school season that saw him spend as a freshman with BYU linebacker Tyler Beck. After serving an LDS church mission in Manchester, England, the wideout married his wife, Jasmine, and earned a scholarship with the Cougars — after a trying time that saw him nearly quit the sport for good.

"(BYU) is a unique place, a special place," Ridley said. "Prior to serving a mission, this is where I thought I would be prepared the best. I wasn't highly recruited out of high school, but this is where I wanted to be. To be able to have these experiences both educationally and spiritually, as well as to play football, is fantastic."

******

During the Question & Answer session with audience members, Mendenhall elaborated on the specific mission of BYU football as an extension of the university and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"The football program at BYU is the most visible part of the institution," he said. "I think it is absolutely essential that we represent the school and the church at the highest level."

The eighth-year head coach also dished some criticism on long-time media colleagues Wrubell and Lyons, which drew raucous applause and laughter from the studio audience. Mendenhall compared Lyons to a calm and collected professor, while Wrubell was painted as the passionate, pen-throwing play-by-play personality of the Cougars.

"It's contrast. But they are great people, and fun," Mendenhall said. "If I have to do media, they are good partners and great guys."

Among other highlights were Mendenhall's love of jalapeno-flavored potato chips from Which Wich and Firehouse Subs sandwich shops, and his affinity for riding cutting horses with his son, Cutter.

*******

Sean Walker is a KSL Newsradio BYU intern

Most recent Sports stories

Related topics

SportsBYU Cougars
Sean Walker

    ARE YOU GAME?

    From first downs to buzzer beaters, get KSL.com’s top sports stories delivered to your inbox weekly.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast