Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
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Coming off a second and final bye week of the season, BYU is ready for a high-profile Saturday showdown with the No. 24 (BCS) Wisconsin Badgers.
"It's going to be a big challenge, big stage, probably one of the biggest games we're going to face and play this season" said senior defensive lineman Eathyn Manumaleuna after the Cougars' Thursday practice at the team's indoor practice facility.
"It's a big challenge, but we're up for it."
Manumaleuna and the Cougars are excited for the environment at Camp Randall Stadium, home to over 80,000 Badger fans. He says as defenders, "we need to keep our composure and just stay focused."
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Wisconsin features two of the nation's leading rushers in running backs Melvin Gordon and James White, averaging 134.2 and 100.5 yards per game. BYU Defensive Coordinator Nick Howell talked about the challenges the defense will face.
"They want to run the ball," said Howell on Thursday. "We've played backs like them before. The Boise guy (RB Jay Ajayi) is similar, just not as much juice."
Howell compared Wisconsin's offensive line to those of Notre Dame and Oklahoma that BYU has faced in years past. While the Badgers' front five are big and physical and are known for wearing teams down with their physicality, Howell shared his keys to keeping UW's offense in check.
"We just have to tackle and keep the ball in front and we will keep the points down," Howell says. "As long as we tackle, and get guys to the ball and keep the big plays down, we will definitely be in the game and hold the points down enough to give ourselves a chance to win it."
Referencing the Notre Dame game and how BYU was able to hold the Irish to 17 points last year, Howell said "it's not about yards to me, it's about points. We've got to make plays when the opportunity arises."
Howell said that in order to overcome any size disadvantage, "what we can change, is our technique being really low, our calls being really simple, and flying to the ball. That's our focus, not on how big they are."
Howell also had great praise for field corner Robertson Daniel, who has stepped in admirably to fill in for the injured Jordan Johnson this season.
"He is a really, really, really good player. And I can't emphasize that enough and maybe as good as any field corner we've ever had here, and that's not an overstatement. He is a good football player and I think a lot of people underestimated him coming in. He's good, he's really good. He has the body type, he practices hard and he's a playmaker. He's good."
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Gary Andersen's Wisconsin features some of his former assistants at both Utah State and Utah, and former Utah offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig, who served as the OC at San Diego State last year. Howell feels that "schematically, it's exactly the same as San Diego State last year (when BYU faced the Aztecs in the Poinsettia Bowl). They haven't changed much from what they did up there."
Kyle Van Noy had one of the best games of his career in the 2012 Poinsettia Bowl, against Ludwig and his offense. He was asked if he is confident that he can match his performance last year.
"I'm just going to do my assignment," said Van Noy. "They have a totally different team, and it's a new year. Its new personnel, a new team with great running backs, and a good quarterback at the helm who takes care of the offense and takes care of the ball."
Wisconsin comes into the game ranked 10th in the country in rushing offense at 258.8 yards per game. For Van Noy and this defense, they are looking forward to the challenge the Badgers present.
"They're a two-headed monster," Van Noy says. "They run the ball and they do it really well--but that's what we're trained to do on defense here at BYU is stop the run. It's going to go back and forth all game, probably come down to the wire, and it's going to be very physical. It's going to be two good teams playing each other with a lot of people watching. It's going to be fun."
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On the injury front, Howell said "(DB) Mike (Hague) is a little banged up, but everyone else is good to go. I'm planning on Mike playing right now. He's got a few things lingering still, but I'm planning on playing him and he practiced good today."
Breaking down the keys to the game, Coach Howell focused on the field position battle.
"Field position is always crucial," he said. "The thing that I look at is I think that they are really good in the blue zone and they're really good on defense in the blue zone. Points are going to be hard to come by. You have to be tough and control the points. Field position is everything."
Finally, Wisconsin features one of the Big Ten's best receivers in Jared Abbrederis. While his injury status is uncertain for the game, Howell has Cougars defense aware of him and they're doing all they can to prepare. "No. 4 is getting the ball and he's good and he's their main guy. They're throwing it to 4, I don't care what formation they are in, if he's in, they're going to him."
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Tune in Saturday to KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM/1160 AM on Saturday for pregame coverage at 11:30 p.m. MST, with game coverage beginning at 1:30 p.m MST.
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You can hear post-practice interviews with Manumaleuna, Howell, and Van Noy in "Cougar Cuts," top left.
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Reggie Lewis is a KSL Newsradio BYU Intern
