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PROVO — With a 35-20 loss to in-state rival Utah State, a season-ending injury to the star quarterback and a game fast approaching Thursday night against Central Florida, BYU head football coach Bronco Mendenhall had a lot to discuss during his weekly show Tuesday night.
Clearly the big question surrounding the program right now is the health of quarterback Taysom Hill, who left Friday’s game verse Utah State with a fractured lower leg that required surgery Saturday morning. Mendenhall explained that Hill was in surgery for two hours and that the injury required eight screws and two plates to be inserted into Hill’s leg and was ultimately worse than initially diagnosed.
Mendenhall recognizes the setback this is to his team but is also quick to point out how eager Hill is to return to being with his teammates to support them during this season, especially with once backup, now starting quarterback Christian Stewart.
“We’re losing on the field a phenomenal athlete, leader and player,” said Mendehall of Hill. “We won’t be losing the leader and person through the season. We will be losing the ability on the field, but we’ll be gaining a really strong mentor for Christian Stewart,” he finished.
Mendenhall isn’t certain of Hill’s future at this point, but pointed out whatever Hill desires is what’s best and he supports him.
“You can’t give any more to our program than he’s given; it’s not possible,” said Mendenhall of Hill’s contribution to the team and the university to this point in his career.
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BYU had multiple other starters leave Friday’s game due to injury along with Hill, but Mendenhall believes he is seeing a difference in this year’s team and its ability to overcome this challenge.
“What’s great about this particular team at this particular time is we still are deep and at most positions,” he explained.
With Hill out for the season, all eyes turn to now starting quarterback Stewart, a senior.
“He’s handling it really well. So far in practice we’re giving him as much work as we can without exhausting the team before we play Thursday,” Mendenhall said of Stewart.
Stewart, a Timpanogos High (Orem, Utah) product and a transfer from Snow College, entered the game for the injured Hill against Utah State with a few minutes left in the second quarter. He finished the game with 10 completions on 29 attempts for 173 yards passing and three interceptions as he attempted to bring the Cougars back from behind. Mendenhall is confident in Stewart’s abilities, especially with more time under the helm as the starter.
“That’s going to take more than just a half of football to let that settle in and that mantle fall on you (that) I am now BYU’s quarterback,” Mendenhall said of Stewart taking over for Hill.
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Mitch Mathews was the Firehouse Subs Firestarter of the Game this week. The 6-foot-6 junior wide receiver that Mendenhall calls “Stilts” had 117 yards on eight receptions for one touchdown against the Aggies, and Mendenhall said he likes what he’s seen out of Mathews.
“Consistency, effort, dedication all the way through spring, through summer, but really making a bunch of plays for us,” Mendenhall said of Mathews.
Mathews spoke about Stewart and the role he’s already taking on as a leader of the offense.
“It’s hard to let Taysom go down, but seeing Christian step up in practice this week and being very vocal (and) very competitive has been awesome,” said Mathews.
Mathews said the team is ready to get back to football and move on from the game against Utah State.
“We’re excited to get the last game we played behind us,” he said, “We’re looking forward to bringing back who we were against Texas and UConn and all those teams, and playing how we really know we are,” he said.
Getting back to the way BYU played in its first four games will be key to a successful season. Central Florida is coming off a season in which it beat Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl last season. Despite losing some of its key players from last season, it is poised to be a tough matchup for the Cougars, who are winless in games in the state of Florida.
Asked if he feels desperate for a win and for the remainder of the season to go well, Mendenhall said he he did not.
“I just think it’s going to work,” he answered, “don’t know when, I don’t know how, but I think the season will be strong, I think the team will still do well.”
