PROVO — Is it football time yet? BYU fans are counting down to Sept. 5 and a date with the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

We can project as much as we want, but in reality we have no idea what to expect. It will be in Week 1 of the college football season. We haven't seen football for nearly seven months, so there's no way we can predict how a team will do.

Look at South Carolina last season. The Gamecocks were ranked ninth heading into the season and finished unranked at 7-6.

What we can do is look back at what went right and wrong the previous season and hope a team can improve.

So, let's look at top 10 moments that were important to BYU's success and failure last season and hope the Cougars can improve and make 2015 a special season.

This is not a list of BYU's top plays from last season. This is a list focusing on BYU's strengths and weaknesses. The majority of this list comes from the first five games of the 2014 season, the games in which Taysom Hill played.

10. Hill's touchdown pass to Mitch Mathews vs. Connecticut

Mathews will take over as the No. 1 receiving option for the Cougars this season since Hill's favorite target last season, Jordan Leslie, left to the NFL. Mathews, as shown in the touchdown reception against the Huskies, is an elite route-runner with elite length. Mathews will need to use his height and route-running ability to make Hill's job easier and to compete for the Biletnikoff Award, which is given to the nation's most outstanding receiver.

9. Hill's interception vs. Texas

Hill played extremely well against the Longhorns, but he made a couple of mistakes, including throwing an interception in the end zone. The ball was for 6-foot-5 wide receiver Terenn Houk, who was covered by 5-11 Quandre Diggs. Hill overthrew Houk leading to Diggs' interception. Hill had problems overthrowing the ball last season, and he will need to improve his accuracy to compliment his aggressive running attack.

8. Offensive line vs. Texas

The BYU offensive line was dominant in creating holes for the running game. However, that same line was terrible at protecting the quarterback in the pocket. BYU ranked 100th in the FBS in sacks allowed. Against Texas, BYU allowed a season-high six sacks for 35 yards. The offensive line, led by senior left tackle Ryker Mathews and sophomore center Tejan Koroma, will have to make significant improvements to keep its senior quarterback safe and healthy.

7. Safety vs. Houston

BYU finished ranked 14th in rushing defense last season, and the Cougars are expected to be dominant in the trenches again. The Cougars' defensive front seven are expected to control opposing rushing attacks, like the safety against Houston. Bronson Kaufusi is back at defensive end after a year at outside linebacker, and he is expected to be one of the most dominant pass-rushers in all of college football.

6. Adam Hine's touchdown return vs. Virginia

BYU will need to excel in special teams, especially in those early October games. Hine is expected to return kickoffs as well as double as another threat at running back. Hine's size and speed make him a scary return man for all opposing teams. BYU needs Hine, Mitchell Juergens and Devon Blackmon to return kickoffs and punts effectively to take pressure off the BYU offense.

5. Hill's 30-yard touchdown run and hurdle vs. Texas

Maybe the most iconic moment of the 2014 football season was Hill's first running touchdown in the beatdown of Texas. Hill had a wide-open lane to the end zone with only one guy to beat. The defensive back went low for the tackle, and Hill used his elite athleticism to leap over him and run untouched into the end zone. Hill will need to use his athleticism to create opportunities for the wide receivers to get the one-on-one coverage they desperately need.

4. Secondary allows Hail Mary vs. Houston

The biggest question mark heading into the 2015 season is the Cougar secondary. BYU finished 110th in passing defense. That's 110th out of 128 FBS teams. If any team wanted to beat the Cougars last season, all it had to do was throw up a lob to a wide receiver and hope he caught it because the BYU secondary wasn't going to stop it.

With five seconds left in the half, Houston quarterback John O'Korn threw a Hail Mary to the end zone. With five BYU defensive backs in the end zone, Houston wide receiver Daniel Spencer pulled it in. There's no way it should have happened. BYU knew Houston was going for the touchdown and the red-clad Cougars still were able to score, even with the defense draped over the wide out. With little to no experience returning to the BYU secondary, coach Bronco Mendenhall needs to work his magic as a defensive coordinator.

3. Jamaal Williams' game-winning run vs. Houston

Williams is coming into the 2015 season with two goals: win games and break the BYU all-time rushing record. Barring injury, Williams, who has 2,526 career rushing yards, should easily break Harvey Unga's all-time rushing record of 3,455 yards. Williams is a strong, smart runner. Runs like the game-winner against Houston show his strength and inner will to help his team win. Williams, along with Algernon Brown, Hine and Nate Carter, will lead a running attack that is expected to dominate opposing defenses.

2. Miami Beach Brawl vs. Memphis

The worst possible way for the season to end wasn't that BYU lost the bowl game, it was the fact BYU initiated what is now referred to as the "Miami Beach Brawl." There has yet to be any news about any potential suspensions. Defensive back Kai Nacua was caught on live television elbowing a Memphis player in the head while his back was turned. Mendenhall has to make some decisions about Nacua and other players who were involved in the postgame fight, and it could affect Week 1 and beyond.

1. Hill's season-ending injury vs. Utah State

Every BYU fan held his or her breath as Hill was helped off the field and carted into the locker room. Not only did the offense sputter without its captain and leader, but the defense suffered as well. The loss to Utah State wasn't nearly as damaging as the loss of the potential Heisman candidate. Hill is expected to run less in 2015, but that doesn't mean he won't be as aggressive. Hill will do whatever he feels will help his team succeed. Without a true backup quarterback, Hill's primary focus should be to stay healthy at all costs. Maybe Hill should sit out against Utah State since the Aggies have caused season-ending injuries to the BYU quarterback twice in his career.

If BYU is to have a successful season, the Cougars must fix their errors and utilize their strengths in every game starting Sept. 5.

Nathan Harker is a sports writing intern currently enrolled at Brigham Young University majoring in broadcast journalism. Nathan can be reached at nathan.harker32@gmail.com or via twitter @nharker3207.

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