College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the BYU Cougars season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– BYU Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2019 Record: 7-6
Head Coach: Kalani Sitake, 5th year, 27-25
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 71
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 34
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 73
No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: BYU Cougars Offense 3 Things To Know
– The offense was really, really good against the okay to bad teams, and it was really, really just okay against everyone else. The Cougars averaged 444 yards and 28.5 points per game overall. They failed to hit 360 yards against Utah, Tennessee, Washington and Boise State, and they hit 400 or more against everyone else including USC.
This year’s offense is full of good veterans for an attack that should be even better, and when it’s not, it should still be able to come through in key moments like it did in the win over the Vols and Broncos.
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– Zach Wilson didn’t explode like many hoped he would – Thring for 2,382 yards and 11 scores and nine picks – and he ran for 167 yards and three scores. The 6-3, 2101-pounder is accurate, he’s not afraid to take shots, and now he has two years under his belt.
The backup situation is terrific with Baylor Romney – who threw seven TD passes and two picks – and Jaren Hall good enough to step in if needed. Both were fine when they got their chances.
If Matt Bushman isn’t the best tight end in the country, he’s not terribly far off. The 6-5, 240-pounder led the team with 688 yards and four scores on 47 grabs, but the top three wide receivers are gone.
Gunner Romney is a solid junior who caught 31 passes, and Dax Milne made 21 grabs for 285 yards and two scores. The rest of the parts have to fill in, with 604, 215-pound Neil Pau’u the linked No. 3 guy.
– All five starters are expected back on a line, but there should be some big fights among a group that was fine, but wasn’t dominant. There’s depth, and there are plenty of options. 6-6, 300-pound junior Brady Christensen is a keeper at left tackle, and junior James Empey has established himself the main man at center.
It would be nice if a No. 1 rusher could rise up. Sophomore Sione Finau is back after leading the way with just 359 yards, but he’s likely going to be a part of a rotation around Utah transfer Devontae Henry-Cole. Running back by committee wouldn’t be a horrible thing here.