What are the most interesting storylines along BYU’s offensive line?
Coach Kalani Sitake and coordinators Aaron Roderick and Jay Hill are finalizing practice scripts for the opening of fall football camp next week as August rolls in. By formalizing the roster, making room for transfers and returning missionaries, informal workouts have been going on since the end of June when players reported to campus. For the first time in 13 years, a BYU staff is doing so as a member of a conference — the Big 12.
Cougar Insider predictions
Question of the week: As BYU’s football camp opens next week, BYU’s defense will be under scrutiny because of changes, but the offensive line (returners and additions) might be an intriguing storyline. Predict what spots for competition could prove worthy of interest in coming weeks.
Jay Drew: A couple of high-profile newcomers — Oklahoma State’s Caleb Etienne and Utah’s Paul Maile — have added some much-needed depth to BYU’s offensive line in 2023. That was needed with the losses of Blake Freeland to the NFL and the Barrington brothers — Clark and Campbell — to Baylor. Harris LaChance and Joe Tukuafu also moved on.
Most people who follow personnel closely are predicting that Etienne and Maile will move into starting roles. We will see.
BYU’s probable early-round draft pick next April, Kingsley Suamataia, can be penciled in as a starter. Connor Pay has seemingly nailed down the starting center spot. Who will be the fifth starter? I’m thinking Utah State transfer Weylin Lapuaho has a good chance. Big Brayden Keim is also in the mix to start, along with Missouri State transfer Ian Fitzgerald. Should be some interesting battles to watch.
Dick Harmon: Darrell Funk will forever be compared to Jeff Grimes. Can Funk develop talent? Can he recruit? Can he coach, can he make in-game changes, can he keep players happy? Well, this past cycle, he did bring in some impressive talent like Etienne, Maile, Fitzgerald and Lapuaho. I don’t think they transferred to be downgraded. They are anxious to find a role and make an impact alongside Suamataia and Pay. Keim will have a say in the competition and will be pushed as he pushes for a spot.
I think the depth Funk has assembled for this first year in the Big 12 will prove to be one of the crucial cornerstones of what BYU gets done this season. I think Lapuaho, Etienne and Maile will make a huge impact for Funk and Roderick.
It is time for Funk to create his own shadow. This will be the season.
Cougar tales
There were a few surprises and a few expected departures from BYU’s football roster that the athletic department released prior to Big 12 media days in Arlington, Texas. Here is a breakdown of roster departures by Jay Drew.
Here is how BYU’s first hoops season in the Big 12 will proceed.
From the archives
Related
What Greg Wrubell says Hans Olsen will bring to BYU radio broadcasts this fall
Talk about legacy players: Tuipulotu family still feeding BYU football roster
rom the Twitterverse
How tough was Big 12 hoops? (@JonRothstein)
Tyler Allgeier receives high praise (@_MLFootball)
Meet the new Big 12 academics (@SSN_UCF)
Extra points
10 players destined for a big year (Cougs Daily)
Slovis joins unique BYU QB roll call (KSL Sports)
Holmoe believes BYU will be better than 11th (Salt Lake Tribune)
Fanalyst
Comments from Deseret News readers:
This is really just the reality of college football as it now stands.
Alabama has had over 20 players enter the portal with 12 of them being scholarship players. They, likely, are moving on for a different reason than players for BYU or Utah (they have more options as higher recruits) but losing some players is not really a bad thing.
As coach Whit said, many transfer portal entries are mutual decisions where the player can go somewhere that they have a shot of making the three-deep
I am a Utes fan but BYU is not in a bad position as far as the portal. That said, excitement about being in the top 25 portal rankings is also being overblown. If you look at the quality of players acquired through the portal, it mirrors what we see in high school recruiting rankings. The blue-chip programs get the blue-chip transfers while everyone else picks up what is left.
It remains to be seen if it will be a net gain or net loss for BYU but that is true for pretty much everyone.
— PhineasGuage
I like Hans’ YouTube videos where he breaks down plays that worked or didn’t work and will show you what led to the success or failure. Should be a nice add to the broadcast team next season. Riley did a nice job doing the color and provided good input from a QB perspective. Hans will bring us the blue collar in the trenches view of things.
— Gruncie Ralph
Up next
Aug. 5 | 7 p.m. | Soccer | Blue vs White | Provo
Aug. 10 | 5 p.m. | Soccer | Rutgers | @New Brunswick, New Jersey
Aug 12 | 7 p.m. | Soccer | Idaho State | Provo
Aug. 17 | 7 p.m. | Soccer| St. Louis | Provo
