BYU football: Who made the Cougars’ 2022 offseason depth chart?

No much less than 82 names, and 34 positions, are on BYU’s initial depth chart for the 2022 soccer year, which has to be some form of record. 

The defensive aspect of the depth chart includes 15 positions to replicate the unit’s use of hybrid-variety roles these kinds of as “rover” and “flash” and “cinco.” All informed, 26 players are on the offensive depth chart, 44 on the defensive facet and 12 are professionals.

Of training course, some players are shown 2 times at several positions on the offensive and defensive strains, and at the specialist positions.

For instance, kicker Jake Oldroyd handles position kicking and kickoffs, which are outlined as unique positions, and move rusher Tyler Batty is denoted as the starter at defensive stop and outdoors end, also distinctive positions in BYU’s several defensive schemes and formations.

Head mentor Kalani Sitake released the “offseason depth chart” as section of the 2022 BYU Soccer Almanac — formerly recognized as the media guideline — at BYU football media day on June 22, and there have been pretty several surprises.

The Deseret News created a stab at the depth chart in two individual stories — a person for the offense, the other for protection and specific groups — in April after spring camp finished.

We nailed just about every starter on offense (counting instances wherever BYU’s depth chart lists co-starters, and we have been suitable on at the very least one particular) and special teams, and missed two on defense.

Where by did we overlook? 

We had senior Lorenzo Fauatea as the starter at defensive tackle, but BYU defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki has junior Gabe Summers at No. 1, with the oft-injured Fauatea the backup.

And we experienced Javelle Brown as the starter at cinco, but the sophomore from San Diego has seemingly left the program (he’s no more time on the roster) and junior George Udo is the starter.

At the aforementioned media working day, the Deseret News spoke to Sitake and all 10 of his assistants (coordinators and placement coaches). Here is a posture-by-posture seem at the 1st depth chart of 2022, with responses from the corresponding coaches:

Quarterback

Spring ball finished with Jaren Corridor as the unquestioned starter at the marquee placement but uncertainty in excess of his backup.

Would it be 2021 third-stringer Jacob Conover or Boise Condition transfer Cade Fennegan, who was not totally balanced in March?

The remedy is Conover, stated offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Aaron Roderick.

“He experienced a definitely fantastic spring. I assumed he took a serious stage ahead and confirmed that he has been listed here a when and he knows what he is carrying out,” Roderick reported.

“He just ran the crew, showed a ton of leadership. He is a definitely accountable male who is normally geared up and it is seriously vital to him. This spring, it at last started off to exhibit that, ‘OK, he has been in this article prolonged enough and he can run the display.’”

Pertaining to Hall’s return soon after winning the QB derby with Baylor Romney and Conover last calendar year, Roderick mentioned the fifth-12 months junior is in the greatest shape of his everyday living.

“He has previously changed his entire body a lot given that past yr,” Roderick reported. “He was presently an amazing guy, but bodily he is in wonderful condition ideal now and wanting really excellent.”

Working back again

BYU lists only a person managing back again placement on its depth chart, and right now the starter is Cal transfer Chris Brooks.

No surprise there.

Brooks was the speak of spring camp, and plainly introduced in final January to switch the great Tyler Allgeier, off to the Atlanta Falcons.

Brooks “definitely acquired the ideal to be that male,” claimed working backs coach Harvey Unga, who seemingly hadn’t checked out the depth chart just before media day.

“If (Roderick) would make that get in touch with, so be it. He is the manager. I will go with whatsoever he suggests,” Unga said.

Senior Lopini Katoa is Brooks’ backup, whilst sophomore Jackson McChesney, freshman Miles Davis and junior Hinckley Ropati are listed in a three-way race to be RB3.

Unga reiterated that nothing at all is established in stone.

“I am not likely to hand this to any person,” he claimed. “Whoever comes below and competes and is the most regular, working day in and day out, certainly that is my guy.

“That is not to say that he is likely to be the guy each and every game. If anything transpires and an individual else starts off to step up and they are extra dependable and far better than whoever that male is, then they are likely to be the male.”

Roderick mentioned Brooks “showed a great deal of professionalism” in spring camp and evidently arrived in with the objective of staying the opening sport starter.

“He knew the offense as nicely as men who have been in the software for around a calendar year, and built quite couple mistakes in spring,” Roderick stated.

“He is bodily (imposing). If you have found him, he is a genuinely extraordinary seeking male. I assume massive items. He’s a superior participant.”

Extensive receiver

Senior Gunner Romney and junior Puka Nacua have been penciled in as the starters since the two made the choices to return this year, Romney obtaining been the a single primarily on the fence about returning given that the bowl game.

Which player — Keanu Hill, Kody Epps, Chase Roberts or Brayden Cosper — would be WR3 was a significant subject matter in the spring, but the launch of the depth chart in June cleared it up.

It is Hill, the 6-foot-4, 210-pounder from Texas. Epps, Roberts and Cosper are the three key backups, receivers mentor Fesi Sitake confirmed.

“Keanu just has the most proven reps on the industry,” Fesi Sitake claimed. “That does not mean it is likely to continue to be that way, as often.

“It is up for levels of competition, but he has solidified the correct to be that 3rd guy headed into Game 1.”

Roderick reported Hill served discover in the opener very last year against Arizona that he was all set for additional reps, filling in admirably when Romney was injured early in the activity and the Nacua brothers weren’t completely recovered from accidents that generally kept them out of 2021 drop camp.

“Keanu sorta never ever performed considerably for a even though when Gunner, Samson and Puka arrived back,” Roderick mentioned. “But the man never pouted, did not say a word, just retained doing the job. Then he bought his opportunity once more about midseason and did incredibly very well with it the rest of the 12 months.”

Fesi Sitake said newcomers this sort of as Parker Kingston, Dom Henry and Kyson Hall (Jaren’s minor brother) will be a part of a group that also incorporates Hobbs Nyberg, Tanner Wall, Talmage Gunther, Kade Moore and Terence Tumble in striving to break into the major six.

Nyberg and Gunther are also useful punt returners.

“I want to participate in as lots of as deserve to enjoy without disrupting the circulation of any individual in the group,” Sitake explained.

Restricted close and fullback

Limited ends coach Steve Clark, who oversees each situation teams, reported equally groups are gifted but a little bit unsettled.

He’s got co-starters outlined at each position: Isaac Rex and Dallin Holker at limited stop and Masen Wake and Stanford transfer Houston Heimuli at fullback.

Redshirt sophomore Rex is practically back to complete strength after snapping his tibia and fibula previous November in the USC match.

“Isaac is a really crucial piece,” Clark mentioned. “If he is good to go, I assume we are in enterprise.”

Clark stated Holker, who acquired married last weekend, “is as fantastic as ever. He is 1 of the most difficult working gamers on the team. He life at the facility, either lifting weights or catching balls off the jugs machine.”

Other restricted ends waiting around for their probability are Lane Lunt, Carter Wheat and Ethan Erickson.

As for the fullbacks, Clark stated enthusiasts could see both equally on the industry at the similar time as coaches check out to get their greatest players as quite a few reps as probable.

Offensive line

There are a good deal of ‘ors’ on the offensive line depth chart, which is not surprising thinking about offensive line coach Darrell Funk has stated for months that couple of, if any, posture battles are established in stone.

The only apparent slash starter is remaining guard Clark Barrington, the preseason All-American who is shown as a redshirt junior but is pretty much surely turning professional immediately after the season.

“Well, he is super difficult, for 1 matter,” Funk claimed of the 6-foot-5, 300-pounder. “I have not been all around a more durable child than that. … With James (Empey) gone, Clark is to me the true chief of the team, if you glance at his entire entire body of perform. I could not be happier to have him in the area.”

There are a lot of co-starters shown mainly because Funk mentioned many players could perform many diverse positions — kind of like the “positionless” methods of offense getting maintain in school basketball. 

Perhaps the most important secret is the place Oregon transfer Kingsley Suamataia will enjoy — remaining tackle or right tackle. He’s detailed as a co-starter with 3-yr starter Blake Freeland at LT and two-calendar year starter Harris LaChance at RT.

Sophomore Connor Shell out was strong at centre the second half of the year when Empey went down, but is detailed as a co-starter at that location with senior Joe Tukuafu, a different dude who can also enjoy guard. 

Campbell Barrington and Brayden Keim are also pushing for starting up places.

“We are going to have to evolve and do some various matters because we are likely to have additional of a focus on on our again,” Funk explained. “But I believe we are in the right frame of mind, specifically for (midsummer).

“We got a little little bit of time. We will be ready to rock by the time we commence camp in August. I know that.”

Veteran offensive lineman Keanu Saleapaga attempted to make a comeback, collaborating in spring camp, but is no more time with the staff, Kalani Sitake verified.

Defensive line

Defensive coordinator Tuiaki explained at media working day that he has nine or 10 defensive linemen he feels comfortable taking part in, which is why 15 players are listed on the defensive line depth chart.

“You can under no circumstances be as deep as you would like, but we should really be far more prepared if some of the principal line gamers get injured,” he stated.

The starters are senior Earl Tuioti-Mariner at strongside conclude, sophomore Batty at defensive stop, junior Summers at defensive tackle and sophomore Caden Haws at nose tackle — when the Cougars are in a 4-3-4 or 4-2-5 alignment.

Possibly the biggest surprise is that freshman Aisea Moa is by now on the depth chart, as the fourth-stringer at outside the house end.

Tuioti-Mariner claimed the emphasis this offseason for the defensive line is to be better in opposition to the run and greater on third down.

“Our execution requirements to increase, and acquiring (far more depth) must enable,” he claimed. “There were being times that we didn’t deal with well when we need to have. That led to us staying on the discipline way too a lot.”

Defensive ends coach Preston Hadley reported he also likes the depth on the defensive line and tabbed sophomores Fisher Jackson, John Nelson and Josh Larsen as gamers to retain an eye on must the starters falter or will need extra breaks.

Linebackers

Assuming Keenan Pili and Payton Wilgar return nutritious after getting been through midseason surgical procedures in 2021, linebacker will be a situation of power for the Cougars.

Other starters when BYU uses 4 linebackers will be Ben Bywater at the will spot and Chaz Ah You or Max Tooley at flash.

Pili performs mike linebacker and Wilgar is the rover.

“It is a good group,” claimed linebackers coach Kevin Clune.

Pili’s backup is Navy transfer Pepe Tanuvasa, who invested time on the D-line very last yr. Bywater’s backups are junior Jackson Kaufusi and sophomore Josh Wilson.

Wilgar’s backup is Tavita Gagnier, a redshirt junior whose profession has been plagued by injuries.

“There is usually home for enhancement, but the linebackers really feel excellent about the place we are at,” Wilgar said. “There’s going to be a great deal of competitiveness in drop camp. A great deal of guys are hungry to participate in.”

Cornerbacks

Depth at the cornerback situation was weakened when portion-time starter Isaiah Herron made the decision to consider a clinical retirement, a choice that was noted by the Deseret News for the duration of media day and confirmed by the Las Vegas solution a several days later on on social media.

Cornerbacks mentor Jernaro Gilford lists 9 cornerbacks on the depth chart, led by starters D’Angelo Mandell and Kaleb Hayes, the Oregon Point out transfer who burst onto the scene final year in a massive way.

Backups are sophomores Caleb Christensen and Gabe Jeudy-Lalli, the Vanderbilt transfer who could probably engage in at basic safety if necessary.

Utah Condition transfer Jakob Robinson, listed as the starting up nickel on the depth chart, is also equipped to perform corner, and participate in it effectively, Gilford explained.

Hayes, Mandell and Robinson all have at minimum 15 begins less than their belts. Mory Bamba, a 6-3, 190-pounder from Wisconsin who played at ASA University in Miami two a long time back and Tyler Junior School in Texas past year, dedicated on June 24 and should really increase even additional depth.

“It is absolutely a blessing to get that form of experience again, all in a single area, specially mainly because we do rotate so a great deal,” Gilford mentioned. “I sense relaxed rotating most people, getting most people in unique circumstances.”

Junior stroll-on Jacob Boren — the fastest player on the crew — could also be a aspect, together with newcomers these types of as Zion Allen, Nate Gillis, Evan Johnson, Korbyn Inexperienced and Chika Ebunoha.

Safeties

With senior Malik Moore the surefire starter at free of charge protection, the largest suspense on the again finish of the defense was at sturdy safety.

Sophomore Ammon Hannemann is the man, for now, but do not be shocked if a person-time cornerback Micah Harper proceeds to make strides toward finding back again on the subject.

Harper, who is mentioned at 5-10 and 185 lbs, started off at cornerback as a freshman in 2020 before sustaining a year-ending knee damage in spring camp in 2021.

He was moved to protection the very first day of 2022 spring camp.

Hayden Livingston, who produced a large interception previous year versus Arizona, is also in the mix and at this time outlined as Moore’s backup at totally free security.

Redshirt freshman Talan Alfrey also created the depth chart.

Experts

Unquestionably zero suspense at the two primary work opportunities — kicker and punter — as Oldroyd and sophomore Ryan Rehkow have people spots wrapped up for the 2nd straight year.

Oldroyd struggled with again problems very last year, but Brighton Superior product or service Justen Smith stuffed in admirably and is again again as a security blanket for special groups coordinator Ed Lamb.

Las Vegas product Miles Davis and the aforementioned speedster Boren are the kick returners, even though Nyberg and Gunther are mentioned a person-two as the punt returners.

“It’s a good group,” Lamb stated, also noting that extensive snappers Austin Riggs and Britton Hogan perform effectively when named upon, and Rehkow is a precious holder for Oldroyd’s field plans and PATs.