BYU Football: Can Cougars avoid repeating last season’s disaster?

Offense

Tanner Mangum is back for his senior season in Provo. It has been a tumultuous three years at BYU for the quarterback. As a freshman in 2015, he played 13 games for the Cougars as Taysom Hill suffered a season-ending injury. Hill’s return in 2016 left Mangum back on the bench, and he attempted just 33 passes as a sophomore. Last year, Mangum got his chance to start — and promptly dealt with the sort of setbacks that got him on the field in the first place.

Mangum suffered a foot injury in September that limited his time under center. Then, after returning to the field, Mangum suffered an Achilles injury that ended his season in November. Several key receivers return to give Mangum familiar targets, including Micah Simon and Talon Shumway. Tight end Matt Bushman also returns, as does leading rusher Squally Canada.

The offensive line will work in several new starters this season. That is the biggest question mark on this roster, especially after the Cougars ranked fourth nationally in tackles for loss allowed. James Empey will be a critical cog, as he looks to take over for four-year starter Tejan Koroma at center.

Focusing on Jeff Grimes

The most important shift, though, is on the sidelines. Sitake fired BYU legend Ty Detmer, who won the 1990 Heisman Trophy as the Cougars quarterback, as the offensive coordinator. Detmer lasted just two seasons guiding the offense at his alma mater, his teams seeing diminishing returns due to injuries as much as any large failing on his part.

But regression is regression, and Sitake had to make a change lest he lose his own job. That puts the target squarely on new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes. Most recently the offensive line coach and run game coordinator at LSU, Grimes was hired away from Baton Rouge to rescue the Cougars offense. Grimes previously worked in Provo from 2004 to 2006 as the offensive line coach under Gary Crowton and Bronco Mendenhall.

He has plenty of talent to work with this season. Given his background, Grimes has already emphasized accountability and more run/pass balance for a team that ranked 104th nationally on the ground in 2017. He will also need to make sure Mangum is protected throughout the season if BYU hopes to find sustained success with the football.