The 2018 BYU Cougars football team represented Brigham Young University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cougars were led by third-year head coach Kalani Sitake, and played their home games at LaVell Edwards Stadium. This was the seventh year BYU competed as an NCAA Division I FBS independent. They finished the season 7–6. They were invited to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl where they defeated Western Michigan.
Before the season Coaching changes On December 14, 2017, LSU offensive line coach Jeff Grimes was appointed the offensive coordinator replacing Ty Detmer who was relieved as offensive coordinator following the final game of the 2017 season. On December 27, 2017 it was announced that Aaron Roderick, Ryan Pugh, and Fesi Sitake would join the staff as offensive coaches. It was also announced that Steve Clark would remain on staff. On January 19, 2018 Preston Hadley was named to the defensive staff replacing Steve Kaufusi. On February 6, 2018 AJ Seward was named to the offensive staff. Finally Alema Fitisemanu replaced Tevita Ofahengaue as the recruiting coordinator.
2018 recruits Name Pos. Height Weight Hometown Notes Connor Pay OL 270 Highland, Utah Mission prior to enrolling Campbell Barrington OL 275 Spokane, Washington Mission prior to enrolling Jacob Smith OL 295 Rosemount, Minnesota Tysen Lewis OL 260 North Ogden, Utah Mission prior to enrolling Ben Tuipulotu TE 200 Fort Mill, South Carolina Mission prior to enrolling Brayden Cosper WR 200 South Jordan, Utah Oliver Nasilai LB 236 Springdale, Arkansas Mission prior to enrolling Isaac Matua LB 205 Kearns, Utah Mission prior to enrolling Brach Davis DB 170 Salt Lake City, Utah Talan Alfrey DB 185 Auburn, Washington Mission prior to enrolling Stacy Connor QB 187 Wylie, Texas Zach Wilson QB 205 Draper, Utah Isaiah Herron DB 175 Las Vegas, Nevada Dallin Holker TE 225 Lehi, Utah Gunner Romney WR 200 Chandler, Arizona Viliami Tausinga LB 220 Salt Lake City, Utah Mission prior to enrolling Malik Moore DB 175 San Diego, California Tyler Allgeier RB 200 Fontana, California Dax Milne WR 180 South Jordan, Utah Payton Wilgar LB 210 St George, Utah Michael Thorson OL 290 Ramona, California Ben Ward TE 235 Dallastown, Pennsylvania Michael Biagi LB 205 Provo, Utah Jaylon Vickers DB 180 Salt Lake City, Utah
2017 returned missionaries Name Pos. Height Weight Year Notes Hank Tuipulotu TE 225 Jaren Hall QB 195 Atunaisa Mahe DL 286 Darius McFarland RB 265 Hirkley Latu LB 230 Devin Kaufusi DL 250 Drew Jensen LB 195 Max Tooley LB 195 JT Gentry OL 280 Clark Barrington OL 270 Ethan Atagi OL 320 Sione Finau RB 180 Jackson Kaufusi LB 210 Skyler Southam K 195 Koy Harris WR 175 Tanner Leishman TE 230 Brock Bastian LS 200 Sam Lee LB 200 Morgan Pyper RB 205 Mitchell Price DB 190
2018 other additions Name Pos. Height Weight Year Notes Ului Lapuaho OL 330 Return after sitting out 2017 Zac Dawe DL 275 Return after sitting out 2017 Hayden Griffitts QB 205 Return after sitting out 2017 Harris LaChance OL 301 Transfer from Utah State University Baylor Romney QB 190 Transfer from University of Nevada Matthew Criddle LB 195 Transfer from Snow College Danny Jones P 235 Transfer from La Trobe University Michael Bruno DL 240 Transfer from Weber State Dylan Collie WR 180 Transfer from University of Hawaii Jeddy Tuiloma DL 281 Transfer from Butler College Joshua Buhler DB 205 Transfer from Snow College D'Angelo Mandell DB 175 Originally Signed 2016
2018 departures Name Pos. Height Weight Year Notes Fred Warner LB 230 Graduation, drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2018 NFL draft Va'a Niumatalolo LB 235 Graduation Grant Jones LB 205 Graduation Jonah Trinnaman WR 190 Graduation, signed free agent deal with the Arizona Cardinals Kesni Tausinga DL 300 Graduation Handsome Tanielu DL 315 Graduation Keyan Norman OL 305 Graduation Tejan Koroma OL 290 Graduation, signed free agent deal with the Kansas City Chiefs Tuni Kanuch OL 320 Graduation Cody Stewart DB 185 Graduation Hiva Lee DB 190 Graduation Micah Hannemann DB 190 Graduation, signed free agent deal with the Cleveland Browns Kamel Greene DB 185 Graduation Jonny Linehan P 205 Graduation Corey Edwards K 210 Graduation Tanner Balderree TE 250 Graduation Creed Richardson RB 235 Graduation Young Tanner DB 195 Graduation Bentley Hanshaw TE 225 LDS mission Chaz Ah You LB 205 LDS mission Tanner Baker DL 255 LDS mission Chayce Bolli WR 190 LDS mission Rylee Gautavai LB 225 Transfer to University of Utah Koy Detmer Jr. QB 175 Transfer to Texas A&M University Kingsville Kainoa Fuiava DL 295 Transfer to Idaho State University Kody Wilstead QB 223 Transfer to Coffeyville Community College Tariq Buchanan WR 190 Transfer to Texas Southern University Phillip Amone LB 235 Medical Trey Dye RB 180 Medical Morgan Unga LB 220 Medical Cody Savage DL 265 Garrett England LB 210 Hunter Marshall TE 230 Taggart Krueger WR 235 Solomone Wolfgramm DL 285 Taipe Vaka OL 275 Leroy Sitake-Tanoai OL 320 Will Sedgwick LB 224 Joe Tukuafu TE 275 Ula Tolutau RB 242 Rickey Shumway WR 196 Beau Tanner WR 189 David Low DL 240 K.J. Hall RB 185 Announced Retirement from Playing
Award watch lists Listed in the order that they were released Doak Walker AwardSqually CanadaRBSRJohn Mackey AwardMatt BushmanTESOBronko Nagurski TrophyCorbin KaufusiDESRPaul Hornung AwardAustin KafentzisDB/KRJRWuerffel TrophyAdam PulsipherLBSREarl Campbell Tyler Rose AwardMicah SimonWRJR
Schedule
Media
Football Media Day Football Media Day was held at the BYUtv studios on June 22, 2018 and was once again simulcast on BYUtv and ESPN3. TV news was shared as Athletic Director Tom Holmoe announced BYU would formally begin new contract negotiations with ESPN in the fall. Coach Sitake dodged questions about a potential quarterback controversy by saying their main goal was to play the best player possible in each position, and that would be determined in close door practices. The new coaching staff was also interviewed by Dave McCann. Additionally BYU held YouTube and radio player interviews throughout the day and did a feature show on BYU players who are currently in the NFL.
Nu Skin BYU Sports Network The 2018 BYU Sports Network will appear slightly different from previous years. Greg Wrubell and Marc Lyons return as play-by-play and analyst, and Jason Shepherd returns as the host. However sideline reporter Nate Meikle left after becoming a lawyer, author, and being hired at Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business to be a postdoctoral teaching and research fellow. Replacing Nate as the sideline reporter is Mitchell Juergens.
In August, it was announced this will be Marc Lyons final season calling BYU football, his 38th year with that responsibility.
Affiliates
BYU Radio – Flagship Station Nationwide (Dish Network 980, Sirius XM 143, TuneIn radio, and byuradio.org) KSL 102.7 FM and 1160 AM – (Salt Lake City / Provo, Utah and ksl.com) KSNA – Blackfoot / Idaho Falls / Pocatello / Rexburg, Idaho KMXD – Monroe / Manti, Utah KSVC – Richfield / Manti, Utah KCLS – St. George, Utah
Roster
Depth chart
Rankings
Game summaries Arizona
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Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, white pants w/ blue accents.
Cal
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Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, white pants w/ blue accents.
Wisconsin
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Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, blue pants w/ white accents.
McNeese
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Uniform combination: white helmet, navy blue jersey, white pants w/ blue accents.
Washington
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Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, navy blue pants w/ white accents.
Utah State
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Uniform combination: white helmet, royal blue jersey, white pants w/ royal blue accents.
Hawai'i
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Uniform combination: white helmet, navy blue jersey, white pants w/ blue accents.
Northern Illinois
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Uniform combination: white helmet, navy blue jersey, white pants w/ pink accents. (Breast cancer awareness game)
Boise State
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Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, blue pants w/ white accents.
UMass
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Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, blue pants w/ white accents.
New Mexico State
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Uniform combination: white helmet, royal blue jersey, white pants w/ royal blue accents.
Utah
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Uniform combination: white helmet, royal blue jersey, white pants w/ royal blue accents.
Western Michigan (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl)
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Uniform combination: white helmet, royal blue jersey, royal blue pants w/ white accents.
Players drafted into the NFL
3 80 Sione Takitaki LB Cleveland Browns
References