Game Day: BYU at Hawaii

BRIGHAM YOUNG OFFENSE

WR—21 Talon Shumway 6-3 205 So.

WR—13 Micah Simon 6-1 190 So.

LT—59 Thomas Shoaf 6-5 275 So.

LG—76 Keyan Norman 6-3 305 Sr.

C—56 Tejan Koroma 6-0 290 Sr.

RG—78 Tuni Kanuch 6-3 320 Sr.

RT—71 Austin Hoyt 6-8 305 Jr.

TE—89 Matt Bushman 6-5 230 Fr.

WR—7 Jonah Trinnaman 6-0 190 Sr.

QB—11 Joe Critchlow 6-4 200 Fr.

TB—22 Squally Canada 5-11 217 Jr.

Two weeks ago, Joe Critchlow became the fifth true freshman to start at quarterback in the program’s history. As a Franklin (Tenn.) High senior, Critchlow accepted a scholarship offer from Southern Utah before going on a two-year church mission to Montreal. Later, he requested — and received — a release from the SUU commitment and signed a scholarship agreement with BYU in February. He entered training camp fifth on the depth chart — and probably would have been sixth if true freshman Kody Wilstead were not placed on the redshirt track. But injuries elevated Critchlow to No. 1, and Wilstead, who has not taken a snap this season, is listed as the backup. Critchlow has a strong right arm and high football IQ (he identifies the coverages while center Tejan Koroma makes the blocking calls). The Cougars have a novel’s worth of schemes, including double tight ends, four-receiver overloads, double stacks, and tandem-layered routes. Critchlow will bootleg but that’s mostly to buy time for the receivers to extend routes. In two starts, Critchlow has one non-sack rush for 2 yards. Tight end Matt Bushman, who leads the Cougars with 47 catches, motions often and gets open on pick-and-roll moves or slanted routes usually reserved for slotbacks. Fullback Brayden El-Bakri does the heavy-lift blocking. KJ Hall is the speed back (6.9 yards per carry) and Squally Canada, who rushed for 213 yards against UNLV, is a mostly two-grip runner who occasionally unleashes a mean stiff-arm jab.

BRIGHAM YOUNG DEFENSE

E—90 Corbin Kaufusi 6-9 285 Jr.

NT—54 Merrill Taliauli 6-2 305 Jr.

T—92 Handsome Tanielu 6-2 310 Sr.

OE—16 Sione Takitaki 6-2 245 Jr.

FLB—4 Fred Warner 6-4 230 Sr.

MLB—38 Butch Pau‘u 6-0 235 Jr.

WLB—41 Adam Pulsipher 6-1 220 Jr.

LC—32 Chris Wilcox 6-2 185 So.

FS—23 Zayne Anderson 6-2 203 Jr.

SS—7 Micah Hannemann 6-0 190 Sr.

RC—5 Dayan Ghanwoloku 5-11 190 So.

The announced 3-4 alignment can be a bait-and-switch. Merrill Taliauli, Handsome Tanielu, Kesni Tausinga and Khyiris Tonga rotate at the two interior positions. Corbin Kaufusi is an end who can play both ends, and often spies on the quarterback or back. He has a team-high five sacks. Kaufusi played on the BYU basketball team through this past spring, but now is focused fully on football. His father, Steve Kaufusi, is BYU’s line coach and a former Philadelphia Eagle defensive lineman. Sione Takitaki is an edge rusher who was suspended in October 2015 after pleading guilty to misdemeanor theft and also was held out the entire 2016 season. He returned this season, moving from the strong side (where he faced double blocks) to the open side, and has accumulated 11.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Linebacker Fred Warner is considered to be the Cougars’ top NFL prospect. He can play on the perimeter (nine backfield tackles), in space (45 solo tackles) or in coverage (five breakups). Middle linebacker Butch Pau‘u is a workaholic. During his church mission in Honduras, he learned Spanish (that’s now his major), worked out at 5:30 every morning, and often had a dinner consisting of two eggs, three tortillas and water. His new discipline is “to fill holes, tackle the running backs, and get in windows so the safeties and DBs aren’t covering for so long.” Cornerback Dayan Ghanwoloku is capable of running 40 yards in 4.39 seconds.

BRIGHAM YOUNG SPECIALISTS

KO—30 Corey Edwards 6-0 210 Sr.

PK—26 Rhett Almond 6-4 203 Jr.

LS—98 Mitch Harris 6-4 220 Jr.

H—17 Gavin Fowler 6-0 195 Sr.

P—31 Jonny Linehan 6-0 210 Sr.

KR/PR—18 Michael Shelton 5-8 180 Jr.

Jonny Linehan, who joined after helping the BYU rugby team win three national titles, is averaging 41.9 yards per punt on a combination of rollouts and straight-away kicks. The Cougars are 16th nationally in net punting with a 41.3 average. Michael Shelton, a one-time Auburn recruit, is the primary returner on punts (7.9 yards) and kickoffs (21.4). Shelton has been timed at 4.43 seconds in the 40. Corbin Kaufusi has as many blocks the past two seasons in football (three) as he did for the Cougar basketball team last season (four).

HAWAII OFFENSE

LWO—12 Keelan Ewaliko 5-11 200 Sr.

SB—23 Dylan Collie 5-10 175 Jr.

LT—50 Dejon Allen 6-3 295 Sr.

LG—57 J.R. Hensley 6-5 310 So.

C—65 Asotui Eli 6-4 315 Jr.

RG—51 John Wa‘a 6-4 315 Sr.

RT—60 Chris Posa 6-4 290 Sr.

TE—45 Dakota Torres 6-2 245 Jr.

RWO—80 Ammon Barker 6-4 215 Sr.

QB—2 Dru Brown 6-0 200 Jr.

RB—22 Diocemy Saint Juste 5-8 195 Sr.

Entering his initial season as head coach in 2016, Nick Rolovich had to figure out how to manage depth. In 2015, Paul Harris was a 1,132-yard rusher and Diocemy Saint Juste was sidelined for the season because of hamstring issues. The newly implemented hybrid offense — which incorporated run-and-shoot, run-pass-option and pistol concepts – required a back who could block and run to all points. “As a complete back, we felt Diocemy could do everything more consistently for us,” Rolovich said. Saint Juste added muscle and a stretching routine to increase his stamina. In 12 games in 2016, he rushed for 1,006 yards, accounting for 47.4 percent of the backs’ carries. This season, he has improved as a pass protector, receiver and short-yardage runner. “He’s playing physical, and he’s blocking physical, too,” offensive coordinator Brian Smith said. Saint Juste is fast (4.4 seconds in the 40), strong (squats 500 pounds) and a low-leverage runner. He averages 3.28 yards after contact or eluding a tackle. Last season, Saint Juste did not score on 13 red-zone carries or 21 third-down rushes. This season, Saint Juste has 20 carries from inside the 10, scoring six touchdowns. He also caught a 4-yard scoring pass. “He’s shown the ability to push the pile,” Smith said. Saint Juste has accounted for 83.1 percent of the carries by the running backs this season. “He’s proven to be an every-day back for us,” Rolovich said. “Somebody will take notice of him at the next level.”

HAWAII DEFENSE

WE—97 Meffy Koloamatangi 6-5 240 Sr.

NT—98 Viane Moala 6-7 290 So.

SE—3 David Manoa 6-3 240 Sr.

LB—27 Solomon Matautia 6-1 230 So.

MLB—31 Jahlani Tavai 6-4 235 Jr.

LB—44 Russell Williams Jr. 6-1 230 Sr.

R—16 Kalen Hicks 6-3 200 So.

LCB—18 Rojesterman Farris 6-1 180 So.

FS—39 Trayvon Henderson 6-0 200 Sr.

SS—4 Daniel Lewis Jr. 5-11 180 Jr.

RCB—19 Eugene Ford 6-2 195 Fr.

The big plays — 20-plus yards — are hurting the Warriors in big ways. Since switching to a 3-4 base three games ago, UH opponents are averaging 6.31 yards per play. But 14 chunk plays averaging 32.4 yards have accounted for 32.8 percent of the opponents’ yards in those games. On non-chunk plays, opponents are averaging 4.39 yards per snap. The restructured defense has provided more options. Viane Moala and Samiuela Akoteu offer two different looks. Moala is a gap attacker; Akoteu is a hold-the-point defender. For the first half of the season, middle linebacker Jahlani Tavai often moved up to the edge or aligned as a stand-up nose. Now Tavai positions at the top of the tackle box, where he can pick up backs or misdirect inside receivers. Russell Williams and Solomon Matautia have the green light to blitz, bracket the perimeter or stand in the A or B gaps. The constant shifts are designed to create chaos. Kalen Hicks, who was recruited as a safety, has found his role as a rover who is more linebacker than safety. Trayvon Henderson, who recently was invited to the Senior Bowl, and Daniel Lewis Jr. have played in the box more in recent games — Henderson as a blitzer, Lewis as a flat defender. Cornerback Eugene Ford, who joined in January as a grayshirt, is benefiting from the extended playing time as a freshman. The Warriors did not get a sack the past two weekends, but they have at least one interception in six consecutive games.

HAWAII SPECIALISTS

KO—94 Ryan Meskell 6-0 180 So.

PK—46 Alex Trifonovitch 6-1 180 So.

LS—1 Noah Borden 6-1 215 Jr.

P/H—99 Stan Gaudion 6-3 210 Fr.

KR—12 Keelan Ewaliko 5-11 200 Sr.

PR—23 Dylan Collie 5-10 175 Jr.

The good news is Keelan Ewaliko needs 158 kickoff return yards to surpass Mike Edwards’ school record of 2,031 yards. The drawback is that if Ewaliko’s average of 20.8 yards per return holds, UH would need to relinquish seven scores to challenge the record. The Warriors have not converted a field goal in three attempts at Aloha Stadium this year. They are 4-for-6 on the road.