BYU lost both starting wide receivers from last year's team (Eric Drage and Tyler Anderson) to graduation. Terence Saluone, who started at tight end, transferred to Weber State. Also gone is Micah Matsuzaki, who was third on the '93 team with 30 catches and second in yardage gained (500).
In all, five of John Walsh's seven favorite targets of a year ago are history.Yet the cupboard isn't bare.
"When you lose the great receivers we had, it's tough to replace them," Walsh said. "But BYU always has great receivers and it won't be any different this year."
Heading the pack are seniors Bryce Doman and Tim Nowatzke, who saw plenty of action last season. Doman caught 36 passes for 455 yards in '93. His seven touchdown catches were a team high. Nowatzke hauled in 23 passes for 364 yards and four touchdowns and can't wait for the chance to prove himself as a starter.
"The past three or four years I've learned patience," Nowatzke said. "I've seen the Andy Boyces and the Eric Drages come through and I've had to play behind them. I've learned a lot from them, but I'm now a senior and it's my time."
The rest of the wide-outs are untested. The four receivers vying for playing time have a grand total of two catches between them.
Mike Johnston, a junior who was a punt return specialist last season, figures to see a good deal of action as a split end. The former starting shortstop on the BYU baseball team had just one catch last year, but it was for 42 yards in a game against UTEP.
Other receivers who should see action are Jason Cooper, a junior from Ogden and sophomores Kaipo McGuire and Tyler Bolli. Only McGuire has a catch in a varsity game.
The tight end position, meanwhile, may be as strong as it's been in years. Sophomores Chad Lewis (6-6, 220 pounds) and Itula Mili (6-4, 225) will give Walsh big targets with good hands in the middle of the field.
Lewis, a walk-on from Orem High, moved up the depth charts until he was playing most of the time the final few games of last season. Lewis, a high-jumper on the Cougar track team, had just 11 catches, but several were of the circus variety. His one-handed, leaping catch for a touchdown in the Holiday Bowl showed off his athleticism. He has already been compared to former Cougar greats Gordon Hudson, Clay Brown and Chris Smith.
Mili showed flashes of brilliance during the 1991 season. He was the backup to Byron Rex but started three games and had 10 catches on the year. He spent the last two seasons as a missionary in New Zealand.
"Chad Lewis and Itula Mili are outstanding athletes," LaVell Edwards said. "Our tight end position should be pretty well taken care of for the next few years with those two."
BYU's receivers aren't world-class sprinters and won't be first-round NFL draft picks, but they have good hands, run good routes and have a great passer in Walsh getting them the ball. They will be plenty for WAC defenses to handle.