BYU enters today's season-opener against fourth-ranked Washington with more questions than an episode of that game show, "Jeopardy!"
Here's a sampling of what will be answered at 1:30 at Cougar Stadium: Can the BYU offensive line protect quarterback Paul Shoemaker against a ferocious Husky defense, led by linebacker Jason Chorak? Can BYU's Brian McKenzie establish a productive rushing attack? Can Shoemaker and Co. generate points? Can the Cougar defensive front-seven contain flashy running back Rashaan Shehee? (See accompanying story on Page D5.)Yet one of the biggest questions for BYU might be in the defensive backfield, namely at cornerback.
BYU has a bona fide star in senior Omarr "The Blanket" Morgan, who is serving a three-game suspension for unspecified honor code violations. To make matters worse, BYU's other marquee corner from a year ago, Tim McTyer, has graduated.
Talk about jeopardy.
So, who remains for BYU at what Sports Illustrated recently called the game's new "glamour" position? Decidedly unglamorous corners: journeyman right corner Ben Cook and sophomore left corner Jack Williams, a junior college transfer who left Long Beach City College after one season.
Backing them up is another JC transfer, junior Tony Fields, and true freshman Roderick Foreman, a 17-year-old who will also play nickelback. None are blankets - but for the time being, each will try to be a very good beach towel.
How callow are these corners? Williams, Fields and Foreman all signed with BYU over the summer and will be experiencing their first-ever Div. I game today.
That sound you hear is Washington's Brock Huard, the best QB BYU will face this season, licking his chops.
It will be the corners' responsibility to defuse big-play situations when Huard throws timing routes and makes short, drop-back passes.
"The key on defense will be the emergence of our corners," said coach LaVell Edwards. "It is still an area of concern. McTyer and Morgan made an immediate impact the past two years when they came in late, so hopefully Williams or Fields will be able to come on and make an impact."
The only one with experience of the group is Cook, who started in place of an injured Morgan in three games last season and also played nickelback. The senior feels the pressure to perform. "We are the youngest, most inexperienced position on our defense," he said. "Teams know that and they'll try to exploit it."
Still, he understands that slowing down Washington's offense must be a team effort. "Coaches won't leave us on an island," he said. "The rest of our defense is good, and we can be a part of it. We're confident and we'll perform as we should perform. I have no concerns about how we'll play."
The corners will need help from BYU's defensive line to put pressure on Huard. But considering the Huskies boast one of the best O-lines in the nation in center Olin Kreutz and guard Benji Olson, both All-Americans, that may be a tall order.
The starting tandem of Cook and Williams are "almost twins," said Mitchell. While both are physical, bigger-than-typical corners and fundamentally sound, speed isn't their strong suit. Therefore, expect to see the Huskies run a lot of hitch patterns, play-action and deep passes. "They'll take advantage of us and test us with Omarr out," said Williams. "But we're fired up and ready to play."
Morgan, meanwhile, has been lining up at receiver all week to prepare the Cougar corners for Washington's speedy wideouts, Jerome Pathon (who caught 41 passes for 618 yards last season) and Fred Coleman. He's also been busy teaching his understudies. "He's been like another coach out there," said Williams.
Despite the absence of Morgan and McTyer, a pair he considers to be the best corner tandem in school history, Mitchell doesn't want to see any drop-off from last year by his corners. What does he expect out of them? "To make plays," he said. "I expect them to go out there and carry on the tradition that Omarr and Tim set last year. These guys can get it done."
And if they do get it done today, the Cougars have a shot at knocking off the Huskies.
All the many question marks about BYU notwithstanding, the Cougars are looking forward to challenging Washington, a team that has the talent to win a national championship. Especially since the Huskies hung on the Cougars their only loss of the season last year.
Tight end Dustin Johnson remembers that 29-17 pasting but understands that a new season has begun. "I don't like to dwell on the negatives," he said. "But it's always nice to get a little payback. More than anything, we want respect."
PREGAME NOTES: The 6-5, left-handed Huard passed for 1,687 yards last season, the best performance by any freshman quarterback in school history . . . Washington is 21-4-1 all-time against WAC schools . . . The Huskies are 7-8-2 in road season openers . . . Last season the Huskies converted 41 of 50 trips inside their opponents' red zone . . . BYU is looking to improve on its NCAA-leading 12-game winning streak.