OFFENSIVE COG: Kevin Feterik, last year's pass efficiency leader in the Western Athletic Conference (140.2), returns for his senior season. Feterik has started 17 consecutive games (dating back to 1997) and gives the Cougars experience at quarterback that has been lacking since Steve Sarkisian's senior campaign when BYU landed a berth in the Cotton Bowl.PLAYERS ON THE SPOT -- OFFENSE: Fahu Tahi and Luke Staley. With the Honor Code-related departures of Ronney Jenkins and Junior Mahe, the Cougars are depleted at running back. Kalani Sitake returns at fullback, but the other slot will likely be manned by committee. Coaches are hopeful that true freshmen Tahi and/or Staley step forward. Sophomore Jaron Dabney is also in the mix.
DEFENSIVE ANCHOR: Rob Morris, the 6-foot-2, 250-pound Butkus Award candidate, who has led the Cougars in defensive points each of the past two seasons, headlines a unit that has gained national prominence. The middle linebacker and returning defensive end Byron Frisch combined for 217 tackles and 11 quarterback sacks in 1998.
PLAYER ON THE SPOT -- DEFENSE: Jared Lee, the former Ricks College All-American cornerback, inherits the starting weak safety position vacated by the graduation of All-WAC honoree Jason Walker. Walker led the Cougars with six interceptions last season. Lee and strong safety Tyler Nelson, who backed up Chris Ellison in 1998, are BYU's last line of defense.
SPECIAL TEAMS STAR: Size doesn't matter. Dabney, the 1997 WAC Freshman of the Year who missed all of last season because of academic woes, gets the most of his 5-foot-9, 180-pound frame. The kick returner racked up 1,046 all-purpose yards in his first season with the Cougars . . . Kicker Owen Pochman, a two-time All-WAC honoree, is also a player of note.
SCHEDULING QUIRK: BYU plays its first five games in Utah. The lone trip away from Cougar Stadium is an Oct. 1 date at Utah State. The Cougars' first plane ride comes in mid-October when they visit New Mexico . . . BYU's schedule is has six home games and five on the road . . . The Cougars' aren't scheduled to play on artificial turf this season.
KEY STRETCH: The first seven games. Before an Oct. 30 showdown with Air Force in Provo, BYU can extend its home winning streak to 10 games with victories over Washington, Colorado State, Virginia and California. Road contests feature dates with three struggling programs -- Utah State, New Mexico and UNLV.
COUGAR CLUBBERS HOPE . . . The table is set for BYU to reclaim past glory. A revival of the passing game, new uniforms and helmets, the league's best defense, a veteran quarterback with a deeper pool of receivers and LaVell Edwards add up to another trophy or two for the football office.
THEN AGAIN . . . The veteran coaching staff has run out of innovative ways to keep BYU competitive. An overly ambitious nonleague schedule will take its toll physically and leave the Cougars vulnerable throughout league play.
"MUST WIN" TO KEEP ALUMNI HAPPY: Though few will admit it, alums take great comfort in victories over arch rival Utah. The numbers 34-31 are forever etched in painful memory. Cougar faithful would also take great pride in a triumph over Washington. The Huskies have four straight wins in the series.
CRYSTAL BALL SAYS: League coaches and media each picked BYU to win the inaugural Mountain West Conference football championship. The Cougars, who were 9-5 a year ago, are led by a pair of seniors. Quarterback Kevin Feterik leads an offense that promises to be pass oriented, while middle linebacker Rob Morris anchors a defense that is expected to rank among the nation's best. Defensive end Bryon Frisch is another senior with pro football aspirations.
With veteran leadership and coaching -- LaVell Edwards is in his 28th season at the helm -- the Cougars figure to be in the thick of things for a national ranking and bowl berth. A favorable schedule brings projected MWC contenders Colorado State, Air Force and Utah to Provo. Non-conference foes Washington, Virginia and California round out what many consider to be BYU's best-ever home slate.
The Cougars, though, do enter the season with a few question marks. On offense, they'll find out if there's life after Ronney Jenkins and Junior Mahe. BYU's top rushers in 1998 are no longer with the program after running afoul of the school's Honor Code. To the delight of fans, the Cougars vow to favor the pass this season. They'll spend much of their time in the shotgun formation.
Other concerns include the offensive line -- where two new tackles join the mix -- and the defensive secondary, which will feature both safety positions were vacated by graduation.
Despite the shortcomings, BYU appears capable of winning the conference crown and returning to the Liberty Bowl. Though an 11-0 record is unlikely, it isn't out of the question for the Cougars to win at least nine games in 1999. And that'll all but assure them of another bowl bid.