I started crying even before they announced the first guy. I don’t know what’s happened to me. I’m getting soft, I think. – Bronco Mendenhall
PROVO — With each passing year, senior day gets harder and harder for BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall.
The Cougars honored their 26 seniors prior to Saturday’s 64-0 win over Savannah State.
“I started crying even before they announced the first guy,” Mendenhall said. “I don’t know what’s happened to me. I’m getting soft, I think.”
BYU also said goodbye to longtime strength and conditioning coach Jay Omer, who is retiring after 43 years in the business. He’s been at BYU since 2001.
“Seeing a guy who has spent 43 years in the profession all teared up and our team expressing their gratitude,” Mendenhall said, “as I’ve become more mature as a head coach, I’m understanding more and more that relationships are all that’s left when this thing is over. Yeah, the record and wins are great, but each young man as they came down through the tunnel of players, it was flashes of memories and experiences. I was grateful to see that up close and personal.”
It was an emotional day for linebacker Zac Stout, who left BYU for one year due to a suspension before returning this season.
“I was trying to hold back the tears. I never thought I’d feel like that,” he said. “It’s just crazy the journey and everything you learn throughout it. It’s been fun.”
Of course, his teammates couldn’t resist razzing him after he dropped a potential pick-six in the first half.
“Everybody gave me a hard time,” Stout said. “I’ve got no hands.”
QUARTERBACK SHUFFLE: Mendenhall had planned to take out starting quarterback Christian Stewart as soon as the Cougars scored 40 points.
BYU hit the 40-point mark early in the second quarter.
Freshman McCoy Hill replaced Stewart, but scout team quarterback Hunter Moore also received significant playing time.
“McCoy is certainly more capable throwing the ball,” Mendenhall said. “Hunter is our scout team quarterback and is a fairly elusive runner. You could see he was still a little bit uncertain out there. Our intent with him was to not slide. He’s heard us telling the other quarterbacks to slide so much, he kind of did that. We actually wanted him to be a running back. It was fun for us to see his eyes, how wide they were and how fun it was.”
Mendenhall enjoyed letting a lot of players get on the field Saturday.
“That’s refreshing to see something not taken for granted being a BYU football player where guys just can’t wait to be out there,” he said. “I enjoyed that maybe more than anything today, seeing guys really thankful to be able to play.”
WARNER OUT FOR THE YEAR: BYU freshman Fred Warner, who suffered a back injury in last week’s victory over UNLV, is out for the season.
Other Cougars who have suffered season-ending injuries this year include quarterback Taysom Hill (leg), running back Jamaal Williams (knee), wide receiver Nick Kurtz (foot) and cornerback Jordan Johnson (arm).
LOPSIDED LEADS: BYU led Savannah State at halftime, 51-0. The last time BYU started a game with a 49-0 lead occurred in 1989 against Utah (the Cougars led 49-7 at halftime). The school record for largest halftime lead happened in 1951, when the Cougars led Western State, 54-0.
EXTRA POINTS: BYU running backs Nate Carter and A.J. Moore scored their first career touchdowns. … BYU’s defense held Savannah State to 63 yards, a school record. The previous low was 66 yards by Western Michigan in 1964. … Saturday’s shutout was the biggest at home since a 65-0 win over New Mexico in 1988.