Saturday’s New Mexico Bowl at University Stadium in Albuquerque will feature a couple of teams breaking in new and inexperienced players on both sides of the ball.
Obviously, BYU (7-5) and SMU (7-5) would love to be at full strength when they kick off at 5:30 p.m. MST on ABC, but that’s not the reality of college football postseason these days, thanks to injuries, players opting out because they have plans to enter the NFL draft, and, of course, the ever-growing transfer portal.
The most notable players who will certainly miss the first postseason matchup between the Cougars and Mustangs since the famous “Miracle Bowl” for BYU — the 1980 Holiday Bowl — are SMU’s leading receiver, Rashee Rice, and BYU’s second-leading tackler, linebacker Keenan Pili.
The Deseret News has reported that indications are strong that BYU will be without starting quarterback Jaren Hall, who sustained a right ankle injury in the Nov. 26 win over Stanford, but as of Sunday no official announcement had come from BYU regarding the fifth-year junior’s status.
One teammate, who asked not to be identified, said it would “take a miracle” for Hall to play.
BYU coach Kalani Sitake, who is scheduled to meet with reporters Monday via Zoom, said last Monday that Hall is “close” to making a decision regarding his future and is “banged up.” However, Sitake added that Hall “is not out of the (bowl) game” and later said: “Hopefully we can get Jaren through this and get him on the field.”
Tight end Isaac Rex said on BYUtv’s BYU Sports Nation show that the team is “excited if Jaren can’t go to have these guys step up,” referring to third, fourth and fifth-string quarterbacks Cade Fennegan, Nick Billoups and Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters.
Former four-star recruit Jacob Conover, who was Hall’s backup throughout the season but scarcely played, entered the transfer portal a few days after the regular season ended and announced last week that he is headed to Arizona State.
If Hall can’t go, look for Boise State transfer Fennegan to be the Cougars’ starter in their 40th bowl game in program history, although Fennegan has not taken a snap dressed in BYU blue. He did throw for 182 yards and two touchdowns against BYU in 2020 for the Broncos in a 51-17 loss to the Cougars.
Friday evening, one of BYU’s best defenders, arguably its best, the aforementioned Pili, announced on social media that he is entering the portal as a graduate transfer. Ben Bywater is the Cougars’ leading tackler, with 87 takedowns, but Pili ranks No. 2 on the list with 62 tackles. The Timpview High product has also recored a sack and forced a fumble.
Pili told the Deseret News before the Stanford game that he had made a decision about his future, but didn’t want to announce it because it would be a distraction. He made four tackles in the 35-26 win over the Cardinal.
Pili is the second BYU linebacker to enter the portal, joining freshman LB Tate Romney, a former three-star recruit who redshirted this season. Romney announced on Twitter that he is transferring to Arizona State, which is near his hometown of Chandler, Arizona.
The Cougars are already thin at linebacker, with Payton Wilgar and Max Tooley having each missed the last five games, and are scrambling to shore up those spots for the bowl game. Tooley had shoulder surgery two weeks ago and certainly won’t play; Wilgar’s status is unclear.
Sophomore linebacker Tavita Gagnier, a valuable backup who has been viewed as a likely starter in 2023, sustained a season-ending injury against Notre Dame and is also out.
Bywater, outgoing senior Pepe Tanuvasa (35 tackles) and Jackson Kaufusi (10 tackles) are the probable starters against SMU.
Speaking of SMU, the Mustangs’ high-flying offense will be missing its brightest stars.
SMU coach Rhett Lashlee announced Saturday that Rice (injured toe) and Mustangs offensive lineman Jaylon Thomas (shoulder surgery) are recovering from injuries and have began preparations for the draft.
“We’re going to miss having those two guys out there, but man, they gave us everything they had this year,” Lashlee said. “Really proud of them. They will be with us, they just won’t be playing.”
Pili was the seventh BYU player to enter the transfer portal since the season began, joining Conover, Romney, tight end Dallin Holker, receiver Terence Fall, offensive lineman Campbell Barrington and defensive end Logan Fano, who is headed to Utah.