A case could be made that the most settled portion of BYU’s offensive depth chart heading into the final few practices of preseason training camp is at the three starting receiver positions.
Fifth-year senior Gunner Romney, Washington transfer Puka Nacua (a junior) and fourth-year sophomore Keanu Hill are the clearcut starters, and have been since spring camp wrapped up last March.
Romney and Nacua haven’t done much in the media-viewing parts of the camps, but on Tuesday receivers coach Fesi Sitake said there’s no reason to fret. The veterans will be fresh, rested and ready to go when the Cougars play at South Florida on Sept. 3.
“I am good. I am just resting my body right now. … There is a lot of speculation, a lot of rumors flying around, but I am good, yeah.” — BYU receiver Gunner Romney on his health
“I am just monitoring Gunner and Puka,” Sitake said. “They are proven. So I want to intentionally let them rest, be leaders on the sidelines, help signal in plays, help the other receivers on what to do.”
As for Hill, the big-time prospect from Bedford, Texas, who started to break out last year with 17 catches for 310 yards and two touchdowns, Sitake said he has “chipped away every single spring and fall” and is a star on the rise.
“He’s a fighter,” Sitake said. “He went out and earned that (third receiver) spot.”
Gone from last year’s team are two solid contributors — Samson Nacua and Neil Pau’u, the former having played only one season after transferring from Utah and the latter one of the more unsung receivers in BYU history. The big-framed Pau’u leaves big shoes for the 6-foot-4 Hill to fill.
Puka Nacua caught 43 passes for 805 yards and six touchdowns last year, while Romney had 34 grabs for 594 yards and three TDs.
“I want their leadership to continue to increase,” Sitake said of his starters. “I don’t have to see what they can do physically.”
Sitake noted that “in the event that (the starters) aren’t ready, for whatever reason, I have full confidence in the next wave of guys.”
Romney’s status for the opener has been in question, but on Tuesday he told the Deseret News at a news conference promoting BYU’s partnership with NFT-producer Ocavu that he’s fine and could play if the game was this week.
“I am good,” he said. “I am just resting my body right now. … There is a lot of speculation, a lot of rumors flying around, but I am good, yeah.”
After the first practice of camp, Romney said he is as excited about this group of receivers as he’s been in a long time.
“I think we have one of the deepest rooms that we have had since I have been here,” he said. “I think you could go back seven or eight deep and any one of those guys could hop on the field and contribute. That’s one of our strengths, for sure.”
So who are the next three?
The two-deep chart BYU posted in June has fifth-year junior Brayden Cosper backing up Hill and redshirt freshmen Kody Epps and Chase Roberts playing behind Romney and Nacua, respectively.
“Brayden Cosper, Chase Roberts and Kody Epps are guys that have really elevated their game this fall,” Sitake said. “They have been getting a lot of reps now, because I have been holding Puka and Gunner out. They have really started to showcase what they can do. I have been really pleased with those guys.”
Cooper’s battle back from three major surgeries was documented by the Deseret News last spring.
Sitake said redshirt freshman Terence Fall has done some impressive things in camp, while walk-ons like Tanner Wall and Hobbs Nyberg (who doubles as a punt returner) are also improving as their reps increase.
Chris Jackson entered the transfer portal and committed to Hawaii after making just 10 catches for 61 yards the past two seasons at BYU. However, he opted to return to BYU and is working to rejoin the team this fall at some point.
After last Saturday’s first scrimmage of camp, offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick said Roberts and Cosper are in the rotation and will see reps in games. He also praised Wall, a freshman from Arlington, Virginia.
“Tanner Wall is one of the most improved players in our program. When he first got here he was right off a mission and his nickname is “Elder Wall” because when he got off his mission, he was (not in shape). The mission wasn’t good to him, let’s put it that way,” Roderick said.
“And now he is one of the most ripped, physically fit guys on the team. He has made a really, really incredible improvement just in his athleticism, his physical shape. And he is a good player. He is learning what to do,” Roderick continued. “He is one of those guys that just finds a way to show up. I don’t know what he is doing right now in Fesi’s rotation, but would not be surprised at all if he turns out to be a good player for us.”