Injury-riddled Cougars’ depth will be tested in a big way when Cincinnati visits for Big 12 home opener

LAWRENCE, Kansas — As the BYU Cougars left the locker room area one by one and trudged toward the team buses waiting outside Booth Memorial Stadium late Saturday afternoon, there was one common denominator besides frowning, disappointed faces.

Ice bags. Lots and lots of ice bags.

“From what I know nobody is out for the season yet. So we will hopefully get those guys back, but until then we gotta depend on the guys we have that are fresh and ready to roll.” — BYU coach Kalani Sitake

The Cougars’ 38-27 loss to Kansas in their first-ever Big 12 game not only produced a healthy degree of angst and frustration, it left BYU battered and bruised physically. Whether coach Kalani Sitake’s team had its confidence nicked after last week’s stirring 38-31 win over the SEC’s Arkansas — which almost upset No. 12 LSU Saturday night — remains to be seen.

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“We have some guys that are banged up, and I think they do, too,” Sitake said of Kansas (4-0). “Once you get into conference play that is going to be the name of the game. We dipped into our depth a little bit. We might have to for next week, too.”

The Cougars (0-1, 3-1) play host to fellow Big 12 newcomer Cincinnati (0-1, 2-2) on Friday (8:15 p.m. MDT, ESPN) hoping to bounce back after having their seven-game winning streak snapped.

How bad is the injury situation?

“From what I know nobody is out for the season yet,” Sitake said. “So we will hopefully get those guys back, but until then we gotta depend on the guys we have that are fresh and ready to roll.”

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Receiver Parker Kingston, offensive linemen Kingsley Suamataia and Weylin Lapuaho, linebacker Ben Bywater and safety Tanner Wall were among those who missed plays with some sort of injury or ailment. Suamataia returned for the final drive.

Even quarterback Kedon Slovis, who threw for 357 yards — the 15th time the fifth-year senior has thrown for more than 300 yards in his college career, and second time as a Cougar — kind of walked gingerly off the field after a sack.

“I am fine,” he said. “I just got stepped on. I was trying to walk it off.”

Injuries are not the reason the Cougars lost. Allowing undefeated and inspired Kansas two defensive touchdowns and not having any semblance of a rushing attack doomed BYU more than anything else.

However, the loss of Bywater, who seemed to be favoring a shoulder when he ran off the field in the second half, was significant on KU’s final possession when BYU was desperately trying to get the ball back in a one-score game. 

“I don’t know how much it affected (communication), but obviously it affected the guys,” linebacker AJ Vongphachanh said of Bywater’s absence. “He is a big part of our defense. Just seeing him go down, provided more fuel for us. We wanted to go out there and finish the game out in a positive way, but we weren’t able to do that.”

Receiver Kody Epps (hamstring) made the trip but didn’t play. Safety Crew Wakley also traveled but saw little action. Running back Aidan Robbins is “dinged up,” according to Sitake, and didn’t travel either, leaving freshman LJ Martin and Colorado transfer Deion Smith to handle the rushing duties.

Safety Micah Harper, projected to be one of BYU’s best defenders, suffered an ACL tear in fall camp and is out for the year. The Cougars are hoping to get safety Talan Alfrey (undisclosed) back after the bye week.

Kingston was injured on BYU’s second offensive play running a jet sweep; fellow receiver Keelan Marion scored on a rare running play that worked with 5:34 remaining, taking it in from 6 yards out to trim Kansas’ lead to 35-27.

“If I had the answer to (why the Cougars can’t run the ball) I would tell you guys,” Sitake said. “… It is probably a combination of just getting the guys’ confidence back. … It was tough sledding. But if the pass game is there, let’s take it.”

Sitake said the Cougars have “no choice” but to rely on the depth that he and his staff have worked hard to develop the past two seasons.

“We feel really good about the talent on our team,” he said. “… We have enough talent. That’s why we went to the (transfer) portal. That’s why we try to develop our young guys. We feel good about our talent that we have. We have to have these guys ready to go by the time we face Cincinnati on Friday.”

With Epps having played in only one game, and failing to record a catch, Marion and Darius Lassiter have proven to be valuable additions to that depth Sitake often talks about. Lassiter is also emerging as a leader and key voice in the locker room.

“I know we have to get better offensively,” he said after catching a career-high eight passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. “Our defense went out there and played a great game. They only allowed (24 points). We spotted Kansas 14 ourselves. We gotta go in and clean up the turnovers and then we will shake back next week. I know we will be better next week.”

Obviously, the chief task for the offense is to get the running game going, which won’t be easy if the offensive line is dinged up. But the depth is also there, with Ian Fitzgerald and Brayden Keim ready to fill in where needed.

The Cougars are 128th of 130 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in rushing yards per game, averaging only 61. Only Colorado State (57.3) and Colorado (55.8) are worse. BYU is averaging a woeful 2.2 yards per carry.

At least the Cougars have some company. All four of the Big 12 newcomers lost their debut conference games, with Cincinnati falling to Oklahoma, UCF falling to Kansas State and Houston falling to TCU (last week).

Obviously, they won’t go 0-4 this coming week, as either BYU or Cincinnati will break through.

“Yeah, we can play in this conference,” was Sitake’s message after the game. “I think, if you talk to Kansas, they will tell you that.”