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Provo • BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said Monday that linebacker Sione Takitaki didn't play in Saturday's 42-35 loss to Nevada because the freshman blew off a team meeting or practice last week, despite emerging for a defense that sorely needs playmakers and better speed on the edges.
Coupled with the coach's expression of frustration with players missing defensive assignments and lacking concentration and focus after Saturday's loss, some might take the Takitaki mistake as a sign that Mendenhall has failed to "capture the hearts and minds of the players," as the coach often says, after three-straight losses.
But players and Mendenhall alike said Monday that BYU is still a unified team and sticking together as the losses pile up. The Cougars (4-3) travel to Boise State (5-2) on Friday, the first of two straight road games.
"Maybe more so than ever," Mendenhall said when asked if he still has control of the team. "It is probably the closest team, if you look at their relationships with each other, that we have had, maybe ever here."
Mendenhall said the effort and preparation are still strong, but execution needs to improve. He said younger players who have been pressed into action by the team's plethora of injuries have taken more time than expected to learn the defense and their assignments.
"I know this: They are hurting, and they want to play well, and they want to win," he said. "And they know that they have gotten close the last two weeks, since the loss of Taysom [Hill]. But they also know they are not quite executing in the three to five plays that are separating those wins from losses that they need to, and they will have to do that pretty quickly."
Senior tight end Devin Mahina said the Cougars aren't calling any special players-only meetings, as teams often do when they are not playing up to their capabilities. He said the players always get together without any coaches present the nights before games, and that won't change.
And Mahina doesn't believe the defense's struggles the past four games — BYU has allowed teams to score 30 or more points for four straight games for the first time since 1993 — will create a rift in the locker room.
"We're still together, 100 percent," he said.
Linebacker Mike Alisa said nothing should be read into the Takitaki situation other than a "small mistake" by a young player who is still finding his way in a very structured environment after growing up without much structure at all in Southern California.
"I don't think that reflects at all on the team," Alisa said. "… In terms of the team overall, guys are still on board, and we talk about it a lot outside of team meeting, meeting rooms. Guys are starving for some redemption. We just want a chance to show everybody really what our team is about, and not only do we feel like we owe it to our fans — we owe it to Cougar Nation — but to ourselves."
Alisa said defensive players, himself included, deserve the blame far more than the coaching staff for giving up big plays and failing to adapt well to sudden change. Nevada pounced quickly on shell-shocked BYU after two of the three costly turnovers.
"We all have to look each other in the eyes and realize that one was on us," Alisa said.
Angry fans have naturally focused on defensive coordinator Nick Howell, who is calling plays for the first time this season, but Mendenhall gave the young assistant a vote of confidence again on Monday.
"He's done a really good job," Mendenhall said. "I know that the statistics and other things don't bear it out. … There's no one that has worked any harder than him. And really, execution has to catch up really fast."
As for the team's injury situation, Mendenhall said safety Craig Bills (concussion), linebacker Alani Fua (ankle) and running back Jamaal Williams (ankle) are "possible" and "hopeful" for Friday's game. Running back Algie Brown (ankle) and receiver Devon Blackmon (ankle) are not in the hopeful category, "that I know of," Mendenhall said.
Twitter: @drewjay —
BYU at Boise State
O Friday, 7 p.m.
TV • ESPN