Provo • Will there be coaching changes at BYU after the worst football season in recent memory concludes Saturday at Hawaii?
It is what everyone with interest in the woebegone program wants to know. And the most scrutiny is on the offensive coaches, particularly offensive coordinator Ty Detmer.
Detmer said Tuesday that he’s not worried about anything this week except beating the Warriors, who also have just three wins and will be looking to go out on a positive note on senior day at Aloha Stadium (7 p.m. MST, CBS Sports Network).
“That is coaching,” Detmer said when asked about the pressure that comes when teams aren’t getting the results fans and administrators desire. “You are judged on your results. People in the program understand some of the circumstances we have been in this year with youth and injuries and some of those things. … We will evaluate all that after the season, I am sure. We will have our evaluations and discussions with Kalani [Sitake] and go from there.”
The Cougars dropped to 122nd (of 129 teams) in total offense (314.7 yards per game) and 125th in scoring offense (16.0 points per game) after managing just 299 yards and 10 points against UMass last week.
In fairness, injuries to starter Tanner Mangum and backup Beau Hoge have forced Detmer to use four quarterbacks this season, five if you count wildcat formation ace Austin Kafentzis, who started training camp as a QB. Still, Sitake said immediately after the 16-10 loss to UMass and again Monday that the offense has let down the team more often than not this season.
Are changes coming?
“I think during the season you want to make changes and improve as you go week to week,” Sitake said. “But at the end of the season, regardless of what the record is, you are always evaluating it and trying to see areas you can improve.
“It is hard to make a statement and have it cover long term and short term improvements. But that will be my job after this week. Right now the focus is to get this win and find a way to do it in Hawaii.”
Sitake acknowledged that the quarterback situation has impeded the offense’s progress. Freshman Joe Critchlow struggled mightily in his second career start, just five months removed from an LDS Church mission, but Mangum and Hoge weren’t exactly world beaters before their injuries. Detmer agreed that most of the nine losses could be attributed to poor production from the offense.
“When you look at points, we are not scoring enough points,” Detmer said. “There are times like this last week where the defense played well enough for us to win.”
Critchlow threw four interceptions and was sacked seven times against UMass, but Detmer said only two or three of those sacks were the fault of the offensive line. Three stalwarts on that line are seniors — guards Tuni Kanuch and Keyan Norman and center Tejan Koroma — and will be playing in their final games Saturday. Remarkably, the same five offensive linemen — Thomas Shoaf and Austin Hoyt are the tackles — have started every game this season as that unit has avoided the injury bug that has plagued almost every other aspect of the team.
Mangum’s time to mend
Detmer said that junior quarterback Tanner Mangum almost certainly won’t participate in spring ball next March after suffering a season-ending Achilles tendon injury against Fresno State on Nov. 4. Mangum underwent surgery two days later.
“I think that might be a stretch, just with that kind of injury,” Detmer said. “I know guys have come back in four to six months. It just depends on how aggressive you want to try to be with it. The risk of re-tear is the problem. You have to really be careful with those things.”
According to the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society’s website, patients “are usually able to return to full activity by six months” after surgery..
BYU AT HAWAII <br>When • 7 p.m. MST Saturday <br>TV • CBS Sports Network
