BYU coaches know this is a critical transfer portal window. Which positions should be top priority?

Provo • Kalani Sitake insisted it was a happy coincidence that BYU ended spring practices on April 14.

But it’s a good thing for the Cougars there was nothing keeping their coaching staff from being in homes and on the phones for the first day of the NCAA Transfer Portal window on April 15.

This is a critical transfer window — one that closes April 30 — for the program. What BYU does on the recruiting trail between now and the start of fall camp will directly translate to the type of team it is able to field in the first year of the Big 12. This roster needs help and the coaching staff knows it.

“We are going to be active in the portal,” Sitake said after spring ball ended. “Creating some quality depth is going to be key for us. … We are going to the Big 12. There is a sense of urgency from our staff to try to get as ready as possible.”

At this point, the only question is how many scholarships BYU has to play with to add to the roster. The exact number is still in flux. It depends on how many current scholarship players leave BYU after spring ball. But it would be safe to assume both the offense and defense will have at least a handful each.

With that in mind, here are some areas BYU could target immediately in the portal.

Place kicker

Starting with neither the offense nor the defense, the Cougars’ most glaring need right now might be on special teams.

The place kicking in spring practice was ugly at times. It was accented by BYU ending spring camp with its trio of current place kickers going 1-of-7 on field goals from 45 yards out in front of the whole team. It hammered home the fact that no place kicker won the job, and whoever eventually wins it might not be on the current roster.

It’s ironic because the Cougars already went into the transfer portal this winter to get a kicker. They brought in Will Ferrin out of Boise State. But Ferrin has been inconsistent on field goals since he arrived. Besides, he was mostly a kickoff specialist and not a place kicker at Boise. Maybe BYU was asking too much of him to try his hand at place kicker.

Outside of Ferrin, BYU has Justen Smith and walk-on Matthias Dunn. They total four in-game field goal attempts between them, which doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. Dunn started spring without a name on his jersey and wasn’t even on the roster. It speaks volumes to where BYU is in its quest to find four-year starter Jake Oldroyd’s replacement.

The portal might be the answer.

Defensive line

BYU bolstered its defensive line through the transfer portal earlier this year. It brought in edge rusher Isaiah Bagnah and inside lineman Jackson Cravens from Boise State. Both will be key players in 2023.

But that doesn’t mean BYU can’t continue to add to that line.

There are two factors to consider when looking at this position group. First, there could be more depth at this spot. Just looking at edge rusher, BYU has Tyler Batty and Bagnah who have logged plenty of career snaps. But after them, BYU drops off to relying on guys like Aisea Moa, who has never played significant games before. Blake Mangelson has one career start. So going to the portal might just be a case of basic roster maintenance to bolster the experience.

In the bigger picture, the defensive line might also be a position Jay Hill wants to retool to fit his system. The defensive line under previous defensive coordinator Iliasa Tuiaki was designed to eat blocks. He recruited players who could do that.

Hill is asking this line to rush the passer. It takes two different types of players to do that, potentially requiring BYU to go out and get new guys who have those skill sets. Conversely, it also might mean telling current players they no longer fit the vision.

“There are new coaches,” Sitake said. “We have to make sure [Hill] feels comfortable with the defense he is going to call. Allowing the staff to make decisions [on players to fit that defense] as well. I can’t forecast how it is going to go, but there might be tough conversations.”

Wide receiver

At this point, it might be an overblown talking point to say the program needs another receiver.

“It is a little bit,” offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick joked. “I did make the statement earlier that we want to increase our depth there. We like the guys we have there, it is just our overall numbers are a little low there. You need guys to get through the season.”

So BYU will try to add one or two more receivers to help the room out. The starters are clearly Chase Roberts, Keanu Hill and Kody Epps. After them, the current backups are probably Parker Kingston, Talmage Gunther and Dom Henry. You could also throw in Hobbs Nyberg and Koa Eldredge into that mix.

Still, Kingston, Henry and Eldredge are young. And while Gunther and Nyberg can be nice pieces, it is hard to see BYU relying on them consistently in the Big 12.

The transfer portal should be busy at that spot.

Cornerback

The starters at this position look set with Jakob Robinson and Weber State transfer Eddie Heckard. They both had a good spring and meshed well with this new defense.

The question here, though, is if BYU can get some contingency-plan players in the portal in case injuries occur.

Like receivers, there just aren’t many numbers at the cornerback spot. Behind the starters sit Mory Bamba and senior Jacob Boren. Freshmen Evan Johnson and Marcus McKenzie are also in the mix.

If BYU could maybe get a veteran, it could make a lot of sense. A Big 12 season is grueling.

Linebacker

Putting linebacker low on this list is for one reason, BYU already signed a new linebacker in the portal before spring ball even ended: Utah State’s AJ Vongphachanh.

It doesn’t mean that BYU will be done adding to the position, but it is a big step in the right direction. Currently, BYU only has three linebackers with any real experience: Max Tooley, Ben Bywater and Chaz Ah You. Also, Ah You has struggled to remain healthy throughout his career and it will be difficult for BYU to be able to rely on him.

New linebackers coach Justin Ena said he would like to be at least two deep at all three of the linebacker positions. That means he likely needs at least five or six experienced guys to roll into the Big 12 with.

With the addition of Vongphachanh, that brings the total of experienced linebackers to four. BYU adding another would be a benefit. Then it could work in some of the younger players like Isaiah Glasker and Ace and Maiki Kaufusi to fill that sixth spot.

Miscellaneous

BYU could add elsewhere. It already added to the offensive line with Oklahoma State transfer Caleb Etienne — a place BYU didn’t necessarily need help. He figures to be a Day One starter next year, after being a full-time starter at tackle for the Pokes last year.

Really there is no position immune to adding some depth.

“We will never turn down a great player,” Roderick said. “If there is a great player at any position, we will consider them. But we need a little more depth.”

It will be a busy few days ahead for this staff. And the pieces they add now will help determine how ready this team is for a Big 12 schedule.