HB Arnett's "Lite" <mailto:hbarnett@fiber.net> hbarnett@fiber.net 801 372 0819 Vol. 38, Issue 6, September 3, 2018 Game Ball Sumlin and Sitake Agree on Why BYU beat Arizona 28-23 You watched the same game I did. So did Arizona coach Kevin Sumlin and BYU's Kalani Sitake. The KS's and I agree, the game ball goes to the BYU offensive line and the coaches that made them physical, tough, disciplined and just downright mean. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVZYwCKhlvg> Click here for Sitake and Sumlin game ball presentations. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djk-MaiF2SQ> Locker Room TIME Talks Click here to jump start your morning As BYU Football Fans We Feel Good, But What About Arizona Fans? How do they feel about BYU? <https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/football/arizona-wildcats-rewind- five-takeaways-from-the-ua-s-/article_342895a6-af28-11e8-a36b-6f6b1570bf59.h tml> 5 Takeaways from BYU Loss <https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/football/greg-hansen-arizona-wild cats-christmas-in-september-was-mostly-a/article_8506282c-0d14-5c3a-9668-a71 514290cae.html> Christmas and Silent Night <https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/football/wildcats-fans-queue-up-f or-beer-wine-on-first-night/article_e7af55d9-d86b-5fa5-a7e8-cd3387828d46.htm l> At Least They Weren't Thirsty What I Loved About the Season Opener The best part of the game that I loved, besides the win, was the stat sheet. No, not the stats that shows how many pass completions there were or how many yards Squally Canada had (98). Those were nice, but the best part of the official stat chart is who played for BYU in the game. Below is the player participation chart for the Arizona game. . Now go to the BYU roster and check on what eligibility year most of these guys are. I'll save you the work. Besides the solid game by Tanner Mangum, the running of Squally Canada and the defensive game plan by Ilaisa Tuiaki, the most exciting thing about this game was seeing just how many young contributing players in this game there really were. The present win over Arizona was great, but the future looks greater for 2019 and beyond. For example. Brady Christensen OL, RS Freshman James Empey, OL, RS Freshman Tristen Hoge, OL, RS Sophomore Matt Bushman, TE, Sophomore (touchdown catch) Isaiah Herron, CB, Freshman Dallin Holker, TE, Freshman (almost touchdown catch) Jared Kapisi, DB, Sophomore Lopini Katoa, RB, RS Freshman Lorenzo Fauatea, DL, Sophomore Khyris Tonga, DL, Sophomore Alden Tofa, DL, Freshman D'Angelo Mandell, CB, Freshman Malik Moore, CB, Freshman Skyler Southam, PK, Freshman Alden Tofa, DL, Freshman They didn't see the field, but just a friendly reminder that both true freshmen quarterbacks, Zach Wilson and Jaren Hall were both dressed and ready to go if needed. They will be needed next year and maybe this year if Mangum doesn't stay healthy. Just an unfriendly reminder, that young linebackers seeing the field against Arizona were few and very far between. BYU needs linebackers to get ready to replace the current senior crew of Takitaki, Pau'u and Anderson. Just an observation. This new Jeff Grimes designed offense is a perfect fit for BYU's talent and current roster. They are big and strong and can control the line of scrimmage. Still, can you imagine how much better this offense would be if they had a game changer at running back and wide receiver? Canada was great, but he had at several opportunities running in space to take the ball to the house but doesn't have game changer speed or athleticism. Same goes for receivers. This is a journeyman group but lacks a game breaker. The closest it comes is Aleva Hifo. That said, both Canada and Hifo received glowing reviews from me for their play against Arizona. Here's a quick synopsis of what I saw. Squally Canada.Ran hard and downhill. Showed great ball security and a grittiness we didn't see last season. Aleva Hifo.Must have found the Lester Hayes and Fred Biletnikoff stickum jar. He didn't drop a pass thrown his way. A big-time improvement from last year. Also showed that he knew where he should be and was BYU's best chance at breaking a big one. Compared to last year, the biggest surprise of the game for me. Tanner Mangum.Solid performance that bodes well for the senior quarterback. Started a little shaky and then found his rhythm in the third quarter. Leo Durocher was dead wrong on Mangum. Good guys can finish first. Khyris Tonga.This video describes Tonga's play against Arizona. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1JXO4wN5bw> Click to watch Sione Takitaki.Long, lean and a tackling machine. I smell and spell NFL. Chris Wilcox.This is perception versus play. Most BYU fans perceive Wilcox to be a poor corner because he was thrown to the wolves as a freshman. His play against Arizona was spectacular. Yes, that includes saving two sure scores with pass interference calls. Ilaisa Tuiaki said there was an NFL future for Wilcox. I trust what I see on the field and the accolades from a coach good enough to design a defensive scheme that every Pac 12 school will emulate against Khalil Tate. That's good enough for me and it certainly is good enough for BYU football to have Wilcox on the roster. No Time to Rewatch Game? No problem. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd83Heuns_g> Click here for a great and short highlight reel. Television Timetable BYU vs. Cal (Football) Saturday, September 8 at Provo Kickoff: 8:15 pm MST TV: ESPN2 Speaking of Expiring! Now would be a good time for you to renew your subscription. If you are receiving this letter your subscription has expired or is close to expiring. You can renew by clicking here: <http://oldmancougar.com/product/Order-Cougar-Sportsline?ID=3173> Oldmancougar.com