Draft Scout Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20 Player News, College Football: Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20

2020 PRESEASON DOAK WALKER AWARD WATCH LIST: Lopini Katoa (Jr.), BYU,...A junior, Katoa has been one of the Cougars' most versatile weapons over the past two seasons. The American Fork, Utah, product has accounted for 1,390 all-purpose yards and 14 total touchdowns over the past two seasons. In 2020, Katoa ran for 358 yards and four touchdowns, had 288 receiving yards and one score and added 207 kick return yards. Former BYU running back Luke Staley won the Doak Walker Award in 2001 with 1,582 rushing yards and 28 total touchdowns. - BYU Football

(DS#999 RB) rSr/2023

RB Lopini Katoa, Brigham Young
News Source: BYU Football
Share/Comment: Here

07/23/20 - Khyiris Tonga, Sr/2021, Brigham Young, 6-2, 325 (DS#12 DT) + More +

2020 BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST: DT Khyiris Tonga, BYU,...A senior from West Valley, Utah, Tonga has played in 39 games in his career with 21 starts on the defensive line. In 2019, Tonga posted 45 tackles and 4.0 tackles for loss. He was also named to the 2020 Nagurski Trophy Watch List, given to the most outstanding defensive lineman. - BYU Football

(DS#12 DT) Sr/2021

DT Khyiris Tonga, Brigham Young
News Source: BYU Football
Share/Comment: Here

07/23/20 - Matt Bushman, rSr/2021, Brigham Young, 6-5, 245 (DS#14 TE) + More +

2020 JOHN MACKEY AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST: Matt Bushman, BYU,...The former Freshman All-American has led the Cougars in receiving yards each of the last three years. Bushman has posted more than 500 receiving yards in each season, joining BYU consensus All-Americans Dennis Pitta and Gordon Hudson as the only tight ends in school history to do so. Pitta was a finalist for the Mackey Award in 2009. Bushman caught 47 balls for 688 yards and four touchdowns last season. He ranks tied for No. 4 among BYU tight ends with 125 career receptions and No. 6 in receiving yards with 1,719. - BYU Football

(DS#14 TE) rSr/2021

TE Matt Bushman, Brigham Young
News Source: BYU Football
Share/Comment: Here

07/20/20 - Kedon Slovis, rSr/2024, Brigham Young, 6-3, 223 (DS#16 QB) + More +

2020 PRESEASON DAVEY O'BRIEN AWARD WATCH LIST: Kedon Slovis, USC,...Slovis was the 2019 Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and a Freshman All-American first teamer. Last fall, he completed a Pac-12 record and NCAA freshman record 71.9% of his passes for a USC frosh record 3,502 yards with 30 TDs and just 9 interceptions. He ranked in the national Top 20 in completion percentage, passing yards, completions, passing efficiency, passing TDs and total offense. - USC Football

(DS#16 QB) rSr/2024

QB Kedon Slovis, Brigham Young
News Source: USC Football
Share/Comment: Here

07/16/20 - Christopher Brooks, rSr/2023, Brigham Young, 6-1, 219 (DS#40 RB) + More +

2020 PRESEASON DOAK WALKER AWARD WATCH LIST: Christopher Brown, Jr. (Jr.), Cal,...Has played in all 26 games possible including 12 starts since his arrival at Cal as a freshman in 2018 with all of his starts coming as a 2019 sophomore when he set career highs in rushes (208), yards rushing (914), rushing touchdowns (8), receptions (22), yards receiving (166), touchdown receptions (4), total touchdowns (12), points (72), total offense (914) and all-purpose yards (1259). - Cal Football

(DS#40 RB) rSr/2023

RB Christopher Brooks, Brigham Young
News Source: California Football
Share/Comment: Here

07/10/20 - Jackson Cravens, rSr/2024, Brigham Young, 6-2, 295 (DS#80 DT) + More +

Boise State has won at least 10 games in 18 of the past 22 seasons, a remarkable bit of consistency. Last year, the Broncos were 12-2 overall and won the MWC title, with one of those losses coming to BYU in Provo. There is a lot of great talent on the offensive side of the ball and a new coordinator in Eric Kiesau, but opponents will see more of the same wide-open attack that is keyed by a strong run game. Defensively, there are some holes to fill but a group of transfers - linebacker Brock Miller (North Carolina State) and defensive linemen Shane Irwin (Long Beach City College) and former Timpview standout Jackson Cravens (Utah) - should give the Broncos a jolt there. - Daily Herald

(DS#80 DT) rSr/2024

DT Jackson Cravens, Brigham Young
News Source: Daily Herald
Share/Comment: Here

07/08/20 - Lopini Katoa, rSr/2023, Brigham Young, 6-0, 210 (DS#999 RB) + More +

Last year's running back group suffered a constant barrage of injuries, causing changes to the depth chart on an almost-weekly basis. That can only bode well for the 2020 season. And it served as a learning lesson to those returning. "I think it helped everybody to see you've got to be ready at any point," redshirt junior Katoa said. "Guys can get hurt, so basically you have to have a room full of guys ready to play any Saturday." Katoa is one of the top two rushers coming back and led the team in carries for a second consecutive year in 2019.

The 6-foot-1 running back posted a team-high 853 all-purpose yards last season (358 rushing yards, 288 receiving yards and 207 yards on kick returns). While Katoa loves the running back position, he also enjoys catching the ball and wants to be able to help his team any way possible. So, he hopes to be able to provide the same level of production this year. "I hope to be able to run the ball, catch the ball and just be anywhere on the field where I can make a difference. I'm definitely preparing myself to do whatever it takes to know all positions, to be able to be on the field as much as possible I want to keep that up, to be dynamic." - Salt Lake Tribune

(DS#999 RB) rSr/2023

RB Lopini Katoa, Brigham Young
News Source: Salt Lake Tribune
Share/Comment: Here

07/05/20 - Austin Lee, Sr/2020, Brigham Young, 5-11, 197 (DS#21 FS) + More +

When a college football player's career comes to an end, they usually have two basic choices. Either they hope for an opportunity to play in the NFL or they move on to starting a career outside of football. A third choice does exist, however, one that in some ways combines career and football. That is to pursue job opportunities in coaching or training. Former BYU football safety Austin Lee has found himself in some ways stuck at the crossroads of life this summer. "I've talked to my wife, talked to my family, talked to my agent and tried to come up with a game plan of what to do," Lee said in a phone interview last week. "Right now there are a lot of unknown variables. There is so much uncertainty, so right now I'm just kind of putting my head down and grinding."

Lee spent the beginning of the year working to get into the best shape of his life, hoping to get a shot at playing football at the next level. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, changed everything. "It's been pretty crazy," Lee said. "I didn't expect all these things to happen. Sometimes things don't go as planned. I was fully prepared and confident that I was going to get my shot in the NFL and I'm still keeping that window open - but with everything going on that obviously didn't happen yet. Whether that is God's plan to push me in a different direction, I don't know. I guess that's to be determined." Lee didn't get drafted or sign as a free agent, and the pandemic limited opportunities to get mini-camp invitations. But he was determined to be ready if the call he wants to get ever came. - Daily Herald

(DS#21 FS) Sr/2020

FS Austin Lee, Brigham Young
News Source: Daily Herald
Share/Comment: Here

05/22/20 - *Zach Wilson, Jr/2021, Brigham Young, 6-2, 214 (DS#2 QB) + More +

A couple days after the NCAA decided that Division I football and basketball student-athletes can participate in on-campus voluntary athletic activities beginning June 1, BYU Athletics announced it will initiate a multiphase plan to allow its student-athletes that option. The NCAA encourages programs to follow all applicable local, state and federal regulations regarding use of such facilities, group size restrictions and any other limit. Council members also extended a blanket waiver allowing teams in those sports to require eight hours per week of virtual nonphysical activities through the end of June, recognizing that some student-athletes won't be able return to campus or will not be comfortable doing so.

Last week, Utah Governor Gary Herbert moved the state into yellow/low risk phase. The new health risk status allows groups of up to 50 people to get together, while still encouraging social distancing guidelines. BYU football and men's and women's basketball student-athletes will have the option to utilize select university athletic training facilities beginning Monday, June 1, under the supervision of the BYU training staff. - Salt Lake Tribune

(DS#2 QB) Jr/2021

QB *Zach Wilson, Brigham Young
News Source: Salt Lake Tribune
Share/Comment: Here

05/16/20 - Kedon Slovis, rSr/2024, Brigham Young, 6-3, 223 (DS#16 QB) + More +

His elbow had finally healed. His arm was finally back to normal. But for USC's Kedon Slovis, normal would last all of one mid-March practice, before a pandemic intervened. The rising sophomore quarterback has been home in Arizona ever since spring practice was abruptly canceled, trying his best to maintain a shred of normalcy during a crucial offseason expected to propel him to prominence. Slovis still watches film with offensive coordinator Graham Harrell over Zoom. He still works out three days per week, doing what he can without access to a home gym.

He throws at a local park on the days in between, with his private coach, Shawn Seaman, at his side and his dad, Max, as his lone receiver. "It's not exactly an ideal situation," Slovis said. But as he anxiously awaits a return to his college football routine, Slovis resolved to spend at least part of his quarantine embracing the circumstances of a new world. So, last month, on his 19th birthday, Slovis bought an acoustic guitar. "I always wanted to play," he said. "With sports growing up, though, I never had a chance for lessons. I always kept it in my back pocket." - Los Angeles Times

(DS#16 QB) rSr/2024

QB Kedon Slovis, Brigham Young
News Source: Los Angeles Times
Share/Comment: Here

05/16/20 - *Zach Wilson, Jr/2021, Brigham Young, 6-2, 214 (DS#2 QB) + More +

Pandemic or not, nothing's going to stop Zach Wilson from getting ready for the upcoming season - whenever it starts and whatever it looks like. When spring practice started in March, it became clear three quarterbacks would be vying for BYU's QB1 role. All three - Wilson, Jaren Hall and Baylor Romney - got starts during the Cougars' 2019 injury-laden season. Most importantly, they all showed they could do the job well. "I think just knowing that there's always going to be a competition is the way to treat everything," Wilson said. "Competition is what strives people to be their best selves. I know that's what the coaches are looking for in pushing me." But all three went through their fair share of injuries themselves last year. Before the season even started, Wilson had surgery on his shoulder and sat out spring practice, opening up the door for Hall to step in and get a majority of the reps at the time.

Then, once the season started, Wilson broke his right (throwing) thumb during the fifth game of the season, Hall sustained concussions in both games he started and Romney suffered a foot injury before the Utah State game that he was still recovering from in March. The Draper native thinks about last season often. He doesn't really like how it played out. "Last year, my biggest weakness was probably me physically," Wilson said. "With the shoulder being so rushed and having a broken hand halfway through the season, it was just hard to stay ready to go. Obviously, every week, mentally I felt like I was ready to go, but physically, it was hard to stay on top of it. So, that's probably my biggest focus now, just staying healthy and just continuing to get stronger and the shoulder continues to get healthier." - Salt Lake Tribune

(DS#2 QB) Jr/2021

QB *Zach Wilson, Brigham Young
News Source: Salt Lake Tribune
Share/Comment: Here

05/02/20 - Tristen Hoge, rSr/2021, Brigham Young, 6-5, 306 (DS#22 OG) + More +

BYU senior offensive lineman Tristan Hoge said the thought really never even crossed his mind. The opportunity for Hoge to become a graduate transfer was real. This generation of college football players always seems to be looking for the bigger, better deal. Hoge graduated from BYU this spring with a degree in political science. The 6-foot-5, 310-pound offensive guard would have made a pretty attractive prospect if he had chosen to look around.

"Coming back was something I knew I wanted to do," Hoge said. "I transferred once before and it was a hassle. I didn't see the point in transferring. I have great relationships and good stuff here with my coaches, my team and my brothers. Transferring would have been a tough pill to swallow and a jolt to my life that I didn't need." Hoge started all 13 games in 2018 for the Cougars on the offensive line after transferring from Notre Dame and redshirting one season. He started the first five games of the 2019 season including a double overtime thriller in Tennessee and an overtime victory at home against No. 25 USC. But Hoge injured his leg during the opener against Utah and struggled to fight through the pain. Hoge was held out of the South Florida game on Oct. 12 and eventually shut down for the rest of the season. - Daily Herald

(DS#22 OG) rSr/2021

OG Tristen Hoge, Brigham Young
News Source: Daily Herald
Share/Comment: Here

04/28/20 - Troy Warner, rSr/2021, Brigham Young, 6-1, 200 (DS#23 SS) + More +

It's been a long road. It started back in 2017, but it seems Troy Warner has finally reached the end of his recovery period that included three surgeries and multiple months of rehab. Now he's raring to go at any opportunity he can get. "There's obviously no words for how excited I am and how eager I am to just go out and show what I'm capable of," Warner said. "I mean, if I were to tell people what kind of goals I have set for myself, they think I'm crazy. But I really believe that I'm more than capable of achieving great things. I'm also excited to just be able to contribute to the team because you almost feel helpless when you're on the sideline and not being able to go out there and make plays for your team."

On Oct. 21, 2017, during the East Carolina game, Warner suffered a Lisfranc injury. The defensive back had surgery as soon as possible, went through nine months of rehab, and then had surgery again to have some hardware removed. Warner then got back into action and played the entirety of the 2018 season, but something was still wrong. The San Marcos, Calif., native played the whole season through pain and inflammation. Warner tried toughing it out, but eventually he came to the conclusion that his foot was not healthy. It turned out the plates in his foot had broken and one piece got engraved into bone, so Warner had a third surgery to get the broken pieces removed. - Salt Lake Tribune

(DS#23 SS) rSr/2021

SS Troy Warner, Brigham Young
News Source: Salt Lake Tribune
Share/Comment: Here

04/05/20 - Kedon Slovis, rSr/2024, Brigham Young, 6-3, 223 (DS#16 QB) + More +

With college sports shuttered, his Trojans stuck in isolation and the status of next football season in flux because of COVID-19, Clay Helton is trying to focus on the silver linings. Late-afternoon walks with his wife, Angela. Extra time with their three kids. Beautiful sunsets from his balcony. The work of teachers everywhere. The wonders of the Zoom app. "Everything has a silver lining," the USC coach said. The panic over the upcoming season remains pervasive, as hard decisions on how to proceed post-pandemic approach in the coming months. Pac-12 Conference Commissioner Larry Scott said this week he hoped decisions on the season's start date might be made by May 31, when the conference's suspension of team activities is scheduled to expire.

Helton wouldn't speculate on the future of the season when reached by phone Friday. But while he considered what a return to college football normalcy might require, Helton did suggest that his team would probably need a "minimum of four weeks" of ramp-up before safely proceeding with camp in the fall. That ramp-up period, Helton said, has been a point of discussion on recent conference calls with Pac-12 coaches. Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly suggested a similar timeline with reporters this week, while Scott mentioned the possibility of a "longer-than-normal" training camp "to somehow accommodate for the fact that we've missed spring." - Los Angeles Times

(DS#16 QB) rSr/2024

QB Kedon Slovis, Brigham Young
News Source: Los Angeles Times
Share/Comment: Here

03/19/20 - Lopini Katoa, rSr/2023, Brigham Young, 6-0, 210 (DS#999 RB) + More +

Before 2020 spring camp was cut short by efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19, the BYU football team's one official coaching vacancy - running backs coach - was being filled on an interim basis by former star and recent graduate assistant Harvey Unga. When asked about the spot, Cougar head coach Kalani Sitake would simply say BYU was evaluating potential candidates and that Unga was in the mix to get the job. Thursday morning it finally became official. The Cougars announced in a statement that Unga has been hired as the new running backs coach.

"I am excited to announce Harvey Unga as our running backs coach," Sitake said in the press release. "Harvey is a great young coach who was an elite player for BYU and is an extremely humble person. He knows the game, relates well to the players, and has done an outstanding job the past four years on our staff. We are excited to have him step into this role, and know he will excel in helping the young men in our program learn, grow and develop." With his background growing up in Provo, playing at Timpview High School, starring at running back for BYU and then coaching at his alma mater, this appears to be a perfect fit for Unga. - Daily Herald

(DS#999 RB) rSr/2023

RB Lopini Katoa, Brigham Young
News Source: Daily Herald
Share/Comment: Here

Previous 15 Notes

|Back to Page One|

Next 15 Notes

Warning: Undefined array key "TeamID" in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\2020rightcolteam.php on line 56

Warning: Undefined array key "DSTeamID" in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\2020rightcolteam.php on line 57

Brigham Young Football Videos

Buy Draft Scout Weekly

** Draft Scout Data **
(Everything Online PLUS)

Support Draft Scout

The Database Engine for NFLDraftScout.com, Draft Scout is being repurposed...Support the Future Development of ScoutNation.com...

Draft Scout Archives

** 2010-2022 Draft Scout Archives **
(Yearly Player Data Exports, Prospect Lists & More)

Draft Scout Future

100% Dedicated and Never Done

80% Innovated

45% Hidden

35% Built

2025 CFB/2025-2029 NFL Draft Scout

2024 CFB/2024-2028 NFL Draft Scout

2023 CFB/2024-2027 NFL Draft Scout

NFL Draft Scout History

2022 Draft Scout

Draft Scout by Conference

2023 Draft Scout Offense

2023 Draft Scout Defense

2022 Draft Scout Offense

2022 Draft Scout Defense

Brigham Young Football Videos

Buy Draft Scout Weekly

Support Draft Scout

Draft Scout Archives

Draft Scout Future

Synergization

Did You Know?

Hidden Designs

Future Development