2008 OUTLOOK: BYU should be dynamic offensively with QB Max Hall at the controls, but if he goes down, the situation is muddy. Junior Brendan Gaskins and sophomore Kurt McEuen didn't settle the backup job. The line should protect Hall better than it did last year when he got banged around a bit. The Cougars are loaded at WR and RB. They have questions in the defensive secondary, but coach Bronco Mendenhall believes he has the personnel to plug in to get the desired results. If that happens, BYU should be able to play with anybody on its schedule.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE
With so many returning starters, Mendenhall says he's asking even more of the offense for the Cougars to take that next step into the national spotlight. TE Dennis Pitta just adds to the ammunition BYU will have on offense. If Hall shows the normal progress of a QB entering his second year as the starter, the Cougars will be hard to stop.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
DE Jan Jorgensen became one of the best defensive players in the conference by season's end in 2007. Now a junior, Jorgensen also is stepping in as a leader. If the linebacking corps is as good as Mendenhall thinks it is, BYU's front seven will be as good as any in the conference. CBs Brandon Howard and Scott Johnson were atop the depth chart at spring's end and must continue to develop in the scheme for the Cougars to stay consistent.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS
Mitch Payne had a strong spring, which is good for him because the Cougars recruited true freshman Justin Sorensen, an all-state performer from South Jordan, Utah, to compete for the job. C.J. Santiago returns as punter, and the Cougars have several options at kickoff and punt returner.

ROSTER REPORT

--B Terrance Hooks, on whom BYU was counting to be a significant contributor in the rotation in the interior, tore an ACL and is out for the season.

--Though BYU lost NT Eathyn Manumaleuna to a two-year church mission, Russell Tialavea returns from an ACL for his junior season.

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