BYU came out of Saturday’s win over Colorado State a little shorthanded on offense, but Kalani Sitake left the door open for a quick turnaround.
The Cougars were without tight end Roger Saleapaga and right guard Kyle Sfarcioc, but Sitake said after the game that both should be back for BYU’s next matchup against TCU.
“It was gonna be on a game-time decision for both those guys,” Sitake said. “We felt good with what Trevin Ostler was doing, for our whole line, and then felt good about our depth there.
We used Bott Mulitalo quite a bit too, so we felt good with Kyle. We just felt like if we made a decision to hold him in this game that we would definitely get him back from TCU.
Same thing with Roger. I I think that was a fair trade-off.”
Sitake also said wide receiver Tiger Bachmeier, who was not dressed for the game, will be available against TCU.
The absence of Sfarcioc opened the door for Trevin Ostler, who started in his place and handled himself well. BYU leaned on him as a lead blocker on several explosive runs, and that showing mattered because Ostler had been in the mix for the final starting guard job during fall camp.
Saleapaga’s absence changed the shape of the offense, too. BYU used less 12 personnel - one running back and two tight ends - and when it did go to that package, Keayen Nead was the one taking those snaps. Nead played 28 snaps and finished with one catch for six yards.
There’s also more to Saleapaga’s game than the numbers have shown so far this season. He hasn’t been targeted in games as much as he was in practice, but when healthy he gives the offense another layer. That’s why getting him back for TCU matters.
Bachmeier’s situation has already nudged the receiver rotation into a tighter group. Even before he was out, BYU was essentially working with three or four wideouts, and the top three have clearly been Legend Glasker, Kyler Kasper and Jojo Phillips. Those three drew 12 of Bachmeier’s 16 pass attempts.
Reggie Frischknecht is the next name in line. He played 21 snaps and got the start, but his lone target came on a hurried throw from Treyon Bourguet. The pass was tipped into the air and intercepted.
In Other News...
BYU Now Faces The Quarterback It Nearly Brought To Provo
Hauss Hejny is back in the spotlight this week as Colorado States starting quarterback, adding a little extra intrigue for BYU fans who followed his transfer recruitment not long ago. Before landing in Fort Collins, Hejny had already spent time at TCU and Oklahoma State, and BYU was among the programs trying to bring him to Provo before he chose another path.
The Cougars ultimately turned to Bear Bachmeier at quarterback after Hejny committed elsewhere, leaving this matchup with a familiar what-if attached to it. Colorado States staff has its own BYU connection too, with former Cougars assistant Matt Mitchell helping recruit Hejny, which only deepens the crossover as BYU gets ready to see the quarterback it came close to adding. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Just Added More Heat To BYUs Big 12 Race
Texas Tech found a way to survive Houston in Lubbock, edging the Cougars 28-26 in a Big 12 game that carried plenty of late tension and even more weight in the conference standings. The Red Raiders had to rally from an early deficit, and they got enough from key moments involving Kenny Johnson and JKoby Williams to stay alive in a game that looked headed for even more drama down the stretch.
For BYU, the bigger takeaway is what this does to the conference chase. Every Texas Tech win in a tight Big 12 race adds another layer of pressure, and this one came with a controversial finish at the goal line on a two-point attempt that left Houston frustrated and the outcome hanging on a razor-thin call. The Cougars are going to feel that ripple, because results like this keep tightening the path to the top. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Revives A Rivalry That Still Means More Than Fans Admit
BYU and Colorado State are set to meet again in Fort Collins, bringing back a rivalry that has been dormant since 2010 but never really disappeared from the memory of people who lived through it. The matchup carries a different feel now, of course, with both programs having spent years navigating conference changes and the shifting economics of college football, but there is still enough history attached to make this more than a routine nonconference date.
Some of the people closest to BYU have firsthand reasons to appreciate what this game used to mean. Current Cougars coaches played in past meetings, which gives this renewal a little extra texture beyond the usual nostalgia, and it also serves as a reminder of how quickly the sport has changed around old regional series. Even with realignment and financial pressures reshaping schedules everywhere, this one has enough legacy to feel like a small piece of something larger returning to the calendar. [Read more 🡒]