BYU football: Breaking down the Cougar receivers

BYU football’s wide receivers left a lot to be desired last season. Will things change this year for the Cougars?

For the vast majority of last year, BYU football’s only effective offensive weapon was running back Jamaal Williams. The passing game stalled often as Taysom Hill often was inaccurate and the receivers rarely created separation.

In 2017-18, the Cougars will be looking to change things.

They will have to replace their top three statistical receivers from a season ago, but BYU football appears to be in a much better place athletically.

Here’s how the wide receivers break down.

What BYU football lost

The Cougars will have to replace the production of Nick Kurtz, Colby Pearson and Mitch Juergens this season.

Pearson snagged 38 passes for 384 yards and four touchdowns. He was one of the biggest surprises of the year with how well he played.

Kurtz was BYU football’s leading receiver a season ago – but that isn’t saying too much. He caught 49 passes (10 more than his junior season total), but finished with just 541 yards (37 fewer) and two touchdowns. After a strong 2015 season when he was second-fiddle to Mitch Mathews, it was thought Kurtz would be a dominant receiver, but it just didn’t play out that way.

Juergens finished with 34 receptions, 333 yards and two scores.

Totals: 121 receptions, 1,258 yards, 8 TDs

BYU football’s depth chart

In the depth chart provided at BYU football’s Media Day, the wide receivers look like this:

WR 1: Jonah Trinnaman, Akile Davis

WR 2: Talon Shumway, Micah Simon

Slot WR: Aleva Hifo, Inoke Lotulelei

There’s a lot to be excited about with this group. They’re more athletic than those lost, and they’re in their second year with Ty Detmer and Ben Cahoon.

Not to mention that Tanner Mangum is a more polished passer than Taysom Hill, so that may help.

Next: Cougars Have Seven Years To Make Conference

Trinnaman was viewed largely as a disappointment last year. The four-star JUCO transfer caught 28 passes for 321 yards (11.5 yards per catch) and one touchdown last season. But, the touchdown came on a 75-yard bomb against Toledo. Take that away and Trinnaman posted 27 receptions for 246 yards (9.1 yards per catch).

But, there’s a lot to like about Trinnaman. He’s incredibly quick (4.34-second 40-yard dash), he’s a tenacious blocker and he’s a tough kid. I expect him to make a much greater impact in his senior season.

Akile Davis is another guy that’s interesting. He’s a great athlete – the Cougars practiced him on offense and defense last year – and he’s got good instincts. He might be the type of player that can stretch the defense.

Hifo is another speedster. His impact came mostly on special teams last season – but I still remember a miscommunication with Hill last season against UCLA. Hifo was wide open on a post route, but Hill threw the pass like it was a flag route. Clearly someone was incorrect – we obviously will never know who – but that might have changed the game against the Bruins.

All in all, it’s an exciting group of players. Nearly all of them are coming off of solid spring practices, but it will be important to keep that rolling into fall camp, which is just a few weeks away.