BYU Football: Three players that could be clutch for the Cougars in 2018
By Adam Gibby
Successful teams need playmakers that come through in the clutch. These three BYU Football players may not be the stars, but can make a difference when needed.
Kyle Van Noy is considered one of the best defensive ends that ever played for BYU. The crazy thing about Van Noy is that in his senior season, he was sixth on the team in tackles. So why is he the most-remembered defensive players?
He was clutch.
Of his 53 tackles, 13 were sacks and 22 were for a loss. Van Noy showed up when it mattered most.
Andrew George, Mitchell Juergens, and Tanner Balderree are other players that come to mind as clutch players that weren’t necessarily the team’s statistical star.
In 2017, there wasn’t a player that came through in the clutch. The team struggled with getting stops and picking up first downs as a result.
Here are three players that could be clutch for BYU Football this season.
Defense
Corbin Kaufusi
If there was a player who came through when it mattered last season it was Kaufusi. He recorded six sacks and forced two fumbles, but he didn’t make those game-changing plays.
Kaufusi did come through on special teams, blocking field goals and affecting punts, but again it wasn’t game-changing. To make his presence felt this season, the defensive end will have to make a bigger impact on 1st through 3rd downs.
This upcoming season will be his last year of eligibility, and it will be the first full year of Kaufusi focusing solely on football. There is little doubt that Kaufusi will be an impact player, but the question is, can he be a game changer?