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Oct 09 | 05:00 PM
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Anonymous
| Posted: 9 Oct 1999 | Updated: 8 Nov 2020
PROVO -- Heshi Robertson's fourth-quarter interception reversed the momentum Saturday so No. 24 BYU could seal a 38-28 Homecoming victory over Cal-Berkeley.
The Cougars, now 4-1, took an early 21-0 lead over Cal, now 2-3, only to have the margin close to 21-14 by halftime before the third sellout of the season with a crowd of 65,617. Robertson's interception on the BYU six yard-line with 7:07 left in the game stopped a four-play Bear drive.
"That play was huge for us," said BYU Coach LaVell Edwards, "because they had worked Kevin (Feterik) over all night long. He will be sore tomorrow. Cal has one of the best defensive fronts we have seen in some time, they are very, very good."
Twelve plays later Luke Staley scored on a seven-yard run to pad the lead to 38-21. That drive was aided by back-to-back, multi-tackle breaking runs of 27 and 11 yards from freshman Fahu Tahi which moved the pigskin out to the 35-yard-line.
"Fahu Tahi came on real big and we used up a lot of the clock," said Edwards. Tahi and Staley each netted 53 yards rushing.
"It was disappointing what happened at the end of the second quarter when we went three-and-out several times in a row."
After winning the toss for the fifth time this season, BYU stopped Cal's initial drive when a 39-yard field goal was wide right. Feterik soon found Jonathan Pittman for the first of two touchdowns to him at 7:25 in the first quarter on a 41-yard strike.
Feterik was 25 of 41 for 414 yards passing with four touchdowns and three interceptions. He completed his first eight passes of the game, next finding Tevita Ofahengaue for a 28-yard TD pass with 1:35 left in the first quarter and hitting Margin Hooks for a 29-yard pass with 8:19 in the second quarter. Hooks led all nine Cougar receivers with seven catches for 108 yards.
"We started off nice and then got a little too complacent," said Feterik, who had ice bags on both elbows and his left knee after the game. "I'm pretty sore. I thought last week was bad, but I got hit pretty much every play. Their defensive ends were on me almost before the snap."
Feterik got sacked six times for 42 yards midway through the third period, but rebounded in leading BYU to a drive which culminated in a 44-yard field goal in the third and a 44-yard TD pass again to Pittman with 12:11 in the fourth.
"We put a lot of pressure on him (Feterik), but they're passing game is pretty darn good," said Cal Coach Tom Holmoe, a former BYU player and graduate assistant coach. "We must have hit him 30 times, but he just kept coming back."
"We were disappointed we didn't give Kevin more time," said BYU center Jimmy Richards. "But for a bunch of little fat guys we did a good job adjusting. I was really impressed with their defense. They ran a lot of twists and stunts. They were extremely quick and they are good athletes."
Pochman's field goal tied him with Leonard Chitty for a school-record 34 career field goals.
Robertson's interception was the only one given up by Cal freshman quarterback Kyle Boller during the game.
"Good coaching helped me get that interception," said Robertson. "I was on an island and it was just me and him. I took away the inside and the fade."
Cal scored two of its touchdowns off interceptions, a 19-yard snare by Deltha O'Neal when Feterik was trying to throw the ball away in the second quarter and an 80-yard return by Damian Marzett when a Cougar running back fell down on a screen pass in the third quarter.
The Bears' other TDs came in the second quarter off a Joe Igber 11-yard run in the second quarter and a 55-yard pass from Boller to LaShaun Ward with two seconds left in the game. Igber netted 116 yards off 18 rushes.
This was the first meeting between Cal and BYU, who are scheduled for a rematch to start the 2001 season at Berkeley.
Date: Oct 09, 1999Site: Provo Utah
Stadium: Cougar Stadium
Attendance: 65,617
Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Score
----------------- -- -- -- -- -----
California.......... 0 14 7 7 - 28
Brigham Young....... 14 7 3 14 - 38
Scoring Summary
1st 07:25 BYU - PITTMAN, Jonath 41 yd pass from FETERIK, Kevin (POCHMAN, Owen kick)
01:35 BYU - OFAHENGAUE, Tev 28 yd pass from FETERIK, Kevin (POCHMAN, Owen kick)
2nd 08:19 BYU - HOOKS, Margin 29 yd pass from FETERIK, Kevin (POCHMAN, Owen kick)
04:59 CAL - D. O'Neal 19 yd interception return (M. Jensen kick)
02:22 CAL - J. Igber 11 yd run (M. Jensen kick)
3rd 05:13 BYU - POCHMAN, Owen 44 yd field goal
00:18 CAL - D. Marzett 80 yd interception return (M. Jensen kick)
4th 12:11 BYU - PITTMAN, Jonath 44 yd pass from FETERIK, Kevin (POCHMAN, Owen kick)
01:21 BYU - STALEY, Luke 7 yd run (POCHMAN, Owen kick)
00:02 CAL - L. Ward 55 yd pass from K. Boller (M. Jensen kick)
Team Statistics
CAL BYU
FIRST DOWNS................... 13 27
Rushing..................... 4 6
Passing..................... 6 18
Penalty..................... 3 3
Rushing Attempts.............. 33 37
Yards Gained Rushing.......... 161 151
Yards Lost Rushing............ 37 75
NET YARDS RUSHING............. 124 76
NET YARDS PASSING............. 173 414
Passes Attempted............ 33 41
Passes Completed............ 11 25
Had Intercepted............. 1 3
TOTAL OFFENSIVE PLAYS......... 66 78
TOTAL NET YARDS............... 297 490
Average Gain Per Play....... 4.5 6.3
Fumbles: Number-Lost.......... 1-1 2-0
Penalties: Number-Yards....... 14-88 3-31
Number of Punts-Yards......... 9-425 7-276
Average Per Punt............ 47.2 39.4
Punt Returns: Number-Yards.... 3-31 6-45
Kickoff Returns: Number-Yards. 2-46 0-0
Interceptions: Number-Yards... 3-99 1-0
Fumble Returns: Number-Yards.. 0-0 1-18
Miscellaneous Yards........... 0 0
Possession Time............... 25:07 35:11
Third-Down Conversions........ 4 of 16 6 of 14
Fourth-Down Conversions....... 0 of 0 0 of 0
Sacks By: Number-Yards........ 6-42 3-18
Anonymous
| Posted: 5 Oct 1999 | Updated: 28 Apr 2011
Anonymous
Saturday's game will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools. This year's game will mark the front end of a home-and-home series with Cal, with the back half being played in Berkeley on Sept. 8, 2001. Cal has played only once in the state of Utah throughout its history, defeating Utah, 35-22, in 1963. Cal is 3-1 vs. teams from the Beehive State (all games against Utah). Cal head coach Tom Holmoe will make his return to Provo on Saturday. Holmoe was a starting cornerback at BYU from 1980-82 and lead the WAC with seven interceptions as a sophomore. He was a first team All-WAC performer as a senior and went on to a successful professional career with the San Francisco 49ers. Later, he returned to BYU as a graduate assistant before moving on as an assistant coach at Stanford under Bill Walsh.
Scouting the Golden Bears
Cal enters Saturday's game following a 31-7 loss at Washington State on Oct. 2. The Golden Bears are 2-2 on the season, including wins against Rutgers and a one-point PAC-10 win against Arizona State, 24-23. Cal lost at Nebraska on Sept 11, 45-0, marking the teams worst lost since taking a 66-0 beating at USC on Oct. 22, 1994. The Bears are under the direction of former BYU defensive standout Tom Holmoe. Holmoe is in his third season at Cal and has posted a 10-16 career mark at Berkeley. Cal enters Saturday's game as the nation 110th ranked offense, averaging just 211.75 total yards per game. The Bears rank 100th in passing offense, chalking up just over 134 yards per game. The Cal running game ranks 112th, averaging 77.5 yards per contest. The Golden Bears have been outscored by their opponents, 106-52, over four games. Stat leaders for Cal include, junior tailback Marcus Fields (61.5 y/pg), freshman quarterback Kyle Boller (90-40-3, 109.8 y/pg), redshirt freshman receiver Mike Ainsworth (67.5 y/pg).
Statistical Comparison
During the summer, BYU athletic media relations' personnel distributed some 300 wooden train whistles to various media throughout the country, touting Rob "Freight Train" Morris for the prestigious Butkus Award - an honor given annually to college football's top linebacker. The whistles, which state, "It's Time to Toot His Horn", are a play off an interview between Morris and ABC's Dan Fouts. During the interview Morris told Fouts when he sacked a quarterback, it could be compared to "a freight train hitting a Yugo." The BYU season ticket campaign, "Get on Board", and several other promotions have centered around Morris' candidacy for the Butkus Award. During each home game, some 33,000 wooden train whistles will be blown every time BYU makes a good play or when Morris makes a tackle. The Butkus watch list will be trimmed to 10 candidates (down from 65) on Oct. 21. According to this week's ESPN "Butkus Watch", Morris ranks third in the nation. Despite a third-quarter injury, Morris lead the Cougars with five tackles against Colorado State, including three unassisted and two assisted takedowns. Morris tallied two quarterback hurries and a tackle for a six-yard loss.
Team Statistics BYU CAL
Scoring 143 52
Points per Game 35.8 13.0
First Downs 114 54
Rushing Yardage 558 311
Average per Rush 4.0 2.3
Average per Game 139.5 77.8
Rushing TDs 6 2
Passing Yardage 1403 537
Att-Comp-Int 179-118-5 108-48-4
Average per Game 350.8 134.2
Passing TDs 12 3
Total Offense 1961 848
Kick Returns/No. Yards 9/229 15/358
Punt Returns/No. Yards 9/17 14/131
Interception Returns/No. Yds 6/190 3/110
Fumbles/Lost 7/6 8/6
Penalties/Yards 35/299 39/290
Punts/Yards 11/484 28/1218
Time of Possession p/game 33:46 27:46
3rd Down Conversions 23/53 15/59
4th Down Conversions 3/4 1/3
Sacks by/Yards 5/41 20/131
Touchdowns Scored 19 7
Field Goals/Attempted 4/9 1/6
PAT Attempts 15/17 7/7
Score by Quarters 1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT Total
Brigham Young 14 56 45 25 3 143
California 7 21 14 10 -- 52
Hooks on Record Pace
Wide receiver Margin Hooks leads the Cougars with 20 catches for 343 yards over three games. The 5-11 speedster from Waco, Texas needs just 899 yards to set the single-season yardage record - that's an average of 128.4 yards per game. Currently, Hooks is on pace to eclipse the 943-yard mark. After three games, Hooks leads the Cougar roster with 85.8 yards receiving per game. Hooks finished his sophomore season with a career-high 732 yards and three touchdowns.
Spreading the Wealth
In the Cougars 38-25 win over Washington, BYU quarterback Kevin Feterik used 12 different receivers to compile a career-high 501 yards passing, including three touchdown passes. Junior Margin Hooks was the Cougars' leading receiver, racking up 140 yards on eight receptions. The Cougars tallied 39 receptions, averaging 12.8 yards per catch. One week later, Feterik used 10 different receivers to upend Colorado State with 310 yards passing. All totaled, BYU has used 15 different receivers over four games and has averaged 10.5 different receivers per game.
BYU Climbs Back Into Top-25
Following the Cougars' 34-31 overtime win at Utah State on Friday, the Cougars climbed back in to the AP and USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Top-25. BYU, ranked 24th in both polls, had fallen from the top-25 after losing to Virginia in a 45-40 shootout in Provo.
Coach Edwards - (246-92-3; 28th season -- Career Game No. 342)
BYU head coach LaVell Edwards is in his 28th season at the helm of the Cougar program. Edwards has produced all but one winning season since taking over the program in 1972, posting a 246-92-3 record during his tenure. Edwards' teams have passed for over 56 miles during his 27-year career, chalked up a National Championship in 1984 and was named college football's Coach of the Year in 1979 and 1984. He has coached two Outland Trophy winners, four Davey O'Brien Trophy winners, 31 All-Americans, 11 conference Player of the Year recipients, 21 Academic All-Americans and has led the Cougars to seven NCAA single-season passing titles. Since 1972, Edwards has guided BYU to 21 postseason bowl appearances, including a string of 17 straight. Only Michigan, Alabama and Nebraska have laced together a string of more consecutive appearances. Saturday's game will mark the 157th home game for Edwards since becoming head coach in 1972. In 27 seasons, Edwards is 127-29 (.814) in Cougar Stadium. The former Utah State lineman ranks seventh in total victories on the NCAA's all-time list. Edwards needs 10 more wins to tie Nebraska's Tom Osborne for sixth. Among active coaches, Edwards ranks eighth with a 72.6 career winning percentage.
Broadcast Information
Saturday's game will be broadcast live by ABC, beginning at 5 p.m. (MST). The game will be broadcast along the West Coast, including Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona and Nevada. In addition, KTVX, Ch. 4 in Salt Lake City, as well as the ABC affiliate in Idaho Falls, Ida., will carry the game. Veteran sportscaster Charlie Jones will call the action, with Nick Lowery serving as the color analyst.
Did You Know?
Following his freshman season at BYU, fullback Kalani Sitake received his LDS Church mission call to Oakland, Calif. While serving in the Oakland area, Sitake, a native of Kirkwood, Mo., was assigned to the Berkeley campus for over six months.
Last Week
Owen Pochman kicked a 34-yard field goal on the first overtime possession, lifting Brigham Young to a wild 34-31 victory over intrastate rival Utah State in front of the third-largest crowd in Romney Stadium history. Pochman, who missed two of four field goal attempts, calmly split the uprights in the extra session. The Cougars (3-1) escaped with the win moments later when Utah State's Brad Bohn could not connect on a 42-yard attempt. The win was the fourth straight for BYU over the Aggies (1-3). The Cougars lead the all-time series, 37-33-3, winning 14 of the last 15 meetings. BYU coach LaVell Edwards is 20-6 against his alma mater. A crowd of 31,220 watched BYU's Kevin Feterik come out of the lockerrom with a sprained MCL in his left knee throw for 289 yards and four touchdowns. His 14-yard scoring strike to tight end Tevita Ofahengaue with 7:23 remaining gave the Cougars a 31-20 lead. But Bohn booted a 47-yard field goal less than two minutes later and Jeff Crosbie found running back Demario Brown for a four-yard TD with 21 seconds left. Aaron Jones caught a pass for the tying two-point conversion. Feterik, who completed 23-of-36 passes with an interception, also threw for scores of 26, four and five yards. He twice hooked up with tight end Doug Jolley for short TDs and connected with Jonathan Pittman on a 26-yard touchdown late in the first quarter to bring the Cougars within 14-7. Crosbie was 19-of-41 for 311 yards and two first-quarter touchdowns. His 87-yard TD strike down the right sidelines to Aaron Jones midway through the first quarter was the sixth-longest play in school history. Demario Brown gained 91 yards on 24 carries but the rest of Utah State's ground game was shut down. The Aggies managed only 108 rushing yards, 110 yards less than BYU, which racked up 497 yards of total offense. Fahu Tahi carried 22 times for 116 yards for Brigham Young, marking the first 100-yard performance of the season.st in school history.
Pound for Pound
The BYU offensive line totals a whopping 1,490 pounds, averaging 298 pounds per man. The Bears' defensive line averages 270.0 pounds. Defensively, the Cougars' front four averages nearly 274 pounds, while the California offensive line weighs in at 308.0 pounds per man.
First & Ten Topics
Entering Saturday's game, BYU will look to extend its NCAA-record 304 games without being shutout. BYU was last shutout during the 1975 season (Sept. 27, 1975 vs. Arizona State). To put this streak in perspective, the Cougars have never been shutout during the entire lifetime of current BYU quarterback Kevin Feterik. (Feterik was born Sept. 14, 1977).
BYU has thrown at least one touchdown pass in nine straight games, dating back last season. Despite winning the game 13-0, the Cougar offense did not score a touchdown against San Diego State last season. During that streak, when BYU connects on at least one TD pass, the Cougars are 6-3.
Senior quarterback Kevin Feterik has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 22 of his 27 games. Feterik has thrown 39 TD receptions (Conference championships and bowl games do not count) throughout his career and needs just six more to break in to the all-time top-10 list. Gary Sheide ranks 10th with 45 TD receptions.
BYU has posted a 37-19-1 record in homecoming games. (Homecoming games were not played from 1932 through 1946.) During the LaVell Edwards' era, the Cougars are 21-5 in homecoming contests. BYU has played PAC-10 opponents twice before during homecoming, posting a 1-1 record. Against non-conference opponents, however, BYU is just 1-4. Perhaps BYU officials should look to schedule Conference opponents for the annual homecoming game ... the Cougars are 20-2 on homecoming when playing league opponents.
Freshman Fahu Tahi recorded 116 yards on the ground against Utah State, marking the first 100-yard individual rushing performance since the Cougars' 26-24 win at Utah on Nov. 21, 1998 (Jenkins, 128 yds.)
The Streak Continues
BYU will look to extend its NCAA record 304 straight games without being shutout on Friday. The Cougars were last blanked in 1977 when Arizona State defeated BYU, 20-0. That loss still marks BYU head coach LaVell Edwards' only shutout in 27 seasons (341 games). Since being shutout in the first quarter of the Washington game, BYU scored in seven straight quarters before being blanked in the first quarter of the Virginia game. Since then, the Cougars have racked up another streak of seven straight point-producing quarters. BYU scored a season-high 19 points in the second quarter against Virginia and have three times scored 14 points in a single quarter (3rd quarter vs. Washington; 2nd quarter vs. Colorado State and 2nd quarter vs. Virginia.) Throughout the season, the Cougars have enjoyed the most scoring production in the second quarter, outscoring their opponents, 56-13.
Cougars on National TV
Since its first national television appearance in 1974, BYU has posted a 39-23-2 record while playing in front of a national audience, including a 20-14 mark on ABC. BYU has been a regular on ESPN's Thursday Night Game of the Week in recent history, compiling an 9-2 overall record and a current five-game winning streak. Current assistant coach, Robbie Bosco, led the Cougars to a 20-14 win over Pitt in the first live ESPN College Football broadcast in 1984. Over 11 years ago the Cougars recorded their largest margin of victory while playing on national television, defeating Texas, 72-6, on Sept. 8, 1988. The Cougars last appearance on ABC was during the 1998 season - a 20-10 loss at Washington. The Cougars first played on ABC Oct. 20, 1973 in a 52-12 loss at Arizona State. Following is a breakdown of the Cougars record on a few of the national/regional networks:
ABC -- 20-14
CBS -- 3-1
NBC -- 2-2
ESPN -- 24-13-2
ESPN2 -- 2-3
Fox Sports -- 1-0
TBS -- 1-0
USA -- 0-1
For Whom the Whistle Blows
During the summer, BYU athletic media relations' personnel distributed some 300 wooden train whistles to various media throughout the country, touting Rob "Freight Train" Morris for the prestigious Butkus Award - an honor given annually to college football's top linebacker. The whistles, which state, "It's Time to Toot His Horn", are a play off an interview between Morris and ABC's Dan Fouts. During the interview Morris told Fouts when he sacked a quarterback, it could be compared to "a freight train hitting a Yugo." The BYU season ticket campaign, "Get on Board", and several other promotions have centered around Morris' candidacy for the Butkus Award. During each home game, some 33,000 wooden train whistles will be blown every time BYU makes a good play or when Morris makes a tackle. The Butkus watch list will be trimmed to 10 candidates (down from 65) on Oct. 21. Despite a third-quarter injury, Morris led the Cougars with five tackles against Colorado State, including three unassisted and two assisted takedowns. Morris tallied two quarterback hurries and a tackle for a six-yard loss. Morris did not play against Virginia and USU due to a lower abdominal strain.
Year UT AT TFL FR FC PI D BK HUR SCK
1993 3 8 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
1997 61 49 8.5 0 0 0 1 0 6 1
1998 114 33 16 1 1 1 4 1 11 6
1999 8 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
TOTALS 186 94 25.5 1 1 1 6 1 19 7
One Fine Season -- And Plenty More To Come
Senior quarterback Kevin Feterik racked up 501 yards passing on Thursday, Sept. 9 (vs. Washington), marking the most single-game passing yards by a BYU quarterback since the beginning of the 1996 season. Through four games, Feterik's total, combined with his rushing numbers, rank him second in the nation in total offense (347.75) Feterik completed 39-of-59 pass attempts, setting a new Cougar Stadium record for most pass attempts in a game against the Huskies and followed that with a 310-yard effort (28-of-37) against Colorado State. Although Feterik threw three interceptions against Virginia, he racked up 303 yards passing on 28 of 47 attempts and tallied three touchdowns. Against Utah State, the senior QB tallied 289 yards and tied a career high with four touchdown passes, including two TD strikes and (The 6-0 senior also led the Cougars to 37 first downs in the season-opener - also a Cougar Stadium record. Averaging 12.10 yards per reception, Feterik used 12 different BYU receivers against Washington and 10 different receivers against Colorado State, while using just eight against the Cavaliers and nine against USU. For his accomplishments against Washington, Feterik was named the USA Today.com Player-of-the-Week honors and has twice earned Mountain West Conference Offensive Player-of-the-Week honors. Feterik has posted a 6-1 record when passing for over 300 yards in a game. When passing for over 200 yards, Feterik is 12-4. The senior left-hander has also passed for at least one touchdown in nine straight games and 12 of his last 13. Over 179 attempts, Feterik has had just five interceptions, that's one INT for every 35.8 pass attempts.
Year Games Cmp Att Int Pct Lng Yds TD YPG
1996 1 5 8 1 .625 15 26 1 4.3
1997 8 125 208 5 .601 70 1767 11 220.9
1998 14 202 336 6 .601 83 2718 16 209.1
1999 4 118 179 5 .660 46 1403 12 350.7
TOTALS 27 450 731 17 .616 83 5914 40 219.7
Home Sweet Home
Prior to the loss against Virginia, BYU had won eight straight home games in Cougar Stadium, dating back through the 1998 season. Last year, the Cougars went 6-0 within the friendly confines of Cougar Stadium. In 1999, BYU has posted a 2-1 mark, including wins over Washington and Colorado State. Saturday, BYU returns to Cougar Stadium to take on California, marking five straight games without leaving the state. BYU's first "true road game" will be on Oct. 16 when the Cougars travel to New Mexico. The Cougars have posted a 150-45-0 (.770) record through 36 season, averaging just over four home wins per season. During the 90s, BYU has posted a 46-12-0 record at Cougar Stadium. BYU finished the 1998 season with a perfect 6-0 mark at Cougar Stadium. The Cougars outscored their opponents by a combined score of 212-93 at home last season, including a 13-0 shutout against San Diego State. Since becoming head coach in 1972, LaVell Edwards' teams have posted 127 wins over 157 games (.810) in Provo. Since 1964, the year Cougar Stadium opened, BYU has had just two losing home seasons (0-5, 1968; 1-3, 1971). Next season, BYU will host Mississippi State for hits home opener. That game will mark the 200th game played by BYU in Cougar Stadium.
Injury Update
Running back Mike Nielsen will miss the next 2-4 weeks with a broken bone in the top of his right foot. Nielsen, a Utah State transfer, suffered the injury on a kickoff, when a Washington player ran across the top of his foot. Linebacker Rob Morris suffered a lower abdominal strain against Colorado State. Morris has missed the Virginia and Utah State games, but is expected to play against Cal. Tight end Carlos Nunos tore the MCL in his left knee against Virginia and is expected to miss the next 3-5 weeks. Quarterback Kevin Feterik sprained the MCL in his left knee against Utah State. Feterik is not expected to miss any action.
Cougars Rank Among National Leaders
Senior quarterback Kevin Feterik ranks second in the nation in total offense (347.75 yds/pg) after producing 491 yards in the season-opener, 294 yards against Colorado State, another 321 yards against Virginia and 285 yards against Utah State. Feterik also ranks 13th in passing offense with a 148.3 efficiency rating. Freshman Luke "Superman" Staley ranks fourth in the nation in scoring, averaging 14.0 points per game after a pair of touchdowns against Washington, three TDs against Colorado State and two more against Virginia. (Staley did not play against Utah State.) Averaging 85.75 receiving yards per game, Hooks ranks 33rd nationally. In the team rankings. BYU ranks second in passing offense, averaging 350.8 yards passing per game. The Cougs rank fifth nationally in total offense, posting an average 490.25 yards per contest. Averaging 35.8 points per game, BYU ranks 16th in scoring.
Cougar Stadium Records Fall
Three Cougar Stadium records fell by the wayside on Thursday, Sept. 9 (vs. Washington). Senior QB Kevin Feterik made 59 pass attempts, breaking both the individual and team records. The old individual record of 57 attempts was held by John Walsh (BYU, 1993), Anthony Calvillo (Utah State, 1992) and Sam King (UNLV, 1981). The team, stadium record was held by Utah State, which attempted 58 passes against the Cougars in 1976. Feterik also led BYU to 37 first downs, setting a new stadium record that had been established at 36 both in 1980 and 1990.
Some Things Never Change
According to a recent survey of each Division-I program, BYU has one of the most experienced and stable coaching staffs in the nation. 1999 is the fifth year without a staff change for BYU, making it the most cohesive unit in the nation. Entering its fourth year as a unit, Penn State ranks second to the Cougars. BYU coaches have an average tenure of 15.5 years at BYU, the third-highest average in the nation behind Penn State (19.9) and Florida State (15.7).
BYU Football - A Winning Tradition
BYU posted its 24th straight winning season, following a 9-5 record in 1998. The Cougars have not had a losing season since posting a 5-6 mark in 1973 - LaVell Edwards' second season as head coach. The Cougars' streak of 24 straight winning seasons ranks 11th all-time at the NCAA Division I-A level and is currently the second longest streak in the nation. Nebraska leads with an impressive 37 straight winning seasons. At its present pace, BYU is on track to capture its 25th straight winning season.
Feterik Climbing All-Time Passing List
With his 289-yard passing performance at Utah State, Feterik moved into eighth place on the all-time passing list.Following is a look at the top-10 career passing marks at BYU and where current BYU quarterback Kevin Feterik ranks:
1. 15,031 Ty Detmer (1988-91)
2. 9,536 Jim McMahon (1978-81)
3. 8,400 Robbie Bosco (1983-85)
4. 8,390 John Walsh (991-94)
5. 7,733 Steve Young (1981-83)
6. 7,637 Marc Wilson (1977-79)
7. 7,464 Steve Sarkisian (1995-96)
8. 5,914 Kevin Feterik (1996-present)
9. 5,833 Gifford Nielsen (1975-77)
10. 5,125 Virgil Carter (1964-66)
BYU's Righteous Rookies
Three true-freshmen have played vital rolls in the Cougars' first four games of the season. Just three months removed from attending their high school proms, the dynamic duo of Fahu Tahi and Luke "Superman" Staley have combined for nearly 70 percent of the Cougars' total rushing offense (387 yards). Staley, the Oregon High School Player of the Year was credited with both rushing touchdowns against Washington and picked up three more against Colorado State. Superman Staley continued his dominance against Virginia, scoring two more touchdowns. Staley ranks fourth in the nation in scoring, averaging 14.0 points per game. Tahi recorded BYU's first 100-yard rushing performance (vs. Utah State) since the Utah game during the 1998 season. The third member of the terrific trio, Chris Hale, was elevated to hero status after grabbing a 38-yard touchdown reception to beat Washington in the season-opener, but also came up big by being in the right place at the right time against Colorado State. After picking up the first down, sure-handed receiver Ben Horton fumbled after picking up a 29-yard pass reception. Hale was there to pick up the goods and carry on for an additional two yards. Six plays later, BYU scored to take a 21-0 lead into the half.
TAHI Carries Gain Loss Net TD Lg. Avg.
Washington 8 26 5 21 0 13 2.6
Colorado State 6 30 5 25 0 13 4.2
Virginia 5 42 0 42 0 28 8.4
Utah State 22 119 3 116 0 24 5.3
Total 41 217 13 204 0 28 4.9
STALEY Carries Gain Loss Net TD Lg. Avg.
Washington 8 39 0 39 2 11 4.9
Colorado State 14 68 3 65 2 27 4.6
Virginia 8 80 1 79 2 41 9.9
Total 30 187 4 183 6 41 6.1
Feterik Named to Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award "Watch List"
Sixteen senior quarterbacks have been selected as candidates for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, presented annually to the nation's top senior collegiate quarterback. The award is selected by the Frank Camp Chapter of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation. Included among the elite list of candidates for the award are BYU's Kevin Feterik, who completed 39-of-59 passes for 501 yards in the first game of his senior season and has added a 310-yard performance against Colorado State and another 303 yards against Virginia to start the season. Other candidates include, NC State's Jamie Barnette, Michigan's Tom Brady, West Virginia's Marc Bulger, Michigan State's Bill Burke and Jarious Jackson of Notre Dame, Giovanni Carmazzi (Hofstra), Joe Hamilton (Georgia Tech), Todd Husack (Stanford), Doug Johnson (Florida), Tee Martin (Tennessee), Chad Pennington (Marshall), Tim Rattay (Louisiana Tech), Chris Redman (Louisville), Clint Stoerner (Arkansas) and Billy Volek (Fresno State). The 1999 winner will be announced on Nov. 24 with the award presentation to be made in Louisville on December 10. UCLA's Cade McNown won the award last season.
Brian Gray Named to Jim Thorpe Award "Watch List"
BYU senior Brian Gray has been named by the Jim Thorpe Association in Oklahoma City, Okla., as a candidate for the 1999 Jim Thorpe Award. The Jim Thorpe Award is presented annually to the best defensive back in college football. Gray, a 6-2, 215-pound defensive back, is one of 37 names to appear on the "watch list". Other key players that will appear on the BYU schedule this season include, Rico Curtis of San Diego State, Al Rich of Wyoming and Brian Urlacher of New Mexico. Gray, who was questionable prior to the Virginia game with a groin injury, picked off a Dan Ellis pass to rumble 28 yards for his second career touchdown. Against Utah State, Gray recorded his second interception of the season, good for an 18-yard return and lead to an Owen Pochman 19-yard field goal. Both Gray interceptions have led to a total of 10 points.
Men in Blue
The August 16th announcement of a uniform change at BYU means the first major change in Cougar football attire for nearly 30 years. Perhaps the most notable change in the BYU uniform is the re-introduction of the blue helmet, marking the first time since 1968 the Cougars have worn a blue helmet. Following is a year-by-year breakdown of the evolution of the BYU helmet:
1950-1954 -- Solid white helmet with a single blue stripe running down the center.
1955-1960 -- White helmet replaced with a plain, silver helmet.
1961-1963 -- Blue player numbers are added to the silver helmet.
1964-1965 - Silver helmet is replaced with solid blue helmet.
1966-1968 -- A blue "Y", surrounded by a white oval is placed on the helmet
1969 -- Traditional white helmet with blue and white decals is used for the next 30 years.
1970 -- "Cage loops", a Floyd Johnson invention, are added to the helmet.
1978 -- The oval was dropped and a solid blue "Y" was used on the helmet.
1978 -- Little blue stickers (Cougar heads) are used by players to designated top plays.
1979 -- After losing four games in 1978, blue oval with white "Y" returned to the helmet.
1993 -- Black is added as a third color on the helmet.
1994 -- Players vote to discontinue the use of the cougar-head stickers.
1998 -- Two black stripes, separated by a blue stripe is added to the crown of the helmet.
1999 -- (August 16) BYU unveils its new logo and colors, complete with new football uniforms and helmets. A darker shade of blue and white become the official colors of the University, with tan serving as the primary accent color. The re-birth of the blue helmet in 1999 is the first time BYU has worn a different color, other than white, for over 30 years. The new logo on the side of the helmet, similar to the traditional side decal, is the first new design used on a BYU helmet since 1978. The new uniforms represent a new and flashy look, never before used on the collegiate playing field. The new-look uniforms and helmets represent the first major uniform change under the LaVell Edwards era.
On This Day (October 9)
Since the Cougars' first season in 1922, BYU has played a total of 10 times on this date, posting a 3-7 record on Oct. 9. The Cougars are 2-4 in games played on Oct. 9 in Provo and 1-3 on the road. Only once have the Cougars played a homecoming game on Oct. 9 -- a 34-29 loss against Wyoming in 1976. And only once have the Cougars played a PAC-10 opponent on this day, falling dreadfully to UCLA, 68-14. Following is a look at each Oct. 9th game in BYU football history:
Year Outcome Score Opponent
1993 L 68-14 at UCLA
1982 W 40-12 at New Mexico
1976 L 34-29 Wyoming (Homecoming)
1971 L 20-8 at Utah State
1959 L 12-7 Utah
1948 L 30-0 Utah
1940 L 9-0 Denver
1937 W 34-0 UC Davis
1936 W 33-0 Colorado Teachers
All in the Family
There are four sets of brothers listed on the 1999 BYU football roster. They include Brandon (QB) and Cliff (WR) Doman, Rob (DB) and Justin (DB) Warcup, Luke (RB) and Dustin (DB) Staley and Kalani (FB) and TJ (DL) Sitake. The family tradition continues with freshman receiver Chris Hale and his father, athletics director Val Hale. Defensive line coach Tom Ramage is joined by his son, offensive lineman Corey Ramage. Defensive lineman Chris Hoke is joined on the team by his brother-in-law, Mike Hennefer.
Quarterback Game-by-Game Comparison
Following is a breakdown of some of BYU's more notable quarterbacks of recent years and how current Cougar quarterback Kevin Feterik's numbers compare (through 4 games):
Name Season Att Comp Yds Int TDs
Kevin Feterik 1999 95 143 1114 4 8
Kevin Feterik 1999 179 118 1403 5 12
Kevin Feterik 1998 96 49 658 3 3
Steve Sarkisian 1996 129 89 1350 5 13
Steve Sarkisian 1995 151 88 1310 6 8
Ty Detmer*** 1991 134 76 1104 5 7
Ty Detmer*/*** 1990 188 129 1755 5 12
Ty Detmer 1989 152 96 1537 5 9
Robbie Bosco 1985 167 111 1448 9 9
Robbie Bosco** 1984 152 93 1266 3 9
Steve Young*** 1983 163 117 1491 4 11
Steve Young 1982 132 84 1170 9 5
Jim McMahon*** 1981 145 92 1159 2 11
Jim Mcmahon 1980 122 70 1030 3 12
* - Heisman Trophy Winner
** - National Championship Season
*** - Davey O'Brien Award Winner
Huddle Up!
Since the beginning of the LaVell Edwards era in 1972, BYU has posted a 66-17 (.795) record when returning to Cougar Stadium after playing on the road. The Cougars' last loss in Cougar Stadium following a road game was in 1997, falling to Utah, 20-14, after returning home from New Mexico.
On Friday, Oct. 1, BYU defeated Utah State, 34-31 in Logan. During the 90s, BYU has played in four games that ended in a 34-31 tilt, recording a 2-2 record. When BYU scores 34 points during the 90s, the Cougars are 5-2. When opponents score 34 points, the Cougars are 1-3. When the Cougars have scored 31 points during the 90s, BYU is 10-3. When an opponent scores 31 points, BYU is 1-0. Got it?
In all but one game this season, BYU has allowed its opponent to score the game's first touchdown. In fact, BYU has allowed its opponent an average 14 points before the Cougars have managed to put points on the board. The Cougars are 1-0 when they score first and have posted a 2-1 mark when their opponent scores first.
The Cougars are 1-1 when trailing the game at halftime. When BYU is outscoring its opponent at the half, BYU is a perfect 2-0.
USU's Aaron Jones racked up 195 yards receiving against BYU on Friday, including an 87-yard touchdown reception. BYU had not allowed a 70-yard + pass reception since the Cotton Bowl in 1997. In addition, BYU had not allowed a receiver to gain more than 150 total yards since the 1997 season against Tulsa.
Brian Gray's interception against Utah State marked his second in as many games. After four games as a senior, Gray has already equaled his interception total from his entire junior season.
Next Week
Next Saturday, Oct. 16, the Cougars will travel to New Mexico for its first game outside the state of Utah this season. The game will be televised locally on KSL, Ch. 5, beginning at 6 p.m. (MDT). The Lobos are currently 1-3 on the season and will be playing their first Conference game on Saturday at San Diego State.
