Byu Strategy and Personnel
by Sports Xchange
RB Harvey Unga -- The sophomore needs just 55 yards to get past the 1,000-yard mark for the second consecutive year. He's well shy of his 1,225-yard college debut in 2007, but for all the injuries he's battled it's been a valiant effort. Unga doesn't practice much these days because of knee and shoulder injuries, plus neck stingers that have bugged him for about a month. No one's looking forward to the postseason rest, before the bowl game, more than Unga. But he's also looking forward to this game. He once committed to Utah before changing his mind, and this will be his first college trip Salt Lake City's Rice-Eccles Stadium.
QB Max Hall -- He needs to keep his head and play within himself, something the junior admits he struggled with during the heat of the moment against the Utes last year.
"Now that I've played in the BYU-Utah game last year," Hall said, "I think in that game my emotions got the best of me. I did some things outside of what we practiced or what we prepared for. I was trying to make plays I didn't need to make. I'll manage that a little bit this year for me and my team. When we don't get outside of ourselves, that's when we move the ball and get into the end zone."
TE Andrew George -- The junior will have to be ready, just in case fellow tight end Dennis Pitta (sprained MCL) can't go. George is fifth on BYU in catches (21), a whopping 55 behind Dennis Pitta. At least George knows how to get the most points for his work. He has five touchdowns, just one shy of Pitta. George and Pitta are often on the field together. Taking away Pitta, however, would drastically change the Cougars' attack. George would have a much tougher time sneaking free.
ROSTER REPORT:
--WR Austin Collie, no stranger to saying things in the past that peeve Utah fans, pulled a terrific prank on reporters Monday (the only day they had access to the team). He traded his No. 9 jersey for rarely used Tyler Kozlowski's No. 7. Collie easily sneaked out of the indoor practice facility, while a few reporters went instead to his teammate, who surprised some folks when he took off his helmet. Collie, however, came back and fulfilled interview requests. He wore a big smile on his face: "Good one, huh?"
--C Dallas Reynolds is expected to start Saturday, which would be his 50th consecutive start. His streak is currently tied first among FBS players with Central Michigan offensive lineman Andrew Harline.
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