Group effort: Inexperienced defensive linemen key to Cougars' success on defense

PROVO — It is by far the most interesting game of musical chairs in BYU's football program these days.

The revolving QB situation, where freshmen have been inserted, appears to be fixed. The mystery at cornerback might be more solidified. But the situation the defensive line finds itself in has never happened before — and the circus isn't over yet.

Consider: The Cougars lost four starters from 2005 in Manaia Brown, Daniel Marquardt, Justin Maddux and Vince Feula. Gone. The only returning player in 2006 with significant experience is senior Hala Paongo.

Now comes a good recruiting year that's placed highly touted freshmen Romney Fuga, Matangi Tonga and Ian Dulan right in the thick of competition for significant playing time — if not starting time.

These freshmen are pushing redshirt freshman Jan Jorgensen, junior Judd Anderton and Paongo. The depth chart for the Arizona game lists Jorgensen, Paongo and Dulan as starters and Anderton, Tonga and Fuga as backups.

But here's the caveat. After investing in all the freshmen this fall, Fuga, Tonga and Dulan could be gone on LDS missions, joining at least 22 of the class of 26 on a two-year absence from football. Head coach Bronco Mendenhall hinted that he could see the time when an entire recruiting class might depart for missions — something that's never happened at BYU, and something no Division I program would even be tempted to do.

When asked if this goes against the science of football and if he was really coaching by faith by recruiting like this, Mendenhall replied, "Those are your words, not mine."

The key, said Mendenhall, is to have players in place who rise to the occasion while others are serving missions.

"They have to do well," Mendenhall said.

Another key is not to count on returning missionaries immediately upon their return. This fall camp, two athletes fresh off missions, corner Brandon Bradley and center Tom Sorensen, suffered season-ending knee injuries. Two years ago, corner Nate Hutchison dislocated his knee cap doing a drill in spring.

In the early going, defensive line coach Steve Kaufusi has rotated nine defensive linemen, replacing three at a time every three plays.

Jorgensen, who signed at Kentucky out of Carbon High and redshirted upon returning from a mission in 2005, says the competition is exciting.

"I get butterflies in my stomach every practice, knowing that I'll be pressed every practice," he said.