PROVO — Since fall camp, BYU's offensive line has dealt with injuries and a lack of depth.

For the most part, the Cougar O-line has played well this season despite those factors. But additional injuries contributed to struggles in last Saturday's 24-19 win at New Mexico.

Right tackle Nick Alletto, who has been hampered with a calf injury, was sidelined against the Lobos, giving way to freshman Braden Brown, who made his first career start.

Coach Bronco Mendenhall said he expects Alletto to start this week against Air Force.

"We were hopeful that Nick would play this last week. That was a little bit of a surprise that he didn't. Certainly that would mean, I would think, he could play this week. That will help us a lot."

Mendenhall also said that freshman Fono Vakalahi did not make the trip to New Mexico for academic reasons.

"So that was one less player we had in the mix in terms of rotation," Mendenhall said. "Braden Brown started his first game at offensive tackle. We're in week 11 and we're thin. But with Nick back and possibly some depth coming back, with Vakalahi, that gives us probably as good as we've been all year, at least in terms of bodies."

Quarterback Max Hall acknowledged that having a short-handed O-line made things tough last Saturday.

"A couple of guys were nicked up. I was proud of how they battled. It wasn't the offensive line's best performance," he said. "I wouldn't trade those guys for the world. I think they're going to battle and they're going to recover from it and do what they have to do. But they know it, that they could have played a little bit better."

UNGA'S STATUS: Running back Harvey Unga suffered a sprained ankle against Wyoming and rushed for 50 yards against New Mexico before he was removed from the game due to the injury.

"I think we made a wise decision, and possibly prevented more damage being done, because of when we pulled him out," Mendenhall said. "It will still take a couple of days for him to get back to where he was to play Saturday. But I think probably by Wednesday, we'll reach that mark and then that will give us Thursday and Friday to have him exceed where he was this past game."

Unga needs 21 yards to become BYU's all-time leading rusher.

CHANGES AT LINEBACKER: Losing senior linebacker Terrance Hooks to a ruptured patella tendon in his knee is a big blow for the BYU defense, but Mendenhall said he's more concerned about Hooks, who suffered the same injury in his other knee a couple of years ago.