For tomorrow, I am working on a story looking back at the 1996 BYU-Washington game. I interviewed tight Chad Lewis about that game for that article.
Dick Harmon talked to another former player, running back Mark Atuaia, who played in that game, and two coaches who were at that game and are still on BYU's staff, Barry Lamb and Lance Reynolds. Here are their memories of that 29-17 loss to the Huskies.

Barry Lamb: "I remember very distinctly as a team being more concerned about what uniforms we were wearing, what socks we were wearing, how the shoes felt on the Astroturf, how many balls I was going to get, how many touches I was going to get and before the game I remember thinking, oh no, oh no. As coaches we preach at every school in the country about the next game and it doesn't matter who you are playing, doesn't matter what the record is and nothing else matters, you just have to play your best game. We were just thinking about other things."

Mark Atuaia: "I remember that they were a good team. I remember it was a damp day.? We got in that morning and it was a great college atmosphere. Isn't that the day we came out in all-white (uniforms)? That was kind of a distraction. I remember we were arguing about wearing all white. That's not going to happen to this team."

Lance Reynolds: "I remember we missed three field goals and we (had a dropped pass) in the end zone. We dropped another one but the missed field goals, whew. All of them would have kept us in the game and we were in the game until the end. We didn't play like we were capable. After that we settled down and never lost again. But, yeah, it is a sore spot. They are always tough to beat at home, their home record over the years is always good, so we're looking forward to the challenge. We have a lot more experience on the team in traveling that we've had the past few years and I don't think it will affect us like it did a year ago. Last year we had a lot of guys who'd never traveled before."

It's no secret that Washington coach Tyrone Willingham is under fire in Seattle. His teams have failed to record a winning season in his previous three years at the helm. Things got even worse for Willingham after his team's dismal performance in an opening-season 44-10 loss at Oregon last weekend.
Still, this is not the first time BYU has faced Willingham under such circumstances.
The Cougars hosted Willingham-led Notre Dame in the 2004 season-opener while many Fighting Irish fans were calling for Willingham's ouster. BYU knocked off Notre Dame, 20-17, and the Irish went on to post a 6-5 record. Willingham was fired in December of that year, the same day that then-BYU coach Gary Crowton was fired after the Cougars went 5-6.
The previous year, in 2003, BYU fell to Notre Dame and Willingham in South Bend, 33-14.

Bronco Mendenhall might pick up some pointers on how to attack Washington on offense and defense after pouring over films of the Husky loss to Oregon, but whatever tidbits are noted may not be the main focus of the Cougar preparation for this venture by BYU into Pac-10 country.

Oregon plays a lot of press cover with their corners and attacks with more blitzes. That it seemed to work against the Huskys may not be the same formula the Cougars use.

"We learn as much as we can from previous opponents, but if it doesn't match our personality or the formula of what we've had to have success, we really don't try to be anybody else," said Mendenahll.

"It will mainly be our execution against theirs. Without giving away our game plan, I think most people who've seen us play the last two years don't notice much of a difference game in and game out. That seems to work better for us."

Mendenhall expects Washington to be tough at home and said Ty Willingham's team played hard against Oregon, it just did not execute perfectly. He expects Washington to improve from the first game to the second, just like he believes the Cougars will do.

"It's big game and like any score, sometimes it's indicative, sometimes it's not. For a long time it was 24 to 10 for a long time and then it got away from them. Like most teams they'll make improvement from game one to game two and hopefully we will too.

"Again, our focus can't be on what anyone else is doing, it can't be. It has to be about us. Our execution, our position mastery, our execution and the more we start wondering what they're going to do and how they're going to react, the less we're thinking about us and that's been useful in keeping us consistent."

Asked if he has addressed Pac-10 officiating with his team, Mendenhall said he has not, nor does he think it would do any good.

"I never expect, nor does any team, when you go on the road, to get all the calls."

Mendenhall did, however, later Wednesday night, tell a radio audience on his coaches show that the Pac-10 was wrong in hiding behind a league rule that ensures all Pac-10 home games have Pac-10 officiating crews. The MWC, WAC, CUSA and the Big 12 are moving towards having shared officiating crews, or regional officiating that is not tied to a particular conference.

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It appears Robert Anae's disappointment over focus against Northern Iowa continued later this week when a Seattle reporter interviewed him.

"Northern Iowa exposed flaws on our side in the way they pursued and got off blocks, exposed flaws in securing the football," Anae told the Washington paper.

"We were outcoached by them in basic fundamentals. Nothing is more basic than blocking and securing the football, warding off blocks and stripping the ball loose."

On the other hand, BYU's base execution on offense is a strength recognized over time by opponents including Washington's D-coordinator.

"That's what makes them good," Huskies defensive coordinator Ed Donatell said. "Through the years they've held to the integrity of offensive principles and they've stood the test of time."