BYU Faces Virginia in Charlottesville

After a season-opening loss against No. 2 Florida State (29-3) in the 11th annual Pigskin Classic on Aug. 26, BYU will travel back to the East Coast for a second straight week, taking on Virginia in the Cavaliers' season-opener. The Cougars will be making their first-ever appearance in Charlottesville, as the Cavaliers open the 2000 campaign at the recently renovated Carl Smith Center, David A. Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium, which includes an additional 15,000 seats, expanded President's box, 44 luxury suites, three-level parking garage and enlarged press area. BYU head coach LaVell Edwards will be gunning for his first-ever win over UVA head coach George Welsh. In three previous meetings against the Cougars, including a stint at the U. S. Naval Academy, Welsh has posted a perfect 3-0 mark against BYU, including a 45-40 win in Provo last season. The Cavaliers are coming off a 7-5 season in 1999, including a mark of 3-3 in Charlottesville. Saturday's game will also mark the Cougars second straight game this season against an ACC opponent. UVA finished 2nd in the ACC behind Florida State with a 5-3 conference mark, including wins over North Carolina, Wake Forest, North Carolina State, Georgia Tech and Maryland.

Travel Plans

The Cougars will leave the Smith Fieldhouse in Provo on Thursday, Aug. 31 and travel via charter to Charlottesville, Va. The team will depart the Salt Lake City International Airport at 8:45 a.m. and is scheduled to arrive in Charlottesville around 4 p.m. (EDT) The team will be staying at the Double Tree Hotel on Seminole Trail in Charlottesville. Following the game, the team will return to Provo, arriving at the Smith Fieldhouse late Saturday evening. BYU is scheduled to practice on Thursday at 6 p.m. in Charlottesville.

Broadcast Information

Saturday's game will be broadcast regionally on ABC, beginning at 3:30 p.m. (EDT). Veteran sports announcer Sean McDonogh will call the action, with Ed Cunningham lending expert analysis. McDonogh and Cunningham will be joined by Leslie Gudel, who will be reporting from the sidelines. Saturday's broadcast marks the second of two BYU games on ABC this season. The Cougars are 21-14(.600) when playing on ABC, including a record of 5-2 in nationally broadcast games. The game will be broadcast to 15 percent of the country, including all of Utah, Montana, North and South Dakota, Alaska, Hawaii and parts of Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Nebraska, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. Viewers should consult local listings.

Scouting the Cavaliers

Following last year's 7-5 campaign, Virginia head coach George Welsh vowed to assess every aspect of the program and "reinvent the corporation" in an effort to ensure the Cavaliers remain among the top programs in the nation. Indeed UVA's seven wins a year ago marked the 13th year in a row the Cavaliers won at least seven games, a feat currently accomplished by only three other schools: Florida State, Michigan and Nebraska. "We took a look at a lot of things in the off season -- personnel, techniques, Xs and Os and how we're teaching. Every phase of the football operation was examined," Welsh said. "I thought that at the end of last season it was time for me to take a close look at everything. We've been doing some of the same stuff for a long time and it was time to take a look at what we were doing." For the first time, Virginia must replace three All-Americans on offense -- tailback Thomas Jones, guard Noel LaMontagne and center John St. Clair. Fullback Anthone Southern, a bruising blocker and excellent receiver, also graduated and will be replaced. The Cavaliers have seven starters returning on offense this season, including wide receiver Ahmad Hawkins, who was moved to cornerback in the spring. Last season, the Cavaliers displayed a great deal of balance, producing 191.5 yards rushing and 211.0 yards passing per game. One of the Cavaliers' key returning players is quarterback Dan Ellis. After starting for the first time last season, Ellis proved to be a quick study in the UVA offensive scheme and finished eighth nationally in passing efficiency -- the highest finish by a Virginia quarterback since 1992. Ellis completed 60.5 percent of his passes, the third-highest percentage in school history, and tossed 20 touchdown strikes. In 2000, the Cavaliers are forced to replace their entire offensive backfield with the loss of Jones and Southern. For the first time in recent memory, Welsh will start two inexperienced ball carriers in Tyree Foreman and Arlen harris. Welsh and company have the good fortune of having all top four wideouts return. Senior Kevin Coffey and sophomore Billy McMullen give the Cavaliers two tall athletes who can go up and get the ball. The duo tied for the team lead with 28 receptions each last fall. The UVA offensive line features three returning starters and another letterman with Vast potential. On defense, the Cavaliers will see a host of new faces this season due to the loss of six starters. Welsh concedes, due to injuries and the need for constant shuffling, the play of the defense late last season was cause for concern. At defensive end, UVA returns Ljubomir Stamenich who moved in to the starting roll last season after an early-season injury to starter Travis Griffith. Sophomore Merrill Robertson is the only other end with significant game experience. At defensive tackle, the Cavaliers will look to Monsanto Pope, George Stanley and Colin McWeeny for help along the front line -- all three have relatively little game experience. Perhaps the biggest defensive threat the Cougars will face all season lies in All-America candidate Byron Thweatt. Thweatt and Yubrenal Isabelle headline what is Virginia's most experienced defensive position. Thweatt has started every game of his career and projects to be one of the few four-year starters under George Welsh. In the secondary, the Cavaliers have one returning player in sophomore Jerton Evans. Despite a sub-par season in 1999, Tim Spruill is expected to man one of the corner positions. Ahmad Hawkins moves from wideout to corner this season, to help fill the game experience roll needed in the UVA secondary. On special teams, the Cavaliers will have to replace both their place kicker and punter for the second time in three years. David Green, who has handled kickoffs for the Cavs over the past two seasons, will handle place-kicking duties, while Mike Abrams, who has never punted in a game, will handle punting chores.

Coach Edwards - (251-96-3, .721)

BYU head coach LaVell Edwards enters his 29th and final season at the helm of the Cougar program. On Aug. 17, 2000 Edwards made the historic announcement he would step down as head coach following the 2000 season. Edwards, who will be 70 in October, has a 251-96-3 record in 28 seasons with the Cougars. His teams have won 20 conference titles, including a share of the 1999 Mountain West Conference title and have appeared in 22 bowl games. In 1984, he was named National Coach of the Year after BYU finished the season 13-0 and won the National Championship. He needs just five victories to pass Tom Osborne as the sixth-winningest college football coach in history. He enters the 2000 season with the third-most wins (251) and the third best winning percentage (.723) among active coaches. Edwards has produced all but one winning season since taking over the program in 1972. Edwards' teams have passed for over 56 miles during his 28-year career. He has coached two Outland Trophy winners, four Davey O'Brien Trophy winners, 35 All-Americans, 11 conference Player-of-the Year recipients, 31 Academic All-Americans and has led the Cougars to seven NCAA single-season passing titles. Since 1972, Edwards has guided BYU to 22 postseason bowl appearances, including a string of 17 straight from 1978-1994. Only Michigan, Alabama and Nebraska have laced together a string of more consecutive appearances. The Cougars' last home game in Provo marked the 160th home game for Edwards. In 28 seasons, Edwards is 129-31 (.810) in Cougar Stadium. Enter the 2000 season, the former Utah State lineman ranks third among active coaches with 200-or-more wins. Edwards trails only Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden. The Cougars game against Florida State will mark Edwards' 350th career game. Edwards joined Hal Mitchell's BYU football staff as an assistant coach in 1962. He was named BYU's head coach in 1972 and has enjoyed winning seasons every year but 1973, when the Cougars finished 5-6. Labeled a "national coaching treasure" by USA Today, Edwards has coached his teams to four top-10 rankings and 13 top-25 finishes. Edwards' teams are known for their wide-open offenses. His quarterbacks have thrown over 11,000 passes for more than 100,000 yards and 635 touchdowns in 28 seasons. All American quarterbacks to play for Edwards include Gary Sheide, Gifford Nielsen, Marc Wilson, Jim McMahon, Steve Young, Robbie Bosco, Ty Detmer and Steve Sarkisian. Awards won by his players include a Heisman Trophy, a Maxwell Award, two Outland Trophies, four Davey O'Brien Awards and 31 All-America citations. Edwards inherited a mediocre BYU foot ball program that had a .431 winning percentage in 47 seasons. His teams have since made appearances in the Fiesta, Cotton, Holiday, Tangerine, Citrus, Copper, Aloha, Liberty, Freedom, All-America and Motor City bowls. Edwards has not shied away from playing tough non-conference schedules. His teams own victories over the likes of Notre Dame, Michigan, Penn State, Texas A&M, Texas, Oklahoma, Miami, UCLA, Washington, Pittsburgh and Colorado. Edwards' impact on the coaching world will continue long after he has left the coaching limelight. His former assistant coaches and players are now making their mark on the game. Seattle Seahawks head coach and general manager Mike Holmgren got his first big break as quarterbacks coach at BYU under Edwards. Current NFL head coaches Brian Billick (Baltimore Ravens) and Andy Reid (Philadelphia Eagles) played for the Cougars during the Edwards era. In the college ranks, Cal head coach Tom Holmoe played for Edwards and worked for a season at BYU as a graduate assistant coach. Alabama offensive coordinator Charlie Stubbs was also a graduate assistant with Edwards. Ted Tollner, San Diego State's head coach, served as Edwards' assistant. Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Gary Crowton grew up in Edwards' hometown of Orem, Utah, and patterned his coaching philosophy after Edwards', as did new Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach. One of 14 children, Edwards graduated from Lincoln High School in Orem, Utah. He attended Utah State University, where he earned all-conference honors before serving a two-year commitment in the Army. He began his full-time coaching career at Granite High School in Salt Lake City, where he coached for eight years before accepting a job at BYU.

More Edwards' Notes

Currently, Edwards ranks third in total number of career wins at the same school. Edwards needs just five more wins to pass Nebraska's Tom Osborne.

Coach, School Number of Wins

Joe Paterno, Penn State 317

Tom Osborne, Nebraska 255

LaVell Edwards, BYU 251

Paul "Bear" Bryant, Alabama 232

Bobby Bowden, Florida State 231

Currently, Edwards ranks third in total number of career victories among active coaches with at least 150 or more wins.

Coach, School Number of Wins

Joe Paterno, Penn State 317

Bobby Bowden, Florida State 304

LaVell Edwards, BYU 251

Lou Holtz, South Carolina 216

Don Nehlen, West Virginia 195

John Cooper, Ohio State 184

Ultimate Exposure

Including last week's Pigskin Classic, the Cougars will appear on national television a total of six times during the 2000 regular-season, marking the most single-season national television appearances in BYU football history. The Cougars opened the season on ABC against Florida State, and will play on three ESPN Thursday Night games during the 2000 campaign. In addition, BYU will play at Syracuse on an ESPN2 national broadcast. Dating back to 1980, the Cougars have appeared on national television an average of three times per season. Prior to this season, the Cougars have played five games on national T.V. four different times, including the 1998, 1996, 1988 and 1985 seasons. Since 1980, BYU has played in at least one nationally-televised game. In 1999, the Cougars were 2-1 in national TV games. Since its first national television appearance in 1974, BYU has posted a 40-25-2 record while playing in front of a national audience, including a 21-15 mark on ABC and a 24-14-2 mark on ESPN. BYU has been a regular on ESPN's Thursday Night Game of the Week in recent history, compiling a 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. Overall 11 years ago, the Cougars recorded their largest margin of victory while playing on national television, defeating Texas, 72-6, on Sept. 8, 1988.

Statistical Comparison

Team Statistics BYU ('00) BYU ('99) UVA ('99)

Total First Downs 18 261 241

First Downs-Rushing 1 81 125

First Downs-Passing 11 151 104

First Downs-Penalty 6 29 12

Rushing Att-Yds 24-(-2) 375-1115 477-2106

Pass Comp-Att-Int 18-46-3 280-458-16 179-307-12

Passing Yards 227 3567 2321

Total Offense Plays-Yards 70-225 833-4682 784-4427

Punting No.-Yds-Avg 8-269-33.6 53-2246-42.4 58-2275-39.2

Fumbles-Lost 3-1 22-10 13-7

Penalties-Yards 10-90 78-725 66-550

Sacks by-Yds Lost 4-25 35-245 27-152

3rd Down Conversions 6-17 66-162 57-149

3rd Down Conversion Pct. .350 .410 .383

4th Down Conversions 0-0 3-5 8-13

4th Down Conversion Pct. .000 .600 .615

Avg. Time of Possession 28:54 32:29 29:23

Scoring by Quarter 1 2 3 4 OT Total Avg.

Brigham Young ('00) 0 0 3 0 - 3 3.0

Brigham Young ('99) 62 109 81 77 3 332 30.2

Virginia ('99) 69 79 111 65 0 324 29.5

Keeping the Faith

With Bret Engemann listed as the starter against Florida State and slated as the starter against Virginia, it will mark the first time since the 1991 season BYU has had a Mormon (preferably, Latter-day Saint) as its "regular" starting quarterback. With all three quarterbacks on the 2000 roster listed as returned missionaries, it will also mark the first season since 1988 the Cougars have been led by a returned missionary. Engemann served a two-year LDS Church mission in Boston, Mass., Peterson served in Suva, Fiji and Doman served in Bahia Blanca, Argentina. The last "regular" starting quarterback at BYU to serve an LDS Church mission was Sean Covey, who started the 1988 season after serving a mission in South Africa. As a note, Paul Shoemaker, an LDS returned missionary played in five games during the 1997 season, starting in just one game (vs. Washington.)

In The Beginning

Sophomore quarterback Bret Engemann got his first collegiate start at quarterback last Saturday, taking on defending national champion Florida State. It was the first start Engemann has had since his senior year in high school back in 1996. Engemann was 12-of-28 in his collegiate debut, totaling 139 yards. Engemann split time with junior Charlie Peterson and was forced to sit out the fourth quarter due to a sprained knee. Following is a breakdown of how other BYU quarterbacks have fared in their first-ever collegiate start.

Name Date Age Class Opp. Result Stats

Gifford Nielsen 10-11-75 20 So. Air Force W, 28-14 14-19-170: 1 INT, 1 TD

Marc Wilson 10-15-77 20 So. at Colorado St. W, 63-17 15-25-332; 1 INT, 7 TD

Jim McMahon 10-21-78 19 So. UTEP W, 44-0 10-19-143; 1 INT, 1 TD

Steve Young 10- 2-81 19 So. Utah State W, 33-26 21-40-307; 1 INT, 1 TD

Robbie Bosco 9- 1-84 21 Jr. at Pittsburgh W, 20-14 25-43-325; 2 INT, 1 TD

Sean Covey 10-31-87 23 So. Air Force W, 24-13 18-29-294; 0 INT, 1 TD

Ty Detmer 9-30-88 20 Fr. Utah State W, 38-3 24-35-333; 0 INT, 5 TD

John Walsh 9- 5-92 19 So. at UTEP W, 38-28 17-28-302; 2 INT, 3 TD

Steve Sarkisian 9- 2-95 21 Jr. at Air Force L, 12-38 25-42-346; 2 INT, 2 TD

Paul Shoemaker 9- 6-97 23 Jr. Washington L, 42-20 7-13-90; 0 INT, 0 TD

Kevin Feterik 9-20-97 20 So. at Arizona St. W, 13-10 17-30-328; 0 INT, 0 TD

Bret Engemann 8-26-00 22 So. vs. Florida St. L, 3-29 12-28-139; 2 INT, 0 TD

(Stats compiled by Jeff Call, Deseret News)

Schedule Notes

During the 2000 season, the Cougars will compete against six teams which participated in bowl games during the 1999 season, posting a 4-2 mark. All 12 of this year's opponents posted a combined 82 wins during the 1999 season, totaling a .594 winning percentage. Nine of the Cougars 12 opponents recorded winning records in 1999, including Mississippi State (10-2) and Florida State (12-0). The Cougars have posted winning records against seven of this year's opponents.

Three-Point Breakdown

For the second straight game, dating back to the 1999 Motor City Bowl, the Cougars were held to just three points, marking only the sixth three-point game for BYU since LaVell Edwards took over as head coach in 1972. Saturday's game also marks the first time in BYU history the Cougars have been held to just three points in back-to-back games. Following is a look at each of the Cougars' three-point outings.

Year Opponent Result Year Opponent Result

1922 Utah State L, 41-3 1976 Kansas State L, 13-3

1924 Colorado Teachers W, 3-0 1986 San Diego State L, 10-3

1938 Portland L, 6-3 1997 UTEP L, 14-3

1949 Utah State L, 22-3 1999 Marshall L, 21-3

1950 Denver L, 42-3 2000 Florida State L, 29-3

1972 Oregon State L, 29-3

The Streak Continues

Despite a 29-3 loss against No. 2 Florida State in the 2000 Pigskin Classic, the Cougars extended its NCAA record streak to 313 games without being shutout. BYU was last shutout during the 1975 season (Sept. 27, 1975 vs. Arizona State). To put the streak in perspective, the Cougars have not been shutout since Gerald Ford was the President, a soft-spoken speedster out of Jackson State, named Walter Payton, was the Chicago Bears' first-round draft choice and Kam Valgardson, one of the oldest players on the BYU roster, was born three days after the shutout (Sept. 24, 1975).

Frequent Flyers

With three-regular season, non-conference games on the East Coast, including matchups against Florida State, Virginia and Syracuse, as well as league games at Air Force, Colorado State and Utah, the Cougars will log some 10, 874 miles this season. With the exception of Hawai'i, which will make four trips to the Mainland, including three trips to the state of Texas, BYU will travel more miles than any other NCAA Division-I team in the country. The 2000 season will also mark the first time the Cougars have traveled east of the Mississippi River three different times during the regular season. The Cougars will be making first-ever appearances in Jacksonville, Fla., Charlottesville, Va., and Syracuse, N.Y.

Believe It or Not ...

Senior defensive tackle, Hans Olsen , the nephew of NFL Hall-of-Famer Merlin Olsen, has developed a unique talent. The 6-4, 295-pound farmboy from Weiser, Idaho, has balanced tables, chairs, bicycles atop a garden rake, small children in high-chairs and even railroad ties ... all on his chin. Olsen said he was inspired one day while fighting boredom on the family farm. A popular visitor among local elementary schools, Olsen will often balance large lunch tables on his chin if children promise to spend more time reading. Olsen's ultimate balancing act was accomplished by balancing two railroad ties on his chin at the same time. With one lying across the top of the other, Olsen's balancing act totaled over 250 pounds. Olsen's talent was recently featured in ESPN Magazine.

Natural Born Winners

Despite dropping the final three games of the 1999 season, the Cougars posted an 8-4 record, marking the 26th straight winning season. BYU has not had a losing season since posting a 5-6 mark in 1973 -- head coach LaVell Edward's second season as head coach. The Cougar's streak of 26 straight winning season ranks 11th all-time at the NCAA Division -1A level and is currently the second longest streak in the nation. (Nebraska leads with an impressive 38 straight winning seasons.)

BYU's Winning Margin

All-America and Biletnikoff Award candidate Margin Hooks currently ranks fifth in the nation with a streak of 25 straight games with at least one reception. The 6-0, 190-pound speedster led the Cougars in 1999 with 1,067 yards, averaging 97 yards per game. The senior receiver produced a team-leading seven touchdowns receptions and ranked third on the roster in scoring with 42 points on the season. Hooks has produced 2,189 career receiving yards and needs just 877 yards to become the Cougars' all-time receiving yardage leader. Hooks is currently ranked ninth on that list. Hooks produced four receptions for 66 yards against Florida State in the Cougars' season-opener.

BYU Career Receiving Yardage Leaders

Receiver Career Yards

1. Eric Drage, 1990-93 3,066

2. Matt Bellini, 1987-90 2,635

3. Phil Odle, 1965-67 2,548

4. Gordon Hudson, 1980-83 2,484

5. Mark Bellini, 1983-86 2,429

6. Chris Smith, 1988-90 2,367

7. Glen Kozlowski, 1981-85 2,223

8. Mike Chronister, 1976-78 2,205

9. Margin Hooks, 1997-present 2,289

10. Dan Plater, 1978-81 1,979

Ena Named MWC Defensive Player of the Week

Justin Ena led the Cougar defensive effort in BYU's 29-3 loss vs. Florida State in the Advantedge Pigskin Classic in Jacksonville, Fla. The Shelton, Wash., native, recorded a team-high 10 tackles, including five unassisted and five assisted tackles, and collected three tackles for a combined loss of 12 yards. Ena also recorded a sack for a loss of six yards against the second-ranked Seminoles. The Cougar defense held Florida State to minus-2 yards rushing in the second half and limited All-America candidate Travis Minor to just 20 yards rushing on the night. For his efforts, Ena was named the Chevrolet Player of the Game for BYU in the nationally-televised matchup.

Looking Back (Virginia 45, BYU 40)

Too many mistakes in the first quarter cost BYU an early 21-0 lead as Virginia held on to upset 17th-ranked and undefeated BYU, 45-40 in Provo. BYU spotted the Cavaliers 21 first-quarter points before it could get on the scoreboard. Luke Staley cut in to the UVA lead on a two-yard run and a 41-yard touchdown run off a draw in the second quarter. Virginia scored its second and third TDs of the first quarter after capitalizing on two Kevin Feterik interceptions. Cavalier star running back Thomas Jones netted 210 yards off 35 carries and had two touchdowns on the ground. With 1:47 remaining in the first half, BYU cornerback Brian Gray returned a 28-yard interception for a touchdown, closing the gap to 28-19. However, Virginia countered the move in the third quarter when cornerback Tim Spruill scooped up a dropped lateral and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown. The Cougars then scored the first of three second half TD passes with a 30-yard strike to Margin Hooks. After a Virginia 46-yard field goal, Feterik found Ben Horton for an eight-yard touchdown reception. After another UVA touchdown, senior tightend Carlos Nuno caught a pass in the endzone to cut the Cavalier's lead to just five points. The Cougars had a final chance at the endzone with less than two minutes to go. A curious holding call left the Cougars with a first-and-goal from the 16-yard line. Feteriks final attempt was intercepted in the endzone.

Injury Update

Player Injury Game Status

Jimmy Betham, DT Knee (Possible ACL) Out

Bret Engemann, QB Knee (Sprain) Probable

Jeff Holtry, LB Knee (Sprain) Doubtful

Ben Horton, WR Hand (Broken) Out (2-4 weeks)

Luke Staley, RB Concussion Probable

"D" is for Dominating

After allowing 59 yards rushing in the first half against Florida State, the BYU defense stiffened in the second half, holding the Seminoles to (minus) -2 yards rushing. The Cougars, led by MWC Defensive Player of the Week, Justin Ena, produced 15 tackles for a combined loss of 81 yards. Senior captain Setema Gali recorded four tackles for a total loss of 26 yards on the night. Ena racked up three tackles behind the line of scrimmage for a net loss of 12 yards. Isaac Kelley and Josh Lowe combined for four tackles, totaling 28 yards in lost yardage for the 'Noles. The Cougars also produced four sacks on the night and held Florida State to just seven points in the half.

The Red Zone

BYU managed to enter the Red Zone on only one occasion against Florida State. Bret Engemann found Margin Hooks on a 25-yard reception to give the Cougars a first and 10 at the Florida State 11 yard line. An incomplete pass to Paul Peterson, followed by a holding call moved the ball back to the FSU 20. A delay-of-game penalty moved the ball back another five yards. On first and 24, the Cougars were called for a third straight penalty, moving the ball back another five yards. With first and 29, Engemann connected with Ned Stearns who moved the ball down to the FSU 13 yard line before fumbling. FSU recovered the fumble and killed BYU's closest scoring opportunity of the game.

On This Day (September 2)

Saturday's game will mark the fifth time the Cougars have played a game on Sept. 2. BYU has posted a mark of 2-2 on games played on Sept. 2, including wins over UNLV and New Mexico. Three of the previous four Sept. 2 matchups have all been on the road.