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Miami • As they approach their 10th straight appearance in a bowl game, the BYU Cougars are doing everything they possibly can to ensure that history doesn't repeat itself.
That's the Captain Obvious statement of the day, because BYU was soundly defeated 31-16 by Washington in last year's Fight Hunger Bowl across the country in San Francisco. But there's more to it than that: the Cougars (8-4) are bound and determined to not lose because of poor special teams play when they meet Memphis (9-3) on Monday in the Miami Beach Bowl (noon, ESPN) at another baseball-park-turned-football-stadium, Marlins Park.
Special teams breakdowns "just killed us last year," running back and kick returner Adam Hine said Thursday at Florida International University's football stadium, where the Cougars held their first practice since landing in Miami on Wednesday night.
Indeed, Washington used a 100-yard kickoff return by speedster John Ross to take a 14-7 lead in the first quarter. Later, Jesse Callier had a 47-yard return to set up UW's third touchdown.
BYU actually outgained the Huskies 473-316, but was thoroughly dominated in the third phase of the game and missed a couple field goals to add to its special teams woes.
"Oh, we have worked on [special teams] a ton," Hine said. "I mean, last year in the bowl game, obviously, we struggled. We had a lot of guys down, and a lot of guys just didn't fill their assignments and it was tough, especially with that return. We all remember that. That really changed the way the game was going. But our preparation on special teams this year is awesome. It is really good."
After bemoaning how the Cougars practiced on Thursday under sunny skies and 75-degree temperatures at FIU, coach Bronco Mendenhall said special teams have been emphasized more since preseason camp began last August. The Cougars haven't given up a kickoff or punt return for a touchdown all season.
"Hopefully that emphasis will continue to show," Mendenhall said.
It better if BYU hopes to win, because Memphis is No. 20 in the country in kickoff returns, averaging 23.3 yards per return; The Cougars are No. 19 in kickoff return defense, allowing just 18.1 yards per return. The Tigers are 44th in punt return yardage, 9.14 per return.
"Their returners are really good," said BYU special teams coach Kelly Poppinga, referencing Joe Craig and Kelwone Malone. "They are dynamic. We have to make sure to tackle them and make sure they don't get in too big of spaces to make us miss."
Poppinga said the goal for special teams in the bowl game is to "get out there and make sure that we are helping our team in every way possible."
Actually, that would mean helping themselves, because the Cougars have put their best players on punt and kick coverage units this year, after Ross, Callier and others sliced through backups last year like they weren't there.
"Yeah, by the end of the season, we were very thin depth-wise," Poppinga recalled, noting that he had only three healthy outside linebackers available in the bowl game. "Depth at this time of the season is way better than it was last year. That's going to help us. … We feel good with our depth on special teams, and that is going to give us our best chance to win."
BYU's punting is solid with senior Scott Arellano, who was named the FBS Independent Special Teams Player of the Year on Thursday. Kicker Trevor Samson, the All-Independent first-team kicker, went 10 of 12 on field-goal attempts, but has attempted only two - both against Savannah State on Nov. 22 - since Oct. 18.
"I am very confident in Trevor and [kickoff man] Andrew Mikkelsen as well," Poppinga said. "I know that they are going to do the job when their number is called."
Twitter: @drewjay —
Miami Beach Bowl
P BYU vs. Memphis Monday, noon TV • ESPN