alt=Jay DrewPROVO — BYU redshirt freshman quarterback Baylor Romney didn’t know for certain that he would be the guy to replace Jaren Hall in the South Florida game last week until a few moments after Hall sustained a concussion in the fourth quarter of the eventual 27-23 loss at Raymond James Stadium.
Likewise, Romney isn’t sure if he will be the Cougars’ starting QB this Saturday when BYU hosts No. 14 Boise State at LaVell Edwards Stadium. But he plans to be ready just in case.
“I have been working for years, since I got back from my mission, just preparing for my opportunity when my moment would come,” Romney said after practice Wednesday. “I still don’t know what is going to happen on Saturday, but I am going to be preparing like I am starting the game.”
Hall, Romney and presumed third-stringer Joe Critchlow all practiced Wednesday, and afterward both offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes and passing game coordinator Aaron Roderick said a starter won’t be named until just before the 8:15 p.m. kickoff.
“And that’s all we would like to divulge at this point,” Grimes said.
Hall, whose head was slammed into the turf at the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just after he delivered a pass, said Wednesday’s workout was his “first full practice back,” but he still hasn’t fully cleared concussion protocol yet.
“A concussion is something you can’t really control, so we will just take it a day at a time and see how it goes,” Hall said. “Still working on it, day by day. … If there are no symptoms on a day and you are able to practice, then that is kind of how it is.”
Roderick joked that “last Monday” would have been the optimal time to know if Hall — who replaced season starter Zach Wilson (fractured thumb) late in the Toledo game on Sept. 28 — would be ready to play this week.
“It might go all the way up to kickoff, it really might,” Roderick said. “Jaren had enough practice reps in spring and fall with Zach being out (after shoulder surgery) that if he is ready to go, there is a good chance we will play him even on a few less practice reps. But he took a lot of reps today, so we will see how he is feeling. And we gave reps to Baylor and Joe as well, so we have had a good week.”
Roderick acknowledged that Hall took the most reps of the three on Wednesday.
Speaking publicly for the first time since leaving the game in Tampa, Hall said it took him awhile to adjust to the speed of the game but felt like he was playing better as the game wore on.
“But we gotta win ball games,” he said. “That’s all it comes down to, so now we are focused on moving on to Boise State.”
Romney completed 6 of 10 passes for 73 yards against the Bulls but said he was unhappy with his performance because he couldn’t get the Cougars into the end zone or deliver the win.
“There were definitely two situations where we could have scored in the red zone late in the game and didn’t,” said the older brother of BYU sophomore receiver Gunner Romney. “Our goal was to win the game, and we didn’t get that done.”
Baylor Romney, who is still a non-scholarship player (walk on), said completing a pass to his brother late in the game “was awesome” and that the reason he came to BYU after initially signing with Nevada was so he could play with his brother.
“It was cool to see that dream come true last Saturday,” he said.
Another dream could come true this Saturday — but nobody at BYU is ready to talk about that yet.
Offensive line ailing
Having gone the past few years with few, if any, injuries along the offensive line, the Cougars have been hit with a bunch this season. Starting right guard Tristen Hoge, starting right tackle Keanu Saleapaga, backup left guard Kieffer Longson and backup right tackle Thomas Shoaf have not practiced this week, according to several practice observers.
Hoge (undisclosed injury) and Longson (fractured foot) did not make the trip to South Florida, while Saleapaga (lower leg) and Shoaf (lower leg) were injured in the loss to the Bulls.
Clark Barrington is expected to make his second start at right guard if Hoge can’t go, while fellow redshirt freshman Harris LaChance is the expected starter at right tackle if Saleapaga remains out.
Cougars on the air
Boise State (6-0) at BYU (2-4)
At LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo
Saturday, 8:15 p.m. MT
TV: ESPN2
Radio: 1160 AM, 102.7 FM