Edwards will have work cut out for him in final season at BYU

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2000 | 9:16 a.m.

Swan song or suicide mission?

BYU head coach LaVell Edwards announced he is retiring after 29 years as head coach of the Cougars at the end of the 2000 season. But one glance at the Cougars' murderous nonconference schedule that includes road games at defending national champion Florida State, Virginia and Syracuse and a home game against Mississippi State makes you wonder if Edwards might have second thoughts about not hanging them up a year sooner.

The Cougars, who went 8-4 in 1999 and garnered a share of the inaugural Mountain West Conference title along with in-state rival Utah and Colorado State, are picked to finish third in the MWC this season.

The main reason, besides an unusual weakness at the quarterback position, is a brutal first month of the season that leaves many wondering if the Cougars will have anything left for conference play.

In addition to back-to-back East Coast jaunts to Florida State and Virginia, the Cougars travel to always-tough Air Force, return home to host Mississippi State on just five days' rest, host UNLV and then travel to Syracuse.

It's a great schedule for frequent flier fans but not football teams.

"At the end of those five weeks, BYU may be a team to be reckoned with," wide receiver Margin Hooks said.

Especially if quarterback Bret Engemann, the son-in-law of TV talk show host Larry King, can mature against the tough competition. First-year BYU quarterbacks have had their problems executing the Cougars' complicated offense in the past.

One thing in BYU's favor is a solid defense returning seven starters including hard-hitting safety Jared Lee and outside linebacker Justin Ena.

Cougar players say they want to send Edwards out on a high note.

"It's a huge, huge incentive, a major boost," defensive end Setema Gali said.

However, it's in-state rival Utah, which returns 18 starters from a 9-3 squad that nipped Fresno State in the Las Vegas Bowl, that was picked by both conference coaches and media to win the 2000 MWC crown.

The Utes return their two top quarterbacks, including concussion-prone senior Darnell Arceneaux and solid T.D. Croshaw. However, Ron McBride must replace both of his top running backs, Mike Anderson and Omar Bacon.

Still, the defense, led by former Las Vegan Andre Dyson at corner and linebacker Kautai Olevao, should be one of the conference's best. And exciting wide receiver/kick returner Steve Smith may be the premier gamebreaker in the conference.

The third team to tie for the MWC title a year ago -- Colorado State -- also should make a strong run for the title.

Sonny Lubick's Rams (8-4 in 1999) have 16 starters back including second team all-conference quarterback Matt Newton and linebacker Rick Crowell, who figures to get a good look from NFL scouts.

The biggest question will be who can fill the big shoes of running back Kevin McDougal. However, Lubick is high on sophomore Rashaan Sanders.

It appears to be a pretty wide open race for the final spot in the top half of the MWC.

Wyoming (7-4) has one of the best returning quarterbacks in senior Jay Stoner, but head coach Dana Dimel left for Houston after last season. Defensive coordinator Vic Koenning takes over.

One of Koenning's first moves was junking last year's ill-conceived Triple Shoot offense which left Stoner vulnerable to blitzes last year. Another was to experiment with all-conference safety Al Rich at running back.

Still, Koenning doesn't have much time to get settled in. The Cowboys travel to Auburn and Texas A&M to open the season and must play BYU, Colorado State and UNLV on the road in conference play.

Air Force (6-5, 2-5) loses 17 starters from an injury-plagued 1999 squad, but quarterback Mike Thiessen returns along with a slew of talented running backs led by Scotty McKay and Qualario Brown.

The big question for the Falcons is how well a defense that has just two starters returning -- including a brand new secondary -- can perform, especially in key early season battles against BYU (Sept. 9) and Utah (Sept. 23).

There has been some speculation that this could be a make-it or break-it year for seventh-year San Diego State head coach Ted Tollner.

The Aztecs are coming off a very disappointing 5-6 campaign during which much more was expected of a veteran team that led the MWC in total defense (304.5 yards per game). San Diego State has compiled a ho-hum 17-18 record over the last three years.

It doesn't get any easier for Tollner this year. Only one starter returns on defense and legendary defensive coordinator Claude Gilbert retired. If that isn't bad enough, San Diego opens with Arizona State, Illinois, Arizona and Oregon State in a brutal nonconference schedule.

The Aztecs will have to try to win the first two of those games without star tailback Larry Ned, who underwent minor knee surgery last week. That puts even more pressure on a rebuilt offensive line and erratic quarterback Jack Hawley.

New Mexico (4-7, 3-4) was the unanimous pick to finish last in the MWC in both the coaches and media polls. But that hasn't stopped the optimism of Lobo players in the post-Brian Urlacher era.

"Our goal is to win the conference championship," senior linebacker Mike Barnett said. "The defense is going to have to step up and everybody has to make plays."

Third-year Lobos head coach Rocky Long brought in a new offensive coordinator, ex-Dennis Franchione aid Dan Dodd. Dodd is expected to take advantage of a solid offensive line and 245-pound running back Jarrod Baxter.