By SCOTT BELL
It took six games for BYU's first-string secondary to actually play together.
Sort of.
While strong safety Chris Ellison is out for the year, the rest of BYU's secondary was together for the first time Saturday against Hawaii, and the results were impressive.
Rainbows quarterback Josh Skinner completed just 10 of 24 passes for 97 yards and one interception. The interception, hauled in by Ben Cook, was the Cougars' first of the year.
Cornerback Jack Williams was back for the first time after missing three games with a hamstring pull. He came in at cornerback when BYU went to five defensive backs on passing downs, allowing starting corner Ben Cook to move to nickelback.
'I thought our defense played as well (against Hawaii) as they have all year long,' said coach LaVell Edwards. 'It was the first game we really had our secondary intact.'
The secondary had been in disarray since Omarr Morgan's suspension before the season. After Williams' and Ellison's injuries, the whole situation was capped by the tragic wreck that resulted in the death of Terrence Harvey and the loss of Roderick Foreman and Tony Fields, all defensive backs.
Junior Derick Bates and sophomore Tyler Nelson have filled Ellison's slot. Bates has started three times and Nelson twice, including Saturday against Hawaii. Both come in when BYU goes to six defensive backs.
Fields is back with the team. He's been back in school catching up on school work after missing a few weeks due to the accident. He will suit up for the first time since the SMU game Saturday against Texas Christian, further strengthening the secondary.
Freshman Jaron Dabney had something of a coming-out game Saturday against Hawaii. Besides his 83-yard punt return for a touchdown, his 155 punt return yards in the game set a Cougar Stadium record for one game.
'I just tried to catch every last ball I could,' Dabney said.
The 5-foot-6-inch Sealy, Texas native caught several balls on the dead run after they had bounced around a few times, giving coach Brian Mitchell a few chances to hold his breath.
'I came to the sideline,' Dabney said, 'and coach Mitchell said, 'Don't you ever do that again.' I was just in a zone.'
Dabney also had one reception for six yards, and carried the ball once for another six yards. Dabney hopes for more carries in the future.
'My whole high school career I played running back,' Dabney said. 'I was All-State in Texas, so it's kind of like my home back there.'
Kevin Feterik's injured ankle will be in a cast for another two weeks. At that point the ankle will be X-rayed again to see what healing has taken place. In the best case scenario, Feterik could be back for the New Mexico game Nov. 15.
Junior Gabe Giordano underwent surgery Monday for a torn ACL. The special teams player will miss the rest of the season.
Fullback Kalani Fifita-Sitake underwent successful surgery this week for the herniated disk in his back. He'll miss the rest of the year as well, but should be ready to go next spring.