By Creighton McEwen
BYU football will try its hand against the Pac-10 Conference once again Saturday Sept. 20, 2003 as Stanford comes to Provo for its first-ever meeting with the Cougars.
The Cardinal, which has had more than a week to prepare for BYU, is coming off a 31-10 win against San Jose State on Sept 6. The team is unproven, as it has only played one game this season.
BYU also started a winning streak of its own with a 10-7 defensive struggle against New Mexico on Saturday. The Cougars, though, have had the opportunity to improve both offensively and defensively with three very physical games.
'The advantage is we probably know our team a little bit better,' said BYU head coach Gary Crowton. 'They''ve had a week to prepare. They have been able to watch all three of our games because they have been on T.V. And they''re not beat up because they haven''t had to play three physical games in a row.'
The Cougars are definitely beat up. Key players on both sides of the ball are suffering from injuries. Freshman quarterback John Beck will start in sophomore Matt Berry''s place. Berry broke a bone in his hand Saturday and will be out between three to five weeks.
There is nothing more to Beck starting than Berry''s injury.
'So that we''re clear, and there is no misunderstanding, or controversy, when Matt is healthy, he will be the starting quarterback,' Crowton said. 'I think he''s doing a tremendous job and working really hard. In the meantime, John Beck will start while Matt is out. When Matt is ready to go, he will be the starter.'
Beck is making his first start in a football game since Dec. 12, 1999, when he played for Mountain View High School in the Arizona state championship game.
He will be only the second true freshman to ever start at quarterback for BYU and the first since Drew Miller in 1997.
'John has got a real good feel for things,' Crowton said. 'He''s a very intelligent quarterback. I don''t ever feel like he''s overwhelmed.'
Stanford is also starting a freshman quarterback in redshirt Trent Edwards. Edwards is making his first-ever start after performing well against SJSU, completing 21 of 37 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns.
Stanford''s team is very young all the way around. Of its 94 players, half are either true or redshirt freshmen, while there are just 14 juniors and 14 seniors on the roster.
One of its seniors, team captain left tackle Kirk Chambers, is from Provo and a graduate of Provo High School.
The Cardinal, though, does have experience on defense. Nineteen different players started on defense last season. Fifteen of them are back this year. The team ranks first in the country in rush defense.
'BYU will run the ball more than San Jose State did,' said Stanford head coach Buddy Teevens. 'They have quality running backs and a good-sized offensive line.'
Stanford has lots of talent at receiver as well. Senior flanker Luke Powell caught 12 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener.
Crowton is familiar with Stanford''s speedy skill players.
'They''re very athletic,' he said. 'They have some skill guys that can really run. So if they can isolate you and handle protections, they can get the match ups they want outside.'
Until now, the Cougar defense has played, but was not limited to, man-to-man coverage.
'When you''re playing a lot of man coverage and you''re blitzing, sometimes you''re vulnerable over the top,' Crowton said. 'We have pretty good cover guys. I think our defense has the ability to zone it up and not play man.'
Among the other Cougar injured is senior center Scott Jackson, who hurt his knee and is probable to play against Stanford. If he can''t play, junior Hanale Vincent will go in his stead.
Freshman fullback Taufui Vakapuna also injured his knee. He is out for this week, and sophomore Naufahu Tahi will start at fullback.
Though used to playing in a stadium that seats more than 85,000 fans, Teevens said LaVell Edwards Stadium has a great reputation.
'BYU is a great college venue,' Teevens said. 'It is a loud place, and with a sold-out crowd there is lots of noise. We have tried to simulate as best we can the gameday atmosphere on the road.'