BYU looks to finish regular season with a win against Nevada

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After coming up short against Notre Dame last weekend, BYU looks to get back to their winning ways in the team’s final regular season game of the 2013 season. That game will be played in Reno against a Nevada team looking for a win after a disappointing 4-7 season.

Kyle Van Noy celebrates a tackle during the game against Georgia Tech. Photo by Sarah Hill.
Kyle Van Noy celebrates a tackle during the game against Georgia Tech. Photo by Sarah Hill.

“In regards to Notre Dame, I thought the team tried hard and fell short through execution, critical moments, through critical plays, a slow start defensively and the blocked kick there at the end,” BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said. “We have two games left and I am anxious to play really well this week and continue to make it a favorable experience for our seniors and do whatever we can to make that happen.”

The team’s trip to Reno will be a homecoming for BYU senior linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who is from the area and graduated from Reno’s McQueen High School. Mendenhall had nothing but good things to say about Van Noy and his time as a Cougar.

“Kyle has probably had more attention and more praise and more spotlight than any other player, I can’t say in BYU history but he would have to be top five,” Mendenhall said. “He is featured on billboards, on magazines and in books etc. So if you think about that for a young person or any person and then to stay grounded, stable, consistent and continue to learn and grow and be teachable along the way; it’s quite a challenge.”

While playing the final regular season game of his college career in his hometown is something Van Noy is excited about, he knows leaving Reno with a win is what’s most important this week.

“They (Nevada) have a good offensive scheme, similar to the offense we run,” Van Noy said. “They can put up points and they can put them up in a hurry so it’s going to be a good game and we have a good game plan for them.”

Many Cougar fans had concerns regarding quarterback Taysom Hill’s health being an issue throughout the year. The sophomore leads BYU in rushing yards, and seems to take a beating week in and week out. When asked about his health, Hill put those worries to rest.

“There are some bumps and bruises but there is nothing crazy,” Hill said. “There is nothing that you wouldn’t expect after playing 11 games so far. I’m happy with the way that I feel and we’ll go into the Nevada game healthy and ready to go”

While BYU is expected to win this weekend, players and coaches know that they can’t overlook a Nevada team also looking to finish off their season with a victory.

“We know that they aren’t eligible for a bowl game so for their seniors, this will be the last game that they will be able to play and we expect them to come out and play hard,” Hill said. “We expect them to come out and play really hard.”

BYU’s final regular season game kicks off Nov. 30 at 1:00 p.m. MT and can be seen on CBS Sports Network.

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