BYU Football: Top Offensive Players of the 21st Century

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With the 2011 season in the books, and with seemingly endless months before the 2012 season starts, there is little, if any, current news related to Cougar football. So, I thought it was an opportune time to look into the past for fodder to discuss and debate. While there have been comprehensive lists of which players had the best careers since the beginning of the Edwards era, it has been 12 seasons since the legend retired. With this in mind, I thought I would discuss the best offensive players from the Crowton (shudders) and Bronco eras. Feel free to disagree with my list and add to the debate.

Quarterback

First-Team: Max Hall

This was a tough decision. I, for one, was never fully entrenched in the "Mad Max" camp. He feasted on mediocre competition while struggling against the best teams he faced (with the lone exception of the Oklahoma game). In particular, his worst games came against Utah and TCU. The 2008 game against Utah was one of the most embarrassing performances by a Cougar QB, ever. Still, he won more games than any other BYU signal caller (32) and was the undisputed leader of three good teams. His numbers were also very good with over 3,500 yards in each season and touchdown numbers of 26, 35 and 33.

Second-Team: John Beck

Beck's first two years in Provo were rough. Stuck in the Crowton Carousel where you never knew which QB would play, Beck struggled and never looked comfortable in his own skin his Freshman and Sophomore years. By his Junior year, he had made vast improvements (3,709 yards, 27 TDs) and got the team to a bowl game but still couldn't quite get us to the next level. His Senior year, however, almost caused me to put him as the winner over Hall. Beck was outstanding his Senior year, with 32 TDs to only 8 picks and he also recorded six rushing TDs. More than that, though, he absolutely took it to a great TCU team and was the hero in the most memorable BYU win in the Holy War, ever.

Running Back

First-Team: Luke Staley

Staley had all three of his seasons cut short in Provo. The impact that his injuries had on each of those seasons is amazing. In 1998, BYU was 8-1 and highly ranked before he went down with a season-ending injury. They limped to an 8-4 record with a forgettable loss to Marshall in the Motor City Bowl. While he was made of glass, his 2001 season is by far the most impressive season any BYU RB has compiled. With just 196 carries, he ran for 1,582 yards and 24 TDs (with four more coming in the receiving game). For those of you doing the math, that's 8.1 yards a carry. Absolutely ridiculous. The Crowton era may have been quite different if Staley could have stayed healthy and did not leave early.

Second-Team: Harvey Unga

This, again, was a tough decision between Unga and Curtis Brown. Brown was solid throughout his career. He was a two-time MWC First Team member. He also lead the team in catches in 2006. While Brown was always solid, Unga was an absolute beast his whole career. He had the right combination of speed and power. He also had vision comparable to Staley's. He scored 45 total TDs in his three years. It's unfortunate that he was ineligible for his Senior year. His name may have been all over BYU's record books otherwise, and 2010 might have looked much different for the Cougars. 

Wide Receiver

First-Team: Austin Collie

Collie's Junior year at BYU was phenomenal. He had over 100 yards in each of his last 11 games. His final stats that year were 105 catches, 1,538 yards and 15 TDs. He was also an effective kick returner. Collie was strong, tall and quicker than people gave him credit for (or "deceptively fast," the typical term used for fast white athletes). His skills have translated well into the NFL, where he has had a solid career despite concussion problems and pathetic play from the quarterback position this season in Indianapolis.

First-Team: Reno Mahe

Remember this guy? Probably not. It seems like he graduated forever ago and his career started all the way back in 1998, when Coach Edwards was the still head honcho. Mahe was excellent in 2001. He had 91 catches, 1,211 receiving yards and 9 TDs. He also was a hero against the Utes days after having his appendix removed. Unfortunately, that season ended with major duds against Hawaii and Louisville which has made his and the team's 2001 season forgettable. His senior year was less successful due to terrible play from the whole team, particularly the quarterback. Still, he was good enough to receive All-MWC honors and have a relatively successful NFL career.

Second-Team: Cody Hoffman

This might seem premature. Hoffman just recently concluded his Sophomore season. His appearance on this list shows how strong his first two years have been. He already has had 17 receiving TDs in his first two years. He also broke an embarrassing spell of years without a kickoff return for a TD. He is not the prototypical WR at BYU—he is tall and his speed can stretch the field. However, like prototypical BYU WRs, Hoffman has great hands that led to some highlight reel plays over the last two years. If Hoffman can continue to improve, he might even overtake Collie on this list. 

Second-Team: Todd Watkins

Todd Watkins burst onto the scene his Junior year with his blazing speed and big first game against Notre Dame. Throughout that season, he continued to solidify himself as a legitimate deep threat...but not much else. His Junior season, Watkins averaged 20 yards a grab, with four catches on the season over 60 yards. He ended the season with a respectable 52 catches (with an impressive 1,042 receiving yards) and six TDs. Although he finished his Senior season with nine TDs, Coach Anae did not utilize his speed well and his yards per catch significantly decreased. He also had an inexplicable case of the "drops" midway through the season.

Tight Ends

First-Team: Dennis Pitta

Pitta had a great BYU career. As a walk-on his Freshman year, he carved out a spot for himself and had 17 catches and two TDs. His best season at the Y was his Junior season, where he had 83 catches, 1,083 yards and six TDs. He had a minor statistical dip in his Senior season with the emergence of Andrew George (featured in the video) and higher overall ball distribution. Still, he finished his Senior season with eight TDs, All-American honors and a clutch catch on fourth down against Oklahoma in the final drive. Pitta got more playing time for the Ravens this year, and is showing the NFL what people in Provo already knew about his skills.

Second-Team: Johny Harline

Even with how consistently great Pitta was over his four year career, I was still tempted to put Harline as the best TE we have had this century. A major part of that definitely stems from the unforgettable Beck to Harline play and how he and others brought excitement about football back to BYU in 2006. Aside from those, though, his numbers were very impressive particularly in his Senior year (12 TD catches). Like almost all other great BYU tight ends, Harline wasn't much of a blocker which stopped him from making a NFL roster. 

The O-Line

Matt Reynolds

Matt was a two-time All-MWC performer who decided to stick around for his Senior season when there was some buzz that he would go high in the NFL Draft if he did not. His helmetless block against Tulsa in this year's bowl game will be shown over and over for years to come.

Jason Scukanec

Jason was first-team All-MWC in 2001 and was a second-team performer in 2000. He was an anchor on a very good 2001 offensive team. Good enough to sign a free-agent contract with the Denver Broncos after his collegiate career.

Jake Kuresa

Jake was a first-team All-MWC performer in his Senior season and a second-team performer in his Junior year. Kuresa did not allow a sack in conference games in 2006 and was only blamed for 1.5 sacks on the entire season. Most fun, however, he was credited with 96 knock-downs on the year. The hogs up front usually don't get noticed but we all love to see a big guy put someone on the turf.

Dallas Reynolds

Dallas was a two-time first-team All-MWC performer for the Cougs, just like his younger brother Matt. It's a shame that Coach Reynolds did not have 15 boys. It will be an odd sight to see a day in the future where no lineman has REYNOLDS on the back of their jersey in LaVell Edwards Stadium. 

Ray Feinga

Another two-time first-team All-MWC. With all of these fantastic blockers, it is not hard to understand why BYU has had such a potent offense (well, since Bronco, anyway). At the end of 2007, SI.com gave Feinga second-team All-American honors. At 6'5", 348 pounds, he was a tough load to move to get to the Quarterback.