BYU Football: Biggest Storylines so Far This Offseason for the Cougars

BYU is still months away from its opener at Nebraska, but the Cougars have already been receiving plenty of attention. With the basketball squad's early exit in the NCAA tournament, fans are already getting excited and ready for football season.

It's been an eventful offseason for the Cougs, from their recruiting class to the aftermath of the Miami Beach Bowl fight. But several storylines have emerged in the past few months and will continue to evolve in the near future.

Here are some of the biggest storylines from BYU's offseason.

BYU Stays Quiet on Post-'Miami Beach Brawl' Discipline

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Although Memphis announced its punishments shortly following the bowl game fight, BYU has stayed quiet. It's an interesting public affairs tactic for a program that is trying to gain national attention.

The Cougars will announce the details sometime before the season opener at Nebraska, but that leaves plenty of unknowns surrounding players (like Kai Nacua, among others). At this point, Cougars fans will have to wait it out and hope that none of the punishments seriously affect on-field success.

Taysom Hill, Jamaal Williams Work to Be Ready for Season Opener

BYU's two most recognizable offensive stars, Taysom Hill and Jamaal Williams, suffered season-ending injuries last year. Hill is back practicing for the Cougs, but Williams is still rehabbing off the field.

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If both players can get back to their former levels, BYU will be in a much better situation this fall. The Cougars need both to be healthy in order to have a big season, especially with the huge schedule coming up.

Big Schedules Ahead for Cougars

The SEC recently announced that it would consider BYU as a Power 5 opponent, which has already reaped benefits for future Cougars schedules. BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe announced last week that BYU will play Mississippi State in Provo in 2016 and travel to Starkville the following year.

This year, BYU is slated to play Nebraska, UCLA, Michigan, Cincinnati and Missouri. The 2016 schedule already boasts games against Arizona, UCLA, Michigan State, Mississippi State and the revival of the series with Utah.

With big games ahead for the next several years, BYU will need to step up to gain any national attention.