Cougar Insiders

The BYU football team and head coach Kalani Sitake received a shot in the arm Saturday night when the Cougars defeated No. 14 Boise State, snapping a three-game losing streak. Still a work in progress and still sans starting quarterback Zach Wilson, who is nursing an injured thumb on his throwing hand, the Cougars now have two weeks to prepare for instate foe Utah State, which is always a tough out. Cougar Insiders Jay Drew, Jeff Call and Brandon Gurney break down the BYU victory and what it...

Fresh off a bye week, BYU will look to rebound from its setback to Toledo when it squares off against South Florida Saturday. The Cougars will face the 2-3 Bulls with a new starting quarterback in Jaren Hall, who will make his first career start, and a renewed commitment to stopping the run, something that hasn’t come easy for BYU this season. Cougar Insiders Jay Drew, Brandon Gurney and Jeff Call break down the game against the Bulls and talk WCC basketball — both men’s team and women’s —...

The BYU football team heads into a bye week still hurting from a disappointing defeat to Toledo last Saturday — and the loss of sophomore quarterback Zach Wilson, who left the game late in the contest with an injury to his throwing hand. So where do the Cougars, who fell to 2-3, go from here? And who would replace next-man-up Jaren Hall at quarterback should the need arise? But there is good news at BYU as well, as the women’s volleyball team, soccer team, cross-country teams and golf teams...

A 2-2 record, based on the competition, may be nothing to sneeze at for the BYU football team, but what are the takeaways — good and bad — from the first four games of the season? BYU Insiders Jay Drew, Jeff Call and Brandon Gurney take a closer look at the first month of the season, as well as how the loss of Ty’Son Williams will impact the team. That and more on this week’s episode.

After two dramatic overtime victories over Power Five teams, the Cougars and their fans are riding high. But do we know how good this team really is? Cougar Insiders Jay Drew, Jeff Call and Brandon Gurney examine the topic, and others too — like how big the two wins are to coach Kalani Sitake’s future and who (or what) has been most surprising about this year’s team. That and more on this week’s episode.

In this edition of the Cougar Insiders podcast, Dick Harmon, Brandon Gurney and Jay Drew weigh in on the outcome of the BYU-USC game. Who likes the Cougars and who likes the Trojans? The crew wraps up the significance of the miracle comeback double-overtime win at Tennessee, and examines the key aspects of BYU’s challenge in taking on the ranked Trojans in Provo.

In this edition of the Cougar Insiders podcast, we break down the short- and long-term impact of BYU losing to Utah. We also examine Tennessee’s loss to Georgia State in its season opener, and discuss how that might factor into the Vols’ game against BYU this Saturday? And of course, we give you our predictions. Lastly, Jeff Call provides a firsthand report from head basketball coach Mark Pope on the team’s tour of Europe. That and more on this week’s episode.

In this edition of the Cougar Insiders podcast, Dick Harmon joins Jay Drew and Brandon Gurney in breaking down the key matchups heading into Thursday’s BYU-Utah Rivalry Game. They also discuss what a loss would mean to each team — and place where this rivalry game ranks among others on the national landscape. That and more on this week’s Rivalry Week edition.

The Cougar Insiders welcome veteran sports writer Jay Drew to the Deseret News sports staff. Drew and his fellow Insiders break down the big takeaways from BYU’s fall football camp. From X-factors to an amped-up intensity to unexpected surprises, we cover the bases. These topics and much more on this week’s episode of the Cougar Insiders podcast. Find and subscribe to this and other podcasts from the Deseret News at DeseretNews.com/Podcasts. Or find us on iTunes, Google Play or wherever you...

With fall camp opening Wednesday for the BYU football team, Cougar Insiders Dick Harmon, Jeff Call and Brandon Gurney break down a few of the more intriguing storylines surrounding this year’s squad. What X-factors could elevate the team? What are the greatest areas of concern? And what about that opener against the Utes? How big is that game — for both teams? That and more on this special fall camp preview episode. Find and subscribe to this and other podcasts from the Deseret News at...

What would a media day — any media day — be without unbridled optimism? Such was the case Tuesday in Provo, where BYU players and coaches met with the media to address all things BYU football. And there was no shortage of optimism. Cougar Insiders Jeff Call and Brandon Gurney discuss the news of the day, and weigh in on whether such optimism is justified. They also talk BYU’s TV contract situation with ESPN, Zach Wilson’s shoulder and a pair of grad transfer running backs who will add depth...

Now that the dust has settled and the Mark Pope era has begun, Insiders Dick Harmon, Jeff Call and Brandon Gurney examine the hire, and why, in their opinion, he was the right choice to lead the program moving forward. Boasting a strong NCAA and NBA pedigree, Pope looks to breathe new life into a basketball program that had grown stagnant. They also talk BYU football, which recently received commitments from two graduate transfer running backs, but also news that a potential star is calling...

With the search for a new men’s basketball coach in full swing, Cougar Insiders Dick Harmon and Brandon Gurney take a hard look at the leading candidates. From Mark Pope (considered the front-runner and most obvious choice), to Alex Jensen, Mark Madsen, Quincy Lewis, Barret Peery and beyond, Harmon and Gurney aim to separate the contenders from the pretenders. They also examine the challenges of the job and the legacy that coach Dave Rose leaves behind. Lastly, they offer their final...

On the outside of the NCAA Tournament looking in — for the fourth year in a row — the BYU basketball program and its fans are left to wonder what went wrong. Cougar Insiders Jeff Call and Brandon Gurney discuss what may be ailing the program — and in particular what went wrong against San Diego at the West Coast Conference Tournament. They also talk spring football ahead of Saturday’s annual spring scrimmage, and discuss the BYU women's basketball team that is enjoying an outstanding season...

With the BYU basketball team nearing the end of its regular season, eyes are already turning to the future. Last year, BYU star Elijah Bryant left the program after his junior season to pursue a professional career, as did Eric Mika before him. Now, much of Cougar Nation is wondering if junior Yoeli Childs will do likewise. Insiders Jeff Call, Dick Harmon and Brandon Gurney debate the possibility. They also look back at last week’s setbacks to San Francisco and Gonzaga and ahead to the WCC...

With prior recruits returning from church missions and 2019 commits preparing to embark on them, sizing up BYU’s recruiting classes can be a challenge. Cougar Insiders Dick Harmon, Jeff Call and Brandon Gurney take a look at the issue and weigh in on what they know regarding the latest batch of BYU commits. They also examine why so many of the state’s top high school players opt to play out of state. Finally, they look ahead to BYU men’s basketball games this week at San Diego (Thursday) and...

Last week, BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe held his annual roundtable Q&A session with members of the local media. Since you didn't have a seat at the table, here is what Holmoe had to say.

With Super Bowl Sunday fast approaching, Cougar Insiders Dick Harmon, Jeff Call and Brandon Gurney discuss why New England, and its defensive scheme, is so well-suited for Kyle Van Noy’s skillset. They also debate what it would take for BYU to pull a rabbit from its hat when the Cougars host No. 4-ranked Gonzaga Thursday night. Lastly, with National Letter of Intent Day nearing, they question why such the buzz over preferred walk-ons. That and more on this week’s Cougar Insiders podcast.

With NFL conference championship games set for Sunday, these are heady times for BYU faithful. From Taysom Hill (Saints) to Kyle Van Noy (Patriots) to Andy Reid and Daniel Sorensen (Chiefs), there are storylines aplenty. Insiders Jeff Call and Brandon Gurney take a look at those participating this weekend with ties to the Cougar program, discussing, among other things, whether Hill was properly utilized at BYU. They’ll also address what Ryan Pugh’s departure means to the BYU football staff...

Sporting an 8-7 nonconference record, the BYU’s men’s basketball team has experienced a mixed bag of results heading into its league opener at Pacific on Thursday night. Victories over Utah and Utah State were offset by losses to Weber State, Illinois State and UNLV. So what’s the problem? Cougar Insiders Dick Harmon, Jeff Call and Brandon Gurney offer their opinions, which run the gamut. They also discuss whether now is the time to offer football coach Kalani Sitake an extension. What are...