PROVO, Utah – If the BYU Cougars are going to improve on an awful 2017 season, they’re going to need more support from the passing game, specifically from the wide receiving corps.

Last season, Cougar receivers amassed just 2,530 yards which ranked 90^th in the country. Per game, that was just 194.6 yards.

Many changes have been made, including the addition of new passing game coordinator Aaron Roderick, who came to BYU after taking a year off after coaching at Utah from 2005-2016

Roderick, who also played three years at BYU in his college days, feels like the Cougars are making strides.

“I think we’re making good progress,” said Roderick. “We’re not game-ready yet but we’re getting close. We’re on schedule. I think we have a good team.”

On the receivers specially, Roderick sees a group that is hungry to show improvement.

“They’re getting better every day. They’re probably the group that has the biggest chip on their shoulder. They understand that they have a lot to prove and I think they’re good players.”

Micah Simon will be looked on as the leader of the wideouts. The only underclassman to be voted a captain, Simon appeared in all 13 games last year as a sophomore, making four starts, gathering 27 catches for 386 yards and 3 touchdowns.

He echoed Roderick’s statement regarding the group’s chip on the shoulder.

“I think every position has a chip,” said Simon. “You can never be satisfied with a good season, let alone  a bad season. It’s something that we’ve kept in the back of our minds that we obviously needed to improve from last season.”

The group will be bolstered by some new additions, including Dylan Collie, brother of former BYU star Austin Collie, who transferred from Hawaii to play his final collegiate season in Provo. He told the Deseret News’ Brad Rock that the receiving corps are, “better than some of you (media) guys have made it sound. A lot better.”