Revisiting BYU Football’s Player Of The Week Recipients
Nov 29, 2022, 1:04 AM
Throughout the 2022 season, BYU football coaches dished out player of the week honors. QB Jaren Hall earned his share of recognition. (Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News)
(Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News)
PROVO, Utah – The regular season for BYU football has come to a close. BYU finished with a 7-5 record and now waits for its postseason bowl game.
Entering the season, BYU had high expectations due to a preseason AP Top 25 ranking and a wealth of experience in the personnel and coaching staff. BYU started the year 4-1 but bottomed out with a four-game losing streak, including losses to Liberty and East Carolina.
After dropping to 4-5, BYU rallied and reeled off three straight wins to close the year against Boise State, Utah Tech, and Stanford.
Each week, members of the BYU football coaching staff dished out player of the week honors. Here’s a summary of all the players of the week recipients from the 2022 regular season.
The “Top Block” and “Top Rock” recognitions are for players on the punt and kick return teams.
BYU 50, USF 21
Offensive Player of the Game: Chris Brooks, RB
Defensive Player of the Game: Max Tooley, LB
Special Teams Player of the Game: Talmage Gunther, WR
Top Block: Keenan Pili, Hinckley Ropati, Mason Fakahua
Top Rock: Jakob Robinson
Final from Tampa: No. 25 @BYUfootball 50, USF 21.#ByU #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/pp1e5jjWyA
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 4, 2022
BYU opened the 2022 regular season with a complete game performance against lowly South Florida. Brooks, who had earned high praise for his play in fall camp, delivered on early expectations rushing for 135 yards, which included a 52-yard rushing touchdown.
BYU 26, Baylor 20 (2OT)
Offensive: Chase Roberts, WR
Defensive: Entire defensive unit
Special Teams: Austin Riggs, LS
Top Block: Carter Wheat, Houston Heimuli
Top Rock: Ethan Slade
Scout Team: Ben Ward, OL & Josh Singh, DL
#BYU upsets 9th ranked #Baylor in 2OT 26-20.#BYUFootball l #BUvsBYU l @kslsports pic.twitter.com/n4QVKKwIkO
— Sam Farnsworth (@Samsworth_KSL) September 11, 2022
If BYU’s defense played as they did against Baylor throughout the entire season, the 2022 season would have finished much differently. Redshirt freshman Chase Roberts also became a star in this game, filling in for an injured Puka Nacua, with eight receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown.
Oregon 41, BYU 20
Offensive: Kody Epps, WR
Defensive: None
Special Teams: Hobbs Nyberg, PR/KR
Top Block: Houston Heimuli, Lopini Katoa, Talmage Gunther, Tanner Wall
Top Rock: Ammon Hannemann, Ethan Slade
Kalani Sitake’s initial statement after No. 12 #BYU falls to No. 25 Oregon. #BYUFootball @kslsports pic.twitter.com/aysrsoVcus
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 17, 2022
Kody Epps was a bright spot on a day with little to highlight. The third-year freshman recorded his first career touchdown grab as a BYU Cougar. But the defense began to show its true colors.
BYU 38, Wyoming 24
Offensive: Jaren Hall, QB
Defensive: Keenan Pili, LB & Tyler Batty, DL
Special Teams: Ryan Rehkow, P
Top Block: Tanner Wall, Keanu Hill
Top Rock: Micah Harper, Jacob Boren
Scout Team: Kade Moore, WR & Logan Pili, LB
Jaren Hall still sees areas to improve in his game after throwing for 337 yards in a win over Wyoming.#BYU #BYUFootball @kslsports pic.twitter.com/fzzApfWjAT
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 25, 2022
The win over Wyoming might be Jaren Hall’s best individual game in his BYU career. Hall finished 26-of-32 for 337 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Hall was healthy and beginning to hit his stride on the season.
BYU 38, Utah State 26
Offensive: Kody Epps, WR
Defensive: Jakob Robinson, DB & Micah Harper, DB
Special Teams: Hobbs Nyberg, PR/KR
Top Block: Lane Lunt, Terence Fall
Top Rock: Chris Jackson
Scout Team: Sione Veikoso, OL & Evan Johnson, CB
No. 19 BYU defeats Utah State 38 to 26.#BYUFootball #AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/Sok2oTapKq
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 30, 2022
On the scout team, it’s noteworthy that Sione Veikoso earned some high praise. Veikoso, an Arizona State transfer, is one to watch going forward in the Big 12 era. If Blake Freeland moves on to the NFL, Veikoso has a chance to be one of the starting tackles next season.
Notre Dame 28, BYU 20
Offensive: Kody Epps, WR
Defensive: Keenan Pili, LB & John Nelson, DL
Special Teams: Britton Hogan, LS
Top Block: Punt Return Team
Top Rock: Chris Jackson, Carter Krupp, Keenan Pili
Final: Notre Dame 28, No. 16 BYU 20 pic.twitter.com/Rl0SDNjqsI
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 9, 2022
Kody Epps became a weekly star during this stretch of the season for BYU.
Arkansas 52, BYU 35
Offensive: Clark Barrington, OL & Kingsley Suamataia, OL
Defensive: Tyler Batty, DL
Special Teams: None
Arkansas defeats #BYU 52-35. pic.twitter.com/oOpl8MP54P
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 15, 2022
I remember talking to Tyler Batty in his weekly conversations with me on Cougar Tracks. When I told him he was the defensive MVP from the Arkansas game that saw BYU’s defense give up 644 yards of offense, I didn’t get the sense that he would be promoting that recognition anytime soon.
Liberty 41, BYU 14
Offensive: Puka Nacua, WR
Defensive: None
Special Teams: Caden Haws
Top Block: Keanu Hill & Ethan Erickson
Top Rock: Carter Krupp & Tanner Wall
Final: Liberty 41, BYU 14#BYU falls to 4-4 overall on the season.
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 22, 2022
The debacle on the mountain at Liberty featured signs of a healthy Puka Nacua coming to life.
East Carolina 27, BYU 24
Offensive: None
Defensive: None
Special Teams: Lopini Katoa
Top Block: Mason Fakahua
Top Rock: Micah Harper
📍 #BYU vs ECU#GoCougs #BYUFootball pic.twitter.com/nzmev2puUA
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 28, 2022
BYU 31, Boise State 28
Offensive: Puka Nacua, WR
Defensive: Pepe Tanuvasa, OE/LB
Special Teams: Tanner Wall, WR
Top Block: Fisher Jackson
Top Rock: Chika Ebunoha
Scout: Beau Robinson, RB & Korbyn Green, DB
#BYU takes down Boise State on the Blue, 31-28 pic.twitter.com/uS400vHugg
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 6, 2022
Back on the winning side meant a full slate of weekly awards. The Boise State will go down in the record books as one of the great individual receiver games in BYU football history.
BYU 52, Utah Tech 26
Offensive: Jaren Hall, QB & Blake Freeland, OT
Defensive: Jakob Robinson, DB
Special Teams: Hobbs Nyberg, PR/KR
Top Block: Hinckley Ropati
Top Rock: George Udo
Scout Team: Sol-Jay Maiava, QB & Hunter Greer, DL
#BYU defeats Utah Tech, 52-26.#BYUFootball #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/bhsaFaveYz
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 20, 2022
Blake Freeland doesn’t get enough credit for how good he has been throughout the 2022 season. After BYU changed how they sent in their play calls, with Hall coming to the sideline to talk to the coaches, BYU’s offense dominated the TrailBlazers. Especially in the trenches.
BYU 35, Stanford 26
Offensive: Chris Brooks, RB & OL Blake Freeland, Clark Barrington, Kingsley Suamataia, Joe Tukuafu, Connor Pay, Harris LaChance
Defensive: Gabe Jeudy-Lally, CB & Lorenzo Fauatea, DL
Special Teams: Chris Jackson & Carter Wheat
Top Block: Caleb Christensen & Talmage Gunther
Top Rock: Morgan Pyper & George Udo
Scout Team: Bruce Mitchell, DL & OL Trevin Ostler, Peter Falaniko, Vae Soifua
#BYU defeats Stanford 35-26 pic.twitter.com/miVH6eQbPz
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 27, 2022
BYU’s ground attack was outstanding against Stanford. Brooks looked like the back that BYU expected him to be coming into the season, and the offensive line bullied Stanford at the line of scrimmage.
On the defensive side, Lorenzo Fauatea was one of the great stories from that game. Fauatea finished with a sack. It was a highlight moment for a senior player that has dealt with numerous injuries since arriving on campus in 2017. Yet, through it all, he’s continued to play to the best of his abilities.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s BYU football coverage on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
