Brigham Young Cougars 2011 Season Highlights

BLUE COUGAR FOOTBALL is home to the most comprehensive season review for BYU football. It will include four parts. There is a possibility of a bonus, fifth part

The season highlights is a list of the landmarks and milestones achieved, as well as the memorable moments that made 2011 special. When possible links to videos of the highlights have been provided. The years in parenthesis represent the last time, if ever, this highlight happened.

Season Review Part 1: Major stories and assessment of the season.
Season Review Part 2: Position Grades.
Season Review Part 3: Awards.

RECORD: 10-3 (6-1 Home, 3-1 Road, 1-1 Neutral)
RANKING: #25 USAToday/ Unranked in Associated Press
6th consecutive winning season.
7th consecutive bowl appearance.
Longest win streak: 5 games.

Highlights/Memorable Moments

• Won second game in school history against an SEC opponent. (Last happened in 2001)
• Won season opener for the fifth year in a row. (1968-72)
• Kyle Van Noy scored his second career touchdown at Ole Miss.
• 13 point comeback win at Ole Miss was the largest comeback ever under Bronco Mendenhall.
• Played in front of the largest crowd in school history—100,995 at Texas.
• Rivalry game with Utah was played in September. (1958)
• BYU and Utah both wore home uniforms in the rivalry game.
• Ross Apo scored a touchdown in the first three games of his career. (Ole Miss, Texas, Utah)
• Cody Hoffman returned a kickoff 93-yards for a touchdown vs. UCF. (1998)
• Cody Hoffman had 162 yards receiving in a single game at Oregon State. (2008)
• Kyle Van Noy blocked a punt against Idaho State.
• Riley Nelson had the 12th best pass efficiency rating in BYU history vs. Idaho State—229.18.
• JD Falslev returned a punt for a touchdown vs. TCU. (2006)
• Riley Nelson gave the official a high five after scoring on a 2-point conversion vs. TCU.
• Kyle Van Noy wore injured Jordan Pendleton’s jersey as a tribute to him on Senior Day vs. New Mexico State.
• BYU had 100 yards of total offense on a single drive vs. New Mexico State.
• Six touchdown drives of 90 yards or longer—97 yards at Texas, 96 yards vs. Utah State, 99 and 91 yards vs. Idaho State, 92 yards vs. Idaho, 90 yards vs. New Mexico State (2006, 7 drives)
• Two quarterbacks passed for over 300 yards in a single game—Jake Heaps vs. Utah, 305, and Riley Nelson at Hawaii, 363 (2006)
• Defense scored 3 touchdowns—KVN at Ole Miss, Daniel Sorensen vs. Idaho State, Joe Sampson at Hawaii (2008)
• Two games won by touchdown passes with exactly 11 second to play—Utah State, Tulsa
• Scored 10 different ways—fumble return, interception return, punt return, kickoff return, field goal, 1 point after touchdown, 2 point after touchdown, safety, touchdown run, touchdown pass (1996)
• Played seven home games (1996)
• Justin Sorensen was perfect on PAT attempts, 48-48 (2003)
• Won bowl game for the third year in a row for the first three game bowl win streak in school history.
• 4 100-yard receiving games—Hoffman had all 4.
• Played 11 games on one of the ESPN networks.

New School Records (old record in parenthesis)

• Most kickoff return yards in a season—Cody Hoffman, 879 (865)
• Most career touchdown catches in bowl games—Cody Hoffman, 6 (3)
• Most bowl games with three touchdown catches—Cody Hoffman, 2 (1)
• Most touchdown receptions by a freshman—Ross Apo, 9 (8)

The Editor appreciates all feedback. He can be reached via email at bluecougarfootball@gmail.com