BYU Knows It Has Strength in Numbers : Football: Records and high marks are just part of the routine with the Cougars.

With Brigham Young University coming to town Saturday for the Western Athletic Conference title showdown with San Diego State, here’s a look at the Cougars (7-3) by the numbers:

* The Cougars’ ranking in a recent national poll is 23. Not bad after starting out 0-3, losing to No. 1 Florida State, UCLA and Penn State. Coach LaVell Edwards says the slow start was a combination of inexperience and a tough schedule. “We were going with more young players than we ever have and we had so many injuries we didn’t have any continuity. And we did play some good teams,” he said. “The way we’re playing now we could’ve challenged some of those games better than we did.”

Quarterback Ty Detmer is more emphatic: “I think right now we can play with anybody in the country. It took a while to get everybody in the right places.”

* Twenty is how many years Edwards has been the head coach at BYU. He’s going for his 14th WAC title.

* Seven is the number of games BYU has won in a row. That ties its best streak since 1984, when the Cougars were named national champions at 13-0. The last time they won seven in a row was 1988--a streak that was ended by SDSU.

* Fifty-nine is the number of NCAA records Detmer has set or tied, and at least two more will fall this week; he needs to run 21 plays to break the career mark of 1,722 set by SDSU’s Todd Santos and he needs two completions for a career total of 910, which would pass another Santos mark. If he attempts 37 passes he’ll set another record of 1,484. Detmer has broken 11 NCAA records this season.

* One is the number of Heisman Trophies with which Detmer will have upon graduation, thanks to the five consecutive losses BYU suffered after the award was announced last year (the final two games last season and first three this year). Detmer figures his chances for Heisman bookends “were pretty much over the last two games of last year” but says this season has been more enjoyable without the Heisman hype.

“This year has been a lot more fun. Last year there was more and more pressure as (the Heisman announcement) got closer,” he said. However, he wouldn’t mind being invited to the awards show. “I had a great time last year, I’d go back in a minute,” he said.

Edwards said the atmosphere this year “has been less hectic, there’s been hardly any national (media) people. There hasn’t been anywhere near the attention from a national standpoint. (However) I think we’re the only team with three losses in the top 25, . . . there’s still a great deal of respect for BYU football.”

* One hundred seventeen is the number of passes Detmer has thrown without an interception, covering four games. Whatever his future, college coaches have no doubt about Detmer’s present--and presence. He is second in the nation in passing ratings behind Michigan’s Elvis Grbac. He has completed 63% of his passes for 3,054 yards, 24 touchdowns and only seven interceptions.

“I feel I’m in more control of what’s going on, I haven’t had the interceptions, I feel I’ve really been consistent. I’m on top of things,” Detmer said. “Anybody that knows football knows what’s going on on the field. I can’t control my size. I can just go out and do what I can do.”

What he’s done is pass for 14,054 yards and 110 touchdowns.

* Zero seems to be the number of pro scouts and analysts who give Detmer a chance of playing in the National Football League. Records aside, the 6-foot, 175-pound Detmer seems to have contracted a bad case of Doug Flutie Syndrome. Too small, not enough arm. Go north young man, and keep going when you get to the Canadian border if you want to play, suggest NFL scouts.

This week Edwards said of Detmer’s critics, “I think Ty’s playing better than he ever has, his efficiency rating continues to go up each week, his decisions have improved. This year he went out there as really the sole guy with much experience, he shouldered a lot more (responsibility). Somebody will pick him up, he’ll be drafted and three years down the road he’ll be playing for somebody and they’ll be patting themselves on the back that they knew it all along. He’ll play in the NFL.”

After BYU beat Wyoming, 56-31, last week, Cowboy Coach Joe Tiller said, “Maybe there is nobody that good who has ever played on the collegiate level.”

Aztec Coach Al Luginbill said, “You can’t take a play off against this young man.”

* Two hundred yards or more is what BYU has rushed for in two of its last three games. While the pass is still the primary weapon, the Cougars try to establish their ground game early behind senior fullback Peter Tuipulotu and freshman halfback Jamal Willis. Tuipulotu is seventh in the WAC in rushing with 488 yards and Willis eighth with 414. Tuipulotu also has 35 receptions and ranks sixth in the WAC in all-purpose yardage. Backup fullback Mark Atuaia, another freshman, has been a key fillin while both Tuipulotu and Willis have missed time with injuries. He has rushed for 318 yards.

“We need to establish the running game. It’s been the key the last few weeks,” Detmer said. “The last few years we’ve opened up the run with the pass. It’s the opposite this year.”

Luginbill said, “They are running the ball better, but it’s not what they want to do. I believe they’ll come out trying to run the ball on us. (But) Detmer’s gonna throw it.”

* Nine is how many different BYU receivers have caught passes in the past two games. Amazingly, no Cougar ranks higher than eighth in the WAC in receptions, because Edwards’ offense has spread it around. Sophomore Eric Drage leads with 36 catches followed by Tuipulotu with 35 and tight end Byron Rex, a junior, with 30. Drage averages nearly 20 yards per catch.

* One hundred twenty-three is the number of tackles junior linebacker Shad Hansen has, ranking second in the WAC just behind SDSU’s Damon Pieri with 127. Yes, BYU plays some defense, though Wyoming scored 31 points last week and Texas El Paso 29. Linebacker Rocky Biegel has 92 tackles. Safety Josh Arnold has caused three fumbles, while he and teammate Derwin Gray, a junior, have each broken up seven passes. Though the Cougars are giving up more than 400 yards in offense per game, they are holding opponents to 23.9 points.

“The (Aztecs) are going to move the football, we have to make some plays and keep them out of the end zone,” Edwards said.

“A lot of people think a lot of points will be scored,” Luginbill said. “I don’t know. I think both teams might move the ball up and down the field but it may not be as high-scoring as people think. It comes down to which defense makes the plays.”

If the Aztecs have to punt often, BYU junior Brad Clark puts the Cougars in good field position, leading the WAC in punt return yardage. His 12.8-yard return average is 11th nationally.

Said Detmer: “I’m sure we’ll see some things we didn’t see last year. (The Aztecs) are gonna be ready to play. Last year, maybe they weren’t.”

* Sixty-five is how many points were scored against the Cougars the last time they played in San Diego, in the Holiday Bowl against Texas A&M.; Of course, BYU scored 62 points the last time it played SDSU. “Last year was last year,” Detmer said. “Our motivation has been to win the WAC. Everybody’s excited, everybody knows this is the championship game and we all would like to go back to San Diego for Christmas.”