After yielding just 87 yards rushing to a Cincinnati team that entered last Saturday’s matchup as the 21st-ranked rushing offense nationally with its 194.5 yards per game average. It was a testament to the type of work Lutui and his teammates have accomplished throughout the year with Lutui noting as much as he addressed the media during Monday’s press conference.

“We take a lot of pride in trying to stop the run,” Lutui said. “We pride ourselves in practice in going against one of the top O-lines in the nation, I feel like…So it’s good to go out and perform on Saturdays, especially when we only have three down linemen being able to stop the run. We need all 11 guys, so it’s not just the D-line, but we’re playing better as a unit each week.”

Lutui’s level of play was very much a given prior to the season, considering his playing experience, but he’s one of the few in that regard. It’s been well-noted that BYU’s defensive ends feature a lack of game time experience, but a level of potential that young standouts, such as Tausili Akana, Hunter Clegg and Nusi Taumeopeau, have begun to realize during the latter stage of the season.

On the interior, it’s been largely the same, with seasoned veterans Keanu Tanuvasa and John Taumeopeau leading an otherwise young group of players who have come together nicely throughout every game played.

“The guys are understanding a lot of what they can do upfront,” said BYU Coach Kalani Sitake. “We have a lot of young guys still learning and growing in the system. But it’s also good to see leaders like Keanu and JT (Taumoepeau) do some wonderful things upfront. Then you combine that with what (Viliami Po’uha) and Bodie (Schoonover), Tausili, Clegg, Nusi, and all those guys…are playing great football and they’re doing it at a high level.”

As always, a lot of the level fans see on Saturdays is developed off the field through practice and other functions.

“You kind of have to look at their cultures, too,” Sitake said. “They do some really good things together, and it’s been nice. A lot of the credit goes to the linebackers, but there’s players in front of the linebackers that are making things happen…Those guys have been able to create some chaos and that’s been nice to depend on.”

Always dependable, Lutui will be receiving his senior blanket for a second time on Saturday, one year after receiving the same during BYU’s home finale versus Houston, which he then assumed would be his final game played at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Lutui opted to return, and will likely again hoist his three-year old son, Ezekiel, on his shoulders when doing as much, just like he does following every game while going around the stadium high-fiving fans.

“That’s one thing I look forward to during every home game,” Lutui said. “…(Ezekiel) looks forward to it, too. Whenever he runs up to me…he says, ‘Let’s go high-five’ (the fans.) So I think that’s a fun experience and it’s going to be one of the cool memories, for sure, about playing at BYU.”

Injury update

Saturday’s game saw BYU top receiver leave early due to an apparent hamstring injury while quarterback Bear Bachmeier was seen grimacing following a hard hit late. Bachmeier did return to action during the game, although his status for this coming game versus UCF is somewhat in question, along with that of Roberts.

“Everybody’s sore,” Sitake said. “Chase obviously couldn’t go in the game, but we’ve obviously got to make a decision on what’s the best thing for him this week. We’ll evaluate that as we get closer to the middle of the week. Bear’s fine. Everybody’s banged up. Everybody should be banged up right now in college football right now…So we don’t expect anyone to be 100 percent before Saturday.”