DICKSON: First of all, “what” happens in BYU football camp is really never a surprise. It’s the same every year: Interviews with players and coaches brimming with optimism and very little opportunity for the media to get much of a look at what’s really happening.

It’s the way college coaches operate now, which is funny to me because NFL team allow fans and media to watch all of nearly every single preseason practice.

As for a “who” surprise, it starts and stops with walk-on tight end Mata’ava Ta’ase, an SUU transfer. He’s won the backup role behind starter Isaac Rex and is going to be a huge part of the Cougar offense as a blocker and receiving threat. BYU coach Aaron Roderick said he did something every day in practice to get noticed. That’s how you get on the field.

LLOYD: Some college football coaches are prone to hyperbole. They start talking about how good their teams is and most people tune out because they’ve heard it all before.

I’ve never found Cougar offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick to be that type of coach. He may not go into detail if an individual or unit is struggling, but he won’t just talk someone up to talk them up.

So when he says this BYU teams is the most talented overall since he has been here, I believe he isn’t just trying to be optimistic. Considering some of the pieces the Cougars lost from 2022, it looks like BYU’s done a solid job at filling the holes and we’ve caught glimpses of that in camp.

As for the biggest surprise individual, Darnell’s selection of Ta’ase is certainly an excellent choice. There are a number of candidates on the defensive side but coordinator Jay Hill talked about how Kamden Garrett has come on strong. He may not be as well-known as Eddie Heckard but Garrett will need to make some plays at cornerback this year.

2. Sounds like BYU football is done with the hockey substitution pattern on defense from 2022, according to new D-coordinator Jay Hill. Was it necessary last year because of the lack of playmakers or was it just plain crazy?

LLOYD: It’s hard to argue with the math the Cougars were trying to employ as they did their substitutions: If Player A is at 60%, Player B will be better at 95%, so substitute to keep the fresher guys in. That’s fairly straightforward.

The problem with that view is it doesn’t take into account the value of rhythm, something that often comes after playing a few downs, or the adrenaline of getting amped up for a big play. Players also felt like they had less opportunity to out-think opponents because they couldn’t set them up to take advantage of weaknesses.

Yes, injuries certainly took a toll on BYU’s defense during the season but there were still a lot of good, experienced players available. The pattern was a conscious decision to try to get an advantage that had limited success.

I think the predictability of the Cougar defensive approach was much more problematic than the substitutions. Opponents simply were ready for what BYU was throwing at them and made the Cougars pay for it.

But I do agree with both Jay Hill and Kalani Sitake that you need your best guys on the field, particularly in game-changing moments.

DICKSON: It was a little of both, I think. There’s weren’t enough playmakers on last year’s defense to separate certain positions so everybody got to play.

Unfortunately, getting the best 11 on the field for the defense wasn’t as easy as you might expect. I think Ilaisa Tuiaki and Ed Lamb felt like the hockey subs was the best way to utilize the talent they had.

It did seem crazy to sub out 11 players at a time during a key third down or a goal line situation, and opposing offenses didn’t seem to have much trouble figuring out ways to beat the D.

Kalani Sitake gave the “best 11 on the field” quote earlier this week so I guess that’s the way it’s going to be. We’ll see.

3. BYU men’s basketball recently released its 2023-24 preseason schedule. Will those 13 games prepare the Cougars for the rigors of the Big 12?

DICKSON: I used to poke fun at the preseason schedule of (now) former West Coast Conference foe Saint Mary’s, which would play a ton of home games and usually leave the state of California maybe one at a neutral site.

Guess what? That kind of describes BYU’s 2023-24 preseason schedule. The Cougars play nine home games, one at the Delta Center, one in Salt Lake City (vs. the Utes) and two in Las Vegas at a tournament.

It’s fine, because BYU will get plenty of games to improve their NET ranking during Big 12 play.

As far as the preseason scheduling helping the Cougars prepare for the best college basketball league in the country, I’m not sure anything can prepare them for that. It’s going to be a grind.

I have every confidence BYU will battle and win some games. But we haven’t seen newcomers Aly Khalifa and Dawson Baker yet, because both of them are nursing nagging injuries. Neither has been playing on the European tour, but the injuries are not supposed to be serious. They both have unique skills that will provide some new looks for the Cougars this season.

LLOYD: Once again BYU will face SDSU, which made it to the NCAA finals last year, so that certainly will be a chance to start strong.

I also think games against Arizona State, Utah and either NC State or Vanderbilt will be valuable, since all four teams ended up in the top 81 of the NET rankings last year.

Beyond that, however, there isn’t much as far as tests go — but that’s not necessarily terrible.

BYU needs to find its identity and cohesion while staying healthy and building some confidence. Every team plays some games like that, so the other nine preseason games aren’t unusual.

I don’t know if it will prepare the Cougars for Big 12 play, since it will be a gauntlet unlike anything BYU has ever seen before.

But remember that if the Cougars can win nine or 10 games before conference action starts, they would just need to go .500 to have a legitimate shot at an NCAA tournament bid. That’s unlike what BYU has seen before as well.

4. The No. 11 BYU women’s soccer team is 2-0-0 to start the season. What part of the Cougars’ game has impressed you the most?

LLOYD: I had high expectations for BYU entering the season and nothing has changed after the first two games.

This is a Cougar squad that combines veteran leadership with explosive athleticism, which makes them exciting to watch. There is no doubt that the BYU offense has been showcased early with seven goals in two games.

I think St. Louis deserves credit for coming into South Field and pushing the Cougars in the season opener. I saw that performance as being more of a credit to the Billikens than truly concerning for BYU.

But the Cougars do need to improve their communication in the back and limit opponent opportunities more. If they can shore up that aspect of their game, then I like the potential for this team to make another deep NCAA run.

DICKSON: I think this might be one of Jennifer Rockwood’s most diverse and talented offenses.

The Cougars can score from a lot of different spots and can bring in some subs that are dangerous on the offensive end. That makes BYU very difficult to defend and the goals are going to come fast and furious this year.

On the other hand, the defense has been a little leaky the first two matches. Down the line, that’s going to have to get better.

No. 1 UCLA is coming to town on August 31 and South Field will be a madhouse for that matchup. The Bruins are a team that can expose a defense that gets out of position.

5. The No. 17 BYU women’s volleyball team opens the 2023 season in Montana against No. 5 Pitt. What do the Cougars have to do to get a dub?

DICKSON: A preseason matchup like this is quirky. Both teams are on the road at a neutral site.

The Cougars and Panthers are very familiar with each other, having played three times in the past couple of seasons. Both teams have a lot of talent but are replacing some key parts. Both teams return their starting setter.

Ah, heck. Let’s just go with serve and serve receive. That’s a common standard of any match.

Whoever serves the toughest and is most consistent in serve receive will win the match. I think the Cougars are a little more experienced with the libero/defensive specialist position and that might make the difference.

LLOYD: It starts with composure. I feel like there have been times when BYU has faced the Panthers in recent years where the Cougars have gotten a little flustered and let things snowball.

You simply can’t afford many of those against really good opponents and there is little doubt that Pitt has earned its place as one of the best in the nation. BYU needs to make sure it doesn’t have one mistake turn into three or four.

It’s also about capitalizing on opportunities for the Cougars. If Pitt provides openings, BYU needs to make them pay consistently. It won’t happen a ton.

Both things are easier said than done but it’s a great barometer for both teams to square off in the first match of the season.