The apology wasn’t necessary, as Lindsey is now just three games into the process of playing his games on Saturday now, as opposed to playing under the Friday night lights congruent with football at the high school level. But the fact that Lindsey is even logging serious reps in his young career, enough so that he was selected to address the media in preparation for BYU’s game versus TCU this week, is significant.

Lindsey is a 6-foot-3, 240 pound edge from Rogers, Arkansas who claimed a bevy of top offers out of high school, which included programs such as Oklahoma, Baylor and Missouri, among many others, before ultimately deciding to sign with the Cougars. He flashed upon arriving in Provo in time for the spring practice session, joining what is largely regarded as BYU’s deepest and most talented position group this season.

“That’s ultimately why I came here is (because of) the culture. We’re trying to get each other’s jobs, get after each other every day, make each other better,” Lindsey said of the elevated competition within the defensive edge group. “But at the same time, we just love each other. It’s a brotherhood, and just happy to be part of the boys.”

And much like Lindsey has shown since arriving, he’s acquitted himself nicely through three games played this season.

His potential was apparent early during the reps he was allotted during BYU’s opening game versus Utah Tech, extending to BYU’s most recent victory over Colorado State. On several occasions he’s disrupted plays aimed at making yardage on the edge by way of punishing blockers to force the play to go wider than designed or by making tackles himself to hold opposing offenses to minimal yardage.

And while his reps have been relatively limited at this point of the season, he’s shown relatively well when given the opportunity, which could lead to more reps as the season wears on. But the competition is fierce, with Braxton competing with top talents like Nusi Taumoepeau and Tausili Akana, among several others for playing time.

“It’s a lot of depth, you know, and that room is deep,” Lindsey observed. “(BYU edge) coach Chad (Kauha’aha’a) says all the time that everybody in that room can start, (and)  everybody in that room can play, and so everybody takes that as a challenge. We grow off of each other.”

As far as what Lindsey has developed most about him game since arriving at BYU, it’s been with his ability to rush the quarterback.

“Coming out of high school I was an outside linebacker. I played defensive end one year, and so in the pass rush aspect — I wouldn’t say developed at all,” he said. “And so being with Coach Chad, obviously that’s one of his best best things that he coaches. So I think that’s been really big for me is is my pass rush, and I’m just excited for more opportunities to continue to show it.”

Lindsey will try to show it in earnest this Saturday when the Cougars head to Texas to take on a TCU team that has made most of its offensive gains through the air this season. With two weeks to prepare for the Horned Frogs, Lindsey and his teammates are feeling confident after coming off one of the most physical weeks of practices they’ve had so far this season.

“(Our coaches are) very familiar with (TCU), so we’re very confident going into this game, and at the same time, we’re just excited to see what we continue to do,” Lindsey concluded. “We had a bye week, and when that happens in college football, everybody seems to forget about that team. So we’re just excited and blessed to be able to play another game and have another opportunity.”