The team releases a depth chart every Monday during the season, and the omission of two-year starting right tackle Andrew Gentry from the two-deep roster was both surprising and glaring. Gentry is a Michigan transfer who has locked down his position since arriving in Provo while proving to be one of the better run-blocking tackles BYU has fielded in recent years.

BYU coach Kalani Sitake mentioned during his weekly press conference with the media on Monday that Gentry officially holds the ‘questionable’ designation with regards to his injury and that the next two days will determine if both the mammoth tackle along with linebacker Siale Esera will be able to play this weekend when the Cougars travel to take on TCU. Gentry later in the day posted in instagram that he underwent surgery on his right foot and ankle and was hopeful to return to the team later in the year, indicating that he certainly won’t be suiting up versus the Horned Frogs and probably not for several games thereafter.

Listed at right tackle in place of Gentry this week are a couple of talented freshmen in Lone Peak’s Bott Mulitalo and Siosiua Latu-Finau, who was a 4-star recruit out of California. The two were listed with the ‘or’ designation, indicating that both will be battling for the starting nod this week during practice sessions should Gentry be unable to go.

“We’ll see how how it plays out this week, and I’m not nervous,” said BYU senior starting center Bruce Mitchell. “We’ve got some really talented, good young players (and) the only thing that separates us older guys from them is is experience. Some of them could get thrown into the fire this week, (and) excited to see what they can do if they get the opportunity.”

A big boost to either Mulitalo and Latu-Finau, or any other lineman for that matter, is having a presence like Mitchell at the center position to make out calls and provide superior play. Mitchell has been graded as the top center nationally by several national services, such as Pro Player Focus, and was asked about that designation by the media during Monday’s press conference, to which he simply stated, “Let’s go beat TCU.”

And indeed beating TCU and the rest of BYU’s lined up conference foes over the next nine weeks of the 2026 season is what holds that entire team’s focus after taking a week off due to the scheduled bye.

“We had an early start on TCU, and got to see them play against UCF, and got to see (that) they’re a well-coached team,” Sitake observed regarding the Horned Frogs. “I think (they) put up a lot of yards, and they can move the ball. Defensively, they’re sound, too, and I have known the defensive coordinator, and I’ve known Sunny Dykes forever. So they’re going to be ready to play.”

It wasn’t all bad news on the injury front, however, with Sitake mentioning that the trio of offensive lineman Kyle Sfarcioc, tight end Roger Saleapaga and receiver Tiger Bachmeier are all expected to return to action after sitting out the win over Colorado State two Saturdays ago.

“I thought it was a very successful bye week, (we got( a lot of work done, and got a lot of guys ready to go,” Sitake said. “So, as we start this nine-game path of getting to where we want to be … (I) feel really good about where we’re at as a program, as a team, and looking forward to game four for us.”

Tying the knot

One player who had a successful bye week both at and away from the practice facilities was receiver Kyler Kasper, who informed the media that he proposed to his girlfriend over this past weekend. Kasper happily informed that media said proposal was successfully received much like Kasper himself has done in flagging down passing propositions dealt out by quarterback Bear Bachmeier so far this season.

“That was really fun during the bye week,” Kasper, who was all smiles, said of the proposal. “Other than that I just rested and hung out, but that was a big step.”

Beyond the rest that occurred in place of playing a game on Saturday, Kasper and his teammates underwent a full in-week regimen of workouts and practices, much as what was stated as the plan by Sitake heading into the bye.

“I think we took it very serious,” Kasper said. “We were able to get a week ahead to prep for TCU, which I think is huge. We took that very serious and we had very good practices, so I think it was a really good week leading up to this week, and obviously we need to continue that into this week … but we’ll be prepared.”