BYU’s Embarrassment of Riches: How Coach Kevin Young Will Manage the Cougars’ Talent
The BYU Cougars are stacked with talent this season, but how will Coach Kevin Young manage the minutes?
The BYU Cougars have never had it so good. With a recruiting class that includes two NBA draft prospects in Egor Demin and Kanon Catchings, Coach Kevin Young has a problem on his hands - deciding how to divvy up the minutes. Read more about the Cougars’ recruiting class.
A Look at Potential Starting Lineups
With so much talent on the roster, Coach Young has multiple options for his starting lineup. Here are a few possibilities:
Possibility 1
Starters: Dallin Hall, Egor Demin, Richie Saunders, Mawot Mag, Keba Keita Off the bench: Trevin Knell, Kanon Catchings, Dawson Baker, Fousseyni Traore, Elijah Crawford, Brody Kozlowski
This lineup pairs Hall, a proven Big 12 guard, with Demin, a 6-foot-9 scoring threat who had several 20-point games playing internationally at Real Madrid. Learn more about Demin’s international experience.
Possibility 2
Starters: Dallin Hall, Egor Demin, Kanon Catchings, Mawot Mag, Keba Keita Off the bench: Trevin Knell, Richie Saunders, Dawson Baker, Fousseyni Traore, Elijah Crawford, Brody Kozlowski
This lineup goes all-in on BYU’s youth and talent, with Catchings and Demin, both projected NBA draft picks, leading the charge.
Possibility 3
Starters: Egor Demin, Trevin Knell, Richie Saunders, Kanon Catchings, Keba Keita Off the bench: Dallin Hall, Mawot Mag, Dawson Baker, Fousseyni Traore, Elijah Crawford, Brody Kozlowski
This lineup still gives room for Demin and Catchings to grow, while putting in a healthy version of Knell, who is bound to get some easy catch-and-shoot threes from kickouts with Demin and Catchings.
The Cougars have a wealth of talent, but Coach Young will need to find a way to balance minutes and keep everyone happy.
Ultimately, Coach Young will need to find a way to balance minutes and keep everyone happy. With so much talent on the roster, it won’t be an easy task. But one thing is for sure - the Cougars are stacked and ready to take on the Big 12.
