BYU unleashes linebacker Kaveinga

The last time linebacker Uona Kaveinga was chasing down running backs was at Southern California. On Saturday, he will make his debut for Brigham Young when the Cougars play at Mississippi.

It has been a long road to Provo, Utah, for the former prep star from Hawthorne, Calif. After committing to BYU in high school, Kaveinga changed his mind and signed with USC. He played in 16 games as a freshman and sophomore, but decided to transfer after the 2009 season.

"This is a great place to be. I love it here," Kaveinga said. "I just knew I had to be here."

The 5-foot-11-inch, 255-pound junior redshirted last year and worked out on the scout team. His teammates on offense are eager to see him hit somebody else.

"He flies right through people," senior running back JJ Di Luigi said. "He doesn't slow up. He doesn't blink. He is like a bull that sees red."

Kaveinga heads up what may be the Cougars' deepest and most talented defensive front seven in school history, which should provide a tough test for Ole Miss and its offensive line that averages 6 feet 6 inches and 320 pounds.

Saturday's game will be broadcast at 1:45 p.m. on KSHP-AM (1400).

■ HOT AND HUMID -- Saturday's forecast in Oxford, Miss., calls for temperatures in the low 90s and humidity around 60 percent.

"There is no way to simulate it here," Cougars coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "We have done extra conditioning and extra running."

Said Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt: "The humidity could be a factor for (BYU). It's been one of the hottest summers to date. Once the game kicks off and the sun goes down, we will see."

■ NEW FACES -- The Cougars will kick off with more experience in the huddle than on the sideline.

BYU returns 10 starters from an offense that won five of its last six games and the New Mexico Bowl in 2010. But three new assistants will make their Cougars debut at Ole Miss.

Brandon Doman is the new offensive coordinator and will call the plays. Ben Cahoon is in his first year as receivers coach, and Joe DuPaix is in his first year as running backs coach.

"I would expect that we will attack because we have a quarterback (in Jake Heaps) that can attack with the ball and attack down the field," Doman said. "I also expect us to be very balanced (on offense)."

■ INDEPENDENT SCHEDULING -- BYU is looking for one more opponent to fill its second season as an independent. The Cougars' home schedule in 2012 includes Oregon State, Hawaii, Idaho, Weber State and Utah State. The road games are at Utah, Boise State, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, San Jose State and New Mexico State.

The 2013 schedule is shaping up to be the most difficult in school history. The Cougars will host Texas, Boise State, Georgia Tech and Utah and visit Notre Dame, Houston and Hawaii.

Dave McCann is a morning news anchor on KLAS-TV, Channel 8. He hosts "True Blue" at 5 p.m. Monday on BYUtv, is the play-by-play voice for BYUtv and hosts "Cougar Countdown" at noon Wednesday on KSHP-AM (1400). He can be reached at dmccann@8newsnow.com.