BYU quarterback not flustered by media or Utah defenders ahead of Las Vegas Bowl

Newspaper and TV reporters stuck microphones in his face, and a Brigham Young media relations representative was nearby, stepping in when it was time to go.

One more question got asked, though, and Tanner Mangum obliged even as he was led to practice Wednesday at Rebel Park.

That's the life of a BYU starting quarterback. Make Utah the opponent and throw a bowl game into the mix, and the interest volume gets turned up well past 10.

"You can let it be a distraction, or you can set it aside," Mangum said. "It comes down to us as a team, as players focusing on what we can control, focusing on the task at hand and not worrying about things that are yet to come."

Mangum wasn't the one expected to handle interviews at this time of year as the Cougars prepare to face No. 22 Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium.

That was supposed to be Taysom Hill, but his season ended almost as soon as it began, suffering a foot injury in the opener at Nebraska.

Not that Hill getting hurt should've been unexpected. He also lost time in 2012 and 2014 to knee injuries.

But to have it happen so quickly and at a place like Nebraska would've been difficult for any backup quarterback to suddenly be the guy. And a freshman at that.

Mangum, though, is someone who always believes the sun not only will come up tomorrow, but that it will be a cloudless, 75-degree day.

"Tanner is optimistic and positive and confident," Cougars coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "He thinks he can do anything, and I'm not going to tell him otherwise."

Only the most optimistic BYU fan could have predicted how that day at Nebraska would end. Mangum completed a 42-yard Hail Mary pass to Mitch Mathews as time expired to beat the Cornhuskers 33-28.

As if that wasn't enough, Mangum did it again the following week against Boise State. On fourth down, he completed a 35-yard touchdown pass to Mitchell Juergens with 45 seconds remaining. That and an interception return for a touchdown 15 seconds later gave the Cougars a 35-24 victory.

Those touchdown passes "probably didn't surprise him maybe as much as it made everyone else a believer that there was something special about him," Mendenhall said.

Mangum (6 feet 3 inches, 210 pounds) showed he was about more than the big moments. He heads into the bowl having completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 3,062 yards and 21 touchdowns, with seven interceptions.

BYU's starting quarterback is always going to attract a media crowd.

Mangum gives them a good reason to keep coming back, even if it was another quarterback at the beginning of the season expected to be in the spotlight.

"It just comes down to being prepared mentally," Mangum said. "A lot of it is being aware."

He wanted to continue his answer, but was led to practice at that moment.

Mangum is the starter, and he is getting ready to face the school's most intense rival in a postseason game. There was work to be done.

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65