What does BYU Basketball look like without Elijah Bryant?

BYU Basketball: What does the roster look like for 2018-19 without Elijah Bryant?

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 06: Head coach Dave Rose of the Brigham Young Cougars yells to his players during the championship game of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Orleans Arena on March 6, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bulldogs won 74-54. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 03: TJ Haws /

How the point guard situation will be handled

This is the most certain of the positions for BYU next season, as the team has two capable ball handlers expected to return.

Technically both of them started for much of the year, but Jashire Hardnett was the primary ball handler. The JUCO guard was part of a new philosophy by the coaching staff to play at a slower pace. It allowed the defense to be better, but Hardnett’s inability to score at a high level did have an effect on the offense.

Two seasons ago it was TJ Haws who ran the offense. And while he was able to get his own offense, the then-freshman along couldn’t get others involved, as it was more of an isolation offense.

Playing off the ball more this time around, the sophomore went through some slumps, with his points and shooting percentages all taking a dip. He never was able to gel in the new offense, with his best performances coming when BYU played faster.

With Bryant gone, the two of them are likely to start alongside each other on the perimeter, with former Weber State guard McKay Cannon backing them up. The Cougars should probably pursue upgrades if the NCAA Tournament is their goal. But at the same time, there’s bigger fish to fry.