BYU football linebacker Ben Bywater is in the process of recovering from an injury sustained last season. During BYU’s game against Kansas last year, Bywater suffered a right shoulder injury that included nerve damage, as reported by KSL Sports in October.
“It’s getting close, and he looks great, but it depends on his health,” Sitake remarked regarding the potential timeline for Bywater’s return from injury. “The key question for us is whether he will be fully ready when the season begins. It’s a tough injury, but if anyone can come back strong, it’s him. We’ll have to wait and see.”
Bywater, a native of Salt Lake City, is preparing for his final season of college football. Throughout his career at BYU, he has amassed 247 tackles and chose to return to take advantage of the additional eligibility granted due to the COVID-affected 2020 season.
Last season, Bywater recorded 32 tackles in the four games he played before being injured during BYU’s Big 12 opener in September against Kansas.
During last season’s buildup, Bywater was a prominent figure at Big 12 Media Days, but he did not attend this year. Instead, BYU was represented by Tyler Batty, Jakob Robinson from the defense, as well as wide receivers Darius Lassiter, Chase Roberts, and center Connor Pay.
“It feels strange not having Ben here with us at Big 12 Media Days,” Sitake commented. “But Ben needs to focus on his recovery and getting stronger during this time.”
In other BYU football news, Boyd Sorenson, a defensive lineman from Idaho who recently returned from a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has committed to join the program. Sorenson, a standout from Sugar-Salem High School, is likely to begin with BYU as a preferred walk-on and may grayshirt in 2024 before officially joining the team in January 2025. Standing at 6’4″ and 250 pounds, Sorenson excelled in football and track in high school, earning accolades as a First Team All-State defensive lineman.
