Dax Milne On His Way To An All-Time Season For A BYU WR

PROVO, Utah – BYU’s offense has gotten off to a blistering start to the 2020 season. The Cougars are averaging 43.6 points and 541.0 yards per game during their 5-0 run.

Much attention has been given to quarterback Zach Wilson, who has squarely fit himself into the Heisman conversation.

But…

What has impressed me most has been BYU’s wide receivers. The Cougars are playing without their top 4 pass-catchers from last year and with three graduating seniors somebody needed to step up. Dax Milne and Gunner Romney have emerged in their junior seasons to provide steady targets for their quarterback.

#BYU WR Dax Milne's wore a t-shirt in the postgame press conference that read, "No. 5 Big Body Business"

Not sure what that means, but he was all business tonight in a career-night performance.#BYUFootball @kslsports

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) October 17, 2020

Milne in particular has been consistent, hauling in 33 receptions for 550 yards and 4 touchdowns through five games. He’s averaging 110 receiving yards a game which, projected out over an 11-game season (10 regular season and a bowl game), puts him on a pace for 1,210 receiving yards.

BYU has only had four players reach 1,200 receiving yards in a season and from the looks of it Dax Milne is on his way there.

His childhood connection with Wilson is paying off for the Cougars and Milne, who without a hobbled Romney on Friday night had 9 receptions for 184 yards and 3 touchdowns. Milne is on his way to an all-time season at BYU; here are the names he will be chasing in the BYU record books, as discussed in this week’s “Top 5” segment on Cougar Sports Saturday (KSL Newsradio, Noon-3pm).

Most Receiving Yards in a Season in BYU History

5) Jay Miller 1973 (1,181 yards)

In LaVell Edward’s second season as the BYU Head Coach, WR Jay Miller had his one productive year for the Cougars.

He had 102 receptions for 1,181 yards and 8 touchdowns, catching passes from quarterback Gary Sheide.

Miller never had more than 6 receptions in any other year at BYU. He had 22 receptions for 263 yards against New Mexico that year, both of which are single-game records for a BYU pass catcher.

4) Reno Mahe 2001 (1,211 yards)

2001 was the last time BYU put up the type of points that they are this season. The Cougars were led by QB Brandon Doman, RB Luke Staley and WR Reno Mahe.

Mahe led the team with 91 receptions, 1,211 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns.

BYU went 12-2 that season, reaching as high as #8 in the AP poll. They won 12-straight games before losing to Hawai’i & Louisville.

Mahe had his most productive game in that loss to the Rainbow Warriors, catching 14 passes for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The only 5-0 teams in #BYUfootball history:
1979
1981
1984
2001
2008
2020

— Sam Farnsworth (@Samsworth_KSL) October 17, 2020

3) Andy Boyce 1990 (1,241 yards)

Heisman-hopeful Zach Wilson has had two go-to targets this season in Dax Milne and Gunner Romney. The last time BYU had a quarterback in the Heisman conversation was Ty Detmer in 1990. He won the award that year throwing to a pair of reliable targets: TE Chris Smith and WR Andy Boyce.

Boyce led the team with 79 receptions for 1,241 yards and 13 touchdowns.

2) Cody Hoffman 2012 (1,248 yards)

Cody Hoffman had three quarterbacks throwing passes in 2012, but that didn’t slow down the junior WR. He caught 100 passes for 1,248 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Hoffman had a great career at BYU, leading all-time in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. His best game in 2012 came against New Mexico State, where he had 12 receptions for 182 yards and 5 touchdowns.

1) Austin Collie 2008 (1,538 yards)

The 2008 season by Austin Collie is the greatest season for any BYU pass catcher. He had 106 receptions for 1,538 yards and 15 touchdowns, all of which are single-season records for BYU.

Collie had at least 100 receiving yards in 11-straight games that season with his best performance coming against Colorado State. In that game, Collie had 9 receptions for 156 yards and 3 touchdowns.

That junior season propelled Collie to the NFL, getting drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the 4th round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

BYU is having a special season. So glad we’ll get to see them against Boise State in a few weeks.

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) October 17, 2020

BYU sits at the halfway mark of the 2020 season with 5 wins and big aspirations. We don’t know yet whether or not they will be included in the conversation for a New Year’s Six bowl game or even the College Football Playoff. Kalani Sitake’s program is seeing the fruits of years of hard work and investing in young players.

Players like Dax Milne are a big reason why the Cougars are rolling and he is on his way to an all-time season at BYU.