PROVO — It’s that time of year again.

OK, so it’s not quite college football season.

But BYU football opens the 2017 college football “talking season” with media day Friday, beginning at 8 a.m. and running throughout the day. It’s a chance for players, coaches and administrators to address the press and look ahead to the upcoming season that starts Aug. 26 against Portland State.

For those not in the media, media day may seem like a bunch of interviews and nonsense that may or may not be important by the fall.

That may be true. But here are a few reasons to pay attention to college football in the middle of the summer.

Scheduling announcements

Because BYU does not belong to a conference and operates as a college football independent, the Cougars get to host their own media day at a date and time selected solely by the athletic department.

That means athletic director Tom Holmoe and head coach Kalani Sitake introducing the season during the annual "State of the Program" at 9 a.m. can come with nuggets based solely on the discretion of the university.

In the past, BYU has used media day to announce significant changes to the football program, namely scheduling agreements and bowl affiliations. Of course, the Cougars’ 2017 season is filled out, and with the addition of New Mexico State, the 2018 slate has 12 opponents (six road, six at home).

The earliest BYU could announce the start of a new series would be 2019, when the Cougars have open dates on Oct. 5, Oct. 12 and Oct. 26. The 2020 schedule also has three current openings: Oct. 10, Oct. 31 and Nov. 21. Could any of those dates be filled Friday? Stay tuned.

Bowl affiliation made clear

Of course one of the downsides to independence is that BYU does not have a bona fide contract through a conference to a particular postseason bowl game.

The lack of affiliation was most apparent this winter, when the Poinsettia Bowl folded and BYU was left without a partner for 2017.

But the Cougars have yet to be left out of a bowl game since launching an independent bid in 2011, and Holmoe expects the streak to continue; if BYU wins at least six regular-season games, it will find a place to spend college football’s postseason — thanks in large part to its broadcast partner ESPN, which owns 14 bowl games that include the recently relocated Frisco Bowl (formerly Miami Beach Bowl).

“We’re talking to ESPN right now to fit in a bowl game,” Holmoe told assorted media during a roundtable discussion this winter. “It’ll be interesting to see how that works, but ESPN has a lot of bowls they own.”

'LaVell Edwards’ Coaching Tree'

For those who don’t look forward to hours of interviews and press coverage, BYUtv will broadcast a special edition called “LaVell Edwards’ Coaching Tree” that airs at 2 p.m. Friday. The lineage of Edwards’ “coaching legacy” includes former players and assistants Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs), Mike Holmgren (Pittsburgh Steelers, et al.), Mike Leach (Washington State), Kyle Whittingham (Utah) and current BYU coach Sitake, among others.

The special will feature several prominent coaches who got their start under Edwards, with interviews and video features about what the coach meant to them professionally and personally.

“It’s going to be an amazing opportunity to look back not just on LaVell Edwards’ influence as a coach, but the influence he had on so many coaches,” BYUtv broadcaster Spencer Linton told KSL.com. “It’s crazy to see how many lives he’s touched in coaching circles.”

First look at Tanner Mangum’s team

There was no quarterback controversy during spring football. Rising junior Tanner Mangum will be the starter, with an assortment of quarterbacks including Beau Hoge, Koy Detmer Jr., Kody Wilstead and Austin Kafentzis shuffling behind Mangum.

That’s a change from Mangum’s career to date, when he has been actively competing for playing time behind incumbent starter Taysom Hill. The former BYU signal caller went to the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent, and Mangum has two years of eligibility remaining to make his mark at BYU. An early glimpse of the new-look Mangum will come Friday, when he addresses the media as the full-time starter.

“Having a year helps a ton,” Mangum said during spring football. “Last year was the first year in Coach Detmer’s offense, and now having experience in it makes me more comfortable. I feel a lot better.”

Other position battles

There are still plenty of spots to be solidified as the Cougars prepare for Portland State and Louisiana State a week later in Houston.

Replacing all-time leading rusher Jamaal Williams will be a key throughout fall camp, and it may not be decided when BYU travels to NRG Stadium to face the Tigers. Squally Canada has the edge in experience at running back, but KJ Hall showed flashes in 2016, and Riley Burt is returning from a redshirt season to put his name in the mix.

Of course the Cougars also got a major addition to the backfield with former East High star Ula Tolutau, a Wisconsin signee who enrolled at BYU following a two-year mission for the LDS Church.

There may not be a quarterback controversy. But there will be plenty of position battles at BYU this fall.

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