There’s an unmistakable buzz around the BYU campus right now. The Cougars are No. 10 in the country, sitting pretty at 12-1, and belief is everywhere you look. Since taking over from Mark Pope, Kevin Young has transformed the program’s outlook. But as another season of conference play tips off in the new year, Young knows this is no time to get comfortable.

After picking up their 12th win of the season against Eastern Washington, Kevin Young was asked about his team’s readiness for the Big 12 opener against Kansas State right after the holiday break. And despite the strong start, the BYU coach admitted he still has a few doubts about where his group stands.

“There are definitely things we can get better at. I think we are B+, I would say,” Coach Young said. “There are things we want to sharpen up. We’ve played some good teams, we’ve been in a lot of different situations.”

Yes, there’s plenty to like about these Cougars. They’ve stacked up big wins over Villanova, Wisconsin, Miami, and Clemson, with the Clemson win marking the largest second-half comeback in BYU history. That’s not all! They boast a top-50 offense in the country, averaging 85.6 points per game. And remember, they’ve done all that while navigating a stretch of off-court issues as well.

One of their starters, Kennard Davis Jr., was arrested on misdemeanor DUI and marijuana possession charges. Then came back-to-back blows, season-ending injuries to Dawson Baker and Nate Pickens, followed by Keba Keita dealing with his own injury troubles as well.

But let’s not forget, turnovers have been a real concern. Kevin Young’s side is averaging 10.2 giveaways per game this season, and it showed against Abilene Christian, when they coughed it up 12 times in the first half alone. BYU finished that night with a season-high 18 turnovers, with their usually crisp ball movement looking anything but against the relentless, physical Wildcats.

And if those issues carry over into Big 12 play, you can expect nights like the loss to UConn, because when the lights are bright, every little mistake matters.

But as long as Kevin Young and co. have AJ Dybantsa fit and balling, they should be fine for most of it, because the projected lottery pick brings things to the floor that very few players in college basketball can.

AJ Dybantsa Proves Why He’s Kevin Young’s Go-To Man

In BYU’s 109-81 win over Eastern Washington, AJ Dybantsa put on a show like we haven’t seen in a long time. He recorded the program’s first triple-double since 2016, piling up 33 points on an absurd 11-of-13 shooting, along with 10 rebounds and 10 assists in 36 minutes. And as if that wasn’t enough, he also completed a feat that hadn’t been seen in Division I basketball or the NBA in the last 30 years.

According to OptaSTATS, AJ Dybantsa is the only Division I or NBA player over the last 30 seasons to post a calendar month of at least five games while averaging 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, shooting 65% or better from the field, and going undefeated. And somehow, he pulled it off in just the second month of his career.

It’s already clear that Dybantsa is living up to the hype for Kevin Young and co., and in many ways, he’s proving a bigger point too. If you’re a generational talent eyeing a one-and-done path, Kevin Young and BYU feel like the place to be. His ability to develop players, put their skills on display, and teach the game makes it tough to imagine a better fit for elite recruits.

Careful, Duke. BYU might just be lining up to take your seat at the big table if Kevin Young sticks around.

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