BYU's Harline a man on a mission.

Byline: Chris Hansen The Register-Guard

L a s V e g a s B o w l

LAS VEGAS - The "Answered Prayer" is what one Salt Lake City area sports columnist dubbed Jonny Harline's game-winning touchdown catch against Utah last month.

But really, the Deseret Morning News' Dick Harmon could have just as easily been referencing any number of grabs made by the Brigham Young tight end this season, not just his last.

After all, there was Harline's 71-yard catch and run for a touchdown against New Mexico, a one-handed scoring grab against No. 15 Texas Christian, and a one-handed over-the-shoulder catch in the end zone

earlier in the Utah game.

Then of course, there was the big one at the end against the Utes, when Harline found an empty piece of real estate in the corner of the end zone and camped there for 12 1/2 frantic seconds waiting for quarterback John Beck to find him, which he did with no time left on the clock for a 33-31 victory in the annual Blue-White game. It was Harline's third touchdown of the game.

"I just focus on going out and doing what needs to be done," Harline said.

"I just try to get open and catch the ball. I've done pretty good so far."

Harline and his knack for making big plays will be challenged when the Cougars meet Oregon and its Pac-10 leading pass defense in Thursday's Las Vegas Bowl.

The athletic, 6-foot-4, 238-pound senior from Orem, Utah, will be the most productive tight end the Ducks have seen this season.

Harline was one of the primary targets in BYU's passing attack during the regular season.

He led the team with 754 receiving yards and was second in receptions with 49.

He also led all Mountain West Conference receivers with 11 touchdown catches, including five in the last three games to help seal a 10-2 record and first MWC title since 2001 for the Cougars.

"He creates such a mismatch," Beck said. "He's not your normal tight end. He runs extremely well and he's very athletic.

"He just has a way to make the great catch, and there is a level of confidence I have in Jonny because of his ability to make the great catch."

Harline has two games with more than 100 yards receiving this season, and has six games with more than 70 yards. By comparison, the best game by a tight end against Oregon this year came from Washington State reserve Jed Collins, who caught three passes for 57 yards and a touchdown.

Meanwhile, first team all-Pac-10 tight end Zach Miller was limited to one catch for three yards against the Ducks, and California's Craig Stevens, who made the all-conference second team at the position, had three catches for 23 yards and a touchdown.

"We're treating him like a wide receiver," Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said. "He's awesome; he makes a lot of plays. He gets a lot of pass interference calls, some phantom, but some real.

"But he creates because of his body position and his ability to control his body in space, and he has a lot of range to the ball."

After seeing limited action on special teams in what was initially a redshirt season as a sophomore two years ago, Harline enjoyed a breakout season in 2005 when he registered 63 receptions for 653 yards and five touchdowns. He had three games with 100 or more yards and was honored with an all-Mountain West first-team selection.

It was no surprise then that Harline went into fall camp this year listed by numerous publications as the preseason all-MWC favorite at his position.

He exceeded those expectations and then some.

Since the end of the regular season, Harline has been awarded first-team all-America status by The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated.com and CBS Sportsline.com, and was named to the third-team by The Associated Press. He was also one of eight semifinalists for the John Mackey Award, given annually to college football's top tight end.

"It's been a great season overall and such a great experience," said Harline, who transferred to BYU after one season at Ricks Junior College in 2004. "Before the season I tried not to focus on yards or number of catches because it depended on so many other things. I just tried to focus on what I could do."

Which is, by all accounts, an ability to go out and make plays.

"For my size, I think I have pretty good speed, and I like to be physical," Harline said.

"When the ball is in the air, I feel like I can go up and get it."

And answer a few prayers in the process.