Camp Cougar, Day 9

Day 9 of Cougar camp saw the inside linebacker spots see a bit of a shake-up, and newcomer Drew Phillips carted off the field after being injured on a kickoff return.

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The morning practice (shells; helmets/shoulder pads) also featured four "two-minute drill" situational series, which went as follows (1:48 to play, offense w/ no timeouts, needing a TD to win):

Series 1: Jake Heaps (ones v. ones)

Four-and-out; series included two deflected passes and a long ball for Spencer Hafoka going through his hands.

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Series 2: Riley Nelson (twos v. twos)

Three plays; series included back-to-back long completions to TE Marcus Mathews, then a series-ending Jray Galea'i interception after a deflection.

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Series 3: Riley Nelson (ones v. threes)

11 plays; crisp drive ending with a 5-yard TD pass to Cody Hoffman with :05 remaining on the clock. Nelson threw a great fade for Hoffman, who went up and got it in the back left corner. Big play: Nelson to Josh Quezada for 35 yard catch-and-run.

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Series 4: Jake Heaps (twos v. ones)

Six plays; 4th down incompletion (intended for O'Neill Chambers). Heaps was sacked on three consecutive snaps.

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In the "live" kickoff drill that followed the two-minute scenario, RB Drew Phillips was injured on a return. He was helped to the sidelines, then placed in a cart and taken off the field. Turns out it is only a left knee/quad contusion on a helmet hit; x-rays were negative.

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In the 11-on-11 full-field team session to end practice:

Series 1: Jake Heaps (ones v. ones)

Five plays; series ends on 3rd down incompletion (drop by Devin Mahina; his second drop of the series).

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Series 2: Riley Nelson (twos v. twos)

Seven plays; series ends on a third down completion short of the marker, punt.

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Series 3: Riley Nelson (ones v. threes, then replaced by ones for majority of series)

11 plays; drive ends with a TD pass to J.J. DiLuigi on 3rd and 10 from the 11.

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QB Stats--

Heaps: 5/14, 19 yds

Nelson: 13/21, 149 yds, 2 TDs, INT; 7 rushes, 63 yds.

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After a steady diet of Shane Hunter (Mike) and Brandon Ogletree (Buck) at inside linebacker, today saw some movement inside, in part because Ogeltree was kept out of "live" segments, nursing both a sore hand and an elbow hyper-extension (suffered in Saturday's scrimmage).

Austen Jorgensen lined up as first-string MLB, with Aveni Leung-Wai alongside at BLB. Zac Stout (concussion) and Collin Keoshian (concussion) returned to the field, but were not "live." In non-hitting segments, Stout (MLB) and Keoshian (BLB) ran with the "threes," while Uona Kaveinga (MLB) and Shane Hunter (BLB) played with the second-string. Hunter also took some first-string MLB snaps, rotating with Jorgensen.

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You can hear post-practice interviews with Leung-Wai (also a fire-dancer, by the way) and head coach Bronco Mendenhall, who assesses the inside linebacker battle thusly:

"I'm still looking for the right answer, the right presence, the right leadership, the right physical play. Rather than keep it how it's been, it's time to see what combinations might play better together; that might elevate a player or two players. Sometimes it's two players playing together that you get the best result."

Mendenhall added that the team will scrimmage tomorrow and Saturday, and says "hopefully I'm closer then" to nailing down the inside depth.

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Mendenhall begins his interview by saying how pleased he was with the physical tone of today's practice. There were a number of good hits, and a couple of 15-yard penalties handed out. Aveni Leung-Wai's personal foul pad-popper on J.J. DiLuigi left him a bit shaken, but he returned to play, as did Brian Logan and Steven Thomas-- both of whom ended up going down after a downfield block from Luke Ashworth (flagged as a personal foul).

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Clearly, it was a very good day for Riley Nelson, who moved the ball consistently and always gives BYU the opportunity to gain yards on the ground from the QB spot.

Mendenhall on Nelson's performance:

"He throws it well, and then he's just so mobile. If the coverage is sound, and there's a rush lane that's open at all ...when he's out there running, it's tough."

On whether Nelson has a "role" in this offense: "Absolutely. He's a competitor, he's a great leader; I love the guy. I think he's an exceptional player."

On Jake Heaps having a lot of balls dropped today: "In the evaluation (of Heaps) it doesn't affect us. If the ball's on the money and they drop it, it's not his fault."

On the ball-droppers (tight ends, primarily): "At some point, those that keep dropping it are not in the mix; they can't be trusted or won't be trusted."

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Today's punt returners: J.D. Falslev, O'Neill Chambers, McKay Jacobson.

Today's kickoff return pairings: Chambers/DiLuigi, Jacobson/Falslev, Hoffman/Phillips.

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Jake Heaps' 5/14 day would have looked a whole lot better had well-thrown balls actually been caught. Four of Heaps' nine incompletions were drops. He didn't get much help on his final two-minute series, as Kyle Van Noy, Eathyn Manumaleuna and Vic So'oto got past the second-string O-line for sacks on consecutive plays.

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Mendenhall says there are currently "seven" game-ready offensive linemen: Matt Reynolds, Braden Hansen, Terence Brown, Jason Speredon, Nick Alletto, Braden Brown, and Walter Kahaiali'i.

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Injury notes for other players who did not practice today, but were dressed out and doing some conditioning work:

WR Ross Apo: lower body tightness

RB A.J. Moore: concussion

LB Jadon Wagner: knee

DL Garrett Eskelsen: shoulder separation

NT Kalama Kaluhiokalani: hamstring

TE Bryan Sampson: hamstring

RB David Foote: hamstring

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Day 9 Depth Chart

Today's the day I go two-deep unless certain positions dictate more players due to the number of reps players are receiving:

OFFENSE

QB: Jake Heaps OR Riley Nelson

TB: J.J. DiLuigi, Josh Quezada

FB: Zed Mendenhall, Algernon Brown OR Ryan Folsom

Combo: Bryan Kariya, Mike Hague

TE: Mike Muehlmann, Devin Mahina OR Marcus Mathews OR Austin Holt OR Richard Wilson

WR-H: McKay Jacobson, Matt Marshall

WR-Z: Luke Ashworth, Ross Apo OR Rhen Brown

WR-X: O'Neill Chambers, Spencer Hafoka OR Cody Hoffman

LT: Matt Reynolds, Jordan Black

LG: Braden Hansen, Ryan Freeman

C: Terence Brown, Houston Reynolds OR Blair Tushaus

RG: Jason Speredon OR Nick Alletto, Marco Thorson

RT: Braden Brown, Walter Kahaiali'i

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DEFENSE

LE: Eathyn Manumaleuna, Matt Putnam OR Graham Rowley

NT: Romney Fuga, Jordan Richardson

RE: Vic So'oto, Thomas Bryson

SLB: Jordan Pendleton, Jameson Frazier (also WLB), Zeke Mendenhall

MLB: Shane Hunter OR Austen Jorgensen

BLB: Brandon Ogletree OR Aveni Leung-Wai OR Austen Jorgensen

WLB: Jameson Frazier (also SLB), Kyle Van Noy, Alani Fua (Jordan Atkinson limited due to injury)

FC: Brian Logan, Robbie Buckner

BC: Brandon Bradley, Corby Eason

Kat: Andrew Rich, Jray Galea'i

FS: Steve Thomas, Travis Uale

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