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Two days after a scrimmage that featured what head coach Bronco Mendenhall called a team that's "deeper and more athletic than what I've noticed," the BYU Cougars were back on the practice field Monday morning, for the first of two sessions.
Mendenhall said the players were "sluggish" in the early practice, adding that it was "the first two-a-day after week one, morning practice--(players were) not defiant, but sluggish in the realization that there are 19 more days until we play...looked to me like it had an effect on them."
"Execution was about the same," said Mendenhall in his post-practice interview; we just played slower this morning."
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The media was permitted to observe the session-ending 11-on-11 series, which included two drives led by Taysom Hill, and single drives directed by Ammon Olsen and Christian Stewart.
Starting 70 yards from the end zone, both of Hill's drives were productive, but bogged down on third downs inside the blue zone.
Hill's first series featured back-to-back completions to tight end Terrenn Houk, two catches by Marcus Mathews and a key third-down reception by Eric Thornton. Facing fourth-down and short from the 13-yard line, Moose Bingham was brought in for a 30-yard field goal try; he got two cracks at the kick--missing and then making.
Olsen's one drive ended with a short pass completion that Mitch Mathews turned into a 55-yard touchdown. Justin Sorensen's PAT attempt was good.
Stewart's lone drive ended with an interception by linebacker Uani Unga.
Hill's second drive took the offense smartly down the field, and was highlighted by a 40-yard strike to tight end Kaneakua Friel, but again the series stalled inside the 20; Moose Bingham made a 24-yard field goal, then missed on tries from 33 and 43 yards.
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While it wasn't a great morning for the offense in the blue zone, BYU's inside-the-20 performance will be under the microscope, especially after a 2012 season that saw BYU rank 90th nationally in blue-zone scoring percentage.
"When Robert (Anae) was here before (as offensive coordinator from 2005 through 2010), we were dynamic in the blue zone; very hard to stop," said Mendenhall on Monday. "Defensively, last year we led the nation in blue zone (actually 2nd in scoring % allowed), and we realized how that leads to scoring, so we start each day with blue zone, and it will remain like that because both of us feel passionate about how that could affect our season."
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Notes and quotes:
Juco OL Edward Fusi is still not yet with the team; Mendenhall said he has completed three of four required tests, and that the fourth could be done by today. "Hopefully, we'll have him out soon," said Mendenhall.
Fusi has yet to join the newcomer group on the O-line, but Mendenhall again today identified De'Ondre Wesley and Brayden Kearsley as the best of the additions to that position group; "those two are head and shoulders above the rest in terms of performance to this point."
Mendenhall added that freshman Thomas Shoaf would be getting more marquee reps "if he were heavier...but he's athletic, he's tough, and he's really doing a nice job."
Juco transfers Josh Carter and Tim Duran are farther down the depth chart currently; the coach says "they're competing, just haven't outpaced the existing competition."
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Linebacker Kyle Van Noy has yet to go 'live' in camp as he comes back from a slight pre-camp hamstring tweak; Mendenhall said "I think Kyle will possibly be back on Thursday--that looks like the date. He's doing more and more."
Meantime, opposite backer Spencer Hadley is being managed as he recovers from a minor hamstring issue; Mendenhall says he is not worried about Hadley's health, adding that Van Noy's fellow senior is primed for a strong season and already attracting the attention of pro scouts.
"Based on the NFL traffic coming in already," said Mendenhall, "they love Spencer, by how hard he plays and how productive he is. If Kyle is ranked here (gestures), Spencer is not far behind him. Certainly the accolades and attention are much different, but there's a lot of folks who really like him."
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You can hear post-practice interviews with Mendenhall, WR Skyler Ridley, DB Skye PoVey and NT Marques Johnson, in "Cougar Cuts," top left.
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