QB Hill stars in BYU spring scrimmage

(Mark Philbrick, BYU Photo)


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PROVO — What a difference a year makes — on the offensive side of the ball, at least.

That was among the main takeaways from Saturday's scrimmage at LaVell Edwards Stadium that signaled an unofficial end to spring practices with still a final week of work facing head coach Bronco Mendenhall and his team.

BYU ran 102 plays in just under 90 minutes on a pleasant, sunny morning that attracted 6,500 fans to the stadium. The offense accounted for just under 600 total yards on the day with 375 of them coming through the air. Junior-to-be Taysom Hill was credited with 19 completions in 27 attempts for 307 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

"As a whole, I was happy with the way guys competed, and the way we came out and battled," said Hill after the scrimmage. "We are certainly better right now than we were last spring for a lot of reasons.

"I feel a lot more comfortable in the offense having a year of it under my belt. Instead of having to learn a new system, which was a pretty drastic change, we're able to just build upon it. If we're running at 8 out of 10 or so, I'd say last spring we were running at a 4 or 5."

"After running this offense for one year we know what it's going to take so that we can maintain the pace that you saw today," Mendenhall said Saturday.

"We are so much farther ahead, not only knowing expectations (of) playing in this system, but really the specific areas we need to improve, which are protecting the quarterback, delivering the ball on time and accurately, and catching it in critical situations. You put that all together and we're going to be starting in a much better place."

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Mendenhall was particularly pleased with the play of Hill, who was wearing a green jersey, signaling to his teammates that he was hands-off for the day.

"When we limit what he can do with his legs, which was the intent, we are really trying to develop the complementary throwing game, so we got a lot more work with that and stressing (pass) protection," Mendenhall said. "It was by design for the movement of the ball to happen through the air, making sure he threw it accurately and on time, and I was impressed. I thought he did a good job today."

A 54 percent passer as a sophomore, Hill completed 70 percent of his attempts Saturday, comfortably above the 65 percent spring and season goal coaches have established.

"As far as my individual statistics, the thing that I am focused on would be completion percentage," Hill said. "If I stay (at or above 65 percent), game-in and game-out, I feel it gives us a great opportunity to win a football game, and will allow me to achieve some of my personal goals for this next football season."

Hill's run-game bona fides are well established. He enters his junior season coming off of a record-setting sophomore campaign that saw him run for a team-leading 1,344 yards — the most ever accumulated by a BYU quarterback in a single season. His 684 total offensive plays broke a BYU record established by Ty Detmer.

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Many projected first-stringers were kept out of the scrimmage for precautionary reasons. Healthy offensive players sitting out included running backs Jamaal Williams, Paul Lasike and Algernon Brown. In their absence, junior walk-ons Nate Carter and Jeremiah Burr got every non-quarterback carry, running behind an offensive line that had most of its top projected contributors participating Saturday.

Offensive coordinator Robert Anae said Saturday's exercise served its purpose, noting that "we came out here with the idea to put guys in game-type situations, and see how they respond."

"It was exactly the design," said Anae. "This was the first time this spring that we really got to that type of format, away from the practice format. It was refreshing for the players and for the coaches — a learning opportunity.

"The guys who were out here today are certainly vying for seats on the chartered plane. There's a good chance you may see them in the first game (at Connecticut on Aug. 29)."

Asked how his 2014 offense compares to the 2013 squad that was just learning and incorporating his up-tempo scheme, Anae said, "Shoot, that (2013) team, if you were to punch them in the mouth, they'd just roll over; that was it.

"This (2014) group? Are you kidding? You swing, they'll knock you back. I feel much better about where they're at."

Anae added that the passing game, which ranked among the nation's worst statistically in 2013, is bound to improve this coming season.

"We will be way better as an offense than we were last year, throwing and catching the football," Anae said.

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Defensive players remaining on the sidelines Saturday included five of BYU's projected starting front seven, in linebackers Alani Fua and Bronson Kaufusi, and linemen Graham Rowley, Travis Tuiloma and Remington Peck. The inside linebackers and most of the secondary players took part in the scrimmage leaving Mendenhall with a positive impression heading into the summer.

The coach noted that Zac Stout and Manoa Pikula have earned first-string reps at middle and buck linebacker, respectively, with Jherremya Leuta-Douyere and Austin Heder able to serve as primary backups at either position. At outside linebacker, Mendenhall is extremely enthused about his personnel situation.

"If you love defensive football we're going to have another really strong defense," Mendenhall observed. "When you put Alani Fua at one side and Bronson at the other, when we're in obvious passing situations right now in practice, it's very difficult to get the ball off. Not only because they're great pass rushers, but they're both so tall, and have such range.There are a lot of balls being knocked down.

"(Fua and Kaufusi are) two NFL — in my opinion— outside linebackers, which just seems to be the trend for us at BYU."

About Stout, Mendenhall was effusive in his praise, crediting the senior-to-be with the resiliency to return after off-the-field issues that threatened to end his Cougar career.

"Zac Stout really has made a nice push through spring, coming back after a season of not playing," Mendenhall said. "The great story for any of us is that when you make a mistake that doesn't mean the world is over. There is redemption.

"You just work your way back into it and you re-qualify at an even higher level, meting the standard required of you and you end up becoming even stronger as a person and as a player. That's what Zac has done."

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Mendenhall singled out the following players for solid performances Saturday: wide receivers Michael Davis, Kurt Henderson, Nick Kurtz and Terenn Houk, and defensive back Dallin Leavitt. The coach noted that after a "dead-even" placekicking competition between Moose Bingham and Trevor Samson during spring practices, Samson had "a little better day today." Austin Brasher, who was a late addition to the kicking group, is said to have the strongest leg of the trio, and joined Bingham splitting the uprights from 46-47 yards.

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You can hear play-by-play and postgame coverage audio from Saturday's scrimmage in "Cougar Cuts."

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Scrimmage Stats (as reported by BYU Athletic Communications)

Quarterbacks

Taysom Hill 19-27, 307 yards, 3 TDs, 9 rushes, 48 yards

Christian Stewart 10-16, 68 yards, 3 rushes, 15 yards

Billy Green 0-1, 1 rush, 9 yards

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Running Backs

Nate Carter 22 rushes, 61 yards, 1 TD

Jeremiah Burr 18 rushes, 62 yards

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Receivers/Tight Ends

Kurt Henderson 6 catches, 74 yards, 1 TD

Nick Kurtz 5 catches, 47 yards

Jeremiah Burr 3 catches, 66 yards

Michael Davis 2 catches, 55 yards

Colby Pearson 4 catches, 26 yards

Terenn Houk 3 catches, 74 yards, 1 TD

Mitchell Juergens 3 catches, 15 yards

Devin Mahina 1 catch, 5 yards, 1 TD

Nate Carter 1 catch, 6 yards

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Defense/sacks and turnovers

Sacks: Jordan Egbert, DJ Doman, Garrett Jurgens, Jherremya Leuta-Douyere, Skye PoVey

Fumble recoveries: Josh Carter defense, Robertson Daniel

Interception: Brock Markham

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