BYU wraps up 'healthy' spring football session


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PROVO — It’s hard to prognosticate a team based on spring football.

But one of the keys for any college squad is to make it past April healthy, without any incident in the month-long foray of practices, conditioning and preseason scrimmages.

For BYU, that makes the spring season successful: a team returning to full health found a few new weapons on offense, and determined the readiness of several key players as they prep for the 2016 season.

Head coach Bronco Mendenhall called the session one of the healthiest springs in his 10 seasons in charge.

“I can’t remember a spring where we were this healthy,” Mendenhall told reporters after the final spring scrimmage last Friday. “I think I can attribute it to our new strength regiment. If that holds true in fall camp, it will help verify that. But we’re in good shape in terms of a healthy team.”

The team set several goals going into spring, and the results turned out to be a mixed bag of results. The Cougars were so limited at quarterback, for example, that they had to give first-team reps to graduating senior Christian Stewart, who has no eligibility left and will move to San Francisco with his new wife this summer as he begins work in the financial services industry.

BYU wide receiver Chase Frei (86) makes a catch during the Spring football game in Provo Friday, March 27, 2015. (Jeffrey D. Allred/Deseret News)
BYU wide receiver Chase Frei (86) makes a catch during the Spring football game in Provo Friday, March 27, 2015. (Jeffrey D. Allred/Deseret News)

Presumed starter Taysom Hill saw his first action since a season-ending injury last fall against Utah State, even if it was in 7-on-7 drills. Stewart’s role, meanwhile, came primarily in place of backup McCoy Hill, who was in camp but riding a leg-hoisting scooter every day, and Hunter Moore, who saw limited reps as Stewart’s backup.

The extra circumstances of the quarterback situation were one reason Mendenhall hesitated to call BYU’s goals “mission accomplished” last week.

“It’s hard to say. I think so, but the long-term perspective will be the one that shows, and that won’t come until the season,” Mendenhall said when asked about the program’s goals. “I think we became more mentally tough, more disciplined, and our execution improved. I think our identities became a little more clear, and our team has great chemistry and unity. I think those are the things that happened, and now it’s just the players and self-directed leadership through the spring and summer that will be really important.”

The players also noticed an improvement, and wide receiver Terenn Houk said his position group has improved in its ability to provide a consistent threat in the downfield passing game.

But there are still improvements to come.

“Making the big play, and not just the easy ones — we need to make the hard ones as well,” Houk added. “And also, work hard to get the extra edge on our opponents. They are working just as hard, so we’ve got to work even harder.”

The closing message to the players, as they prepare for a summer filled with strength and conditioning workouts before coming back together for fall camp, was an emphasis on pushing the envelope, offensive coordinator Robert Anae said.

“The message is individual. Some guys need to crank it up, some need to change their bodies,” Anae said. “But just about everyone needs to toughen up their attitude. I look forward to the progress that they make. You can never judge that barometer until they get back in August.”

Running back Jamaal Williams is cranking up his recovery from offseason knee surgery, and Anae said he expects to have the senior back in time for the season.

“I’m extremely confident,” Anae said of Williams’ return. “He is well ahead of his progress on paper, and he’s got that warrior mentality. I’m 100 percent confident in him; he and Taysom will be back to their former selves, if not a better version of themselves.”

The Cougars will also welcome in quarterbacks Tanner Mangum, who is finishing a two-year LDS church mission to Chile, and Beau Hoge, a freshman, to add depth at that position.

“I can’t say who the backup is now, but I feel pretty good about who we have coming in,” Mendenhall said.

As it is on most college campuses this time of year, optimism is brewing at BYU.

“We have a good team, and we have a really tough schedule,” Mendenhall said. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for a senior quarterback who is one of the best in the country and an offense that has scored the most points since 2001.

“With the people in place and the systems, it could be a really fun year.”

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