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In two days, the football players who will comprise BYU's 105-man fall camp roster report for duty.
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After a Friday full of meetings, physicals and orientation, the team traditionally begins Saturday's Day One of camp with an early morning run to the "Y" serving as the team's annual conditioning test, before holding the initial practice that afternoon.
As has been the case historically, the first two days of camp will feature the newcomers starting and ending practice ahead of the veterans, with the two groups competing together for the bulk of the session.
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The 105-man roster won't be official until Saturday, but it is apparent that the newcomers' group will be the smallest it has been in the Bronco Mendenhall era. Over the last few seasons, the number of new players averaged between 25 and 30, but this season, the newcomers may number only in the 12-16 range.
What that means is this is shaping up not only the most talented, but the most veteran group of the Bronco Mendenhall era—a good sign for a team hoping to get off to a solid start in 2011.
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Among the newcomers will be nine players signed in February who were expected to take part in fall camp; all nine players are currently on the school's online roster. Those nine are: LB Austin Heder, TE Colby Jorgensen, DL Moses Kaumatule, QB Alex Kuresa, LB Lene Lesatele, RB Manoa Pikula, DL Baker Pritchard, DL Stehly Reden and DB Joe Sampson.
Two other players in the February signing group—OL Ryker Mathews and DB Preston Hadley—played in spring and are thus not numbered among the newcomers. The eight remaining players from the 19-man 2011 recruiting class will delay enrollment and/or serve LDS missions before starting their eligibility clocks.
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The 2011 rookie group will also include 2009 signee RB Adam Hine, and might include LB/DB Teu Kautai, a signee from the class of 2010 whose camp status has yet to be finalized. Additionally, WR Terrenn Houk did not sign in February, but will be on scholarship and would be one of the newcomers in fall camp.
There are always a few walk-ons who end up in the newcomer list, but even so, the 105's rookie crop will be much smaller than it has been in the past.
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A smaller group of new players means a bigger group of returners and fewer players to educate, about everything from expectations to playbooks. BYU could reasonably expect its most productive camp of the Mendenhall era, thanks in large part to the significant base of returning talent.
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