Camp Cougar, Day 5

On the first day in full pads, the Cougars went through a two-hour morning workout on Thursday--a session that included the first interception thrown by QB Jake Heaps in camp.

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Heaps had been close to perfect through four days of camp, going 21/25 (one incompletion each day) for 337 yards and throwing four touchdowns. Thursday, Heaps went 1/3 in the "team" portion of practice, for nine yards, while Daniel Sorensen recorded the pick on a ball that Heaps floated for an open McKay Jacobson.

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The team ran only four 11-on-11 series to end practice; two on a standard field, and two in the "blue zone" (20- yard line start).

Series 1:

After an opening play-action completion to Devin Mahina for nine yards, Heaps is picked on his second pass attempt.

Series 2:

Riley Nelson goes 3/3 for 39 yards and leads the offense into the end zone on a 14-yard pass to TE Richard Wilson. The PAT by Sorensen was good.

Series 3 (blue zone):

After an 18-yard run by Bryan Kariya on first down, back- to-back run plays lose ground. Heaps fires into the back of the end zone, but Uona Kaveinga makes a nice play to tip the ball away. The 20-yard FG attempt by Justin Sorensen was mis-hit wide.

Series 4 (blue zone):

James Lark leads a 3-play drive into the end zone, finding David Foote for a 14-yard catch-and-run. The PAT from Sorensen was good.

Sorensen also made field goals from 27, 32, 32 and 42 yards in live simulations.

QB Stats--

Heaps: 1/3, 9 yds, INT

Nelson: 3/3, 39 yds TD

Lark: 1/1, 13 yds, TD

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You can hear a post-practice interview with head coach Bronco Mendenhall by clicking the "play" button in "Cougar Cuts" to the upper right. You will also hear interviews with ILB Brandon Ogletree, TE Richard Wilson and WR McKay Jacobson.

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Of the first day with fully-padded hitting, Mendenhall said "they're anxious to run into each other, and sometimes that takes away a little bit of the execution, in terms of adding some energy to it, but it was good."

"I think our team likes to compete," Mendenhall says, "and they're maintaining that from the very beginning to today. I really felt it was important once we put the pads on to let them go rather than hold them back."

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Updating the most prominent position battles--

Left Guard: For the second consecutive day, Marco Thorson ran with the ones at LG, after having alternated with Houston Reynolds through the first four days of camp. Today, Reynolds was the backup center and took some snaps at right guard, even seeing some first-string reps in place of starter Braden Hansen.

Field and Boundary Cornerback: Mendenhall says determining a starter at both spots is "still a number of practices away." Corby Eason (field) and Preston Hadley (boundary) have taken the majority of the first-team snaps, but again today, multiple players were in the mix in a rotation between first, second and third strings. Eason, Robbie Buckner, Cameron Comer and Jordan Johnson all saw plenty of snaps at FC, while Joe Sampson got the most first-string snaps he has seen in camp, with Hadley and DeQuan Everett in the rotation at BC.

"I would love it to be that we come out of (scrimmage) Saturday with a lot better idea than we do right now," said Mendenhall about the competition at corner. "No one has really emerged as the player at either spot. Good news is there are players there...what I'd like to see is...it start to emerge a little quicker."

About Sampson, Mendenhall says "he's still learning our system but he knows how to play the game, he's confident and he's a good athlete...really capable, and I wouldn't be surprised if he earns a role in there."

Free Safety: Mike Hague took all of the first-string snaps today with Travis Uale attending to a class responsibility, but it remains an intense competition for the top spot.

WLB: Jameson Frazier is getting closer to full strength, but he will have gone an entire camp week or more without live reps, and in that time, Kyle Van Noy has established himself as a stand-out, and alongside Jordan Pendleton forms the top outside LB duo in camp.

Tight End: Auston Holt and Devin Mahina are considered one-two, but Richard Wilson has bounced back quickly from a sprained ankle and doesn't want to be left out of the mix. A TD catch today helped in that effort.

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Here's today's injury update--

ILB Austen Jorgensen: sprained his right ankle in the team session; day-to-day says trainer Kevin Morris.

TB Juice Quezada: still recovering from ankle sprain but practiced again today, and is "progressing well...he looked good, the stuff he was in today," according to Morris.

TE Colby Jorgensen: out with a dislocated shoulder. Morris says more tests will be performed to make to make sure the dislocation is the extent of the damage.

TE Kanekua Friel: out with a hamstring strain, until "late next week, at the earliest," says Morris.

WR Jordan Smith: out with a bruised tail bone suffered Wednesday; day-to-day.

ILB Brandon Ogletree: rehabbing a groin strain; "progressing well."

ILB Spencer Hadley: lower body soreness; did position work today, "we'll progress him a little bit more tomorrow."

OLB Jameson Frazier: recovering from lower ab strain, doing more work day by day. Likely not full go until next Monday.

OLB Kevan Bills: still out, recovering from a hamstring strain.

DL Hebron Fangupo: held out of live reps with a sore ankle.

OLB Jadon Wagner: waiting for administrative clearance.

Numerous other players, including Travis Uale, missed practice today due to academic or family responsibilities. Among the absentees were TB Malosi Te'o, WR Terrenn Houk, OLB Alani Fua, OLB Lene Lesatele, and DLs Moses Kaumatule, Baker Pritchard and Stehly Reden.

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The run game had a good day today; both in live run/play- action segments, and the practice-ending team session.

In the earlier series, TB J.J. DiLuigi busted off a couple of nice long runs, while in the latter segment, Bryan Kariya, Mike Alisa, David Foote and Iona Pritchard all stood out.

In the ending 11-on-11 work (four series), I had RB stats as follows:

Kariya: 2 rushes, 18 yds

Alisa: 3 rushes, 14 yds; 1 rec, 14 yds

Foote: 3 rushes, 14 yds; 1 rec, 13 yds (TD)

Pritchard: 1 rec, 11 yds

Quezada: 1 rush, -2 yds

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The only two true fullbacks being employed by BYU currently are Zed Mendenhall and Iona Pritchard; every other back is a true tailback or combo back.

Today and in other days, we saw Alisa and Pritchard in the same backfield, and I really like the way that looks. Alisa is much leaner and quicker than I expected a converted linebacker to be, while Pritchard is a load as a lead blocker (6'0", 240 lbs.). Pritchard knows how to seal an edge, and he was nifty in the pass game today, turning a catch in the flat into an 11-yard game (with an assist off a great block from Dallin Cutler).

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Other standout performances today came in "skelly" (six offensive players v. eight or nine defenders; no linemen). FS Mike Hague made another athletic interception, while Cody Hoffman made one of the nicest plays of camp.

On a ball thrown into the back of the end zone, Hoffman ran the end line, elevated his 6'4" frame, and caught a rocket whistled high and hard. It was really a tough catch to make, and a lot of good wideouts would have been hard pressed to complete the grab. Cody made it, and made it look easy (for him, as pictured at right).

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I hit on it yesterday, but the daily highlight for me comes when Ben Cahoon's wideouts go one-on-one with Nick Howell's DBs from the five-yard line.

The objective is to be the first team to get to 10--with catches for TDs counting as one for the WRs, and any incompletion or catch short of the end zone counting as one for the DBs, even if the DBs have nothing to do with the incompletion (an overthrow, for instance).

Today's competition was the most intense of camp, and it was won by the wideouts, 10-9. At nine-all, Rhen Brown was lined up against DeQuan Everett, and hauled in a bullet at the goal line after being aggressively jammed by Everett off the line of scrimmage. Brown had been frustrated earlier in the drill by the DBs physical play, and both sides were out to make a statement on the final, "game"-deciding play. Brown made a great, tough play--and the DBs were doing push-ups as a result.

I tracked all 19 one-on-ones, and while it's unfair to single out too many plays due to the variance in accuracy of passes, etc., McKay Jacobson had two very impressive catches for scores, and Dalin Tollestrup also distinguished himself by making a particularly tough catch in coverage. Jacobson is quietly turning in a solid camp; not getting much action in "team," but everywhere else, he's making plays when called upon.

Folks, if you go to any of the open practices, pay attention to that particular one-on-one goal line drill; it's as much fun as you can have as a spectator.

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Today was the first day we some some more detailed special teams work; the kickoff cover unit got in some full-speed reps, with only a returner back.

Gone are the days when special teams were something to be done exclusively by the backups; at BYU (and many other schools), starters and front-line players occupy important roles on the kick and punt teams.

Here are today's the first- and second-string kickoff cover teams:

1st Team

Kicker: Justin Sorensen

Coverage: Corby Eason, Preston Hadley, Jray Galea'i, David Foote, Kyle Van Noy, Iona Pritchard, Uona Kaveinga, Mike Alisa, Carter Mees, Seth Probert

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2nd Team

Kicker: Riley Stephenson

Coverage: Jordan Johnson, Robbie Buckner, Matt Marshall, Joe Sampson, Tyler Beck, Austen Jorgensen, Aveni Leung- Wai, Zed Mendenhall, Connell Hess, Mike Hague

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Players in the kickoff return group today were:

Cody Hoffman, McKay Jacobson, Ross Apo, J.D. Falslev, Jordan Johnson, Rhen Brown, Dalin Tollestrup

Don't be surprised if Jordan Johnson emerges as a prime candidate to return kicks this season. He is an unknown quantity as a position player (battling for a spot in the two-deep at FC), but on special teams, he could make a significant impact. The kid is a special athlete.

One other special teams note: on place kicks, tight ends Austin Holt and Devin Mahina have responsibility as edge blockers on either side of the line.

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Leftovers from Day 5:

Former BYU CB Brian Logan was once again at practice.

DL Ian Dulan has changed numbers; from 77 to 65.

Scouts from the Detroit Lions (Wednesday) and NY Giants (Thursday) have been checking out camp.

The team honored its first "Thursday's Hero" of the new season after today's practice. Here is some more about honoree Jonny Stott:

"Jonny was born with many complications, including a twisted foot that required major surgery. As a result he has no living muscle in his legs and is paralyzed throughout most of his body. Speech and swallowing are slow and difficult.

Congrats to Jonny and his family, and kudos again to the Cougars for maintaining this great tradition and amazing program.

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Day 5 Depth Chart

OFFENSE

LT: Matt Reynolds, Michael Yeck

LG: Marco Thorson (also C), Ryker Mathews

C: Terence Brown, Houston Reynolds, (also LG/RG), Blair Tushaus

RG: Braden Hansen, Walter Kahaiali'i, Manu Mulitalo

RT: Braden Brown, Famika Anae

TE: Austin Holt/Devin Mahina, Richard Wilson

WR-X: Cody Hoffman/McKay Jacobson, Marcus Mathews, Dalin Tollestrup/Spencer Hafoka

WR-Z: Ross Apo, Rhen Brown, Dallin Cutler

WR-H: J.D. Falslev, Matt Marshall, Cody Raymond (note: TB J.J . DiLuigi also used as H receiver)

QB: Jake Heaps, Riley Nelson, James Lark

TB/Combo: J.J. DiLuigi/Bryan Kariya/Juice Quezada, David Foote, Mike Alisa, Ryan Folsom, Adam Hine, Malosi Te'o

FB: Zed Mendenhall, Iona Pritchard

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DEFENSE

LE: Graham Rowley, Hebron Fangupo (held out of live reps today--ankle), Mike Muehlmann, Ian Dulan

NT: Romney Fuga, Travis Tuiloma, Simote Vea, Justin Blackmore

RE: Eathyn Manumaleuna, Jordan Richardson, Matt Peterson

SLB: Jordan Pendleton, Seth Probert, Tanner Cox

MLB: Uona Kaveinga, Austen Jorgensen (also #1 BLB while Ogletree/Hadley out injured), Tyler Beck, Austin Heder

BLB: Brandon Ogletree (out), Spencer Hadley (out), Aveni Leung-Wai, Manoa Pikula, Va'a Niumatalolo

WLB: Kyle Van Noy/Jameson Frazier (out), Ezekiel Ansah, Connell Hess

FC: Corby Eason, Robbie Buckner/Cameron Comer/Jordan Johnson

Kat: Daniel Sorensen, Jray Galea'i/Carter Mees, Teu Kautai

FS: Mike Hague/Travis Uale, Chase Pendley, Gavin Fowler

BC: Preston Hadley, Joe Sampson/Dequan Everett, Skye PoVey

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The first open practices of camp are tomorrow at the practice field north of the Student-Athlete Building. Sessions are at 10:15 am and 4:50 pm.

Saturday's scrimmage (10:15 am at LES) will also be open to the public.

Mendenhall says his goals for tomorrow's practices are to "recover, refresh assignments, try to get...execution- sound and heal a few bumps and bruises, so we can maybe have Saturday be the longest scrimmage of fall camp. Whether it is or not, I'm not sure, but I would like to be able to prepare (Friday) for Saturday, to be able to get a higher volume of plays...so we can maybe establish our depth at a higher level."

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"The Power and the Passion": BYU Football on your Radio Home of the Cougars, KSL Newsradio.

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