Squally Canada leading a competitive running back group into BYU's 2nd week of fall camp

PROVO — The biggest news out of BYU’s fall camp wasn’t in the quarterback position — in a sense.

While Tanner Mangum, Joe Critchlow and Zach Wilson still battle for the starting signal caller job before the Cougars’ season opener Sept. 1 at Arizona, Beau Hoge continued his transition to running back Monday, as BYU players put on pads and shells for the first time in fall camp.

But Hoge’s move to the position his dad Merril starred for seven seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers has drawn praise — not just from the ex-quarterback and his coaches, but also his teammates.

“He already knew the plays, so it’s just been about little details with him,” senior running back Squally Canada said of Hoge. “Once you get the handoff, just keep two hands on the ball, keep your eyes up, and those little knick-knacks. He’s an athlete — that’s what we recruited him for.”

Coaches told Hoge of his position change back in April, and he’s been quietly holding the secret ever since.

But he’s also been working, with Canada, with Katoa, and with his dad, to get better at a position coaches like seeing him embrace.

“He’s been a very good natural athlete, has good size, soft hands, and a very good route runner,” said offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, while adding that Hoge’s days as a part-time quarterback may not be over. “He’s one of those guys we could probably put at 3-4 positions and he’d compete for playing time.”

Even as the Cougar coaching staff strives to settle on a starting quarterback, new running backs coach AJ Steward is also trying to find a starting running back from a rotation that includes Canada, Hoge, fifth-year senior Matt Hadley and redshirt freshman Zach Katoa, among others.

But there’s no mistaking who the alpha male is in the running back room — it’s Canada, the former Washington State ball carrier who still talks with good friend and BYU all-time leading rusher Jamaal Williams on a near-weekly basis.

Canada, who piled up 710 yards and six touchdowns as a junior, is focusing on being a leader for the Cougar running backs. But the position is coming naturally for the most tenured running back in Steward’s room, he admitted — and coaches are taking notice.

“If I see something wrong, I just try to correct it. It’s the right thing to do,” Canada said. “Even if I get the starting job, I want the next guy to be ready to go.

“I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help the team.”

QB battle continues

Mangum and Wilson took the majority of snaps at quarterback during the media-viewing portion of Monday’s practice. Joe Critchlow, Jaren Hall and Baylor Romney joined the group during 7-on-7 training, as well.

But Grimes was quick to advise against putting too much stock into the observation.

“You can’t read anything into that,” Grimes said. “We’re putting different guys with different groups at different times.

“We’ll just work on a rotation.”

Wilson opened the final segment of practice with a touchdown pass to Talon Shumway, while former Maple Mountain standout Jaren hall tossed a touchdown to ex-Bingham star Dax Milne during reserve work, and Mangum threw a tight spiral to Micah Simon for a touchdown that got the offense pumped up more than usual.

Critchlow’s biggest contribution was a well-threaded ball to graduate transfer Dylan Collie during 7-on-7 work.

But no clear separation for a starter has been made, Grimes, head coach Kalani Sitake and quarterbacks coach Aaron Roderick all contended. Not that they’d tell any of the quarterbacks if there was one, Wilson admitted.

“When he says go in, you go in,” said Wilson, who graduated early from Corner Canyon to enroll at BYU in January. “You take the plays you can take, and do as well as you can. I’m sure they want to know in a couple of weeks, because we’ll be close to game time. But they don’t tell us.”

Grimes added he still hopes to have a starting decision by the end of the second week of camp, if possible.

Feuding linemen

With shoulder pads clanging on the first day of practice in shells, tempers briefly flared up during a scuffle between the offensive and defensive lines.

Zac Dawe and Harris LaChance were among those at the center of a minor scuffle — one that brought in offensive line coach Ryan Pugh to separate the group — but cooler heads quickly prevailed after a significant exchange of words.

Neither Grimes nor head coach Kalani Sitake were concerned about the altercation — boys will be boys, as the saying goes.

“I’d be concerned if we didn’t have any,” Grimes said when asked about the scuffle.

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