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PROVO -- Austin Collie left BYU as the schools all-time leading receiver to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL Draft.
While he tries to win a starting job with the Indianapolis Colts, Max Hall has been working with sophomore receivers McKay Jacobson and O'Neill Chambers. He hopes they have what it takes to step up in Collie's absence.
"I spent a lot of time in the summer with all those guys so I think I'm right there with them," said preseason MWC preseason player of the year Max Hall. "It's nice to have fast receivers all over the field and guys who can make plays."
Chambers feels that he has developed good chemistry with Hall but thinks it can get even better.
"We still gotta get little tweaks and tune-ups here and there but we're alright," Chambers said.
Jacobson also feels good about things.
"I feel like we had a great summer as far as defense, offense, 7-on-7," the sophomore said. "I feel like we're coming together pretty well as a team."
Chambers has matured and become more comfortable with the offense. Jacobson looks like he never left for two years to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He's in such good shape, he won the annual race to the "Y" on the first day of fall camp. That's something recently returned missionaries aren't supposed to do.
"I would liken it maybe to when Fui (Vakapuna) first came back and how impressive he was that season," said Head Coach Bronco Mendenhall. "It looks like that's similar to how McKay is."
Jacobson credits the timing of his return from a mission as a major factor in his ability to get back in shape quickly.
"I think it just really comes down to just getting back early enough," said Jacobson. "I got back here in January and went to school and got re-acclimated to everything. And just working out, it takes a little bit of time but I feel good and healthy and ready to go."
E-mail: jjensen@ksl.com
