"Off-Day Q and A"...

The Cougars are not holding practice today, with meetings, treatment and lifting scheduled ahead of the first "Oklahoma" practice on Friday.

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The day before camp began, I came up with "Ten (or more) Questions for Camp." The number turned out to be 17 questions, and they were in no particular order.

Now that camp is over, I figured I would go back and re-visit all of the questions and the original commentary, with the current "answers" to the questions in italics.

Here we go:

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1. How ready to play is Riley Nelson? BYU fans hope this is a moot point, and that Max Hall plays 13 games in perfect health. That being said, is Nelson ready to shake off the mission rust and make a run at the backup spot held by Brenden Gaskins? Gaskins has seniority, but Nelson has versatility, and unique playmaking abilities Gaskins might lack to an extent.

A: Nelson gained confidence as camp progressed, and after Gaskins ceded the #2 job to the former Aggie, it allowed coaches to more quickly integrate Nelson and get him second-team snaps. That said, Nelson has really struggled to move the team since his promotion. My sense is that given a full first-string offensive unit to work with, he would be a "gamer."

2. Which newcomers will nail down spots in the two-deep? I've already addressed Riley Nelson at QB, and there are a couple of new offensive linemen who could move up the depth chart--Braden Hansen foremost among them. Other than that, experience should carry the day on offense. On the defensive side of the ball, a ton of newcomers should be in a position to contribute immediately. At linebacker, middle linebacker Brandon Ogletree will have his sights set on the backup spot to Matt Bauman, while outside, look for both Richard Wilson (strong) and Jordan Atkinson (weak) to be in the two-deep mix. The defensive backfield will feature up to a half-dozen players with eyes on a depth chart spot. At corner, JUCOs Corby Eason, Brian Logan and Lee Aguirre will join redshirts Robbie Buckner and Garrett Nicholson in the marquee battle at the field corner position. At safety, Craig Bills and Jray Galea'i will hope to be heard. I am leaving out promising freshman corner Trevor Bateman, only because there are seven other corners with post-high school experience ahead of him.

A: Well, everyone listed but Wilson (#3 WLB) and Galea'i (#3 Kat) have secured spots in the two-deep, or are still battling for a spot, as at field corner. What I did not see happening was the injury situation on the offensive line; a situation that may see as many as four or five newcomers in the two-deep.

3. Who will step up to join Harvey Unga as BYU's backfield contributors? With Manase Tonga's presence still uncertain, who will emerge to secure a spot at backup tailback and starting fullback? J.J. DiLuigi would appear to have the inside track to the #2 TB position, but has yet to really distinguish himself to this point in his career. Don't forget about Mike Hague, 2006' second-most exciting offensive newcomer, after McKay Jacobson. Bryan Kariya is a known commodity, while Malosi Te'o (transfer) and Anthony Heimuli (freshman) are wild cards.

A: Unga, DiLuigi, Tonga and Kariya make up the "top four;" after that, it's more or less up for grabs, with the other backs looking at special teams time. Certainly, Tonga's return is huge for the backfield prospects. Unga's hamstring injury is a red flag.

4. Will BYU play with an H receiver? Of the dozen or so wide receivers in camp, will any of them show an ability to occupy the slot receiver slot the way Nate Meikle did in 2006 (the last year BYU used the "H" with any regularity)? More to the point (assuming an "X" and "Z" receiver in a given formation), how frequently would coaches even choose to line up an unproven "H" over either a fullback or second tight end (especially considering the threat of a Pitta-George double-tight combo)?

A: Matt Marshall and Stephen Covey are the two "H"s, and my impression is BYU coaches used that slot position more in camp than they did last year.

5. Which eligibility or other personnel issues will require resolution when camp gets underway? Every summer, camp begins with a handful of the players in the 105 absent for reasons ranging from grades, to personal issues, to injury. This summer, Tialavea (mission plans), Tonga (academics), Aguirre (academics) and Aveni Leung-Wai (academics) were among those who have been question marks in recent weeks. While Bronco has yet to actually address these issues, it appears that:

a) Tialavea should be a "go"

b) we will have to wait until next week on Tonga

The status of Aguirre and Leung-Wai will either be addressed by Bronco or evident on Saturday.

A: Tialavea, Tonga and Aguirre all showed up, Leung-Wai stayed in junior college, while OL Jesse taufi battled academic issues and will join the team when school starts.

6. Where will Bronco Mendenhall spend most of his time? Seems like a silly question, but with him handing play-calling duties over to Jaime Hill, will Bronco be seen at other places on the practice field? I wouldn't be surprised if Bronco moves around a little bit more this summer.

A: Bronco adopted the nose tackles as "his" position group.

7. How hard will Bronco have the players go for the next three weeks?; how much hitting will we see, and will it be more or less than last year? With a particularly challenging game with Oklahoma out of the gates, it will be interesting to see how full Bronco opens the throttle when the full pads come on and the team starts to scrimmage.

A: Bronco eliminated a couple of particular drills after a rough first week of camp, health-wise. The injuries were unavoidable, however, even with limited contact. A frustrated Bronco said a coach can be criticized for going too heavy or not heavy enough, adding that injuries will happen, if they're going to happen.

8. How long will it take for the offensive line depth chart to be solidified? Hopefully, not long. While many of the players in the two-deep have game experience, the group's leader is a sophomore: Matt Reynolds. R.J. Willing should secure the center spot, but the other three spots will be competitive, if not up for grabs.

A: The offensive line was a "work in progress" during camp, with starters Matt Reynolds (hand--3 weeks) and Jason Speredon (rotator cuff--season) going down early. Houston Reynolds was also lost for the year (ACL).

9. In a two-wide receiver set, which two wideouts are #1 and #2? I would assume the names are McKay Jacobson and O'Neill Chambers. After them, Luke Ashworth and exciting freshman Brett Thompson are most likely to press for inclusion in the rotation. Down the depth chart, return missionary Rhen Brown was termed a "pleasant surprise" during MWC Media Days.

A: I didn't count on Spencer Hafoka securing the #4 spot as well as he did, but he had a good camp and locked it down. Thompson and Brown are next in line.

10. Which of the JUCO transfer corners will make the strongest run at a starting spot? It's a three-man race between Eason, Logan and Aguirre, and I while I have no way to handicap the race right now, Aguirre had the gaudiest stats, with 10 picks as a JC sophomore last season.

A: All three had their moments, with Aguirre perhaps the most consistent, competing with Brandon Bradley for the starting boundary corner spot.

11. Which camp injuries will most affect BYU's opening-day starting lineup? I hate to bring this one up, but they are as inevitable as the motor homes in the parking lot during Education Week. Camp injuries happen, and someone in the two-deep is going down.

A: Among projected starters only, H. Reynolds, Speredon, Hooks, Unga, Jacobson, Rich, Johnson, Bradley, Buckner, and Tialavea all missed multiple days of practice due to injury. Which injuries will affect the opening-day starting lineup remains to be seen, but as of the final scrimmage, H. Reynolds, Speredon (of course), Unga, Jacobson and Johnson were all still sidelined.

12. Can Riley Stephenson put any heat on Mitch Payne? The former kicking sensation at Pine View High School is expected to win the punting duties, but he was a productive and efficient placekicker in high school, too. Payne is the experienced incumbent, but keep in mind he is only 4/8 on field goals outside 40 yards for his BYU career.

A: Payne struggled for any kind of consistency, and did nothing to keep Stephenson at bay. It's likely Stephenson will handle kickoffs, and Payne's field goal leash is very, very short.

13. Is Terrance Hooks all the way back? Seems like we have waited forever to see this fearsome linebacker "unleashed," and after an injury-interrupted junior season, his time is now.

A: We still have no idea, because as soon as he started camp, he was finished--for the ensuing two-and-a-half weeks, with a hamstring strain.

14. Does Harvey Unga look like "freshman" Harvey? You remember "freshman" Harvey, right? Well, everyone I've talked to says he looks more like that guy than the banged-up sophomore of last season. Of course, he hasn't taken a serious hit in eight months, but early reports are encouraging.

A: Again, we really don't know, since he was kept out of "live" action for essentially all of camp, injuring himself in a non-contact drill earlier this week. Fingers are crossed for the frequently banged-up back.

15. After Andrew Rich and Scott Johnson, who will do the "Safety Dance"? The holdovers are Shiloah Te'o, Travis Uale and Blake Morgan, with Te'o playing in 11 games last season. Among the newcomers, Craig Bills was an unstoppable defensive force at Timpview, and Kahuku's Jray Galea'i is almost as hard a hitter.

A: Bills (free) and Te'o (Kat) have nailed down the backup spots, with Galea'i seeing a lot of second team (and some first team) snaps at Kat while Te'o cross-trained at BLB, and while Rich and Johnson were injured.

16. Is Jordan Pendleton ready for his close-up? This is another guy we've been watching for a long time now, and after a redshirt season and then a position change, he has won the starting strongside linebacker spot. A tremendous athlete, he will look to fill David Nixon's shoes.

A: He has nailed down a starting spot and made his share of plays in camp.

16. Russell, Rick, Romney 'n Richardson: who Nose? Looks like Tialavea is good to go, but if Tialavea were to have been unavailable, Bronco was planning on "three or four" guys playing this spot in every game this season. Tialavea's presence will make depth issues here a lot less urgent.

A: Nose tackle now appears to be BYU's deepest defensive position, with Tialavea's return, and the strong play of Fuga, Tevita Hola and even Jordan Richardson giving Bronco lots of rotation options up front. Rick Wolfley quit the team before camp began.

17. Will the "Ends" justify the means? BYU is in great shape with Jorgensen and Denney as starters, but the battle for depth at end will be a compelling storyline. Matt Putnam returns there, while Vic So'oto has been switched from linebacker to defensive end, and those two guys should give BYU a solid two-deep. Meantime, freshman Remington Peck was recruited as a tight end, moved to linebacker, and since moved to defensive end, underscoring the need for bodies at that spot.

A: BYU is really only two-deep at each end, with the players mentioned above performing as expected. The other backups at end are likely not ready for prime time.

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Word is the roof at Cowboys Stadium will be closed for the BYU-Oklahoma game.

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Jonathan Tavernari did not play as Brazil opened the FIBA Tournament of the Americas with an 81-68 win over the Dominican Republic on Wednesday. Brazil played only seven of 12 available players, as the "Big Three" of Leandro Barbosa, Anderson Varejao and Tiago Splitter combined for 45 points and 24 rebounds.

Brazil plays Venezuela this afternoon at 4:30pm, MT.

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