Odds and ends from BYU, UCLA practices

Given BYU’s deficiencies in the defensive secondary, it’s important that the Cougars are able to get pressure on UCLA quarterback Kevin Craft.
‘Anytime those guys can get the quarterback on his back, it makes our job a heck of a lot easier,’ said safety Kevin Fowler. ‘We appreciate the effort they’re putting forward. I don’t necessarily feel that we’ve struggled in that area.’
BYU sacked Washington’s Jake Locker four times last week, but coach Bronco Mendenhall said that putting pressure on the QB is not a part of the defensive mindset. ‘It’s really not our identity,’ he said. ‘We’re not a defense with great recovery speed. We’re more one that plays with leverage and assignment. I believe we sacked Locker four times. I wouldn’t anticipate getting Craft any more than that.’

With Vic So’oto going down for 4-8 weeks with a broken foot (he underwent surgery Monday), BYU has named Coleby Clawson the starter at weakside outside linebacker. Freshman Daniel Sorensen is backing up both strongside outside linebacker David Nixon and Clawson. “Really, it’s a three-man rotation,” Mendenhall explained.

UCLA tailback Kahlil Bell, who rushed 16 times for 79 yards and one touchdown against BYU in last September’s 27-17 win over the Cougars, sustained a high ankle sprain and is not expected to play Saturday.
“Kahlil has been downgraded very, very doubtful, closer to out,” said coach Rick Neuheisel.

Asked about defending BYU running back Harvey Unga, Neuheisel said: ‘I think we had a good idea that he was going to be a pretty dynamic player going in. And certainly (defensive coordinator) DeWayne (Walker) and the defensive staff have played these guys twice last year. So, I think the number is 10 of 11 starters back on offense. So, it is kind of the same thing. It’s good news and bad news. The good news is we are familiar (with BYU). The bad news is, they are really good.
So we’ve got to make sure we play within ourselves and hopefully take a page out of what we did against Tennessee, which is try to get the game to the fourth quarter.”

Neuheisel was asked if BYU quarterback Max Hall reminded him of Neuheisel’s former QB at Washington, Cody Pickett. He acknowledged there were some similarities. “I would say that Max is a very accomplished player and certainly kind of a master of what they are trying to accomplish offensively.”

Norm Chow was asked about his return to Provo. Predictably, Chow downplayed it.
“There is nothing to it,” he said. “It has been such a long time and there’s a lot of water under bridge. It’s just a game we’ve got to win.”