BYU resumes practice
BYU held its first post-fall camp practice this morning, with about 20-30 minutes of it devoted to preparation for the season-opening opponent, Oklahoma. During that period, the first-team offense went up against the scout team defense while the first-team defense faced the scout team offense.
Quarterback Max Hall admitted it wasn’t one of the teams’ better practices, partly because the scout teams, which are supposed to mimic the opponent as effectively as possible, were playing together for the first time. Also, the Cougars didn’t practice on Thursday, so it took them a while to get back into practice mode.
Back in uniform today were running back Harvey Unga, safety Scott Johnson and wide receiver McKay Jacobson. While Unga (hamstring) and Jacobson (concussion) and Johnson (concussion) were held out of contact drills, left tackle Matt Reynolds, who broke his hand early in fall camp, saw some action with the first-team.
There’s been an ongoing battle at the two cornerback spots during fall camp. On Friday, Brandon Bradley was with the first-team defense at boundary corner while Brian Logan ran with the first-team at field corner, with Lee Aguirre and Robbie Buckner backing up Bradley and Logan. Buckner saw his first live action since the first few days of fall camp. Coach Bronco Mendenhall said nothing has been decided yet at that position as far as naming the starters and that the difference between Bradley and Aguirre and Logan and Buckner “is thin.” He added, “If we had to go today, that’s how I would do it.”
Another field corner, Corby Eason, was with the third-team and played with the scout team, though coach Bronco Mendenhall explained that Eason has a eligibility
issue with the NCAA Clearinghouse to resolve. Until it is, he’ll remain with the scout team. Meanwhile, cornerback Garett Nicholson did not attend practice because he has an academic issue to resolve.
A bit of sad news — wide receiver Spencer Hafoka, who battled a serious illness during the off-season and looked great during fall camp, has become sick again, with symptoms similar to what he had previously. Hafoka and Mendenhall are concerned that it’s not the same illness that kept him from school and from football for months. They’re hopeful that it’s not.
Freshman Richard Wilson, a star tight end at Spanish Fork High, was moved to linebacker during fall camp. Mendenhall said today that thanks to the emergence of Jordan Atkinson, Wilson is back at tight end. Next year, the Cougars lose both of their senior tight ends and Wilson will now begin preparing for the future at the position he feels most comfortable playing.
The team announced the team captains for the 2009 season. They are Hall, tight end Dennis Pitta, linebacker Matt Bauman, safety Scott Johnson and defensive lineman Jan Jorgensen. Those players were selected by their teammates to serve as captains.