Wide receiver snapshot

Fast. Lanky. Young. Precise. Tall. Explosive. Experienced.

Pick an adjective — any adjective — and chances are BYU has a receiver that embodies it. And with 13 receivers on the Spring roster, there may not be a deeper position on the team.

The overloaded cast of talented receivers, though, does lead to an enviable problem for the coaching staff: with the entire starting core returning from last season — McKay Jacobson, O’Neill Chambers, Spencer Hafoka and Luke Ashworth — finding enough reps for everyone is a challenge.

“There’s a lot of competition, and that’s what has made this Spring maybe more fun than the ones we’ve had before,” head coach Bronco Mendenhall said. “There’s a level of uncertainty of who on any given day is going to emerge. I think we’re practicing harder than we have before in the Spring. I think we’re practicing faster and I think we’re farther along even though we have younger players, and that’s a good sign.”

The quartet of receivers mentioned above caught 99 passes for 1,474 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. They’ll try to increase those numbers this year — a realistic goal after the offense lost tight ends Dennis Pitta and Andrew George — while also taking on the challenge of mentoring the younger receivers — the guys who are after their starting spots.

“The really nice thing about having everybody back is that they become teachers for the younger guys,” wide receivers coach Patrick Higgins told me. “If the older guys are working hard and doing the right things then they’re going to have a good influence on the younger guys, so that’s one thing we’re trying to focus on this Spring.”

The “younger guys” include freshmen Cody Hoffman, Ross Apo and Marcus Matthews, who all stand at 6-foot-4. I asked coach Higgins if recruiting taller receivers was a point of emphasis in recent years.

“Not really. That’s just kind of how it worked out” he said. “It’s always nice to have a big wide receiver, and we’ve been very fortunate to get those guys because they’re a hard defensive matchup for most players.”

Besides working on precision route-running, the receivers stand in a prime position to influence the quarterback competition.

“It’s a little bit unique this year because of the quarterback situation,” said Jacobson, who got engaged yesterday and will get married in June. “Last year we had Max and we knew he was the starter, and this year we don’t have that. Now, I know the guys we have will step up and do a great job, and at the same time we’ve got to do our best to help them by making plays and getting on the same page. It’s a fun challenge.”

Higgins had a slightly different take on the quarterback situation.

“Who’s playing quarterback should never be an issue,” he said, “because we’re going to do our job no matter what. We’re going to get in the right spot and catch the ball when it’s thrown. We can make them look good, but we can also make them look bad. We have to be precise to help them out, because last year we could make a mistake and Max was good enough to make up for it. This year we make a mistake and the youth in the position makes it more difficult.”

Here are a few more notes from today’s practice:

Practicing in pads: BYU’s first not-so-limited-contact practice was made official when defensive end Vic So’oto leveled unsuspecting wide receiver Rhen Brown — all 5-foot-10 187 pounds of him — after James Lark threw an interception near the goal line. Mendenhall was asked afterward how he felt about the physicality and competition out on the field.

“I do like it, especially if one side has kind of had the edge the day before and the other side wants to respond and it matters to them,” he said. “That’s the sign of a good team, and I hope it swings back and forth throughout Spring ball and Fall camp. If one side doesn’t respond, then I’d be worried.”

I guess So’oto should watch his back, because Brown could be coming for him.

The team practiced in shoulder pads and helmets today and will be in full pads tomorrow.

Quarterback update: Once again, all three quarterbacks had a chance to run the offense during in-practice scrimmages. Here are their numbers from today:

Nelson: 0-for-2

Lark: 1-2, 4 yards, one interception (by Travis Uale) and one fumble (on a hand-off exchange with Josh Quezada)

Heaps: 5-for-6, 49 yards, one touchdown (on 13-yard swing pass to Harvey Unga)

Basketball fans: Mendenhall said he and members of the football team enjoyed watching BYU’s men’s basketball team pull out a 99-92 double-overtime victory over Florida in the first round of the NCAA tournament this morning.

“I was working out at the same time the game happened today, and it was phenomenal,” Mendenhall said. “I finished my workout during regulation, and I watched the first overtime during lunch then the second overtime during a player interview. So, it was great. I was so happy for them. … I’m happy for coach Rose and his team and their accomplishments. Our players were yelling and celebrating in the locker room, our staff were in different rooms doing the same, and it was just really fun. It was a great reminder of just what athletics can do for the spirit of the institution and giving you a cause to rally around. It was a great day.”