BYU all-conference tackle Dallas Reynolds is being asked to make a position change, and while it's up to offensive line coach Mark Weber to make the transition go smoothly, it doesn't hurt that Reynolds has a couple of aces in the hole.

"We talked a little last night," Dallas Reynolds said, "and he (Lance Jr.) told me how he went through the progression. It helps out having an older brother who played as a center, telling me how he did it and got it down. I've also been able to sit and watch film with my dad, so I'm getting help from all over the place."

Dallas Reynolds actually began his career at BYU as a guard, earning a starting role as a returned missionary freshman in 2005. He cross-trained at center during the 2006 season while playing tackle, so he's learned all the positions on the offensive line during his career.

"You know, it's coming fast," Dallas said. "It feels like I'm moving along pretty fast, trying to get things down, trying to get the reads right and direct traffic a little bit. That part has been kind of rushed with information, but it's been fun and a challenge.

"Coach Weber teaches us a lot about the general concept of each play. Since he's been here, my understanding of the game and the offense has grown."

While Lance Sr. coaches running backs, he understands the differences between tackle and center on the offensive line.

"At left tackle, you're alone a lot of the time," he said. "You're defending the edge and there's not as much communication. When you move to the middle, there's a lot more communication, a lot more going on. There's a lot of bodies there on the inside and things happen quickly. You're defending yourself more on a side-to-side plane than a forward-to-backward plane."

Dallas' projected move provides an opportunity for someone at left tackle, and that just happens to be younger brother Matt, a talented redshirt freshman. Matt played at guard most of spring while returning starter Travis Bright recovered from a broken leg suffered in the Las Vegas Bowl. Now Matt's back at left tackle, the position he started at for three years at Timpview High.

"I've been trying to help him out because he's in kind of a mad rush to learn, too," Dallas said. "I'm confident in him. He's doing a good job and making a lot of progress."

Lance Sr. said he doesn't think Dallas' move will have any effect as far as NFL scouts are concerned. And Dallas said he just wanted to do whatever helps out the team the most.

"I'm not one that likes to take any personal credit," he said. "I'll take that second over whatever is best for the team. I'll do whatever the team needs, and that's what they need now."

• Open practice: Today's practice begins at 10 a.m. and is open to the public.

• Don't be so rough: Wednesday's practice ended early when a non-contact 11-on-11 drill got a little out of hand. Hard hits from junior linebacker Vic So'oto and senior safety David Tafuna on receivers caused BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall to call the team together for a quick discussion and the end of practice.

"The lesson for the players today was simply trying to be competitive and smart at the same time with how we practice," Mendenhall said. "They need to learn when aggression is applied and in what situations. Hopefully, they learned that lesson and we can move forward.

"I like some aggression and certainly a lot of competitive spirit, of having that balance with players staying off the ground and appropriate shots being taken or not taken. That's the education process right now."

BYU will be in full pads for the first time today, but Mendenhall said practice will be pretty much the same as the first four days.

"I'm not going to let them go live," he said. "Maybe the same thing that happened today will happen tomorrow. Eventually they'll learn what scrimmage tempo means and what team tempo means. I'd be worried if I didn't have to make the point like I'm doing now. The players are anxious to be physical and to run into each other."

• National noise: BYU continues to make a strong showing in preseason polls. Sports Illustrated has the Cougars at No. 17 in their first Top 25, which premiers in their college football issue this week.

"Winners of 10 straight and 22 of their last 26, the Cougars have embraced Mendenhall's Quest for Perfection mission statement," SI writes in their "BCS Busters" segment. "Pac-10 foes UCLA and Washington could be the only obstacles to an undefeated regular season and a BCS invitation, though BYU must also win at TCU and rival Utah."

• Practice report: Dallas Reynolds and junior R.J. Willing rotated at center with the No. 1 offense as coaches look at that position. During team drills, starting quarterback Max Hall was sharp, completing 13-of-17 passes, including 11 a row. Defensively, So'oto and senior defensive end Brock Richardson had sacks and sophomore safety Andrew Rich, sophomore cornerback Brandon Bradley and junior cornerback Scott Johnson had pass breakups. During skeleton passing drills, junior cornerback Brandon Howard had a long interception return for a pick six.

• Depth chart movement: Two players who moved from the No. 3 to the No. 2 defense on Wednesday were junior college transfers Coleby Clawson at outside linebacker and Rich at safety. The two former Snow College standouts participated in spring drills and have continued to improve.

"Both players have done a nice job to this point in camp," Mendenhall said. "We look to move as quickly as possibly when we see players doing well and reward them. But it also sends a strong message to those they're moving past that they need to do better."

Clawson, who played defensive end for Snow last year, has particularly impressed his head coach.

"He still needs a little bit more assignment work but he's one of the best-conditioned players on the team," Mendenhall said. "The players told me he probably had one of best summers of anyone and he did very, very well on the conditioning test. He's moving up and the combination of Vic and Coleby, we'll look at that in the event David (Nixon) ever got hurt."

• Daily Herald Sports Editor Darnell Dickson can be reached at 344-2555 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Read his blog at cougarblue.com

• Player of the Day: Junior quarterback Max Hall, who completed 11 straight passes during team drills.

• Play of the Day: Hall tried to go to senior wide receiver Michael Reed on a fade pattern near the goal line but sophomore cornerback Brandon Bradley played it well and knocked the ball away at the last moment.

• Quote of the Day: "Coach Weber does 99 percent of the coaching for Dallas." - Long-time coach and former BYU offensive lineman Lance Reynolds, when asked how much he's helped son Dallas Reynolds adjust to his move from tackle to center.

• Open practice: Today's practice begins at 10 a.m. and is open to the public.