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Plenty of hard hits dished out at Cougars' first full-contact practice |
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JaredLloyd | Friday, March 23, 2007, 11:56 pm
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Jason Franchuk
DAILY HERALD
It was anything but casual Friday at LaVell Edwards Stadium, where the BYU football team practiced — and, occasionally, knocked each other silly.
Head coach Bronco Mendenhall watched several hard tackles, most notably Kayle Buchanan leaving the field with a headache.
It’ll take a little time to sort out the after-effects, and coaches won’t meet over the weekend to watch film as they focus on their high school coaches clinic, but the hitting may be the best early sign of what’s to come for the Cougars as they march through early sessions.
Mendenhall called it “a good sign” that players aren’t shy about drilling each other, particularly when the group was in full pads and full contact for the first time. It’s the atmosphere the team is trying to establish. The sooner the better, the third-year coach said.
Otherwise, the most taxing issue is consistency — or, lack thereof — on both sides of the ball.
“I guess you’d call it a mixed bag,” Mendenhall said.
Meaning: How one judges the big plays produced at the short scrimmage depends upon point of view.
Two interceptions were returned for touchdowns and a fumble, too. Does that speak to the skill level of the defense or the struggles of an offense that featured several young quarterbacks on a slightly gusty afternoon?
Cade Cooper and Max Hall each chucked picks that were returned for scores, but also had long scoring passes.
A fumble was also returned 30 yards for a touchdown by David Tafuna.
“I want to see us better at fundamentals,” offensive coordinator Robert Anae said. “Things like ball security. (Through one week, four practice sessions) we’ve played pretty good in some spots, and others we’ve looked kind of rusty. We expect to be much sharper everyday.”
However, the coaches agree that after a week the Cougars are ahead of schedule. Not in terms of consistency, mind you, but they’ve been able to start off at a higher starting point and progress to new material more rapidly than even last year’s group, which was more experienced and ended up as Mountain West Conference champions and 11-2 after a Las Vegas Bowl blowout win against Oregon.
About 400 high school coaches from around the state took in the practice, as they’ll be in town for the weekend for various class sessions in the annual clinic.
Talk around the bleachers at the otherwise closed practice often lead to the quarterback situation. Hall and Cooper each had moments when they moved the ball crisply, the main responsibility for whoever wins the battle. Forget about who can deliver more flashy play. But Dan Van Sweden (on a tipped pass from Hall, returned 30 yards) and Scott Johnson (80 yards on Cooper) did some damage that shows plenty of work remains to be done.
But the two quarterbacks with the best chance of replacing John Beck under center also had a long scoring pass apiece, showing promise in the big stadium about six months before stats are really kept.
Hall spotted return missionary Austin Collie for a 71-yard touchdown pass, while Cooper connected with veteran Michael Reed from 43 yards. Each signal caller also set up the defense with some nice short passes.
But the plays that elicited the loudest reactions, from players and spectators, were the bone-crushing hits.
Buchanan, a senior cornerback who missed the first five games last year with a torn hamstring, collided loudly on the sideline with running back Ray Hudson.
Naturally, Mendenhall was concerned for his players’ safety. But a little pad popping could force a slight smile.
“It’s the culture we’re trying to create,” he said. “I’m encouraged by the physical nature of this practice.” |
