Mar 05 2008
On the Road with Cruiser: Bruiting About the Brutes
With Spring practice less than two weeks away, this seems like a good time for an update on the team’s progress this winter. Unlike the coaches and players, those of us on the outside don’t have detailed information on all aspects of the team, but occasionally small tidbits filter our way. Here are a few random details that may or may not relieve your winter tedium.
Once again the bar has been raised in winter conditioning. The players are running faster and longer than ever. Coach Omer is relentless. He makes them push his patented Cougar Sleds. He makes them do agility drills. He makes them run, and run, and run. Garbage cans are set up for the players to vomit in. Coach Mendenhall stands near the racing players, yelling at them to run faster, faster, encouraging them all to win. Gassers have become all-out sprints, and some athletes have literally dropped in fatigue, unable to move. Cameras tape the sprints, and malingerers are held accountable the next day. In all my years of either participating in or watching BYU football, this is the hardest the players have ever been pushed. Sometimes I wonder if it’s too hard; other times I just marvel at how far the players are willing to push themselves. This is a very dedicated team.
Workouts in the weight room are no different. Again, the players seem more focused this year, more willing to go all out in the extraordinarily intense workouts. Many players even go beyond the assigned workouts, and a number of PRs have already been set. The players have one mantra: “Win-win-win…” They know they can’t afford to lose even a single game this year, and they are putting themselves on the line physically and emotionally to reach their ultimate potential.
One of the hardest working players this winter has been Harvey Unga. Last year at this time he was taking it easy because of his injured hip. This year he is perhaps the most dedicated and focused player on the team. If you thought he was fast and powerful last year, wait until this year. He is lifting more than ever and is running like a horse in sprints. Last year some players named him the hardest-hitting player on the team, and it’s clear that he intends to hit even harder this year. He appears to weigh about the same as last year, but it’s becoming a different kind of weight–harder, leaner, stronger. If he stays healthy, he may well become one of the greatest running backs to ever come out of the inter-mountain area.
Of course, the increased difficulty in weights and conditioning has taken its toll on the newer players, even driving some away. As far as I know, all those who left were walk-ons. Daniel Tervort recently left the team, possibly to receive a scholarship at a lower-division school. It seems that his chances of breaking into the starting lineup at H-back were diminishing with the rise of Reed White and Cortny Barton, not to mention a host of talented freshmen coming in this summer.
Other players who are looking good in drills are Matt Ah You (good reflexes, quick to the ball), J.J. DiLuigi (he’s got that hop in his step again and is looking stronger than ever), Luke Ashworth (very strong hands when catching the ball), and Landon Jaussi [Yow-see] (strong and fast—a good combination for a 6-4, 215 WR).
Supergames this year have been a lot of fun for the players and have really helped build team unity. One player, however, seems to enjoy making life difficult for the others with his incessant trash talk. In fact, if the players voted on who the cockiest player on the team is, I suspect they would unanimously pick Max Hall. Usually his banter is good-natured, but occasionally it spills over into personal areas. Let’s hope he doesn’t incur the ire of one of the big guys who are supposed to protect him this fall.
And finally, this rumor filters down to us from last year. Evidently, Jadon Wagner, who was a cage fighter before his mission, came to the team as a brash freshman, announcing that he would “knock anybody out” who crossed him. Several players considered taking the challenge but decided to leave the 6-5, 240-pound youngster alone. Then, while he and Russell Tialavea were stuck on Muscle Beach last fall, an argument broke out. Finally Wagner attempted to make good on his threat and took a couple of shots at the easy-going, 300-pound defensive tackle. A minute or so later, Wagner came to and slowly picked himself up off the floor. The next day Wagner sported a black eye and a kinder, gentler disposition. The black eye has since gone away—the friendlier disposition has stayed. I asked if there were any disciplinary recriminations, but nobody seemed to know. All things considered, it was probably a win-win relationship for everybody.
Now, having shared all this, perhaps I should explain the title of this article. A “bruit” is a rumor. Some of these “tidbits” came to me second or third hand, so you may want to consider that. But, since we’re now lingering in the long, dark days of winter, I figured a glimmer of light, even a rumor or two of light, would be appreciated.
Spring ball starts in 12 days. See you then.
28 Responses to “On the Road with Cruiser: Bruiting About the Brutes”
Great stuff. What do you see/hear on Spencer Hafoka? You mention Jaussi and Ashworth as impressing. Hafoka doing anything yet?
How could B-Mend be at the workouts? Isn’t that against the rules?
I DiLuigi any bigger? He seemed a little on the short side coming out of HS.
Short doesn’t really matter at his position. He’s got the same height as Barry Sanders. In fact, a low center of gravity is often an advantage when you’re running between the tackles. Far more important to have strong legs than it is to have long legs.
Cruiser- Great news update! I apologize for this but I have many questions:
1. Who are Daniel Tervort, Reed White and Cortny Barton? With the help of Josh & Peter, I put the following list together:
BYU’s 2008 Recruits:
1. Bernard Afutiti (****), Mt. San Antonio College (Fontana, Calif.), DL, 6-0, 260
2. Michael Alisa (**), Timpview High, LB/RB, 6-2, 220
3. Kevan Bills (**), Timpview High, LB, 6-3, 225
4. Atem Bol (**), L.D. Bell High (Hurst, Texas), WR, 6-2, 200
5. Jerry Bruner (***), Evergreen High (Vancouver, Wash.), RB/LB, 6-3, 225
6. O’Neill Chambers (***), Harmony High (Fla.), WR, 6-3, 208
7. Cameron Comer (***), Springville High, DB, 6-1, 185
8. Spencer Hadley (**), Connell High (Connell, Wash.), LB, 6-2, 220
9. Austin Holt (****), Bingham High, TE, 6-6, 230
10. Solomone Kafu (**), Rio Linda High (Rio Linda, Calif.), DL, 6-5, 315
11. Tolu Moala (**), El Camino College (Torrance, Calif.), LB, 6-1, 230
12. Jake Murphy (***), American Fork, WR, 6-5, 215
13. Garett Nicholson (**), West High, DB, 5-10, 180, 5-10, 180
14. Seta Pohahau (**), Aragon High (San Mateo, Calif.), RB, 5-11, 205
15. Iona Pritchard (**), Bingham High, LB, 6-0, 220
16. Daniel Sorensen (***), Colton High (Colton, Calif.), DB, 6-2, 195
17. Justin Sorensen (**), Bingham High, K, 6-2, 220
18. Brock Stringham (**), Mountain Vista High (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), OL, 6-6, 280
19. Jesse Taufi (**), Long Beach City College (Long Beach, Calif.), OL, 6-5, 230
20. Shiloah Te’o (***), Kahuku High (Laie, Hawaii), DB, 5-11, 195
21. Michael Yeck (**), Keller High (Keller, Texas), OL, 6-7, 260
Lost:
1. Unoa Kaveinga: LB,
Walk-ons:
1. Andrew Rich: Snow JC; safety
2. Tevita Hola (****): DT, Snow, 6-1, 311
3. Coleby Clawson (***): DE, Snow, 6-3, 220
4. Jefferson Court: LB, Alta
5. Christian Stewart: QB, Timpanogos
6. Brady Hunt: TE, Alta
7. Neil Crook: MLB, West Albany, OR (2-time Oregon 5A defensive player of the year)
So the missing link should only be, who are the RM’s who either have scholarships or are walk-ons? Which of the recruits are going on missions: those who will not play this year & those who will leave after this season? and, finally of the players you mentioned, what is fact and what is speculation? Now there, thisshould keep you occupied for a few hours. In the meantime, I am going to ask Jeff Reynolds who I know some of these questions. Thanks again for the great work!
Daniel Trevort, Reed White and Cortny Barton are H-back type of receivers. Reed is Hall’s cousin. Barton arrived last summer (same time as Santiago) from JC ranks and is very fast and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him returning punts/kicks.
As far as your list, the only corrections:
Hola and Clawson are scholarship players. They arrived early (JC transfers) so they didn’t have to sign a letter of intent (same with Masi Tuitama, who greyshirted this year at BYU.)
There are 5 players leaving straight on a mission (Holt, Hadley, Yeck, Murphy and Bills.) I would guess another 5 will also be leaving from last years’ class.
Also, I don’t think we need to look at Uona Kaveinga as a “loss.” He was never enrolled at BYU and never was lost. Players like Cade Cooper/Doman I can see characterized as losses, but not freshman that chose other schools.
Peter- Thanks. I count Kaveinga as a loss (had verbally commited to BYU and Stanley Havili lsat year (a 5 star who is one of only a few in the history of USC who started as a freshman) who went to USC last year. Anytime a great LDS athlete chooses to go to another university, BCS or not, it is a loss to our program whether he was ever commited to BYU or not (at least on paper). I agree that these other universities are blessed to have a LDS athlete but at the same time it is a loss to our program. On paper I mean that is assuming that the lost athlete would have fit into our program.
Blueintheface,
The rules allow the coaches to be with the players during conditioning, but only before Spring ball. After Spring ball (during summer), the coaches cannot be with the players on the field or in the weight room–except for the strength and conditioning coach (Omer). Right now, the coaches can be with the players during weights and conditioning, but as soon as a football comes onto the field, the coaches need to leave, which they do. That’s when the position captains really step up and run the team.
By the way, head coaches from West Virginia and Kansas State have recently attended practices to see how Bronco runs the program in the off season. He has got something very special happening here. I do not hesitate to say that we have the best-conditioned team in the country during the off season. We may not have the best players, but we have very good players, and pound for pound, Bronco Mendenhall gets the most out of them.
Peter- To hypothesize for a moment, imagine if Havili had come to BYU, he would have started at FB (that’s what he played at USC) and been along side of Harvey Unga. If he had started he would have taken Joe Semenoff (SP?), Manasi Tonga & Fui Vakapuna’s place. He started at USC because he could everything, run, block & catch passes. Now Joe was a great blocker, Manasi is very smart & did everything well & Fui is a good runner, but none of them have the entire package like Havili does and who knows what the backfield of Unga & him might have done. On the other hand, if Kaveinga had come here he would have started as a freshman for sure.
Cruiser, great article and funny story about Wagner. Don’t want to make too much of your comments on Hall’s smack talk, but it almost sounds like he’s in need of a takedown as much as Wagner was. Am I reading too much into what you wrote?
David: I just saw JJ DiLuigi yesterday around campus. He looks like he has been hitting the weights. He isn’t super tall but he looks a lot bigger muscle-wise from last year. I bet he will be the biggest impact to this team this year. Last year he was absolutely amazing in practices and scrimmages before he got injured. He has a really good work ethic and it shows with him looking beefier than last year. He’s got what it takes to be something great. With him and Unga in the backfield, this year is going to be incredible! Just think, we have three more years with the two of them together!! Prediction: DiLuigi - MWC Freshman of the Year
Mark,
Funny you should mention this. I have actually heard similar sentiments—from the players. It’s hard to know how deep this feeling goes, but I think Max would do well to tone things down a bit. It’s one thing to be competitive, but it’s another to belittle and/or insult others who are going to back you up on the field. The players know he is a great quarterback, and he does have some very good friends on the team, but there seems to be a general feeling that he takes the smack talk too far sometimes.
Cruiser- I forgot to ask you another question that someone else already asked: from the last bowl game until Spring practice can the coaches be involved? It appears that between Spring practice and Fall camp they cannot be involved, except maybe for Coach Omer and maybe even he cannot supervize the weight lifting (that seems a little far fetched. As far as Hall, I think we are jumping the gun because it sounds like we do not have first-hand info…which is also why I asked you what in your post is first hand facts and what is speculation?
There is an elder who is serving his mission in my ward right now who was a teamate of Hall’s in High school. This elder remains silent on his relationship with Hall, only that he can’t stand him. Any probing questions on my part have always gone unanswered, but the elder does say that saying that Max is arrogant is an understatement. Hopefully Max comes to his senses and he realizes he can’t continue to alienate his teamates if he is going to be successful.
Louise L’mour once wrote, “You never insult seven men, when all you’re packing is a six-shooter” … Looks like Wagner has holstered his piece.
Louis L’Amour—now there’s a writer worth reading. And, yes, Wagner has definitely holstered his piece.
Walt, Coach Omer is the only coach who can supervise weight-lifting after spring ball. From the Blue and White Game in April until fall camp in August (should be called summer camp, but that sounds funny), all the coaches except the weight and conditioning coach must keep their distance from the players on the field.
My winter tedium is being relieved quite well by the men’s basketball team’s progress. Thanks for the tidbits, though.
Hopefully the Max Hall situation doesn’t escalate into a Kevin Feterik response. When o-linemen were apparently intentionally allowing opponents through to hit Feterik, you know the morale situation was bad. Hall at least seems to do a good job of praising his teammates in public once he’s no longer competing directly with them.
Way to whet the appetite on seeing even more out of Unga as well as for Matt Ah You, DiLuigi, Ashworth and Jaussi. Unga and DiLuigi both seem to have great lower body strength which can help them maneuver and power through the line and tacklers downfield. On a smaller-sized runner like Diluigi, that strength won’t be used to knock down opponents, but it can help him pull away from arm-tackles and increases the chance of him staying on his feet and bouncing around them.
McMahon got after his linemen also, but I think he also acknowledged them when they were doing well.
Detmer was also known to grab a few facemasks in the huddle
Cruiser- Thanks for answering my question but the one you did not was what are the rules between the Bowl game and Spring practice?
Brandon- it is best not to distract a FT missionary by asking him/her anything of a personal nature. As for Hall, we did not see or hear anything derogatory about him last year so why all the fuss now? What was posted was probably either a rumor or just the opinion of one. None of us on this site should say anything to stir up, increase or cause hostility on team.
As far as the Max Hall thing goes, I don’t think there’s anything to be worried about. Sometimes in the heat of battle during supergames he talks smack. But I haven’t heard of any instances where he has insulted his linemen or fellow offensive players during a scrimmage or game. He seems to be able to make a clear distinction between supergames and football.
Walt, during winter conditioning all the coaches can be with the players at any time, except when a ball is being used. Thus, Coach Mendenhall and other coaches are with the team during weight work, sprints, and drills, but when the team breaks up into 7-on-7 work, which they do after everything else, the coaches leave. This is when the team captains take over. Bronco Mendenhall and all of his fellow coaches are extremely cognizant of the NCAA rules and abide by them.
Cruiser- Thanks, you’re the man!
Cruiser, thanks for the great info.
I have seen Harvey on campus quite a bit this year and not only is he always in work out clothes, but he also is always inbetween the smithfieldhouse and the indoor practice facility. He’s working hard and i can’t wait to see what he looks like come fall.
http://www.theBYUblog.com
Bro
Some of the stuff you posted should be kept unsaid. If you heard it 2nd or 3rd hand you need to keep some of that stuff to yourself.
Max Hall can be a jerk. He was in a couple of my classes at Mountain View High School, and he was a cocky arrogant jerk then. He is what he is. Wikipedia once stated that he was sent home from his mission early due to nefarious conduct, which did not surprise us. Wikipedia has since deleted that statement, probably due to the family connections. But he knows how to win!
during winter conditioning all the coaches can be with the players at any time, except when a ball is being used. Thus, Coach Mendenhall and other coaches are with the team during weight work, sprints, and drills, but when the team breaks up into 7-on-7 work, which they do after everything else, the coaches leave. http://www.web-hosting-place.com/free+web+hosting/ . Way to whet the appetite on seeing even more out of Unga as well as for Matt Ah You, DiLuigi, Ashworth and Jaussi. Unga and DiLuigi both seem to have great lower body strength which can help them maneuver and power through the line and tacklers downfield.
Way to wet the appetite on seeing even more out of Unga as well as for Ah You, DiLuigi, Watkins and Smith. Unga and DiLuigi both seem to have great lower body strength which can help them maneuver and power through the line and tacklers downfield. http://student-loan-world.com/student+debt+consolidation/ . This is when the team captains take over. Student loans seems to be Diluigis only set back at this point.
This is the most inacurate article I have ever read! Don’t open your mouth unless you know what you are talking about.