Mar 19 2008
On the Road with Cruiser: Spring Ball
Full-contact scrimmages will be limited this spring because of injuries to the offensive line. I would imagine that would also include any type of live play. After suffering through consecutive years of devastating injuries to his stars in spring ball and fall camp, Coach Mendenhall is clearly hearkening to the axiom that less is more. Less full contact will give him more healthy players come September…
Mitch Payne is healthy and getting stronger. As one of this year’s position captains, he has shown not only leadership but athleticism as well. Published reports tell us that he is healing from a chronic groin injury and should be able to kick the ball farther and more accurately this year. He’d better, because according to other published reports he will have serious competition in the form of Justin Sorenson, aka the Blond Bomber, who sends kickoffs not only out of the end zone, but out of the stadium. He literally sent one kickoff 104 yards last season. In high school, that’s 44 yards past the goal line. Don’t know if they found the ball…
You’ve heard the hype about Vic So’oto possibly starting at outside linebacker this year, but have you heard about his size? Evidently the prospect of playing defense inspired him to hit the weights with renewed energy this year, and he is up to 249 pounds. And that’s almost all muscle, folks. At 6-3, 249, he would be one of the larger outside linebackers in the NFL. Although they’re playing without pads right now, I’d still love to see him meet a hard-charging Harvey Unga coming around the corner. But I will gladly wait to see him meet UCLA’s Kahlil Bell in September. I can already see Norm Chow frantically scanning the sidelines for a replacement…
Coach Mendenhall said the offense already appears to be two to three weeks ahead of last year. The team’s motto this year is “Quest for Perfection,” and the way Hall is throwing the ball, and the way Collie is getting separation from cornerbacks, and the way Unga is running, they don’t seem to have as far to go as they did last year. This offense looks scary good. If they can keep it up, and most importantly, if they can avoid major injuries through fall camp, they should be able to stay with anybody in the country—which could be important come January…
Have you seen J.J. DiLuigi lately? He is looking bigger, stronger, and faster than ever. Although he would have to stand on tiptoes to reach his reported height of 5-9, he looks like he put his time on Muscle Beach last year to good use. Although he is reportedly still third or fourth string, behind Unga, Vakapuna, and possibly Latu, look for him to make his presence known in the scrimmages this year. I also expect him to put his new strength and speed to good use on Saturdays, though probably in a reserve role…
Other weights and measures: The new roster is out, and it may cause you to raise your eyebrows. I spent some time with Matt Reynolds last year shortly after he got back from his mission, and he looked like he had a long way to go to get his former strength back, looking more like a tight end than a O-lineman. Check him out now: He’s 6-6, 315 and looks as strong as a horse. Perhaps that’s why he’s starting at right guard…
But if you really want horse-like strength, look no further than Travis Bright. That’s right, the man who suffered a compound fracture of his shin in the LV Bowl has been doing a lot of bench pressing since then. Last year he impressed everybody at the Strongman contest by lifting a car 13 times. This year, reports are that he’s benching more than any player ever at BYU. Specifics are not available, but expect the talented big man to pancake more than a few D-linemen when he returns this fall…
Was anybody else surprised to see that Scott Johnson and Jordan Pendelton were starting Monday? Scott at cornerback and Jordan at safety. Scott is a good, heady player and may do well, but many people thought Pittman or Bradley might have moved up to the starting spot. And speculation has been rampant that Pendelton will be moved to linebacker to allow him to make more use of his freakish strength. However, the coaches are going to give all these players a chance to prove that they can shine this spring. And, if you haven’t noticed, the depth chart on defense changes like the line-up on a cable news station: new names and faces almost daily. These will be hotly contested positions all the way through fall camp. So stay tuned…
Also, Brock Richardson got the nod at nose tackle. He started over the heavier Mosese Foketi and the much heavier Rick Wolfley, who actually seems to have lost a few pounds (though he is still listed at 343). Brock is a strong, athletic senior who understands the defense and knows all the tricks. However, Wolfley did see a lot of reps with the ones and may actually end up starting. Again, look for changes at these positions as the year progresses… [http://byu.scout.com/2/738408.html]
And lest we forget: Several years ago Coach Mendenhall instituted something called Pursuit Drills, where the defense has to run to their various positions, and if anything is wrong in the way they do it, or if anyone is dawdling, they run the drill again, and again, and again. Jan Jorgensen says the surprising difficulty of the drill “shocks the new guys.” During the long, dark months of winter conditioning, some players may have forgotten about them, but they were certainly reminded of the gut-churning drill yesterday. As Darnell Dickson reported in his column yesterday, the defensive players ran multiple sets of “Pursuit” while the offense looked on. [http://www.cougarblue.com/content/view/12059/90/] One thing’s for sure, the defense will be in great shape again this year. Maybe the offense needs a drill of its own…
For those of you who hoped Austin Collie would be spared punt-return duty—sorry. He’s not only still returning them, but he seems to be quicker and more aggressive than ever. Although it was during a return last year that he sprained his ankle, it appears that the talented junior from El Dorado Hills will see just as much time on special teams this year…
And finally, Brett Thompson was watching the team practice on Monday. This is another talented junior wide receiver from El Dorado Hills, California—only this receiver is still in high school. Thompson, who actually dates Austin’s younger sister, is one of a handful of athletes BYU has offered scholarships to for the ‘09 season. At 6-3, 210, he has the speed and moves to leave most DBs behind, and, like Austin, also he returns punts and kickoffs. Most PAC-10 schools are seriously interested in him, but hopefully the lure of playing alongside his fellow Trojan from Oak Ridge High School will entice him to join the fold in Provo…
For me, the best news of the day was that the team will be limiting their live practices to just a couple of scrimmages. I love to see and hear the hitting, but the way these guys play, too often a crucial starter is left writhing on the field, holding a knee or ankle or shoulder. Compliments to Bronco for pulling back and leaving most of the hitting for the fall. Let’s leave some Bruins or Huskies writhing on the field instead…
20 Responses to “On the Road with Cruiser: Spring Ball”
Concerning Scott Johnson, I was surprised, first that they (TBS?) said he was moving to safety and second to learn about him getting the initial 1st string reps. I was initially surprised about his CB/Safety switch because Coach Mendenhall was impressed last year with his progess at CB. IIRC, he said that he was the most improved of anyone on the defensive side.
Then, after he was supposedly switching to Safety, he shows up at CB again. I think he’s got a little bit of the safety mentality, which, if you can combine it with CB ability, is not a bad thing - CB’s who are physical are always welcome.
Given that Scott is not moving to safety, I’m not at all surprised that the opening day starters at CB were him and Brandon Howard instead of more highly touted athletes. Jaime Hill is focused on execution and whoever can perform in his defense and master it will play ahead of players with more unfinished potential.
I am a little surprised that Jordan Pendleton got first crack at one of the safety spots, but with David Tafuna and Chris Warner still on the mend, maybe I shouldn’t be. The fact that he may be first among those without playing experience is a very good sign as it could show that he put his RS year to good use in learning the fundamentals of Hill’s system. Combined with his athletic potential, he has the makings of a terrific safety.
Very good news on Austin Collie’s return-to-form/enhancements and on Brett Thompson. I also like the fact that Mitch Payne is gearing up to compete for his position. I have no qualms if he retains either or both of his positions as place-kicker and doing kickoffs. With the competition between him and Sorenson, whoever starts at those positions will be good. I still don’t think we’ve seen what a healthy Mitch Payne can do.
Great article!
I don’t think Johnson’s move to Safety at the end of last season was ever going to be permanent. Both he and Criddle cross-trained at safety as the 4th and 5th string safeties were the starters.
I think a lot of fans will be surprised when the depth chart for next season is posted and its a lot of familiar names vs. the young and upcoming. In Hill’s defense being fundamentally sound and smart is more important than overall athleticism. The exciting thing is the two will be merging this season with smart, and fast, players.
Don’t read too much into the 1st string and 2nd string quite yet. They are trying out different combinations and letting players play in different groupings for most of spring.
Cruiser- Great post! Do we need to stress that Coach Mendenhall’s statement at halftime at a BYU basketball game regarding striving for perfection did not mean an undefeated season but referred to each player striving for perfection? In the end this should mean a better chance of going undefeated. Also, it looks Coach Mendenhall is taking after the late Bill Walsh who was one of the first to cut down the amount of hitting during practices and concentrated on timing and execution. Finally, do you go to the practices? Cougarbandit- Ronnie Lott started his first 4-5 years at CB before switching to SS and he had a mean streak in him for sure.
I talked to a guy yesterday who saw Thompson play at the Vegas 7 on 7 tournament. There were several high profile BYU commits and recruits playing in Vegas(like Jake Heaps). This guy felt that Thompson outshined them all. He said that Thompson was “the best receiver at the competition period”. He thinks Thompson could step in and play D1 football today.
Personally, I think Thompson will end up a Coug, and the admiration that he has for Collie will be the deciding factor there. From what I’ve read Thompson worships Austin and wants to be like him.
Walt, great point about Ronnie Lott! It seemed like his knees slowed him down a little from his earlier playing days but his attitude and mentality kept him playing and feared for a long time.
Rob,
I’ve heard similar things about Thompson, sounds like he is the real deal. He’s been told by some schools he is one of their top targets, but I’m with you in thinking he’ll be at BYU next year. He’d be a great addition.
Cruiser- I pulled up the alphabetical roster from the BYU Athletic site and only Tom Sorenson is listed, not Justin? Also, and this question is to all participants: I visit the following sites for free to follow the Mighty Cougs (in addition to newspapers & the daily Cougar Update): byucougars.com; cougarfan.com; cougarblue.com: are there some free ones I am missing and do I need to subscribe to Total Blue Sports at byu.scout.com in order to get all the scoop? Thanks, Walt
Walt,
Freshman won’t be listed until the first day of fall camp.
I recommend TBS for any die-hard BYU fan, particularly in the spring and fall. They give daily updates and interviews. If you don’t care about recruiting, just pay month to month in Spring and Fall.
Walt, Tom Sorensen is on the team and is therefore listed on the roster. Justin Sorenson (with an “o”) and his cousin, Daniel Sorenson, will not be on the team until fall camp. Justin is the kicker I referred to in the article, and Daniel is a hard-hitting safety coming from Southern California. In my opinion, both will make an impact on BYU football before they are done.
Rob, Thanks for the update on Thompson at the 7-on-7 tourney. I read somewhere that his quarterback wasn’t all that good and wasn’t able to get the ball to him very often. On the other hand…
I have actually seen Thompson play in a real game against good competition. There is something about him that is hard to define, something that makes you keep an eye on him. He has the stature of a star, whether he’s snagging a tough pass or walking back to the huddle. And he’s got real speed. Between his speed and his size (6-3, 210), he is definitely someone the defenses need to keep an eye on.
He will be a senior next year and should keep developing. If he keeps improving, he could literally fulfill his dream of becoming a receiver as good as Austin Collie, something he has been quoted as working toward. In 2009 we could have a receiving corp that includes: Collie, Pitta, George, Jacobson, Chambers, and Thompson, not to mention Ashworth, Hafoka, Jaussi, and a host of others. Can Max Hall say: “WOW!”
Cruiser & et al- can you indicate in your future posts if a player (i.e. Thompson) is LDS or is it better to assume that all the prospects, committed, etc. are LDS unless you indicate otherwise. I am not prejudiced, I just want to know who the LDS athletes are who are being enticed to go to other programs and who the non-LDS athleted are who we are trying to get. Is that fair? Thanks
Walt, that information is not always available, but I can tell you that Brett Thompson is LDS. Here is a quote from an interview TBS did with him:
“Thompson is LDS and has mission plans. His plans in regards to the recruitment process is to see what comes his way after this summer and beyond, and just go from there.
“’I hope I can get a lot of schools looking at me,’ said Thompson. ‘Right now I really like BYU, but it’s early and I’ll just see what options I have.’”
http://byu.scout.com/2/638484.html
Cruiser- so we knew that Chambers was not LDS, the kid from Florida whose mother was so impressed with Coach Mendenhall, so how do we know if they are or not and also how do we findout who the LDS kids are who don’t come to BYU (they either are missed or are not recruited by BYU) & go to other programs (I saw a top prospect from CA went to another program earlier this year)?
Walt, overlooking promising LDS prospects has been a concern for Coach Mendenhall since he was hired. To minimize a problem that had plagued BYU for years, Coach Mendenhall and Athletic Director Tom Holmoe have instituted programs to retain open communication with former athletes, feeling that they have the experience and judgment necessary to spot real talent. To this end, all former football players are invited to scrimmages and team barbecues during the year. They also receive letters and emails throughout the year, inviting them to stay involved with the program and to identify promising talent.
The internet also is proving to be a source of communication between coaches and those with knowledge of prospects. To refer a potential recruit to BYU, go to BYUCougars.com, click on Recruiting, then click on Referral. Fill out the boxes there, writing in as much information about the athlete as you can, and the BYU coach who oversees recruiting in that particular region will check the athlete out. Here is the link: http://www.byucougars.com/football/prospectPlayerQuestionnaire.jsp
Not long ago I used this system to refer a potential recruit to the basketball team. I received a personal phone call from one of the assistant coaches, and the recruiting process went forward.
Coach Mendenhall out-works any three men I know, so don’t be shy about sending him tips about recruits. The coaches will sort through them and make decisions accordingly. And, as far as I can tell, their decisions about recruits are getting better and better each year. It’s not an exact science, and some athletes will still be overlooked or unfairly dismissed, but the ratio of good decisions to bad is definitely improving.
Cruiser- Thank you very much for answering my question. Your answer was very enlightening and hopefully useful to many more than just me.
Cruiser & Gang- did you notice that there was nothing in the Daily Herald Sports Section Wednesday or today about spring practice. I know they are covering BYU’s 1st round game in the NCAA Tournament today, but my heavens…nothing????????
The team won’t be practicing on Wednesday’s this spring, hence the lack of coverage.
Cruiser,
Can I use the referral system now to alert Coach Mendenhall about my two-month old grandson, or should I wait until next year?
Mark, Bronco has a keen eye, but that may be asking too much. Probably want to give the boy a year or two.
I know Thompson and have watched him play. it’s true his qb did not get him the ball much last year. problem i see with thompson, he doesn’t like contact, & doesn’t read routes well, not sure how great his hands are.