After a week of practice, BYU football is ready for pad work, tightening competition, naming a starter at quarterback and getting younger players acclimated to the program. Early on, several observations have stood out, including coaches complimenting players on their off-season strength and conditioning, a deep receiver corps and speed on defense.
Defensive coordinator Jay Hill praised many players for adding muscle and increasing their lift totals in the weight program. Hill mentioned lineman Bruce Mitchell had put on 30 pounds.
Aaron Roderick is playing it more close to the vest, carefully avoiding hype that will subtract from the reality of earning spots, making plays and facing the fact that BYU must be far better this season than a year ago.
Here are some of our staff reports from camp during Week 1:
- O-line really needs to lead (Dick Harmon)
- Bohanon healed up, is he ready to be QB1? (Jay Drew)
- Roderick holding off praise until games (Jay Drew)
- Everything changes with pad time (Dave McCann)
- Is Hinckley Ropati ready if LJ Martin needs more recovery time? (Jay Drew)
- UCLA transfer bolsters LB corps (Jay Drew)
Cougar Insider predictions
Question of the week: Kalani Sitake and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick are determined to extend the QB competition at least until the first major scrimmage of fall camp. How soon should they name a starter, and is it important to do it sooner than later?
Jay Drew: Having just watched the last 20 minutes or so of Monday’s practice, a practice session that the defense dominated when ones and twos went against ones and twos, I am going to say that the sooner coach Kalani Sitake and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick name a starter, the better. Neither Jake Retzlaff nor Gerry Bohanon was particularly impressive, although Bohanon is clearly healthier than he was in the spring and throws a really, really good looking deep ball.
Retzlaff likes to say he’s good at improvising, but on this day he just didn’t have it. Both QBs missed open receivers. In fact, the best throw came from McCae Hillstead, who connected with walk-on Ty West for a 50-yard bomb — against a third- or fourth-team cornerback.
They should name a starter after Saturday’s scrimmage and run with that guy. That’s my take. As an aside, I’m on record saying that Retzlaff was the clear leader heading into fall camp. Now, I am not so sure. Teammates have a lot of good things to say about Bohanon, especially regarding his presence in the huddle. The closeness of the competition will probably cause coaches to wait until game week to name a starter. That’s understandable, but a bit too bad.
Dick Harmon: It is always best to have a QB named as early as possible. But it’s also wise to foster competition so the QB room is on point and engaged. Many schools keep QB naming quiet until a few weeks before the first game so candidates who are bet out don’t transfer before school begins. That isn’t the case here.
That BYU’s defense stood out in 11-on-11 drills on Monday is a good thing. Defenses should be ahead of offenses in the fall; offenses need far more precision timing and execution. I think a healthy Gerry Bohanon is a huge bonus for BYU because of his experience. Retzlaff is impressive at creating yardage from broken plays. Hillstead’s arm strength and his anticipation in throwing receivers open (throwing before the WR break) is elite. I think the staff names a starter after Saturday’s scrimmage. At that stage the 50-50 split in reps has to end and the majority of the work has to go to the starter.
Bottom line: BYU will need at least two or three healthy QBs this season.
Cougar tales
In the Paris Olympics, an injury to Jimmer Fredette ended USA’s 3-on-3 success, but BYU track athletes put up personal best performances, including Kenneth Rooks, who advanced to the finals in the steeplechase.
In the NFL, Puka Nacua was injured during a practice session. Here is Brandon Judd’s report on the injury.
In men’s basketball, freshman Russian guard Egor Demin was elevated to a five-star recruit in the Class of 2024, which has BYU ranked with the 12th-best recruit ranking. Here is a story on the evaluation announcement by Jackson Payne, who reports Demin is the highest-rated recruit in BYU history. Both Shawn Bradley and Danny Ainge were highly recruited before these rating systems were established.
From the archives
From the X-verse
- Highlight of Day 5 camp: Hillstead to West (@CriddleBenjamin)
- Jakob Robinson is ready (@BYUfootball)
- Raiders sign Dax Milne (@jaromjordan)
Extra points
- Batty has high expectations (KSL Sports)
- BYU in Top 7 for No. 1 prospect (Deseret News)
- Freshmen shine early in camp (KSL Sports)
Fanalysts
Comments from Deseret News readers:
Bigxii transition, OL coach who wasn’t cutting it. A bunch of new guys learning the system and a motivated DC whose plans got totally upended by losing most of the backfield.
Usually you don’t get a lot of production out of new guys.
BYU has brought in more speed, and they desperately needed to do that. They’ve stocked up on both sides of the line, which was the priority.
They have very mobile QBs and the change in the TE coach would likely indicate more usage of the TE.
Maybe it’s true. We don’t see most new players Year 1.
— Josh From London
Considering the short leash that was given to Doman and Detmer as OCs, it would seem that Roderick needs to show he can perform in the games as well. Utah went through a new OC every year for several years in a row until Whitt found one that performed in games. The play calling has been way too predictable in my opinion.
— CougfaninTX
Up next
- Aug. 7 | 7 p.m. | Women’s soccer | Utah Valley | @ Orem
- Aug. 9 | 7 p.m. | Women’s soccer | Wyoming | @ Provo
- Aug. 15 | 7 p.m. | Women’s soccer | Wisconsin | @ Provo