Team improving after fifth spring practice

PROVO, Utah - Both sides of the ball made plays during the fifth day of spring football practice in preparation for the 2013 season.

"We're making progress," BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "The offense is progressing. I'm really encouraged by what I'm seeing but we still have a long way to go."

Not as heavy on conditioning mid practice, the team focused on blue zone drills and team 11-on-11 sessions.

In the first round of blue zone drills (inside the 20-yard line), both quarterbacks Taysom Hill and Ammon Olsen found the end zone. Hill tossed a perfectly placed ball to the back corner of the end zone for wide receiver Brett Thompson and Olsen found wideout Cody Raymond over the middle who was able to sneak across the line for another score.

During the final scrimmage period running back Adam Hine took a screen pass nearly 50-yards down the sideline for a touchdown.

In 7-on-7 work, Hill found Ross Apo for a deep corner pass going for a touchdown and connected with wide receiver Mitch Mathews for another 30-yard score. Mathews used his 6-foot-6 frame to leap up over two defenders to come down with the ball.

Quarterback Christian Stewart also found running back Nate Carter for another 5-yard score during skelly work.

On the other side of the ball, defensive lineman Remington Peck had a standout day, logging two sacks and batted down two passes at the line of scrimmage. Linebackers Alani Fua and Uani 'Unga also had tackles for loss while Teu Kautai recorded an interception.

"This spring I'm watching both sides of the ball," Mendenhall said. "I'm making sure the practice is going exactly the way I want it to, from an effort standpoint and from a tempo standpoint."

BYU wraps up the second week of spring football practices with another afternoon session on Friday.