Fans Attend First of Two-a-Days

PROVO -- Over 1,100 fans were in attendance Friday morning as two-a-days kicked off for the BYU football team.

“It’s nice to have the fans back out here,” said All-American tight end Dennis Pitta. “It’s fun to have this kind of atmosphere at practice.”

After wearing full pads for live work on Thursday, the team held a lighter session on Friday in shoulder pads only. The small break will help the team prepare for Saturday’s scrimmage at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

Senior quarterback Max Hall lead the first-team offense on a scoring drive to open 11-on-11 drills. A long 44-yard pass to sophomore McKay Jacobson was followed by an eight-yarder to JJ Di Luigi. Despite a delay of game penalty, Hall rebounded with a nine-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Luke Ashworth.

The defense recorded consecutive three-and-outs on the following two drives. Strong defensive pressure on Hall forced two incompletions, paired with an off-sides penalty.

Newcomer Riley Nelson took the field next, along with the third-team offense. After a sack and off-sides penalty, Nelson completed a 10-yard pass to returned missionary Mike Hague. The chains moved on the following play when Nelson found freshman Rhen Brown for a 44-yard gain. After a 10-yard pass to JD Falslev, the drive was capped with a five-yard run by Hague into the endzone.

Defensively, linebacker Chase Hansen recorded a sack against Hall to end the final drive of the morning, while Shawn Doman recorded a big hit on Di Luigi during one of the earlier drives.

Hall finished the morning 6-of-9 for 86 yards and one touchdown, while Nelson finished 4-of-4 for 64 yards.

“Riley is becoming much more confident with the offense,” said BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall. “Both his understanding and comfort level are higher.”

The afternoon practice, which was previously scheduled outdoors and open to the public, was relocated into the Indoor Practice Facility due to inclement weather. Because of the fire code restrictions for occupancy in the building, the practice was closed. An additional public practice will be scheduled and announced once determined.

Wearing only helmets, the team held a shorter practice which ended in 11-on-11 drills.

Kicker Mitch Payne converted a 52-yard field goal after the ball hit the cross bar and bounced up and in.

Leading the second-team offense, quarterback Brenden Gaskins found Braden Brown, Tucker Lamb and Mike Muehlmann for significant gains.

The lone score of the evening came on a third-and-10 scenario for Hall and the first-team offense. After back-to-back incompletions to Andrew George and Ashworth, Hall threw a 75-yard pass to Jacobson, who out ran his defenders into the endzone.

Freshman wide receiver Brett Thompson caught his first two passes of fall camp team drills on the following drive led by Nelson. Two sacks ended the set.

Saturday will mark the first scrimmage of fall camp and will be held at LaVell Edwards Stadium at 10 a.m. The scrimmage is closed to the public.