Camp Ends With Final Scrimmage

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PROVO -- The Cougars closed fall camp with one final scrimmage at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Wednesday. The team focused on its kicking game and overtime and goal-line situations.

“I think we’ve been very comprehensive,” said BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall. “You try to predict as much as possible how many of those situations you’ll be in and what they might me. We’ve done the best job at being well-rounded this fall camp than any other.”

Both kickers, Mitch Payne and Riley Stephenson practiced kickoffs, with O'Neill Chambers and Garett Nicholson waiting to receive. Tyler Holt and Stephenson handled the punting duties. Freshman Anthony Heimuli blocked one of Holt’s punts, while Chambers and JD Falslev worked as returners.

The first overtime drill pitted the first-team offense against the first-team defense. Quarterback Max Hall started things off by throwing an eight-yard pass to Chambers. Manase Tonga ran for a one-yard gain before defensive back Andrew Rich recorded an interception to end the drive.

Sophomore Riley Nelson and the second-team offense tried to establish the running game, with handoffs to Tucker Lamb and Peni Maka'afi for a combined 15 yards. It was a bad handoff that ended the series, as linebacker Terrance Hooks recovered the fumble.

Going against the third-team defense, Hall started the following drive with a short pass to Bryan Kariya. Lamb rushed for 19 yards and the first-down on the next play. The offense finally found the endzone as Lamb stumbled in on a three-yard run. Payne came in and converted the PAT.

Not deterred, the defense continued to hold the running game to short gains, including a wrap-up by Jared Richardson. Defensive lineman Jadon Wagner recorded a sack on Nelson for a seven-yard loss. On fourth-down Nelson threw a pass intercepted by freshman defensive back Craig Bills.

“Offensively we weren’t as clean as we needed to be,” said Mendenhall. “In overtime, to turn the ball over with no points, is the worst possible thing. Not only did we not score touchdowns, we didn’t score field goals and we turned the ball over.”

The team ended the scrimmage with three goal-line situations. Hall converted the first series into six points with a three-yard touchdown pass to Dennis Pitta. The second and third series fell short of a score with limited gains on rushes by Kariya and Tonga.

Hall ended the scrimmage completing 3-of-4 passes for 12 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

The team begins preparation for the 2009 season opener with its first Oklahoma practice on Friday morning.