Team Holds Shorter Thursday Practice

PROVO -- The BYU football team enjoyed a shorter practice Thursday afternoon inside the Indoor Practice Facility, taking the opportunity to spend more time in team and position meetings.

“The injury report I got this morning was heavier than I’d like,” said BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall. “Today was a great chance to spend some time polishing out here and teaching in the meeting rooms. Tomorrow will be heavier, probably the heaviest of spring ball.”

Eleven-on-11 two-minute drills featured two series, the first led by freshman quarterback Jake Heaps. Linebacker Connell Hess recorded his second sack in as many practices on the third play of the drive for a four-yard loss, but Heaps rebounded with a 15-yard completion to Spencer Hafoka. Luke Ashworth caught a two-yard pass on fourth-and-one as the offense picked up the first-down.

Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Thomas Bryson came off the edge for another sack for the defense. Despite a 27-yard pass to Marcus Mathews, the defense successfully held the offense out of the endzone, forcing back-to-back incompletions.

Riley Nelson took control over the second series, running the ball two times for 22 yards. While the defense picked up another sack, Nelson got the offense rolling by completing his final four passes of the day. Nelson hit Mike Muehlmann and Hafoka for passes of 20 and five yards, respectively. An impressive one-handed catch by junior Matt Marshall for 14 yards got the offensive sideline excited, while the lone touchdown of the day came on an 11-yard connection between Nelson and tight end Devin Mahina.

“It felt really good to complete the objective during two-minute drills today,” said Nelson. “Matt Marshall made a great play there and then Devin Mahina, and good play-calling were great for us at the end.”

Practice resumes on Friday and is closed to the public.