Cougars Complete First Fall Practice

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PROVO -- The BYU football team completed its first practice of fall camp on Saturday as the Cougars prepare for their sixth season under head coach Bronco Mendenhall.

Coming off four-straight 10-win seasons, the newest group of Cougars ran through drills for about two hours.

"It was a typical first day," Mendenhall said. "There was a lot of energy and enthusiasm but not much execution."

After running through position drills, the team ran game-situation drills, first from the 20-yard line and then starting from 60 yards out.

Freshman quarterback Jake Heaps threw the only touchdown during the Blue Zone drills on a 2-yard pass to junior wide receiver Matt Marshall. Heaps also hit senior wide receiver B.J. Peterson one play earlier for an 18-yard catch.

Earlier in the day, Marshall won the annual team conditioning run to the Y on Y Mountain in record time. Robbie Buckner was second followed by Dalin Tollestrup and McKay Jacobson. All four players beat the record for the best time set by Andrew Rich in 2008.

During 11-on-11 drills, junior quarterback Riley Nelson led the offense on a 10-play, 60-yard drive, capping it off by scoring on his own from one yard out. Nelson went 4-for-4 on the drive while junior running back J.J. Di Luigi had two rushes for 21 yards, including a 16-yard bolt up the middle.

Di Luigi ran five times on the day for 36 yards while grabbing one catch for 23 yards.

"I was impressed with J.J. today, both in the conditioning run and at practice," Mendenhall said. "He was fit and quick."

Nelson went 5-for-8 for 49 yards on the day, adding two rushes for 13 yards and one touchdown.

After the score, Heaps ran the offense for the final two 11-on-11 drills. In the first drill, the Cougar defensive unit came up with one pass batted down by freshman linebacker Kyle Van Noy and back-to-back sacks from freshman defensive lineman Thomas Bryson and freshman linebacker Alani Fua.

On the next drive, however, Heaps hit Di Luigi for 23 yards, then found Jacobson from 44 yards out for a touchdown. Heaps would finish the day going 8-for-13 with 114 yards and two touchdowns.

"Our receivers are very talented and I'm impressed with our offensive line," Mendenhall commented.

On defense, Bryson was credited with two sacks while Fua and senior defensive lineman Vic So'oto tallied one apiece. Van Noy, So'oto, freshman defensive lineman Tayo Fabuluje and junior defensive back DeQuan Everett each batted down a pass at the line of scrimmage.

On special teams, sophomore punter Riley Stephenson sent multiple punts over yards 60 yards while senior placekicker Mitch Payne didn't miss a field goal, kicking from 30, 26 and 24 yards out.

Freshmen Drew Phillips and Manu Mulitalo did not practice due to NCAA clearinghouse paperwork still being finalized.