Over 300 High School Coaches Watch Cougar Practice

PROVO, Utah -- The BYU football team practiced full contact in full pads while over 300 high school coaches looked on Friday.

BYU held its annual Coaches Clinic, hosting coaches from eight states. Coaches listened to lectures given by their peers and BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall, observed practice and attended position workshops with members of the BYU coaching staff.

Practice itself was heated as players went hard in the most game-ready atmosphere yet this spring donning full pads. Defensive players were allowed to tackle anyone but the quarterbacks, a change from recording only touch tackles previously.

In the first segment of 11-on-11 drills, the Cougar defense prevailed, holding the offense without a first down while halting the rushing game for negative yardage on two attempts. Junior defensive back Robbie Buckner also had a pass breakup on third down.

On the third attempted drive of the drill, sophomore Jake Heaps connected with senior wide receiver McKay Jacobson for a 45-yard reception after Jacobson made a good adjustment to come back to the ball.

"We're progressing," Mendenhall said. "Our fundamentals are improving and our excitement is holding. Spring practice has been a success to this point."

Later, the two sides participated in blue zone drills. Two false starts and the defense kept the offense out of the end zone, but sophomore kicker Justin Sorensen nailed a 46-yard field goal.

Sophomore Joshua Quezada picked up 17 yards on a screen pass from junior quarterback Riley Nelson, setting up a play action pass from Nelson to senior tight end Matt Edwards for a three-yard touchdown.

On the final drive of the drill, Heaps completed passes of nine yards to senior running back JJ Di Luigi and six yards to sophomore wide receiver Marcus Mathews. Senior running back Bryan Kariya finished by pounding it in from two yards out.