PROVO -- Coming off its most productive practice of Fall Camp, the BYU football team held its final preseason scrimmage at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Wednesday. With the majority of the team’s starters held from play, 17 to be specific, the intent of the scrimmage was to clarify the depth chart and allow younger players more playing time.
“I was disappointed overall, with not only knowledge of assignment and execution within position mastery, but the effort overall,” said head coach Bronco Mendenhall. “My hope was I’d be saying, ‘We have to consider this player to play now,’ but what I saw in general was a lack of readiness. Not only did the offense and defense drop-off from our ones, but special teams took an even bigger drop off, with a few key players so poor in fundamentals and assignments that we couldn’t function.”
The second-unit punting game struggled early in the scrimmage, as the team blocked four-of-five attempts by CJ Santiago. Jefferson Court blocked the first punt of the day, which was recovered by Matt Marshall and returned for a touchdown, while Landon Jaussi blocked the final three.
“It’s disappointing,” said Mendenhall. “You certainly wouldn’t want to see it on game day. The best thing that happened was we saw it today with one week to go. Either it’s the wrong player in the wrong spot, or the right player blocking it that we haven’t considered yet.”
Backup quarterbacks Brenden Gaskins and Kurt McEuen alternated throughout the scrimmage, with neither finding the endzone. The second, third and fourth-team defenses recorded four sacks and forced three turnovers.
“The scrimmage proves two points,” said Mendenhall. “If it shows a general lack of readiness, that can certainly be coached with a week and a half remaining, but if it uncovered a punt blocker, running back, receiver or another defensive back, then it was worth the format today. There might be some positive to come out of it.”
Some positives did come through as freshman quarterback Stephen Covey took control of the team’s final drive. On third-and-seven Covey scrambled and threw a 57-yard pass to freshman J.J. Diluigi, moving the chains to the five-yard line. Bryan Kariya had a short carry of two-yards before Covey ran it in himself—picking up the lone touchdown of the day.
“Stephen Covey did what the other two quarterbacks were unable to do the entire day,” said Mendenhall. “He got one drive and put us in the endzone.”
DiLuigi led all receivers with three catches for 96 yards. Gaskins finished the day with 10-of-15 passing for 90 yards and two interceptions, while McEuen completed 7-of-14 for 65 yards and one interception.
Despite several missed assignments and execution errors, Mendenhall knows this team is ready for the upcoming season.
“I think we have a really good team and I think it’s the furthest any team has been since I’ve been the head coach,” he said. “We’ve accomplished the goals and objectives we had set out. We’re as healthy and talented as we’ve ever been and I think our execution is solid. My hope was after today I would feel better about our depth, but that’s not how I feel. The players in front of them I feel very good about.”
According to Mendenhall, Mitch Payne currently has a slight lead in the battle for starting kicker against teammate Justin Sorensen. Payne made four of his five field goal attempts, including makes from 50 and 55 yards. His only miss was a 63-yard attempt.
The team will not practice on Thursday, as the coaches prepare for the season opener against Northern Iowa. The first Northern Iowa practice will be on Friday and will follow the Monday format of a regular game week.