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BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall on Wednesday abbreviated a scheduled morning practice, calling for "a slight break today."
Citing injuries and fatigue, Mendenhall said "I thought we started to lose some momentum in camp." He said the team did not do any 11-on-11 work today, but instead worked on individual/unit assignments, wanting to "work on some recovery, physically, and focus on treatment," before "looking to gear it up again."
Mendenhall said the practice was conducted at "walk-through" tempo; the session ended before reporters arrived, so the scheduled media observation period was not held.
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You can hear post-practice interviews with Mendenhall, defensive coordinator Nick Howell, DB Craig Bills, QB Taysom Hill and former WR/current CB Eric Thornton, in "Cougar Cuts," left.
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Thornton has been moved over from wide receiver to corner due to the season-ending injury suffered by CB Jordan Johnson on Monday.
Johnson's injury was followed a day later by the news that NT Tuni Kanuch would be lost for the season with a torn pectoral muscle.
Mendenhall said today that "the hope is the program builds enough depth to where when they occur and if they occur, you can handle them."
"Some positions hurt more than others," said Mendenhall, "and that's just kind of the way it goes."
The coach acknowledged that the field cornerback spot "would have been number one" on his list of positions that could least afford injury concerns in camp.
"Really a unique set of circumstances right now."
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"I think that's the biggest thing right now is still trying to be me with my athleticism or my style of play, and play a brand new position."
Thornton doesn't anticipate a return to the offensive side of the ball, adding that "I'm playing this as if this is 100% official."
"I don't know if I'll fully go back to offense, don't know if I'll split time," said Thornton after practice. "Right now my main focus is as if I'm playing this and never going back."
"Coach Anae said he felt comfortable with me playing 'Y' or 'H' (receiver), so if they needed me to go back and play some of that, I'm still available to do that. They switched my number (wearing Johnson's #6) so that I can be an offensive guy and a defensive back."
Safety Craig Bills said of the defensive injuries that "if you dwell on it, that's when it's going to hurt the team more than anything. You just have to improve the guys that are coming up you just have to build them up and help them along the way."
For his part, Hill said the injuries remain a part of the game.
"Going into a season (and) fall camp, you know were gonna have some injuries that we're gonna battle. Losing Jordan Johnson, that's a big blow for our team. He was a great player and a leader, defensively. We're a Division-1 school and we just reload. We're gonna come back and fight back."
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Freshman DB Dallin Leavitt is out with a hip flexor strain; coaches expect him back in five to seven days.
In Leavitt's absence, Rob Daniel (field) and Skye PoVey (boundary) are the first-string corners; Howell indicated that even with Leavitt available, PoVey would probably be his starter for the opener.
"I would see Dallin right behind Skye," said Howell Wednesday.
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Notes:
Mendenhall says Jordan Johnson was BYU's number-one kickoff returner before his injury; with Johnson now out, Cody Hoffman and JD Falslev have the inside track to that primary return position; Adam Hine is being considered as the off-returner.
NT Kalolo Utu is dealing with a wrist issue that will have him in a rubberized "club" cast for the next two weeks.
NT JonRyheem Peoples is "gradually coming back" from an ankle sprain. Mendenhall says "he has come back twice, and re-injured it both times...just when we think he's ready, it's not quite."
Marques Johnson is hanging onto the top spot at nose tackle, but is being pushed by Utu and Meti Taliauli in particular. Mendenhall says he would prefer to keep Eathyn Manumaleuna at defensive end, if possible.
The placekicking competition between Justin Sorensen, Trevor Samson and Moose Bingham remains "really close, still... I would say that's going to happen all the way, maybe until game week. They're really close."
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