BYU Spring Football Kicks Off Today

By: Mitch Harper (Twitter: @Mitch_Harper)

Amidst all this March Madness, the BYU Football team is hitting the field for Spring Football as the Road to Independence continues.

This Spring, looks to be an exciting one.  A lot of expectations as usual down in Provo with so many talented players returning and the overall depth being off the charts with talent.

Bronco Mendenhall has announced that there is in fact going to be a Spring Football game this year.  No cancellation like two years ago due to field issues, no “practice” with 6th string walk-on tryouts, nope it’s actually going to be a full-blown game.  Many are saying that BYU-TV is likely going to broadcast the game live on TV, and the Voice of the Cougars, Greg Wrubell has made it clear that if the Spring game is a Made-for-TV event then he wants to do a play-by-play on the radio.  So BYU fans can rest assured, they will eventually get an opportunity to see these Cougar Gridders before the long Summer lull of no sports hits us.

Here’s some storylines you should keep tabs on this Spring.

– Defensive Back Position Battles

Andrew Rich, Brandon Bradley, and Brian Logan all are gone.  That is not only a lot of talent that leaves the secondary, but leadership as well.  Huge voids to fill.  Who rises to the occassion?  Jordan Johnson a redshirt Freshman from Massachusetts who heard about BYU from Danny Ainge.  Johnson’s dad works with the Boston Celtics and Ainge of course is the VP of Basketball Operations.  Obviously, Ainge wasn’t going to send Bronco some slouch.  Johnson has been the talk of last year’s scout team and early in Winter conditioning.

Preston Hadley a JC transfer from Snow College who is an early enrollee has been a impressive specimen since stepping into the program.  A physical player who has a lot of fire and attitude when he plays.

Corby Eason sits out this spring with an injury.  Will be back for Fall.  Eason as you might remember flourished last season once Mendenhall took as Defensive Coordinator, especially on Corner blitzes.

Other players to watch in the Defensive Secondary:  Daniel Sorensen, DeQuan Everett, Kori Gaines, Jray Galea’i, and Dallin Tollestrup.

– New Coaching Staff

The new additions on Mendenhall’s staff have came with high praise, now they get to show off the young, fiery engery they have.  Ben Cahoon during Winter Conditioning has been running with his Wide Receivers, and one could argue he is faster and in better condition than some of the current WRs on this BYU squad.  Coach Cahoon is 37 now people, he’s still got game.  He is the “Big Cahoona” afterall.

Brandon Doman as Offensive Coordinator has been the move Cougar faithful have been wanting to see for sometime and it’s finally happened.  Early indications point to this being one of the most explosives offensive units in recent memory, and this program has seen its fair share of explosive offenses.  Doman is going to utilize the personnel he has appropriately and to the fullest, something that can’t be said about the previous OC.

Then you have Joe Dupaix with the Running Backs and Kelly Poppinga with Linebackers.

– Ross Apo/Drew Phillips

Two names everyone is clamoring to see play in Cougar Blue come Fall.  It’s only Spring, and we are already jacked.  Two guys that instantly could be making plays right away in this revamped offense.

Both are redshirt Freshmen, and two of the most athletic players on the team.  Apo jumped a 39 1/2” vertical at a recent team combine session, as the team got measurables going into Spring ball.  Pretty impressive, and not your typical BYU Wide Receiver, needless to say.

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Practice begins at 4 P.M. today and is not open to the public.  The only expected open session to fans is the Spring Game at the end of Spring Ball on April 9th.

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