The BYU football team initiated practice Saturday morning for its Dec. 29 Freedom Bowl appearance against Colorado, with the Cougars not only conducting two-a-day sessions but also practicing outdoors.
Both the BYU offensive and defensive units were given 90-minute practices indoors Saturday morning; both went outdoors for the afternoon practice. Cougar Head Coach LaVell Edwards said the practice field was a bit frozen but good enough to work on.The Cougars will continue their two-a-day practices on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; the coaching staff said possible practices on Thursday will be determined the team's progress in previous sessions.
Three players are out for the game - defensive lineman Craig Patterson, running back Eric Mortensen and defensive back Rodney Rice. Patterson and Mortensen suffered knee injuries earlier in the season, while Rice broke his arm in the regular-season finale at Miami.
Despite nursing a sore ankle through the latter weeks of the regular season, defensive lineman Tim Knight may be ready to play in the Freedom Bowl.