PROVO — Gary Crowton's favorite buzzwords, "making progress and "moving forward," gained credence Tuesday in BYU's first scrimmage of fall football practice when his quarterbacks combined for 450 yards and three touchdowns.
Contrast this with 2003, the first year of Bronco Mendenhall's defense, when after a 155-play marathon scrimmage, the Cougars barely sniffed the end zone, could not complete passes or protect the quarterback. Even in 2004's first scrimmage, the Cougar offense looked anemic.
Not Tuesday.
Todd Watkins, the junior college receiver, caught five passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns, one each from John Beck and Matt Berry. The Cougar defense, however, forced two Watkins fumbles, including one on a hit by Aaron Francisco at the goal line, and intercepted three passes while producing five sacks.
Before looking at film, Crowton said BYU's first-unit offensive line didn't look guilty of giving up easy sacks.
"The quarterbacks did a good job getting off the ball and the line did a good job of putting hats on hats and not getting pushed around," Crowton said.
That wasn't the case with the second-unit offense, which gave up a couple of sacks to Manaia Brown early. Crowton pulled Brown out of drills. "Nobody could block him, and he didn't have to be out there," Crowton said.
As has become routine all fall, Beck opened the scrimmage with a 70-yard bomb to Watkins, who outraced former Mountain West Conference 100-meter dash champion Nate Soelberg to paydirt. Watkins later scored on a red zone shovel pass from Berry.
"I like John a lot," Watkins said. "He's got a cannon for an arm and when he gets the opportunity he can throw it deep. He's working on his short game. He's going to be the total package once he gets it down pat."
In Berry's only work with the first unit and against the first-team defense, he hooked up with Watkins on a long pass at the goal line which ended in a fumble on a hit by Francisco. Watkins lost another ball trying to stretch for a first down.
"We're moving the ball," Crowton said. "We're going boom, boom, boom but then having something happen to end a drive. We've got to improve. We've got a lot of work to do, but I like the direction we're headed."
Cameron Jensen and freshman safety Billy Skinner recovered Watkins' fumbles. Soelberg and John Burbidge picked off passes by John Beck, one in the corner of the end zone and the other, the final play of the scrimmage, a high tipped pass off the hands of receiver Jason Kukahiko. K.C. Bills also had an interception, against Jason Beck.
"Our defense is tenacious, and it's going to keep us in any game this season," Watkins said. "They just have a lot of people around the ball, they strip the ball and they get interceptions. They are just everywhere."
Berry completed 14-of-16 passes for 176 yards without a pick for one touchdown while being sacked four times. John Beck was 11-of-18 for 142 yards, his first two picks of the fall and a touchdown. Jason Beck, who did not play against the first-team defense or get reps with the first-team offense, was 10-of-19 for 80 yards and an interception.
Crowton praised his quarterbacks, declaring correct reads and delivery to the right targets.
"The whole emphasis is timing and getting it off quick because that causes a lot of problems for the defense," Crowton said. "If we get it off quick, they've got to cover, and we've got some guys who can catch and run."
E-mail: dharmon@desnews.com