Raw, right out of the package.
You can probably count on one hand the defensive linemen at BYU who were regular starters as true freshmen over the years.
If you're lucky, you might get to the other hand in the process, but it would be an ordeal.
This coming season the Cougars could put rookies all across the front line, sometimes all at once. It could either be a circus or a character-building experience.
Former BYU line coach Tom Ramage, a veteran of LaVell Edwards' early days when dinosaurs roamed the Vernal area, says it would be tough to name freshmen who started for the Cougar defense up front through the years. Some include Stan Varner, Paul Linford and Chuck Ehin. There are others who were spot players as freshmen, guys like David Futrell, Alema Fitisemanu, Chris Hoke and Bryan Frisch, to name a few.
Edwards hired Ramage out of Dixie College, and the old-school coach had a hand in developing some of BYU's best front-line tacklers of all time. He hated putting a young guy on the firing line, avoided it like taxes and rap music.
In a few weeks, Bronco Mendenhall will welcome a handful of freshmen who were recruited for the specific purpose of standing up to the call for playing time. This crew will try to replace three starters and four seniors who rotated with most of the playing time, namely Manaia Brown, Daniel Marquardt, Vince Feula and Justin Maddux.
"Starting freshmen is tough. They've got a lot to learn and experience, and they better be special," Ramage said.
It's July, but you can see BYU's challenge come two-a-days.
If the Cougars were to start today, redshirt freshman Jan Jorgenson would likely find his way in the lineup with sophomore Kyle Luekenga and senior noseguard Halo Paongo. Another redshirt freshman, Brett Denny, will get a hard look.
Guys fresh out of high school include Matangi Tonga and Romney Fuga, who, as a group, will challenge for time along with transfer Mosese Foketi.
Fresh meat all.
Mendenhall said the Cougars got in this predicament because of attrition and LDS missionary service. Attrition is a kind word for players who were either kicked out or quit, and Mendenhall makes it clear he doesn't really waste any energy over quitters or serial honor-code violators.
He doesn't appear worried about it, either. It's like, "This is the way it is. Why get an ulcer?"
Getting, maintaining and developing D-linemen will be a big challenge for Mendenhall the next two years. It didn't help that local recruit Victor Felipe decided to go to Oregon when he came off a mission and San Diego's Michael Marquardt, younger brother of Daniel, chose to transfer to Arizona State, where he'll likely start.
"It's a combination of factors," Mendenhall said, when asked this past week during the MWC football meetings. "Some of it's happened before I came and some while I've been here."
Mendenhall said BYU is in a cycle right now that needs players like Jorgensen and Denny to play earlier than expected. But then, in this cycle, he'll likely see Fuga and Tonga go for two years after gaining some experience this fall.
"I think we have enough talent and experience ahead of those freshmen to maintain the program in the meantime. The key is to have the upperclassmen," Mendenhall said.
"Those redshirt freshmen and sophomores have to perform at a high level while this group goes out and the other comes in. They'll have to play, and they'll have to play well. This could very well be the case from now on."
A trump card could be possible transfers like Foketi — or the likes of Feula and Brown, who came to the Cougars after signing with Arizona and Nebraska.
A player who is such a target this fall is former East High lineman William Tukuafu, who signed with BYU with Fui Vakapuna out of high school but is currently attending a junior college in Arizona following his mission service.
Playing as a freshman can be rough stuff, as attested to by quarterback John Beck. He said he may have done better if he'd got the call right out of high school — when he had a chance to look up through the bullets and get his bearings after Matt Berry went down.
"I hope our freshmen can play, but what I've learned from experience is you don't want to rely on too many freshmen," Beck said.
He was 10 months from a mission to Lisbon when called upon to play.
"In 2003 I was out there with other new players, Eddie Keele, Daniel Coats, Ofa Mohetau, Fui and Chris Hale, just off a mission. At times, I think we may have had eight freshmen who needed to play."
Said Beck, "There's only a handful of freshmen in the nation who can stand up there and play as a freshman. A lot depends on practice and in games. They can't be worried, wide-eyed and making mistakes."
In 2006, just how big a frying pan will Mendenhall have for defensive linemen?
Stay tuned.
E-mail: dharmon@desnews.com