Bronco Mendenhall likes what he got from scout players he anointed for valuable grunt work over the weekend.
Mendenhall has seen seasons where scout team players come out dragging, resenting the assignment to be fodder for the offense and defense in game-week preparation. But Saturday, spirited scout team players came out with some spice to their assignments and impressed Mendenhall.
"Mostly willingness," said Mendenhall of what he got Saturday from scout team players. "Every year you sense whether players feel they were evaluated correctly and in this year's case, the majority saw it coming. A few thought they'd have a higher role, but the number of discouraged players were a lot fewer this year."
Mendenhall attributes that to team maturity and more upperclassmen on the roster. Mendenhall said he doesn't want to discourage freshmen from thinking they can come in and play, but that often "they'd be better off having a redshirt year behind them in the beginning."
Starting a lot of freshmen might be a sign your program lacks talent, depth or both.
"In relation to the previous two years with players knowing who were ahead of them and thinking they could beat them out for a spot, I'd like to get to the point where I wouldn't want to discourage freshmen from coming in and thinking they can play," Mendenhall said. "But from a matter of perspective, they'd be better off having a redshirt year behind them in the beginning."
In other words, if you start freshmen, your program might lack talent, depth or both.
Right now, Mendenhall looks to lean on only one true freshman, Timpview High all-state defensive lineman Ethyn Manumaleuna because of a first-week in-camp injury to starter Russell Tialavea.
He is also looking at freshmen receivers like Jordan Smith from Spanish Fork.
SCOUTING ARIZONA: BYU's staff has put together film cutouts of what they can expect from Arizona's new offense, fashioned after Texas Tech now that the Wildcats have hired offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes from Mike Leach in Lubbock.
Mendenhall has leaned on his own coordinator, Robert Anae, for suggestions in scouting Arizona. Anae worked with Dykes at Texas Tech before accepting the BYU job in 2005.
Sophomore defensive end Jan Jorgensen said the scout team gave the defense a good workout on Saturday and surprised him with a lot of plays he was not expecting to handle.
With no sack calls on scout team quarterbacks, Jorgensen said the scout team had a lot of time to sit back and throw. That put the secondary through a good test with prolonged coverage.
"They did a great job," he said. "We're early in the week when the coaches try a lot of different things. They'll take a look and see what works and narrow it down but for today, we were running a lot of things against them. Today we were just getting used to them."
CAMP NOTES: Mendenhall said receivers Austin Collie and Bryce Mahuika are primary return men in special teams sets. G Pittman could fill in after that, he said.. ... Manase Tonga, although suspended for Saturday's opener against Arizona, took reps with the first offense on Saturday during prep team work. So did freshman receiver Ryan Kessman, who is slated to redshirt.
Mendenhall said Tonga's presence was needed because of his leadership "and we are not preparing for one game but for a season." Kessman said his name is still on the board, and he'll continue to work hard when called upon to run with the first offense at times. ... WR Matt Allen, who broke his index finger on his left hand, ran with the first unit, although his catches were limited on Saturday. Allen said his finger does not hurt. "It isn't an issue of pain but of getting it to heal. It's a tiny, tiny crack and it should heal fast." Allen is using a bone stimulator, an electric current device, on the injury which speeds up recovery time.
Mendenhall said Allen's playing status will be a game-time decision. Brendon Gaskins (broken finger), the No. 2 quarterback is short of declaring himself 100 percent. "If the team needs me, I will be ready," Gaskins said. Sam Doman and Jason Munns were scout team quarterbacks on Saturday.
COUGARS SELECT CAPTAINS: Mendenhall has announced seniors Bryan Kehl, Kelly Poppinga, Matt Allen and Sete Aulai have been selected by their teammates to serve as captains for the 2007 football season. Kehl and Poppinga are top linebackers for the Cougars, while Allen is a veteran wide receiver and Aulai is the team's starting center.
E-mail: dharmon@desnews.com