PROVO — With just a week to go until the season-opener against No. 3 Oklahoma at Arlington, Texas, BYU is gearing up for its matchup with the Sooners.
"It's very exciting. It's always seemed forever away," said senior defensive lineman Jan Jorgensen. "Now, it's starting to get pretty real, that it's just around the corner. We need to be urgent with our preparations."
The Cougars, who didn't hold practice Thursday, spent part of Friday's practice preparing for Oklahoma, and they'll do the same today.
During team drills, the scout team offense and scout team defense began working against BYU's first-team defense and first-team offense, respectively.
"The scout team was running around, not sure of what they were doing," said quarterback Max Hall. "That's how it is every year with the scout team. I wouldn't say it was our best practice. There's a lot of things that we can sharpen up and do better. But we don't have much time. Oklahoma is right around the corner.
"I fully expect our offense to turn it around and have a great day (today). We are very eager to play a different team and get going."
For BYU, the opportunity to play Oklahoma — a team that lost in the BCS championship game to Florida last January — served as a big incentive during the off-season.
"That game has been talked about a lot because we've tried to use it as motivation during the off-season to get us ready to go," Jorgensen said. "I know guys have watched film on Oklahoma throughout the summer to get a jumpstart on it. We're excited for it."
Even with the Sooners looming as the first opponent on the schedule, Bronco Mendenhall said that he is preparing his team similar to the way he has done it during his previous four years as head coach.
"In regards to whom we're playing, the only thing that's changed is maybe the urgency of our players during the summer and through fall camp because they acknowledge who we're playing. But I haven't done anything to this point, other than, in some of our team meetings, trying to instill a philosophy or perspective of the game. It would be easy to say, 'Make or break,' 'do or die.' That's not my perspective."
The Cougars have been beset with a long list of injuries during fall camp. But Mendenhall expects his team to be ready to play next Saturday.
"We're regaining our health. Again, not full strength, but with still the weekend and the game a week away, if it were during the season, I'd say we we'd be in great shape."
WILSON MOVED: After Friday's practice, Mendenhall confirmed that true freshman Richard Wilson has moved back to his original position — tight end. Wilson starred at Spanish Fork High at tight end, but was asked by the Cougars' coaching staff to play outside linebacker before fall camp.
Mendenhall said he and his staff were "thinking that could be a great opportunity to maybe play and help us this year. He gave it his all. With the emergence of (junior college transfer) Jordan Atkinson, that was a real plus. So losing (tight ends) Dennis (Pitta) and Andrew (George) next year, it seemed like a nice change to be able to put him into the cycle on the other side. I think that's where he'd really like to play."
CAPTAINS SELECTED: BYU announced Friday that Hall, Pitta, Jorgensen, linebacker Matt Bauman and safety Scott Johnson were selected by their teammates as team captains for the 2009 season.
All five players are seniors. The Cougars usually have four team captains.
"The team picked really wisely," Mendenhall said. "It's more (captains) than we've had, but I'm not so sure with this team that's a bad thing."
Mendenhall said he wasn't surprised that Pitta was named a captain, "but the number of votes he received, our players respect him and trust him. That's a real tribute to him."
He added, "Defensively, the votes were split almost in thirds. Uniquely enough, we had a defensive lineman, a linebacker and a defensive back (as captains). It's almost ideal when you consider the representation of each one of those units."
Jorgensen said being named a captain is "just an honor that the team has that much respect for you."
HAFOKA ILL AGAIN: Wide receiver Spencer Hafoka, who overcame a serious bout with the flu during the offseason that caused him to drop out of school and miss spring ball, has suddenly become sick again, Mendenhall said.
"It came out of nowhere. I feel for him," Mendenhall said. "He's battled like crazy and had a great fall camp. My hope is that this is a normal-type of flu that's going around and it's not the other one he's had."
EXTRA POINTS: As of now, junior Mitch Payne will handle field goals and kickoffs while freshman Riley Stephenson will be the punter, Mendenhall said. ... Left tackle Matt Reynolds saw some live action Friday for the first time since breaking his hand during the first week of fall camp. ... Brandon Bradley and Brian Logan ran with the first-team defense at the cornerback spots Friday. Mendenhall said the battle isn't over, adding that the difference between them and Lee Aguirre and Robbie Buckner "is thin." ... JC transfer cornerback Corby Eason has to resolve some eligibility issues through the NCAA Clearinghouse. As such, he will practice with the scout team until the situation is resolved.
e-mail: jeffc@desnews.com