BYU opens spring football determined to fix woes of 4-9 season


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PROVO — BYU coaches and players met for the first day of spring football practice Monday determined to make major fixes from an unacceptable 4-9 season.

Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes was the man brought in to clean up an offense that ranked 123rd in scoring a year ago, replacing legendary BYU quarterback Ty Detmer after two seasons.

Much of the resolutions start in the quarterback room, too.

“We’re on the front end of what might be a long race for that position,” Grimes said. “We want a guy who has the right intangibles, who is tough and competitive, and that thing where he steps into the huddle and everyone says ‘that’s our guy.’”

Grimes said he values the passing game as well as athleticism in his starting quarterback, as the Cougars work to revamp their offensive system.

The Cougars have eight players in the room on the spring roster, though last year’s starter Tanner Mangum won’t play as he recovers from a season-ending Achilles injury.

“We have a lot of guys there,” Grimes deadpanned when asked about the depth at quarterback.

BYU saw 37 players miss at least one game with injury, as well, and the coaching staff was determined to cut down on that number by the start of the 2018 season.

After spring football, the Cougars will move to evening-based practice sessions to help players recover from the day-to-day grind of fall camp and early season practices. BYU made the move to morning practices under former head coach Bronco Mendenhall, and current head coach Kalani Sitake kept the standard in his first two seasons.

The standard is changing, though.

“I wish I could’ve done it this spring,” Sitake said. “I just don’t think college kids go to bed before midnight. They wake up without anything in their stomach, they aren’t hydrated, and I think we can avoid a lot of the injuries we saw.”

Joe Critchlow was the starter by season’s end, and he’s among a group that also includes former Corner Canyon standout Zach Wilson and Texas freshman quarterback Stacy Conner.

"I feel like we have a lot of really talented quarterbacks here right now," Critchlow said. "The sheer number of us creates a great opportunity for us to grow."

Beau Hoge, Kody Wilstead, Hayden Griffits and Baylor Romney are also in the rotation.

"I’ve been impressed with the young guys,” Sitake said. “They have a good command of the offense, and we’ll just have to see if they can keep making the right decisions and the right reads.

“I think (new quarterbacks coach Aaron Roderick) has done a great job of coaching the quarterback position.”

Photography by Nate Edwards, BYU (© BYU PHOTO 2017, All Rights Reserved)
Photography by Nate Edwards, BYU (© BYU PHOTO 2017, All Rights Reserved)

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