The spring game is canceled and coach Bronco Mendenhall seems indifferent because he can save players from injury, but now Mendenhall is going to a new extra to protect players. With two injuries so far this spring camp the coaching staff has decided to on Tuesday to cut their scrimmage short, and to limit future scrimmages to three 'situational' possessions. Here is what Coach Mendenhall had to say on the new practice plan:
"We are on the verge of having a few bumps and bruises that might have players be held out of practice, so we reduced the practice structure overall, and we kind of reduced the game situation to just three drives."
Coaches all want to reduce injuries to keep players healthy, but THIS IS SPRING FOOTBALL. Now, teams should not go full pads and full on 90 minute scrimmages, but hitting should be encouraged.
Even with the injury to Vic So'oto who re-fractured his foot and is out for twelve weeks, he will be back for summer conditioning. Coach Mendenhall needs to loosen things up and let players hit more and scrimmage more. How is he to find out what offensive lineman will be like or who will help build up a poor secondary. What wait for the first game? Oh wait! that first game will be against a top 5 Oklahoma team with returning Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford and it will be played in the new Texas Stadium with at least an 85% percent pro-Oklahoma crowd.
Fall camp will be limited to a few strong scrimmages and of course limited pads. Last year BYU was hardly in pads and that hurt because they played a soft schedule and was not tested until the TCU game. One would think that the staff would have learned from doing that last year.
If BYU wants to be comfortable with contending for conference titles and being a solid program, but not a great program then keep on making the players soft by not allowing pads or full contact for more then a limited time. Game time is not the time to hit the pads and be in full contact, that is what I though practice was for.