BYU Cougars football head coach Kalani Sitake talks to journalists after practice at BYUin Provo on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023. Now that the Cougars have concluded spring drills, the BYU coach discussed how players need approach the summer. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News

By Dick Harmon

While BYU’s strength and conditioning coaches can be present to conduct offseason workouts, BYU head football coach Kalani Sitake will rely on leaders on the team to organize offseason player-directed practices. How often and how impactful these sessions are will go a long way to help the Cougars in preparation for the 2024 football season and second round in the Big 12.

As always, the QB position is a key cog in these sessions, specifically with organizing throw-and-catch passing practices with receivers, backs and tight ends. Here are a few stories on the QB race and transfer linebacker Jack Kelly.

Cougar Insider’s predictions

Question of the week: Most college programs are having their football spring games this week. BYU elected to do away with a spring game and had a closed scrimmage and alumni flag football game instead. Is BYU hampered or helped by not having an actual spring football game?

Jay Drew: I know there are drawbacks to playing a spring game — such as exposing players to injuries and tipping off future competitors on plays, alignments, etc. But for the most part, I think spring games are good for college football and good for college football teams and should be played.

Having covered BYU football for 16 years now, I have kinda gotten used to the Cougars not playing them. That’s too bad. I think they are good for the fans, good for community building and a good way to build a program’s brand.

I also think there is value to simulating a game as much as possible in the spring so guys can hit the ground running in the fall. Get used to playing in front of a crowd and all that. Get used to real officiating.

So yes, I am going to say that BYU is disadvantaged by not having a spring game. In my mind, the pros outweigh the cons.

Dick Harmon: There are places where spring games are featured as a huge event. BYU has tried that over the years and even had a competition between a split squad, the winner awarded with steak dinners and the losers got beans. It also was used as a Cougar Club fundraiser for a short time. But in the end, even back in the LaVell Edwards era, these games were so watered down with key participants held out and some stars only getting a few reps before getting pulled that it was hardly a game.

BYU began using “a major scrimmage” mostly closed to the public years ago to determined film and evaluation needs and then trotted out a “spring game” to meet fan expectations. I don’t really have a strong opinion if they should hold these watered-down spring games other than they do fuel interest and draw fans together for the single purpose of celebrating the team, new faces and trends.

What does make sense is continuing the alumni game. It is kind of fascinating seeing former players get together, and it’s become a thing among them. This year Steve Young showed up and threw a TD pass. It is televised and, in my opinion, has become an actual event because of the competitive nature of the guys who come and are given BYU gear and swag and attend team meetings and interact with current players. Every year I see this. I see tons of brand value being recycled and added upon. No, it’s not a spring game, but it has become a lot of fun to watch.

Cougar tales

Two track athletes, Dallin Shurts and Danny Bryant, posted personal bests in a meet in San Diego last week. In men’s volleyball, the Cougars fell 3-2 to USC in the season’s final regular-season match. Lauren Gustin registered a double-double in a college all-star game. During a podcast, Taysom Hill took the opportunity to talk of his faith and what it means to him.

From the archives

Related
Moving big-frame receiver Keanu Hill to tight end looks like a stroke of genius — so far
Utah has become rich ground for college football recruiters. Here’s why

From the X-verse

Extra points

Fanalysts

Comments from Deseret News readers:

It’s obviously more than just a great QB.

With an average QB, at best, last year and a below average O-line, BYU won five games and had the lead in two others they had a chance to win. A decent running game, a couple of good receivers and a solid defense can make up for a good but maybe not great QB.

— Wallyball

I’m one of those that often buys the hype. Not necessarily because I believe it as much as I just hope it’ll be true. It’s not as fun to watch football when you fully expect your team to stink from the very start.

BYU will neither have a great QB or great team this year, which hurts me to say. If the defense can show improvement from last year, that would be a win. But I don’t expect the Cougars to be competitive in the Big 12 for another couple years. I hope they prove me wrong.

— Time2play

Up next

  • April 11 | Track and field | Pacific Coast Invitational | @ Long Beach, California
  • April 11 | 5 p.m. | Softball | Oklahoma | @ Norman, Oklahoma
  • April 11 | 6 p.m. | Baseball | Baylor | @ Provo
  • April 11-13 | Track and field | Bryan Clay Invitational | @ Azusa, California
  • April 12-13 | Track and field | Beach Invitational | @ Long Beach, California
  • April 12 | 6 p.m. | Baseball | Baylor | @ Provo
  • April 13 | 11 a.m. | Women’s tennis | West Virginia | @ Provo
  • April 13 | 1 p.m. | Baseball | Baylor | @ Provo
  • April 13 | 1 p.m. | Men’s tennis | Texas Tech | @ Lubbock, Texas
Players and coaches pose for a group photo before the BYU alumni game at BYU in Provo on Friday, March 22, 2024. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News