Provo • BYU’s group of young, talented receivers will be able to get off the line of scrimmage against pressure, man-to-man defense better than they did the last few seasons, receivers coach Ben Cahoon said Monday as the Cougars returned from a weekend camping trip and practiced in their indoor facility.
“It has been the highest priority of this fall camp,” Cahoon said. “We know that is where it happens. We have to win at the line of scrimmage.”
Cahoon said BYU has enough physical, fast cornerbacks to apply that kind of man pressure in practice, and receivers such as Jonah Trinnaman, Aleva Hifo, Talon Shumway, Akile Davis and Micah Simon have responded well.
“They are coming together,” Cahoon said of the entire unit. “I think we will be all right.”
Cahoon said “the most pleasant surprise” of camp has been the emergence of Neil Pau’u, a freshman from Anaheim, Calif., who is the younger brother of star linebacker Butch Pau’u.
“Neil has pushed [Shumway] and it has been really nice to see,” Cahoon said. “Neil is going to compete for playing time and Talon is going to respond. It has been a nice little battle, to see those guys and the way they get open and catch the ball. Talon is still quite young, but he is going to be a playmaker for us.”
Cahoon also praised the progress of Hifo, who played some last year but missed spring camp after shoulder surgery.
“He is really dynamic,” Cahoon said. “He might be as dynamic a football player as we have ever had at BYU. And it is not just me that thinks that. He has got an extremely high ceiling.”
Late additions to the lines
BYU coach Kalani Sitake said lineman Taipe Vaka, a transfer from Diablo Valley (Calif.) College has been cleared academically and is now practicing with the team. Sitake said the 6-foot-5, 275-pound Vaka can play on either side of the line, “or there is a chance that he could redshirt” in 2017.
Former Granger High star Khyiris Tonga has also been cleared to participate. Tonga committed to Utah in high school but signed in February with BYU after returning from a church mission.
“He knows the defense,” Sitake said of Tonga, listed at 6-4 and 340. “He just wants to get the pads on and hit somebody, and I like that about him. He will be a factor for us in the first game.”
BYU’s open practice, scrimmage<br>When: Thursday, 10 a.m.<br>Where: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo<br>Admission: Free (gates open at 9:30 a.m.)
Odd and ends from camp
The Cougars spent the weekend on a camping trip to an undisclosed location, and Sitake said it was good for the players to get away from their cell phones and “connect in a different type of setting other than the football field.” … The team will conduct an open practice and scrimmage at 10 a.m. Thursday at the stadium. Admission is free and gates open at 9:30 a.m. … Offensive line coach Mike Empey said junior Austin Hoyt will be the opening-game starter at right tackle, edging out freshman Kieffer Longson, who will still see considerable time because he can also play right guard. … Junior weak side linebacker Francis Bernard did not participate in last week’s scrimmage and did not practice in team situations Monday, although he was in shoulder pads and did some of the drills.