BYU receivers get toughened up

PROVO — This fall, BYU's receivers are a different breed. There are more of them who will play, and they don't mind mixing it up. And, unlike last year, this group has cut down on dropped passes, at least in practice; we'll have to see about games.

It's reminiscent of 2001, Gary Crowton's first season, when Mike Borich won the Frank Broyles Award and his receivers were weapons instead of window dressing.

Redshirt freshman Michael Reed says it is all by design. When compared to a year ago, Reed says this group is just plain tougher. BYU fans did not see Reed a year ago. They didn't see Joe Griffin or Jonny Harline. While Zac Collie was on the team, he and Matt Allen saw little or no action.

By design, this group should be improved over last season, even with the departure of Austin Collie to a mission in Argentina.

The design? That old cliche mental toughness. In practices, BYU's offensive coaches have set up defenders to push, shove, hold and yes, interfere with Cougar receivers going out on routes. Even during scrimmages when officials were present, there were pass interference calls that went unchecked without a flag.

Why?

"We're going to see it in our conference," Reed said. "We play physical teams like Boston College and Notre Dame, so coaches have told the defense to get us ready, to give us a lickin' and pressure as much as they can because we're going to get that physical play over the middle and that pressure in games this season.

"We're going to have to be aggressive against aggressive corners and safeties. Mainly, we want to get our hands on them, to break loose and score. Coaches don't want us to be concerned or cry about not getting calls. We're big receivers, and we just need to make plays. If the ball is there, we should get it and not cry over not getting calls. If people are physical with us, we'll be physical back, not take nothing from anybody."

Reed said this emphasis is from all the coaches, "from Bronco (Mendenhall) on to Robert Anae, Patrick Higgins and Brandon Doman. If it's in our area, our zone, they expect us to catch the ball."

Last year, Reed said BYU wasn't as aggressive or tough in areas they needed to be. "This year we've got that mindset to come out and when opponents play against us, when they're through, they'll say 'Man, that was an aggressive BYU team out there, the most aggressive they've played all season,' and we just want them to remember us."