BYU front 3 'could be scary'

PROVO — They're not freshmen anymore.

And that should make a difference for BYU's defensive front, part of the 3-4 defense Bronco Mendenhall adopted last season.

The three are noseguard Russell Tialavea (6-foot-3, 275 pounds) and ends Jan Jorgensen (6-3, 260) and Ian Dulan (6-1, 273).

"You only have to look at how I played in the second half of last season to see how much better I was after some experience," said Jorgensen, who has emerged as the most vocal leader of the defensive linemen.

"It makes a big difference to have played, to have been in a game and know what you are doing. We all return. We could be scary."

Defensive line coach Steve Kaufusi said Dulan, who suffered a broken leg early last year as a 17-year-old freshman starter straight out of Hawaii's Kamehameha High School, has yet to get his wind and timing back.

"He will be ready to go by fall," Kaufusi said.

Behind this trio, the Cougars are thin in scholarship players due to injury and the suspension of Matangi Tonga. Since Tonga left school, he enrolled at Utah Valley State College to keep his academic progress going. Tonga likely will prepare for and serve an LDS mission before he plays football again. Injuries have sidelined Kyle Luekenga and Judd Anderton, leaving only sophomore Brett Denney available for drills.

"The remaining players we're using are walk-ons, bodies we've added here and there," said Kaufusi.

This should make the remaining scrimmages interesting. How many reps will Kaufusi give his three starters today in a full-contact, full-speed scrimmage of about 50 plays?

"Brett is doing a great job," Jorgensen said. "He's really come on."

Redshirt JC transfer defensive end Mosese Foketi just underwent hand surgery. He spent his first season out of Laney Community College learning Mendenhall's "totally invested" regime.

Said Foketi this week: "I was having fun out here because all the coaches were liking me. I was redeeming myself (before the injury). I was going after that end spot."

Unlike Tuesday's indoor practice, the Cougars worked out Thursday on a cold, windy and sometimes snowy outside practice field. Mendenhall had on his normal attire that included shorts. The rest of his staff were wearing rain gear or sweats except for the latest hire, offensive line coach Mark Weber, who copied Mendenhall.