BYU football: Riley Nelson runs, takes a few hits

ROVO — It's not easy being green. Just ask BYU's Riley Nelson.

The junior quarterback was allowed to shed his usual green practice jersey — which makes him off-limits to the defense — during Saturday's 60-play scrimmage at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Wearing a blue jersey, Nelson was eligible to be tackled and able to show off his running ability in a game-like situation.

"I had fun. It was something I had been talking to the coaches about for a long time, since spring, really," said Nelson, who completed 9 of 13 passes for 69 yards and rushed six times for 39 yards. "One thing that I have fun with — that I consider a good strength of mine — is to be able to make something out of nothing. So when things broke down, I was able to make plays with my legs and get a first down, where otherwise we would have had a negative play."

Freshman quarterback Jake Heaps, who did wear a green jersey, completed 8 of 11 passes for 56 yards. Nelson threw the only touchdown of the day, an 8-yard pass to tight end Richard Wilson.

With the season-opener against Washington a little less than two weeks away, coach Bronco Mendenhall said the quarterback race is "dead even." He added that a starting QB probably won't be named until game week.

Mendenhall was fine with letting one of his top two quarterbacks get hit — for one day.

"We thought the risk was worth it, not only to him, but to improve our team. It was great for him to take a few hits, then have to get up and throw the football or run around," he said.

The move also benefited the defense, which must face Washington's talented Jake Locker in the season-opener. "Part of what's happening is (the defense) getting used to finishing a play on a quarterback, knowing the first one we play is very active and aggressive," said Mendenhall.

Clearly, Nelson enjoyed being able to mix it up.

"We figured I'm going to get hit eventually during the season. And if we're going to have designed quarterback runs, I've got to get used to contact because guys are flying around out there," he said. "There are big hits out there in Division I college football. That was the main goal — to be able to take those hits, hold on to the ball and get used to them, so when we get to the season we don't have any problems with ball security."

Nelson's penchant for running could be a big weapon for the Cougar offense.