BYU football notebook: Mendenhall says offense is making incremental progress

PROVO — When asked how much the BYU offense has improved in recent weeks, head coach Bronco Mendenhall compared the improvement process to climbing a mountain.

"I'm not even sure what scale to measure it on," Mendenhall said during the weekly Mountain West Conference teleconference on Tuesday. "I used an analogy after the (Wyoming) game. We have a story in our program that matters a lot us about some climbers making a first ascent. At one point, it took them three days to move six feet. It would be similar to that.

"We are making progress. It's not in leaps and bounds. It is incremental. But I still see some progress. It's inch-by-inch, brick-by-brick right now."

This week in the national statistics, the Cougars rank No. 104 in passing offense, No. 106 in total offense and No. 113 in scoring offense.

Mendenhall said that he's not trying to learn more about his players at this point in the season.

"I'm trying to inspire them to become who they can truly be and reach their potential," he said. "Football is a great way to do that. Every game provides an occasion to rise to."

INJURY UPDATE: Outside linebacker Jordan Pendleton (knee) is questionable for next week's game against UNLV, Mendenhall said Tuesday.

Wide receiver McKay Jacobson, who tweaked his knee early in last Saturday's win over Wyoming, should be ready to go against the Rebels. "That's the word I get right now," Mendenhall said. "So we're hopeful."

Safety Steven Thomas, who has been out since the Florida State game after suffering a concussion, has been practicing again this week.

"He's available and competing with Travis Uale this week to see who will play free safety," Mendenhall said. "We might see both of them (against UNLV)."

TRICK-OR-TREAT: For the second straight year, BYU's bye week has fallen on the weekend of Halloween.

"I will be trick-or-treating with my boys, which will be fun," Mendenhall said when asked about his plans for the weekend.

And what will the Cougars' coach be dressed up as for Halloween?

"Don't know yet," he said. "If I said that, then people would be looking for whatever I'm dressed up as. So I'd just as soon be anonymous."

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE: The Cougars are practicing Monday through Thursday this week. Friday will be a conditioning and lifting day, then they'll take Saturday and Sunday off. BYU's first practice in preparing for UNLV will be Thursday.

Assistant coaches leave Thursday night to go recruiting.

GOOD TIMES: One of the standard questions Mendenhall fields during every bye week is, "Does this bye come at a good time for your team?"

That question came again Tuesday.

"I think so," he said. "Every year I'm asked if it's at a good time. You just make it a good time. You can't control it. You try to work on the things your team needs, so you make it a good time."

e-mail: jeffc@desnews.com