"The report I get from coach Omer is that Russell has worked harder more consistently than at any time in his BYU career," said Mendenhall.

Added Jorgensen, "They kind of formed a bond last year, and I think because of that coach Omer has been able to help Russell. And as a result, Russell has worked out as hard as he ever has in his life this off season, and that's because of that relationship. It's been beneficial to him."

Mendenhall said he has a list of individual 40 times on his desk, but he hasn't digested them or tried to make sense of what they mean.

"There is such a discrepancy between hand times and electronic times," said Mendenhall. "Players will give you their hand-held times. Coach Omer will take their electronic times and that can mean a difference in two-tenths of a second, a huge jump.

"I'd just as soon players think they're 4.5 instead of 4.7. It doesn't matter to me. I have the results, but they don't mean anything to me. It's more of position mastery and if they can do their job. We play faster teams in our league. And arguably we play more talented teams at some positions in our league.

"The cohesion and execution will win at the end of the day, and that's where I'd like to spend our time," Mendenhall said. "The players like to focus on the times, but that's not as important to me."

EXTRA POINTS: Mendenhall said he might use as many as six walk-ons this fall. "It's too early to anticipate, but there will be a handful. I can already see through spring practice. It will be that way as long as I'm the coach. There just isn't that much difference in our best walk-ons and our scholarship players. What one may lack in terms of size, speed or athletic ability, they make up for it in heart and attitude. So I'd say there might be as many as five or six who could end up playing for us in some role. ... Since Mendenhall got the BYU job, he's awarded 20 scholarships to walk-ons. "I haven't heard of a number that close anywhere," he said. "I think all that is doing is perpetuating a cycle of other players doing that ... and creating a cycle. ... All that's being presented is an opportunity, and I like that because it's more of a pure form of motive of why you go to a school."

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E-mail: dharmon@desnews.com