BYU football: Jacobson has hit the ground running for BYU

PROVO — During spring drills, BYU wide receiver McKay Jacobson spent most of his time on the sidelines, nursing a hamstring injury.

On the first day of fall camp Saturday, the speedy Jacobson wasted little time reminding the Cougars of what he brings to the offense.

He and his teammates awoke in the early morning hours and started their annual race up to the "Y" on the mountain that serves as the campus backdrop. Jacobson, who returned from a mission last winter, arrived first.

"That's an amazing thing," said coach Bronco Mendenhall.

Mendenhall said the sophomore from Southlake, Texas, reminds him of former Cougar Fui Vakapuna in terms of being ready to compete at a high level so soon after completing missionary service.

It's hard for Jacobson to compare the way he feels now to the way he felt a few years ago, but, he said, "I feel good. This summer was a great time to get healthy and work on the routes. I feel 100 percent. You can always get a little bit stronger and faster and I think as the season goes on, that will happen."

As a freshman in 2006, Jacobson caught 28 passes for 547 yards and three touchdowns and returned a punt 77 yards for a touchdown.

For BYU, the timing of Jacobson's return couldn't be better. Austin Collie, who became the school's all-time leader in receiving yardage and led the nation in receiving last season, decided to forgo his senior season to enter the National Football League draft. Collie was selected in the fourth round by the Indianapolis Colts.

With Collie gone, the Cougars are looking to spread the ball around more this season, utilizing tight ends Dennis Pitta and Andrew George and receivers O'Neill Chambers and Luke Ashworth, among others, within the offense. "I actually prefer more distribution and more equality, (taking) nothing away from the nation's leading receiver last year," Mendenhall said. "I prefer that the ball go to a bunch of different places. So I like the prospect."

Hall is impressed that Jacobson has been able to return to form so quickly after a mission.

"It's really weird. I remember Austin coming off his mission and it kind of took him a while and he got hurt during the spring," Hall said. "McKay kind of did the same thing. But I think McKay, surprisingly, is a little bit further ahead. I think he just picked up right where he left off before he left."

Jacobson will be a valuable weapon this season, Hall added.