BYU football: Cougars' receiving corps talented but unproven

PROVO — BYU's top two returning receivers from a year ago, O'Neill Chambers and Luke Ashworth, each caught an underwhelming three passes for a combined total of just 91 yards.

Yet despite that — and despite saying goodbye to Austin Collie, who led the nation in receiving in 2008 before bolting for the National Football League, and Michael Reed, who graduated ?— Chambers said this year's receivers will be much more effective than they were a year ago.

"We're going to spread the ball out more. Defenses are going to have a hard time to scheme against us because they're not going to know who to guard on our receiving corps," said the sophomore from Harmony, Fla. "We're good receivers. We have more talent than last year and we have a lot of hard workers.

"This year, it's going to be more of a rotation thing. We're going to work on keeping fresh legs in, no matter what. Any receiver can play right now."

Besides Chambers and Ashworth, the Cougars also boast sophomore McKay Jacobson, who caught 28 passes for 547 yards and three touchdowns as a freshman in 2006, and returned from an LDS Church mission in January. That trio is expected to be reliable targets for quarterback Max Hall.

"We have a lot of good weapons at receiver," Ashworth said. "There's a lot more people to throw to this year. I definitely think I'm going to have a breakout year.

"McKay, O'Neill and I will do very well in this offense. It's going to be about spreading the defenses a lot more, and the coaches are going to utilize the players they have."

Hall said during the off-season he built rapport and trust with his wideouts.

"We want to be the best, and my receivers and I have to be on the same page," Hall said. "Those guys have responded."

Also in the rotation are sophomore Spencer Hafoka, freshman Brett Thompson, junior B.J. Peterson and redshirt freshman Rhen Brown.

Hafoka saw limited action last season, then suffered from an illness that was so severe that it forced him to stay out of school and miss spring ball. Hafoka's return has been a pleasant surprise for the coaching staff.

"I didn't expect him to be this healthy," said Cougar head coach Bronco Mendenhall. "It's a plus for us."