PROVO — With no game on Saturday, BYU coaches and players will be in various places this weekend, doing various things, trying to take advantage of some time off.

"I think my wife has something planned. She won't tell me," said quarterback Max Hall. "I really don't know. Whatever she wants to do is what we're going to do."

"Maybe I'll do some trick-or-treating," joked linebacker Matt Bauman. "I'm going to spend some time with my family. I don't see my wife as much as I'd like on the weekends. It's going to be nice to have a Saturday to spend with each other."

Several assistant coaches are out recruiting, watching players who have already committed for the class of 2010 as well as scouting players who could be part of the class of 2011.

The Cougars practiced, conditioned and worked out Tuesday through today before taking the remainder of the weekend off.

Coach Bronco Mendenhall said during the week he did some self-scouting and broke down film of certain plays, schemes and strategies that the Cougars have used through the first eight games of the season.

BYU has also done some work on its next opponent, Wyoming. The Cougars play the Cowboys in Laramie on Nov. 7. Wyoming visits Utah to face the Utes on Saturday.

The bye week has also helped players overcome various illnesses and bumps and bruises.

"It allows our players to heal physically and mentally and then get an early start on our next opponent," Mendenhall said. "We've played eight games. We're more than two-thirds done. That's a lot. We survived it pretty well, health-wise."

JACOBSON'S RETURN: Perhaps the best news for the Cougars is that wide receiver McKay Jacobson, who has missed the last four games due to a hamstring injury, is expected to return to action against Wyoming.

"We're excited to get McKay back. To have McKay back is huge for us," Hall said. "He can stretch the 'D' a little bit and get behind guys. He runs good routes. I think he'll be 100 percent and hopefully stay healthy the rest of the year. It always helps when you have a deep threat. The safeties play softer. Everybody plays softer in the secondary when you have a guy who can run past you. It will help our offense in all aspects."

"He gives us another vertical threat," Mendenhall said. "He's probably the fastest player on our team. It gives us a chance to stretch the field not only width-wise but length-wise."

SEARCHING FOR A SAFETY: The dismissal of sophomore backup safety Shiloah Te'o from the team a few weeks ago has left a void in the Cougars' defensive secondary.

BYU's coaches are looking for a juco safety to sign in December.

"We have considered a possible junior college safety, if we can find one, at midyear because of Shiloah's dismissal," Mendenhall said. "It will have to be the right player and the right fit. If it's not, then we'll go without it. That's a recruiting need that's changed since most of our commitments have happened."

e-mail: jeffc@desnews.com