Iona Pritchard ready to impact BYU's offense

"When you come in as a freshman, you want to contribute wherever you can," he said. "Fullback and linebacker, the mindset of those two positions are kind of the same. You just want to go out there and punk somebody. You just want to hit somebody. As a tailback, you want to be more controlled. Linebacker, I won't lie. It's fun. Sometimes I still think about being out there. It's different. It's a whole other atmosphere on the defense. The adjustment hasn't been too hard. I just bring the same mindset as if I was a linebacker to the running back side."

Mendenhall has compared Pritchard to former BYU fullback Manase Tonga (2005-07, 09).

"It is a compliment. I'm honored to be compared to that guy," Pritchard said. "But the difference is, he's done something already on the field. I ain't done nothing yet. I just come out and try to perform and do the best that I can to hopefully get that opportunity. I didn't know Manase too well, but from what I've heard and what I've seen from him, he's a pretty good athlete. Of course I'd like to try to be more like him. I just want to be the best that I can be and make a name for myself."

Thanks to his considerable talents, Pritchard is poised to contribute in multiple ways to the Cougar offense.

email: jeffc@desnews.com

BYU camp report

Day 3: BYU practiced in helmets and shorts Saturday morning. Conspicuously absent, once again, were wide receiver Cody Hoffman and defensive back Joe Sampson, who were held out of practice for disciplinary reasons.

Standouts: In team sessions, unofficially, quarterback Riley Nelson competed 4-of-6 passes for 37 yards while backup James Lark was 3-of-4 for 20 yards. Wide receiver Cody Raymond caught three passes for 37 yards.

Injuries: BYU TE Devin Mahina suffered a broken bone in his hand. He will undergo surgery Sunday, and is expected to be out three to five weeks. Wide receiver Dallin Cutler sustained a hamstring injury.

Overheard: "You guys can't sustain the pace (of fall camp), can you? Just telling you what I see. You're laughing because you know it's true." — BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall before addressing media members after practice.