BYU football: Cougars looking to develop QBs as spring drills open

Over the years, the Cougars have been very thin on the offensive line during spring ball. Once again, BYU will be missing several scholarship O-linemen this spring. Mendenhall said starting left tackle Ryker Mathews and reserve lineman Brock Stringham won't participate due to injuries and surgeries, and that center Blair Tushaus has decided to transfer. Manaaki Vaitai will take the majority of snaps at center.

"We added a high number of junior college offensive linemen for that very reason, so we have enough bodies," said Mendenhall, whose team will add six offensive linemen, including freshmen and junior college transfers, in the fall. "We might be able to have a three-deep, actually, which we haven't had in the spring for quite some time."

In other personnel news, tight end Austin Holt will move to the defensive line. Defensive lineman Bronson Kaufusi will re-join the football team after basketball season is over, while freshman Jacob Hannemann, a starter on the baseball team, will split his time between baseball and football, Mendenhall said.

The Cougars will conduct a spring scrimmage open to the public at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday, March 30, at 11 a.m.

"I don't anticipate many full scrimmages, maybe just a single full scrimmage," Mendenhall said. "But we're going to be working very hard installing, working against each other and working at a very high level."

Spring drills are scheduled to conclude on April 5.

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