Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Taysom Hill (4) celebrates his touchdown against Hawaii with Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Riley Nelson (13) in Provo Friday, Sept. 28, 2012.
Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
BYU quarterback Riley Nelson is still suffering from a back injury while true freshman quarterback Taysom Hill took all of the first-string reps in practice Monday, head coach Bronco Mendenhall told KSL.
"Riley is just not healthy. And when you're hurt the way he was hurt, he just wasn't able to be who he needed to be for this football team," offensive coordinator Brandon Doman told KSL. "When he's ready to be that guy and he's healthy, then we'll re-evaluate at that point and get Riley going back into the swing of things."
Nelson, a former Utah State Aggie, wants to play against his former team "extremely bad," he told KSL.
"If (Hill) continues to progress," Doman told KSL, "he'll be a great quarterback at BYU for the next while."
Hill is currently planning on being the starting quarterback against Utah State on Friday, he told KSL.
EMAIL: bbullock@desnews.com
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Read more about BYU's quarterbacks on KSL.
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Given the facts that Riley's injury is a back injury, and given his performance against USU last year, I predict that Riley might play a little, but Hill will be in most of the game. Hill better prepare himself hard. I want to see some amazing More..
I want Riley to come out and play well, but I fear that with his back injury and it being Ut State that he will try to "over perform" would make a lot of unwise things. Plus, knowing that the opposing QB has a back injury, what defense More..
I wish I knew right now who was starting so I can make my final Grid Picks choice. If Riley starts I think USU will eat him up. A Lark or Hill start equals a win for BYU.