This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
How bad is the hip injury that BYU freshman cornerback Dallin Leavitt suffered in practice on Tuesday? That should be revealed today, as the media will get access to the last 30 minutes of BYU's morning practice and have a chance to talk to coach Bronco Mendenhall, and others, afterward. Rumors were flying about Leavitt's condition on Tuesday, and the situation became even more mysterious when Leavitt posted "I'm not even hurt" on his Twitter account, then deleted it a few hours later. One of the defensive backs who stands to see more playing time this year, if he can stay healthy, is Skye PoVey, defensive backs coach Nick Howell's brother-in-law. PoVey is listed as a junior on the roster BYU handed out at the beginning of fall camp, but his bio on the BYUCougars.com website says he is a senior. A BYU spokesperson said Tuesday that he is indeed a senior. Here's more on PoVey, and how he has overcome plantar fascia (foot) injuries three times. I asked PoVey about the two newcomers who are vying for starting spots in the secondary, Leavitt and juco transfer Robertson Daniel, on Monday, before Leavitt's injury. Here's his report on Leavitt:"I have been really impressed with him. I would say I am most impressed with his knowledge. Coach Mendenhall's defense is really complex, and lot of people don't pick it up quickly. It is hard for a freshman to come in and play, but that kid put in hours and hours of film. I mean, he answers questions, he understands checks, and he is a smart player, a really smart player." PoVey on Rob Daniel:"The thing that stands out to me about Rob is just his effort. A lot of teams in the country, they don't run to the ball like we do, they don't require the effort that coach Mendenhall does. Rob came in and just kinda took that role on and accepted that, and he plays hard."