This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Thirteen different BYU players have caught passes this season, through three games. Seniors Ross Apo and Keanu Nelson, the Stanford transfer, don't have catches yet, unbelievably. Apo has played in all three wins, according to the participation reports that accompany the box scores after every game. I asked receivers coach Guy Holliday on Wednesday why Apo and Nelson aren't playing more or getting the ball more. "I think you got two different situations. Ross has been struggling with some things, and I don't want to get into those. Off the field, it is real life here. He is doing the best he can in handling all the different situations that you are faced with. And you gotta be focused at practice. The great thing about having the receivers we have now is that it is all about competition. He's had a really good week of practice, and you will see Ross more and more. I always say, when people ask me about a player [not playing], 'well, who do you want me to take off the field. Do you want me to take 9 [Jordan Leslie] off the field? Do you want me to take 10 [Mitch Mathews] off the field? Hey, let's not play [Devon] Blackmon any more.' So everybody has their favorites. It is my job to figure out who does what the best and put them on the field to be successful." When I asked coach Bronco Mendenhall on Monday why Apo doesn't have a bigger role, he also hinted that Apo is dealing with some off-the-field issues. "Ross is just working, struggling, and competing," Mendnehall said. "We have more depth, and sometimes there is just different areas, on and off the field, that have to come together before players emerge and find their role. So he is working on that, doing a nice job. I don't expect it to be seasonlong. I think he will find a nice role soon." Holliday also provided an update on junior college transfer Nick Kurtz, who suffered a fractured foot during fall camp. Coaches hope that Kurtz will be ready for the Utah State game in two weeks (BYU has a bye next week), but haven't ruled out the possibility of him redshirting. He has three years to play two. "I don't know as far as how close he is to coming back. I know he is rehabbing. We don't play really, as far as 'are we going to change the game plan when Nick is back?' I think we can stretch the field with the guys we have. What he provides us with is another weapon, so if they are going to, for instance, Connecticut dropped eight, which is really hard to get the deep ball against that. It is going to be relative to what we get against the defense. We are going to play smart offensive football and take what the defense gives us."Kurtz is no longer in a walking boot and wasn't using that wheeled walking device when he was seen on campus recently. "I think the projection date was to have him start running here soon," Holliday said. "I talk to him every day. He says he feels good. The closer he gets, we are all hoping we can get him back for Utah State, but we will see what happens." Regarding the possibility of Kurtz redshirting, Holliday said: "I think we gotta look at two things: what is best for our football team, and what is best for our football player. When that time comes, we will make that decision. We are going to get him ready to play in a game, and if it is to our advantage to have him on the field, we are going to do that. But Bronco is a guy who looks after his players. If it is to our advantage to redshirt him to benefit him as a person, then we have to look at that. But each week, things change, and we could lose two receivers. Heck, he's got to be ready. We will strap the jersey on him and say, 'let's rise, it is time to go.' So that's kind of where his game is." Here's more from the receivers coach, the only offensive coach made available to reporters this week: On not throwing deep much:"We are completing 68, close to 70 percent of our passes, and so we can't complain about that. I would like to throw every ball deep and catch 60 percent of those, and then we would be really good. We will keep working on what we need to work on, and keep pressing forward." On Devon Blackmon's progress:"Oh, I think you are going to see him play more and more. He definitely has play-making ability. There is no question. But you know, all players respond differently. Devon is a player who can make plays, but you have to do the right things in practice — which he does, for the most part. You don't want to put him in a critical situation where he makes a mistake and it ruins his confidence. So obviously coming off the suspension, he played a little bit against Texas. That's a major arena, and to just throw a kid in there, and he doesn't have an outstanding game. Man, you could ruin his confidence, and lose him for the season. Coming back this past week, we are at home, and I think he got about 25 snaps and caught a ball. He did a good job on punt returns. You will see that going up more and more. We are excited about what he brings. But the thing is, you have to be consistent in practice. I think a lot of people see game day. But it is about practice. You know, as Allen Iverson said, it is not 'just practice.' It is 'practice.' So that's an important part of the game from our standpoint."On Blackmon's TD getting called back:"The first feeling is joy, but being about 3 yards away, trying to tell him to get on [the line of scrimmage]. Second feeling is, 'kill him.' The third feeling is to come back down to reality and tell him we all make mistakes. But it is expected sometimes. You know, we go really fast, go really hard, and when you are just learning, it is tough. If you could have seen Nick Kurtz in the spring, it surely wasn't the Nick Kurtz in the summer. Devon is going to be a great football player for us. I am really excited about that." On his expectation for Jordan Leslie:"He has done exactly what I thought he would. He's physical, he plays hard and he definitely never complains about not getting the ball. When he has the ball in his hands, he can make plays and get things done. He's a really strong football player, and is no different than when I have had him before. The rest will come. The great thing about playing receiver is if you want the ball every play, you are probably not going to perform well because you don't get it, you are upset. I tell my guys it is what happens when you get the opportunity is what makes a really good receiver, and he has taken advantage of those opportunities so far." On Taysom Hill's running and how that affects the passing game:"Hey, if you don't think No. 4 is special, we are not watching the same game. So as long as we are winning games, ….. I am going to celebrate, regardless. The key is to win football games."'On how cleanly they have to play Saturday:"We come into every game with a set of pillars. We got to take care of the football. They have a good defensive unit. They are an improved football team. They are coming into here to win a football game."On whether they are the same football team that lost at Virginia last year:"Oh no. We are so much better. You are talking about the first game of the year, Taysom's first start. We are playing guys at receiver who have never played before. Cody Hoffman didn't play. We are a totally different team. Heck, the coaches, we were still learning the offense, and learning the flexibility of it. And then the competition we have on our offensive line, and at the skill positions, has made us better overall."