Provo • BYU football coach Bronco Mendenhall put the name Taysom Hill (a backup quarterback) and the term "Wildcat" in the same sentence earlier this week, but the player who might actually be used in that role if the Cougars put it into their offense is quarterback-turned-receiver Alex Kuresa.
Offensive coordinator Brandon Doman said Saturday that Hill, the returned missionary who signed with Stanford out of high school, is still in the battle to be the second- or third-string quarterback and won't be asked to learn anything else — at least for the next few weeks.
"I would say right now that Alex Kuresa is probably getting more opportunities in the wildcat world," Doman said. "⦠He is just trying everything. He is going on a mission at the end of the season, so that kind of limits him as a quarterback."
Kuresa, younger brother of former BYU offensive lineman Jake Kuresa, signed as a quarterback out of Mountain Crest High in 2011. He redshirted last year and was the scout team quarterback.
"He is another one of our best athletes on this team," Doman said. "He can run the ball, he can catch it, he can run routes. We are just exploring and experimenting with him. I suspect he will play and help us this year, be it at slot receiver, or maybe even tailback. There's a lot of things that he can do to help us."
Offensively, Doman said Kuresa and junior running back Mike Alisa are having outstanding camps through three days.
"Michael Alisa is just killing it right now," Doman said. "He's probably the number one guy right now that is standing out."
Still out
For the second straight practice, receiver Cody Hoffman and safety Joe Sampson were held out due to disciplinary reasons. Mendenhall said neither player would practice on Monday, either, meaning that neither will be able to participate in the scrimmage on Thursday at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
NCAA rules stipulate that players must participate in four practices before they can don full pads.
Scheduling note
Notre Dame released its 2013 football schedule on Saturday and it was learned that next year's game against BYU will be played on Nov. 23 in South Bend, Ind. It was previously believed that the game would be played on Nov. 16, a week after the Cougars traveled to Wisconsin.
The Irish will play at BYU in 2014, but a date for that game has not been set.
Briefly
Former Jordan High receiver Cody Raymond, a walk-on, was the player of the day Saturday with three catches for 37 yards, including a diving catch. ⦠Former Alta quarterback Dallin Cutler, a receiver, left practice early with a hamstring injury. ⦠Sophomore tight end Devin Mahina broke his right hand Saturday. He will have surgery on Sunday and be out for 3-5 weeks.
Twitter: @drewjay
