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Provo » Quarterback Max Hall played brilliantly in the Cougars' 52-0 win over Wyoming last Saturday, but BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said there is one aspect to Hall's game he would like to see changed.
Hall needs to do a better job avoiding contact when he is running with the ball, the coach reiterated earlier this week.
"He was throwing on time, he had good protection, he was scrambling, he was having fun," Mendenhall said. "The only thing he didn't do was slide. So we are still working on that."
Hall rushed for 30 yards on five carries against the Cowboys, and has gained 164 yards on 52 carries this season.
However, he is credited with 74 net rushing yards, due to sacks.
Asked after the game if Mendenhall has given up asking him to slide, Hall said, "See, I think it is safer not to slide, because then they don't dive at your knees and stuff. But [Mendenhall] hasn't said anything to me recently."
Center R.J. Willing said he doesn't believe Hall will ever start sliding.
"When we pick him up, we tell him, 'you know, Max, you need to slide.' He says, 'you know me, I will never slide.' "
Asked what he is thinking when Hall takes off running, running back J.J. DiLuigi said, "Please slide. Please slide. Some of those situations, I am thinking, OK, maybe you can fake out that guy. But some of those times I am like, 'oh, why did
Return to the field
Backup quarterback Brenden Gaskins (Farmington) is the only player on BYU's roster from New Mexico, but offensive lineman Willing is as familiar with Albuquerque as anyone from BYU except coach Bronco Mendenhall, who was an assistant at UNM for many years.
Willing served his LDS Church mission in Albuquerque from 2005-06 and says he spent several months on the UNM campus.
"It is kind of like going back home. So I am excited," said Willing, from Kahuku, Hawaii.
The senior said he has been able to get tickets for several families and friends, but notes that he expects the usual hostilities from the UNM crowd, even if the Lobos are winless.
"I was surprised at how mild-tempered the Wyoming crowd was [last] week," he said. "When we go to UNM, they tend to be a little more hostile towards us. We get a few of our favorite chants when we go there. But it is always a great experience and a great environment to play in, in those types of situations. So we are looking forward to it."
Kicker comes home momentarily
Justin Sorensen , the former All-American kicker at Bingham High who played his freshman season at BYU before going on an LDS Church mission to Georgia, has returned to Provo to rehabilitate an injured ankle that required surgery, Mendenhall said.
The coach said Sorensen, who kicked off 79 times in 2008 and attempted three field goals, making one, injured his ankle while stepping off a curb in Georgia and has been rehabbing it at the Missionary Training Center in Provo the last four or five weeks.
"He will go back out as soon as a certain threshold is met and he can do what he needs to do on his own," Mendenhall said.
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