News and Notes:
Criddle: “Jake Heaps signed a contract with the Jets, while his contract does look impressive, it is the league minimum.”
Logan: “The thing that impressed me the most about him making it this far is that he did this without any film to back it up.”
Logan: “A coach will think, I can teach him how to read a Cover 2, but I can’t teach him how to zip the ball.”
Criddle: “BYU coaches are scouring the nation, they are doing a fan fest in Irvine so if you’re out there check it out, go meet out with the team.”
Criddle: “BYU self reported last year and nothing came about it.”
Logan: “Look at what happened to Boise St where they got penalized for letting an incoming teammate sleep on the couch of another team member.”
Criddle: “Twestion: How would the BYU fan base react if a guy like Max Hall (career wins, all-conference) wasn’t invited to the NFL combine?”
How We See It:
Logan: “I know that Max broke some records during his time at BYU, he struggled with arm strength but he was able to over come that. But I would be surprised if he wouldn’t have been invited.”
Logan: “Fans would’ve been absolutely outraged. Max was so talented, he was the only QB I didn’t pick off in practice.”
Criddle: “I bring this up because I thought that Tyler would get invited. Bob Medina told us that he turned down the Portsmouth to focus on the combine.”
Mauss: “There were 62 invited and a few weren’t able to make it or even turned it down.”
Logan: “When it was time to come out, I had a CFL team that bought my rights so I can’t go anywhere else.”
Logan: “It doesn’t matter what sport you’re playing, it’s a one-on-one sport and your individual abilities really matter.”
Criddle: “I’m happy with where BYU is at right now, I think there could be improvements but it isn’t anything too crucial.”
4:30 Segment:
Logan: “I think that the NBA is even more of a one-on-one game than any other sport out there.”
Criddle: “Michigan KR Dennis Norfleet was kicked off of the team at Michigan for skipping finals.”
Criddle: “He’s the all-time leader for return yards for Michigan, but he has never scored a TD.”
Logan: “Man, he must be slow! He might be shifty but probably not too quick.”
Logan: “I went to a local Pro Day with the 49ers and Jim Harbaugh came and spoke to us, listening to him speak I had adrenaline pumping through my veins, I was ready to run through a brick wall for that guy.”
Cougar Insider Report:
Criddle: “Some FA’s are signing right now and they may get some eye popping contracts, but that’s actually the league minimum and a lot of times none of it is guaranteed.”
Criddle: “The only time that these guys really get money is when they get a signing bonus.”
Criddle: “It was reported that Alani Fua had a tweak to his foot, it wasn’t a serious injury and he’ll be back in a few weeks.”
Criddle: “What is up with foot and ankle injuries at BYU?”
Logan: “There were like more than 20 kids who suffered those same injuries.”
Criddle: “Do you think there is some correlation with a foot and ankle injury and the S&C program?”
Logan: “Yeah I think so.”
Kent Somers Interview:
Somers: “I didn’t get a chance to see Solo, it’s hard to evaluate the big guys when they’re in shorts, it’s more like flag football.”
Somers: “Fua played OLB at BYU but he was moved inside with the Cardinals and really impressed the team.”
Somers: “He has a good chance to make the team, they don’t have a ton of depth at MLB and he performed well.”
Somers: “Some of the UFA’s he’s competing against are still trying to make a mark on the defense.”
Somers: “If he can be an inside backer on the weak side he can be used in a very versatile way, in cover, against the run, and in blitz packages.”
Somers: “Arizona drafted Marcus Golden in the 2nd round and Shaq Riddick in the 5th round.”
Somers: “His injury certainly doesn’t help, it’s a critical time for rookies to learn and get work in.”
Somers: “They run a complicated defensive system that’s probably harder than any system that any of these guys have run in college.”
Somers: “They view Paul as a full back but in Bruce Arians system, they don’t really use a full back.”
Somers: “The only pads they’re using right now are helmets. They do do a little I-formation but they don’t do a whole lot of it.”
Somers: “I think they like his toughness and are really intrigued by him.”
Somers: “Fans think that if Carson Palmer stayed healthy they could’ve made a Super Bowl run, it’s a very positive attitude.”
Somers: “It’s hard to say, everyone who knew Max down here was surprised.”
Somers: “I don’t know that there are a ton of people who feel they really know Max Hall, he was a QB for such a short time that he’s not very well remembered.”
Somers: “His career here was very interesting, coaches were thrilled about him. They didn’t want anyone to write positive things about him so he wouldn’t get picked up in case he was released.”
Somers: “He didn’t really have the strongest arm and he was kind of frail and there were those who were worried that they he would be picked up in free agency.”
Somers: “He was kind of thrown to the wolves earlier than they planned and a few QB’s struggled after Kurt Warner retired a little earlier than they originally planned.”
Somers: “Andrew Rich was a player who had an opportunity to make the team and he ended up walking away which shocked everyone.”
Somers: “I never heard any rhetoric about BYU Football players being too old for the NFL, for most positions I think it’s an asset because they are smarter and more mature.”
Logan: “Andrew was my best friend and I had a lot of respect for him and when he came home and told us about it and I gained a lot more respect for him.”
Logan: “When I was in the CFL, these guys aren’t your teammates, they’re your brothers by default and it’s very different.”
Logan: “It was more than just a game to guys like Andrew, you lose that at the NFL level and it becomes a business.”
Logan: “I’ve played at almost every level of the sport and it’s so much different than anything else.”
Logan: “Your teammates see you as someone who is making it so they can’t feed their family.”
Logan: “I think it changes once you become a veteran instead of a rookie.”
5:30 Segment:
Logan: “I appreciate the fact that BYUSN is trying to bring me on as a real member of the team.”
Criddle: “CBS Sports put out a post-spring top 25 poll from Dennis Dodd. #1 and #2 are Ohio St and TCU.”
Logan: “I think that Jake has every tool to be successful in the NFL. His problem here was lack of work ethic.”
Criddle: “I heard that he’d never be around during weight lifting or work outs.”
Logan: “He would also only throw against air even tho he had DB’s who wanted to get some work in.”
Logan: “I also think he ran off because his feelings were hurt, he maybe had a lack of maturity.”
Logan: “My wife is from Missouri and her Dad is a huge fan, it was my birthday a few weeks ago and they gave me a cake that had a Mizzou Tiger on it.”
Criddle: “Shots have been fired!!”
Logan: “He thinks that their QB is becoming more of a pocket passer and they also are struggling with depth in the secondary.”
Criddle: “BYU just missed out on the top 25.”
Jonny Linehan Interview:
Criddle: “I had a kid who got Dear John’d on his mission, he got a letter and opened it up, saw his girlfriend and his brother on a wedding announcement.”
Linehan: “I have championships 3 in a row, 4 for the team.”
Linehan: “This year we weren’t as talented as before so we had to gel a bit as a brotherhood and do what we could do beat Cal.”
Linehan: “We made a commitment to do what we could to support our brothers so we could win.”
Linehan: “We have 8 or 9 seniors who have been here and contributed to the program and I think next year will be difficult for us.”
Linehan: “Even though the season ended last week, we are getting in the weight room and getting in shape.”
Linehan: “I think that Calvin Whiting will be one of the best players that BYU will ever see.”
Linehan: “I think he will be a future captain and can play professionally. He can kick well, he can pass well, and he’s lockdown on defense.”
Linehan: “I love BYU and BYU sports and BYU athletics. I hate going to a sporting event and not being out there and I want to do what I can to help any team out there.”
Linehan: “I’m practicing on my own right now, I’ll report for fall camp and do what I can to work to make the team, I have to earn it.”
Linehan: “The guy that has been helping me the most and showing me the love is Moose Bingham who’s giving me some pointers.”
Linehan: “There was a week where Coach Tidwell came and told me that they were trying to call me and I had to answer my phone.”
Linehan: “Because of eligibility issues I wasn’t able to participate during the spring but we are planning on me being available for the fall.”
Linehan: “I dream about punting a ball 99 yds and going down, making the tackle, forcing a fumble, and scoring a touchdown.”
Linehan: “I think it would be a cool story if I was the first punter who also was a punt returner.”
Linehan: “Anytime I go out I do punting and placekicking so I can increase my value on the team.”
Linehan: “I hope both me and my wife can take BYU sports by storm as the Linehan power couple.”
Linehan: “We have a lot of love for the football team and have a great relationship with those guys.”
Linehan: “When Scott Arellano was getting ready for Pro Day I would go out and catch his punts, I’ll be honest, I can catch them quite easy.”
Linehan: “In rugby you can’t call a fair catch so I felt pretty good doing that.”
Linehan: “I’m going to learn how to do traditional punting so I can do either depending on the game situation.”
Linehan: “I’ve watched some of Tom Hackett’s film and would like to do something similar to what he does.”
Logan: “Bronco and Holly will have meetings with the player’s wives and talk about how they can improve their marriage.”
Logan: “A bunch of girls were pouring their heart out about how their husbands were constantly on their phones and my wife said that we didn’t have a problem with it at all.”
Logan: “I think that I’m a lot like Coach Mendenhall and my wife is like Holly.”
Criddle: “Holly is very independent. I think I heard that she went to Europe by herself last summer.”
Spencer Hadley Interview:
Criddle: “The Raiders have been good to BYU, there are a lot of former players who have stayed there.”
Hadley: “I think our coaching staff change was the biggest staff turn around in NFL history, we only kept one guy.”
Hadley: “There’s a new energy in the building, it’s a lot of fun. I’m calling it right now, we’re playoff bound.”
Hadley: “Last year when you were coming into the building, you were coming into work. There wasn’t a vibe of fun and it didn’t help that we were losing.”
Hadley: “The defense that we are running is a little more simple, not that it’s lesser but assignments make more sense.”
Hadley: “The defense we ran at BYU has been referred to as a smart man’s defense. It takes a lot of knowledge to make the right calls and the right checks.”
Hadley: “Most scouts analysis said that I would be an inside LB at the NFL level and I feel much more comfortable about it now.”
Hadley: “To rush those tackles, you have to be a little bit taller and a little bit longer.”
Hadley: “There were 2 guys listed ahead of me on the depth chart during the veterans mini-camp.”
Hadley: “I was only activated for 2 games so I was still technically a rookie so I was eligible to participate in the rookie mini-camp.”
Hadley: “It was good to see Rob Daniel out there making some plays and making a name for himself.”
Hadley: “Rob didn’t allow any passes and he actually got an interception over the weekend, he’s playing really well.”
Hadley: “Right now they have me playing as #48 so it’s probably making David Nixon happy, I really like #40.”
Hadley: “I want to change my number to 40 because of Pat Tillman, there are few people I consider heroes and he’s one of them.”
