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BYU cornerback Terrian Alexander (24) breaks up a pass during practice in Provo on Saturday, March 16, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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A BYU defender attempts to knock a pass away from Cougar wide receiver Dominique McKenzie during BYU football practice at the indoor practice facility in Provo on Monday, March 4, 2024.

Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo

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BYU head coach Kalani Sitake talks to his players after BYU football practice at the indoor practice facility in Provo on Monday, March 4, 2024.

Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo

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A BYU running back runs the ball up the field during football practice in Provo on Thursday, March 14, 2024.

Aaron Cornia, BYU Photo

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Near the end of the 2023 football season, BYU senior defensive back Eddie Heckard said that in his opinion the Cougar defense would be exponentially better when the players understood the concepts well enough to know when to go off script.

He said that a lot of his big plays (five interceptions, six pass breakups) came because he knew when to take a chance.

Heckard is now working toward getting a chance to play pro football but Cougar head coach Kalani Sitake said after practice last Saturday that his mentality left a legacy that current BYU defenders can learn from.

“When you look at what Eddie did, he did a lot of that and then it was on film,” Sitake said. “When the young guys see it, they see he was supposed to be doing something else but he was playing the eyes of the quarterback, playing the odds of down and distance, doing all these things. Those are all teaching moments. We really didn’t have that on film and now we do.”

So how are the Cougars doing at getting to that point?

BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill said after practice on Monday that some guys are there but he wants to see others fully grasp how and when to improvise.

“That’s still a frustration for me,” Hill said.” There are still some guys that we’re talking about pulling the trigger, who have watched enough film to know when they can jump things and when they can’t.”

He said that having Heckard and cornerback Kamden Garrett already to that point helped the BYU defense last fall and he hopes that number will increase in 2024.

“Some guys are way ahead of that, like Tyler Batty knows where he can take chances. So does Jakob Robinson. Some of the guys who have played a lot I think are way ahead of where they were last year at this time, but we’ve got to continue to get some of the No. 2s and 3s to understand that same concept of where they can be aggressive and where they need to sit back and just play assignment sound. But that’s a that’s always a work in progress.”

Sitake said that although Heckard and Garrett are gone now, others have joined the defense who have some of those advantages of having played under Hill at Weber State. He pointed to defensive lineman Jack Kelly and cornerback Marque Collins as examples.

In addition to the transfers, Sitake said he is seeing it click for players like Jakob Robinson.

“He is starting to really understand the scheme a little bit more, when to take chances and how to disguise what he’s doing,” Sitake said. “Guys who are going through it again are starting to understand how to how to do things and it’s working.”

He said he feels like the starters are making the connections well at this point, but he wants to see the depth attain that same level of understanding and comfort with the scheme.

“The twos and threes are coming along and they’re getting there,” Sitake said. “They have tons of talent and they’re really close, but they have to be on a rapid-speed course. But it helps when you have guys who have played it and then you have guys who are here who know the system. I think the learning process will be accelerated.”

BYU junior safety Talan Alfrey said Saturday that he certainly sees the value of not being predictable.

“It definitely enhances your game and increases your chance to make plays if we can disguise and give the quarterback a look that is different than what we’re actually dropping to,” Alfrey said. “It changes his reads up and takes longer so then the defensive line has more time to get there.”

His point, however, was that you need to guess right a lot more than you guess wrong if you are going to take those chances.

“The biggest thing about taking risks is making plays,” Alfrey said. “If you are supposed to go through the face of a blocker and over the top but you have an inside edge and you make a tackle, Coach is never going to be upset if you make a tackle. But if you do the wrong thing and don’t make the play, that’s going to get you in real trouble.”

To him, the key is understanding the whole defense to know when the time is right to take those chances. He said the players who are in their second year certainly have a better grasp of those nuances.

“We just are getting better and better at that, and that’s good,” Alfrey said. “Having that experience means we don’t have to be just robots. We can disguise, we can shift, we can give different calls and try to make plays that way.”

Hill said he sees clear progress for his defense overall, as well as individuals who are making the most of their opportunities.

“We’re way ahead of last year,” Hill said. “I know that some injuries have hurt as far as having guys on the field that we were anticipating on really taking steps forward, but that’s every spring. I do think on the flip side of that some guys have taken advantage of those reps and have really stepped up.”

Eleven former BYU football players set to participate in inaugural Big 12 Pro Day

The Big 12 Conference announced Wednesday the participants and schedule for next week’s 2024 Big 12 Pro Day event taking place March 27-30 in the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

Eleven players from the 2023 BYU football team are scheduled to participate in the event. BYU’s participants include running backs Aidan Robbins and Deion Smith, tight end Isaac Rex, offensive lineman Paul Maile, defensive linemen Jackson Cravens and Atunaisa Mahe, linebackers Max Tooley and AJ Vongphachanh, defensive backs Kamden Garrett and Eddie Heckard, and All-American punter Ryan Rehkow.

BYU previously had three players–offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia, quarterback Kedon Slovis and Rehkow–invited to work out for NFL teams at the annual NFL Scouting Combine that was held in Indianapolis from Feb. 26-March 4. Suamataia, who has been projected as high as a potential first-round pick, and Slovis, who had a strong showing at the Combine, will not conduct workouts again at next week’s Big 12 Pro Day, but Rehkow will join the 10 other former Cougars to showcase their talents and abilities for NFL teams at the inaugural Big 12 event taking place in the 12,000-seat stadium that serves as the Dallas Cowboys practice facility.

In all, 137 players from Big 12 Conference schools will be on hand to be tested and work out for NFL teams. Launched in partnership with the NFL to showcase Big 12 football talent together at a world-class facility, the 2024 Big 12 Pro Day has replaced traditional on-campus school pro days at Big 12 institutions to provide maximum exposure for Big 12 student-athletes as they prepare for professional careers.

The event will include two workout and testing days with interviews and meetings taking place on the other days.

The on-field workouts start on Thursday, March 28 with quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends in the first grouping, followed later by running backs and then defensive backs. Specialists, offensive linemen, defensive linemen and linebackers get their opportunities to conduct drills and position workouts on Saturday, March 30.

Fans can follow BYU’s social platforms during the event for updates on the Cougars participating. Go to Big12Sports.com for more information and complete list of participants.

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