News conference update: So'oto has broken finger, will miss USU game
Saying the Cougars beat the Colorado State Rams because "we won the physical battle," BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall addressed the media Monday morning and said his team made strides toward improving and is eager to play this week against Utah State.
Mendenhall said he loves the instate rivalry with the Aggies and would love to play USU every year. He learned on his visit to Logan last year "that people care a lot about the rivalry" and that it would be a shame for it to be interrupted again.
Other tidbits and revelations from this morning:
* Mendenhall said Grant Nelson started at outside linebacker against CSU, rather than Jordan Pendleton, because Nelson earned the right to start in practice. He said competition between the two players is so close that they could end up rotating starts the rest of the year.
Pendleton entered the game in the second defensive series, and suffered a slight "bell-ringer." Mendenhall said it is not a concussion and Pendleton should be good to go this week.
* There was some hope that linebacker Matt Bauman (sprained knee) would be able to rest against the Rams, but coaches decided to play him after Terrance Hooks and Shawn Doman got the starts at inside linebacker. Mendenhall said Bauman "played more than expected" but was "a little limited" in what he could do.
* Mendenhall said defensive end Vic So'oto broke a finger against Florida State and wore a cast on his hand against CSU. He even got a sack.
However, So'oto will have surgery on the hand this week and will miss Friday's game against Utah State. That should be the only game he will miss.
* As for defensive tackle Russell Tialavea, who celebrated widely on the sidelines when So'oto got the sack, Mendenhall said he is still expected to be out 2-4 weeks with a sprained knee, but the coach said his hope is that it is closer to two weeks than four.
* Mendenhall gave quarterback Max Hall a vote of confidence, saying he is "confident and comfortable" with the senior QB's progress.
* Asked about all the upsets in college football this season, Mendenhall noted the great parity that exists and said, "We are all at risk."
* Finally, Mendenhall was asked why the players didn't do the Haka after the CSU win. This year, they had been doing the Haka after wins (against Oklahoma and Tulane), but not before games like they did in previous years.
"I don't know. I haven't asked," Mendenhall said, noting that he leaves the decision on whether to do the Haka or not up to the players.
Mendenhall said he loves the instate rivalry with the Aggies and would love to play USU every year. He learned on his visit to Logan last year "that people care a lot about the rivalry" and that it would be a shame for it to be interrupted again.
Other tidbits and revelations from this morning:
* Mendenhall said Grant Nelson started at outside linebacker against CSU, rather than Jordan Pendleton, because Nelson earned the right to start in practice. He said competition between the two players is so close that they could end up rotating starts the rest of the year.
Pendleton entered the game in the second defensive series, and suffered a slight "bell-ringer." Mendenhall said it is not a concussion and Pendleton should be good to go this week.
* There was some hope that linebacker Matt Bauman (sprained knee) would be able to rest against the Rams, but coaches decided to play him after Terrance Hooks and Shawn Doman got the starts at inside linebacker. Mendenhall said Bauman "played more than expected" but was "a little limited" in what he could do.
* Mendenhall said defensive end Vic So'oto broke a finger against Florida State and wore a cast on his hand against CSU. He even got a sack.
However, So'oto will have surgery on the hand this week and will miss Friday's game against Utah State. That should be the only game he will miss.
* As for defensive tackle Russell Tialavea, who celebrated widely on the sidelines when So'oto got the sack, Mendenhall said he is still expected to be out 2-4 weeks with a sprained knee, but the coach said his hope is that it is closer to two weeks than four.
* Mendenhall gave quarterback Max Hall a vote of confidence, saying he is "confident and comfortable" with the senior QB's progress.
* Asked about all the upsets in college football this season, Mendenhall noted the great parity that exists and said, "We are all at risk."
* Finally, Mendenhall was asked why the players didn't do the Haka after the CSU win. This year, they had been doing the Haka after wins (against Oklahoma and Tulane), but not before games like they did in previous years.
"I don't know. I haven't asked," Mendenhall said, noting that he leaves the decision on whether to do the Haka or not up to the players.
10:53 AM
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1 Comments:
Bummer. So'to seems to have had more than his fair share of injuries.
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