Creating turnovers a focus in BYU football practice

The Brigham Young football team finished the 2012 season ranked No. 3 nationally in total defense but No. 57 in forcing turnovers. The Cougars were 56th with 12 interceptions and 62nd with 10 fumble recoveries. Improving those numbers is a focus in spring practice.

“We need to do a better job getting the ball out. We need more turnovers,” said defensive coordinator and secondary coach Nick Howell.

Howell was named defensive coordinator before spring practice, but coach Bronco Mendenhall will continue to call the defensive plays.

“We’re not doing anything different,” Howell said. Defensive coordinator “is just a title. I’m still coaching the secondary, and our structure is just the same.”

■ MAKING A MOVE — It’s been awhile since Adam Hine has been at full speed, but the 6-foot-1-inch, 200-pound sophomore running back from Santa Clara, Utah, finally is running with the first team offense.

“It feels good,” he said. “One of the things that slowed me down was filling those mission legs. I don’t know if it was in my head or what, but I’m feeling a lot better.”

Hine rushed for 1,276 yards and 25 touchdowns during his junior season at Snow Canyon High School in 2007. He moved to quarterback for his senior year. Following a two-year church mission to Panama, Hine redshirted at BYU in 2011. A quad injury sidelined him for all but four games last fall.

Now healthy, he is pushing senior Michael Alisa and sophomore Jamaal Williams for playing time.

“All of us, we bring a lot of effort,” Hine said. “That’s what we need. They are pushing us to go fast.”

Running backs have flourished under offensive coordinator Robert Anae. During his previous tenure as coordinator, from 2005 to 2010, Harvey Unga rushed for a school-record 3,455 yards, and Curtis Brown finished with 3,221 yards rushing — second-most in school history.

“Adam has a multiple role,” Anae said. “We are looking at him being a multiple, versatile, well-rounded back — blocking, running, receptions and the whole thing.”

■ NO-HUDDLE OFFENSE — When BYU kicks off its season Aug. 31 at Virginia, the Cougars will debut a new offense — and it likely will eliminate huddles between offensive plays.

“It’s a no-huddle offense,” junior cornerback Jordan Johnson said. “The offense is a lot more up-tempo. We are adjusting too. They get the calls from the sideline. We aren’t waiting around for them to get a play and line up. It’s a lot different.”

■ NIT BATTLE — The Cougars men’s basketball team (22-11) hosts Mercer (24-11) on Monday in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament. The game will be televised at 6 p.m. on ESPN (Cox 30). Sophomore guard Tyler Haws needs 28 points to pass Danny Ainge for most points combined in freshman and sophomore seasons in school history. Ainge totaled 1,130 in 1977-78 and 1978-79. Haws has 1,103.

Dave McCann is a news anchor for KSL television in Salt Lake City and play-by-play voice for BYU sports on BYUtv. He also is the host of True Blue, which airs at 5:30 p.m. Mondays on BYUtv. He can be reached at dmccann@ksl.com or on Twitter @DaveMcCannKSL.