2013 BYU football spring game recap: Cougars QB Ammon Olsen injured in Blue and White Game

Sophomore quarterback Ammon Olsen, taking center stage at Saturday's Blue and White Game in place of the injured Taysom Hill, suffered an apparent knee injury. Olsen, who transferred to BYU from Southern Utah after an LDS mission and had not played in a game since 2009, was excellent in two series before suffering a partially torn PCL.

Head coach Bronco Mendenhall praised Olsen's performance before the injury:

Mendenhall told reporters that Olsen's injury likely would not need surgery, but could take six weeks to heal. Both Olsen and quarterbacks coach Jason Beck were hopeful that the injury was not serious:

"I think I just got rolled up on," said Olsen, who ran BYU's scout team offense last season. "I don't think it's super-severe, but you never know with knee problems."

"Hopefully, it's a just couple of weeks and he'll be back and healthy," Beck said. "Obviously, he's key to what we're doing. He's battling for the first spot or at least the second spot. He's going to be an important guy for our team."

Sophomore quarterback Taysom Hill, assumed by many to be the likely starter when BYU opens its season in September, has been sidelined through most of spring practice while recovering from a knee injury suffered in October.

The BYU offense controlled the game, scoring on back-to-back 75-yard scoring drives to open the scrimmage and registering four touchdowns in all. As Brandon Gurney of the Deseret News reports, the BYU defenders were not happy with their play:

"It wasn't a great day for the defense," Hague said. "Touchdowns are not good. No matter what we're doing and who is in the game, touchdowns simply aren't good - ever."

"We have a lot to work on and have a lot of things we need to do to get to where we need to be - that's what I learned today," said linebacker Manoa Pikula. "Some things were good, but this isn't close to where we need to be, but we'll learn and get better."

The Cougar defense was significantly shorthanded Saturday, playing without top linebacker Kyle Van Noy and a handful of other presumed starters. It was also facing BYU's new up-tempo offense for the first time in a full scrimmage.

The Blue and White Game ends BYU's spring practice schedule. The Cougars open the 2013 season at Virginia on Aug. 31.

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