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Provo • The more BYU's Bronco Mendenhall stays in coaching, the more difficult it is for him to watch players suffer season-ending injuries.
The coach announced Monday that senior linebacker Jordan Pendleton has been lost for the season due to a knee injury. Pendleton saw a specialist on Monday to select a surgical procedure that will obviously require months and months of rehabilitation.
"It has been a tough weekend for him and myself as we are dealing with him having played his last football game at BYU after working so diligently to fight and come back and help us this season," Mendenhall said. "We will keep him integrated in every way possible in terms of practice and even helping coach his position to keep him with us."
A former Class 5A football MVP from Bingham High School, Pendleton played the entire game against TCU on Oct. 28 and was not certain which play caused him to suffer what Mendenhall termed a "new injury to his knee."
But it became sore the next day, and doctors have determined surgery is required.
Pendleton suffered a season-ending knee injury last year at Utah State, but gradually worked his way back. Calling him an "NFL player," Mendenhall said he believes Pendleton can recover and play professional football someday.
"He has earned my respect and his teammates' respect," Mendenhall said.
Another senior, Jameson Frazier, will start at strongside (Sam) linebacker in Pendleton's absence, and freshman Alani Fua will be Frazier's backup. Weakside linebacker Kyle Van Noy has been cross-trained to play Sam as well.
Punter problems
It is not a certainty yet that Riley Stephenson will handle the punting chores when the Cougars play host to Idaho on Saturday (7:15 p.m., ESPN2) in Provo. After Stephenson struggled against TCU both handling snaps and getting punts off cleanly, Mendenhall said backup punter Brian Smith is being given the chance to show what he can do in practice.
The Cougars "are still having our punters kind of alternate in practice," Mendenhall said. "We've kind of kept a real nice record all the way through last week. We will do the same this week."
Mendenhall reiterated that it wasn't just Stephenson's fault against the Frogs, noting that the snaps were poor on at least two attempts.
Briefly
Idaho leads the series against BYU 2-1, but the teams have not met since 1955, a 49-6 Idaho win in Provo. ... The Cougars are 6-1 under Mendenhall after a bye week and 10-2 after the week off the past 10 years.
Twitter: @drewjay Saturday's Game
Idaho at BYU, 7:15 p.m.
TV: ESPN2