Quarterback Taysom Hill is back after suffering a season-ending torn LCL last season. (USATSI)

College football never ends, and during the next few weeks teams will be getting ready for the 2013 season in their spring practice sessions. Here's a look at the Brigham Young Cougars and what they'll be working on this spring.

Spring practice began: March 4

Spring game: March 30

2012 record: 8-5

Returning starters: 14 (nine offense, five defense)

BYU was one of the stingiest defensive teams in 2012, featuring key playmakers and a stout front seven. However, the Cougars offense struggled at times, ranking 64th in scoring in 2012, generating 28.7 points per game. If BYU wants to make the jump to the next level in college football, it will need to be more consistent on the offensive end. With a number of talented skill-position players in the fold, there are pieces the Cougars can use to elevate its offensive production. The spring will be the first chance for coaches to evaluate before the start of the 2013 season.

The Least You Should Know About Brigham Young This Spring

-- After a season of injuries and sub-standard play at the position, BYU needs stability at quarterback. Throughout 2012 the Cougars offense could never build continuity and played three different starting quarterbacks. As spring practice unfolds, one rehab is of particular note for the Cougars: that of sophomore quarterback Taysom Hill, who suffered a season-ending torn LCL in 2012. Hill showed some promise early in the year, rushing for 336 yards on 55 carries, throwing for 425 yards on a 59.2 percent completion rate and accounting for eight total touchdowns through six games. Hill's playing time gradually increased until his first start of the season -- against Utah State when he sustained the injury. Thus far, Hill has impressed in spring practices and has been leading the first-team offense, although coaches have not yet named a starter. However, it appears as though it is Hill's job to lose. Additional first-team reps and an entire offseason to heal should bode well for Hill taking the reins of the BYU offense in 2013. How he performs through the rest of the spring, however, will be a prominent determining factor.

-- BYU's biggest acquisition over the off-season was retaining a player it already had. After his breakout performance in the Poinsettia Bowl, in which he totaled eight tackles, 1 1/2 sacks, an interception and two touchdowns, linebacker Kyle Van Noy was rumored to enter the NFL Draft. However, Van Noy committed to return to BYU for his senior season 10 days after the Poinsettia Bowl. Despite Van Noy's return to Provo, BYU did lose perhaps its most explosive player, Ezekiel Ansah. The Cougars are replacing six defensive starters from a unit that ranked third in both scoring defense (14.0 points per game) and total defense (266.1 yards per game). In fact, all three starters on the defensive line from last season are gone. One reason why the Cougars are unlike any other program in college football is because they have several players returning from LDS missions, most notably Tuni Kanuch and Sae Tautu. Tautu was a linebacker prior to leaving for the mission, but will compete at defensive end in the spring. To help the new faces assimilate into the BYU defense, Van Noy will be an essential part in providing senior leadership.

-- The competition to watch this spring is the one at cornerback. Junior Jordan Johnson is the starter at the field cornerback. The early favorites to replace departing Preston Hadley at the boundary are JUCO transfer and early enrollee Trent Trammell, Mike Hague and Jacob Hannemann. Both Trammell and Hague have more experience at safety, but are expected to receive practice reps at cornerback to help determine the starter. Hannemann used a redshirt year in 2012, but expect a competitive spring among the players in the running for playing time. It's also not out of the question for BYU to employ several players at the boundary corner position next season.

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