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Smoke from the wildfires blazing away in the Pacific Northwest and Idaho has moved to the Wasatch Front, creating hazy days in Provo and dirty air that is probably not really good for us to breathe.

But the BYU football practiced outdoors Thursday anyway, getting back at it after coach Bronco Mendenhall gave the boys the day off on Wednesday. They floated down the Provo River and took in a movie, the Fantastic 4.

Mendenhall said the smoky, hazy conditions made the morning practice a little cooler, but didn't seem to affect breathing.

I will just rely on our trainers to tell me when that's the case," Mendenhall said. "But yeah, it is pretty unique. Right now I haven't been told it is a hazard yet, in terms of breathing."

The biggest development Thursday was the return of receiver Mitch Mathews, who has been out of contact drills since undergoing surgery for a hernia two weeks before camp started.

In fact, Mathews caught a touchdown pass from Taysom Hill on his first play.

"It is just part of his normal progression," Mendenhall said of Mathews' return. "This is day three or four with partial practice. So, the trainers are working through that. There's a certain percentage each day, and he gets it, and then I just look out there and either I see him or don't see him."

Offensive lineman Kyle Johnson didn't practice, but Mendenhall and offensive line coach Garett Tujague said the junior will answer the bell when he is needed.

"No concern from my standpoint that he will be ready for the first game," Mendenhall said.

Garrett Juergens had a couple of big catches, Mathews had a touchdown catch and Riley Burt and Adam Hine broke off a couple long runs on Thursday, but otherwise the defense kept the offense in check in the 30 minutes of practice viewed by the media.

Mendenhall was asked which players on offense will be able to make explosive plays this fall.

"It is happening every day in practice," he said. "So Taysom obviously is. And if anyone is within five yards I am blowing the whistle. So that would have changed the scrimmage. Mitch Mathews, certainly, Nick Kurtz, Devon Blackmon. Our running game is actually coming along during the practices. Adam Hine has had a couple nice days, and Francis Bernard. So, mostly from the receivers, quarterback, running back, the skill players. So that is happening in practice. It just didn't happen [last] Saturday."

Mendenhall said Tejan Koroma will likely sit out of Saturday's scrimmage at LaVell Edwards Stadium for the second-straight week. Asked whether a backup center has emerged, he shook his head.

"Work in progress," he said. "Parker Dawe, Jacob Jiminez, those two are the leading candidates. Possibly, with cross-training, Kyle Johnson."

After doing some 11-on-11 work, the Cougars spent some considerable time working on special teams, specifically their punting game. Jonny Linehan and Rhett Almond alternated punts, each getting off four or five.

Every punt was at least decent, and some were boomers, unlike last week when we saw plenty of shanks and pop-ups.

Scouts from the Patriots, Eagles, Giants, Redskins, Bills and Saints attended the practice.