Bronco Mendenhall can't totally relate.

But even with a quarterback completely entrenched at the top of his depth chart, the BYU coach is still a member of a nearly conference-wide club.

More than half the league is holding auditions of some sort under center that will spill over into the fall, and the theories on handling them vary in nearly every situation.

There seems to be an agreement on one universal benefit though, and even if the Cougars only have a battle for a backup job behind Max Hall, Mendenhall is trying to capitalize on competition like everybody else.

"Really that battle [behind Hall] will be the one that is similar to what other teams in the league are going through for that position," Mendenhall said. "That's a positive thing, because I really think Max will benefit from that as well, knowing and seeing and being in a room where there is a competition and there is a situation where every throw, every day, every play matters - not that it doesn't for him.

"There are certainly benefits to having that battle at every position on your team. At quarterback though, I'm much more confident and if I had to choose, I'd rather have a quarterback that everyone knew was the quarterback and leader."

He's getting his way with the prolific senior returning for another season, but whether by choice or not, the rest of the conference generally has more uncertainty at the most important position on the field.

Like Wyoming, New Mexico is holding off until fall to find the trigger man for a new spread offense.

Utah expected a two-man race this spring to replace Brian Johnson, but it quickly expanded to three and will obviously carry over to August.

And Colorado State hasn't come up with an answer at quarterback either, though perhaps its issue with an open competition was nobody stepped up to win it in the spring.

"It'll be wide open, and I wasn't pleased at all in spring ball with what happened at quarterback," Rams coach Steve Fairchild said. "We've got a long way to go and we've got to develop somebody in a hurry, but we were in this situation last year and Billy Farris kind of stepped to the front once we started going in August.

"I'm probably just as worried as last year though, because I didn't see anything in the spring that would lead me to believe we're settled at quarterback."

Obviously, nobody really has to be at this time of year anyway.

There are still offseason workouts and fall camp to go through before anything starts to count, and eventually all the situations figure to play themselves out before the season opener.

But the amount of reps, the timeframe and, most important, the decision-making process will almost surely be different on every campus.

"Right now we've got a situation where we've got three quality guys to choose from - we're not trying to search for a quarterback," Utes coach Kyle Whittingham said. "It's not that we can't find anybody, we just have three guys that are lumped together and that's something that will have to be sorted out in the fall.

"I think the sooner the better would be our druthers."

It just didn't have to happen this spring.

HIGH FIVE: The number will still be five.

At least that's the plan for now.

UW freshman Adam Barry might eventually find another place to contribute, but when the depth chart comes out today, he'll still be listed at quarterback.

"We're not about to make any moves right now," Cowboys coach Dave Christensen said. "We've got to see what happens when we get here in the fall.

"I know with the toughness that he displayed throughout spring that he could certainly help in a number of places. But right now he's going to compete still at the quarterback spot."

Barry might be a longshot to actually win it after an uneven passing performance this spring, but he has continued to impress with his physical abilities.

He has some mobility and he's reportedly been one of UW's best workers in the weight room, but it's an affinity for contact that will likely force the staff to find a role for him if he can't chip in under center.

"You know if he's not the starting quarterback and he's still playing quarterback, he's going to be given an opportunity to play on some special teams and those types of things," Christensen said. "Right now, we're going to approach it with him at the quarterback spot and he's going to be the third guy going into fall camp and we'll see what happens when we get them all out there and give them an opportunity to compete."

Heading into camp, the Cowboys are still hoping to split it five ways.

Contact sports reporter Austin Ward at (307) 266-0634 or austin.ward@trib.com.

COWBOYS TRACKER

TODAY: Wyoming will release its final depth chart after spring practice, with Karsten Sween expected to be officially at the top at quarterback heading into fall camp.

QB QUESTIONS: The Cowboys certainly weren't alone in dealing with some uncertainty under center this spring, and over half the league is sorting through a battle of some sort that will spill into the fall.

UW's race to name a starting quarterback will still include five guys after coach Dave Christensen shot down any plans to move Adam Barry to another position right now.

HE SAID IT: "I know with the toughness that he displayed throughout spring that he could certainly help in a number of places. But right now he's going to compete still at the quarterback spot." - Christensen.