Mormon Life - Football tag

NFL teams accept contracts from four BYU players

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:47:00 -0600

source: universe.byu.edu

The transition from college football to the NFL is hard for any athlete competing in the top league of the popular American sport. Imagine the pressure for a college player signing as a free agent on an NFL team.

Four BYU players experienced this feeling after recently signing free-agent contracts with NFL teams following the draft. Terence Brown — who played center and guard — signed with the Miami Dolphins, McKay Jacobson — a wide receiver — signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, defensive lineman Hebron Fangupo signed with the Houston Texans and offensive lineman Matt Reynolds signed with the Carolina Panthers.

Ty Detmer will be enshrined to the College Football Hall of Fame

Tue, 15 May 2012 10:29:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

BYU has long been known for producing prolific quarterbacks, and the Cougars' remarkable QB assembly line was honored again Monday, when Ty Detmer was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

The National Football Foundation announced that Detmer, the 1990 Heisman Trophy winner, is the first member of the 2012 College Football Hall of Fame Class. It marked the first time Detmer's name appeared on the ballot. The entire class will be announced Tuesday.

"I think it's tremendous," legendary coach LaVell Edwards, who was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2004, told the Deseret News. "I thought it would happen on the first ballot, but you never know. It's certainly well-deserved. I'm really happy for him. It's a tremendous choice."

Vai's View: Much aloha, Junior Seau

Mon, 07 May 2012 11:25:00 -0600

source: MormonTimes.com

My heart is heavy and broken.

News of Junior Seau's death first filled my BlackBerry from mutual friends before it was confirmed by my station producers and ESPN.

We weren't buddy-buddy, though he famously called everyone "Buddy." We were good friends and we had dinner together whenever he came to Philly to play the Eagles and I'd see him whenever I was in San Diego, but we didn't call each other weekly or email. Now and then we'd text each other.

Raiders draft pick Bergstrom credits LDS mission for his maturity

Thu, 03 May 2012 10:05:00 -0600

source: silverandblackpride.com

At 26 years of age, Raiders new rookie offensive guard, Tony Bergstrom, is a bit older than most rookies. As is often the case for Mormon recruits, he took time off after high school to go on his Mormon mission. And according to him, the path he chose and his advanced age actually helped him as a player.

Hawaii won't release player to transfer to BYU after mission

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:21:00 -0600

source: usatoday.com

Perhaps college basketball was drawing too many transfer controversies because now we have one in college football.

The Salt Lake Tribune is reporting Hawaii is denying the transfer of Michael Wadsworth to Brigham Young after the defensive back finishes a Mormon mission in England.

BYU football: Matt Reynolds doesn't regret returning to BYU for senior season, despite drop in NFL stock

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:51:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Entering his junior season at BYU, left tackle Matt Reynolds was projected as a first-round NFL draft pick in 2011.

But after a campaign marked by a painful shoulder injury that required off-season surgery, Reynolds wrestled with his options and ultimately decided to return for his senior season, with coincided with the Cougars' inaugural year as an independent.

Now, with the 2012 NFL Draft set to begin Thursday, Reynolds is expected to be picked in the mid-to-late rounds. But he has no regrets about his decision to play one more season at BYU.

UCLA football star back from a different kind of mission

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:57:00 -0600

source: latimes.com

UCLA's fourth spring football practice ended near dusk Tuesday, and as the field began to empty, a 310-pound offensive lineman began sprinting, thundering sideline to sideline in a sweat-soaked shirt.

Xavier Su'a-Filo is trying to shake loose the cobwebs from two years away from football, when the sophomore offensive lineman was on a Mormon mission. He's also trying to adjust to an offense with a tempo he described by snapping his fingers three times in quick succession.

Wisconsin lineman reading the Book of Mormon

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 10:27:00 -0700

source: therepublic.com

Mormon Life says: What a great philosophy this guy has. Peter Konz took a middle seat in the exit row on his plane ride to the NFL combine Wednesday with a bit of unusual reading material on his lap.

Raised Episcopalian and baptized in the same city he lifted weights in Friday, Konz started reading the Book of Mormon after taking a class on early Christianity at Wisconsin last fall.

BYU football: LaVell Edwards Stadium to get new LED video walls

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:24:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

BYU announced Monday plans to replace the video walls and scoreboards in the end zones at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

The new scoreboards, which are the result of a sponsorship by Nu Skin Enterprises and its partnership with IMG College, will include state-of-the-art LED video walls in the north and south end zones as well as LED ribbon boards across the top of both end zones.

'Why I'm a Mormon': Steve Young

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:28:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

Editor's note: This is an excerpt from "Why I'm a Mormon" edited by Joseph A. Cannon, which includes the testimonies of 53 influential members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

When I was young, I had trouble leaving home to go to school. In second grade, my mom had to walk me to school and then stay in class so that I wouldn't run home. Home has always been a centerpiece in my life, both as a physical place and as a state of mind. For many years I have contemplated, even yearned, for an eternal home and have made it a quest to find it.

LDS football player going to the Super Bowl

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:13:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

He won't be in uniform or on a roster, but Christian Cox will be with the New England Patriots at Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis this weekend.

Cox, a former defensive end at the University of Utah, signed as an undrafted free agent with the Patriots last August, but ended up on injured reserve after one preseason game.

Despite the challenges he's faced, Cox is grateful for two things — how the organization has looked out for him and the experiences he gained this season.

BYU football ranked 25th in final USA Today Top 25 Poll

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:50:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

The USA Today Top 25 football coaches poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, final records, total points based on 25 points for first place through one point for 25th, and previous ranking:

BYU football: Jake Heaps transferring to Kansas

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 22:53:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

Mormon Life says: So, it's done. Good idea? Former BYU quarterback Jake Heaps is taking his talents to Lawrence, Kan.

Heaps announced Thursday that he is transferring to the University of Kansas.

Heaps, who took a recruiting trip to Lawrence last weekend, will play for new Jayhawk coach Charlie Weis.

BYU coaches wanted Jake Heaps to come back

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:16:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

Perhaps nobody at BYU took the decision by sophomore Jake Heaps to transfer harder than offensive coordinator Brandon Doman.

Doman invested a lot of time recruiting Heaps, building a relationship with him, and developing him as a quarterback.

After the Cougars held their first practice Monday in preparation for the Armed Forces Bowl against Tulsa on Dec. 30 (10 a.m., MT, ESPN), both Doman and coach Bronco Mendenhall answered questions about Heaps' decision to leave the program.

Both said they wanted him to remain in Provo.

BYU Football: Jake Heaps transfers, Cougars couldn't make it work

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 10:17:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

Two scenes tell the tale of the Jake Heaps saga in Provo.

There might be many other key anecdotes in the short career of the nation's No. 1 quarterback recruit of 2010, but the following will suffice in wake of his announcement Monday that he'll transfer from BYU effective Dec. 17.

In June 2009, Heaps joined receiver Ross Apo and linebacker Zack Stout at Iggy's in Salt Lake City and announced their commitment to sign with BYU and their desire to win a national championship. It was staged, choreographed and arranged by a private public relations person.

Returned Mormon missionaries in college football, Part 2

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:48:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

Air Force linebacker Stephan Atrice used to dream about being a football star. The idea of serving an LDS mission was light years away.

“Mission, shmission,” Atrice told the Colorado Springs Gazette. “I didn’t even think about it.”

Then his big brother collapsed and died in a boxing ring.

Suddenly football wasn’t as important. Atrice became more serious about life and spirituality. His brother’s tragic death eventually led Atrice to want to serve a mission, and he was called to Puerto Rico and other locations in the Caribbean islands. Not only did he spread the gospel, but he said he found personal peace.

BYU football: Cougars won't be joining Big East

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 06:39:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

Mormon Life says: Too bad. All because of television rights. It appears the Big East's expansion plan to add BYU has fallen apart, and the Cougars have opted to stay the course as an independent in football.

According to multiple sources, negotiations between BYU and Big East have ended — mainly because they can't come to an agreement on television rights.

A source with knowledge of the talks between BYU and the Big East told the Deseret News on Tuesday night that deal is over and that the Big East will invite San Diego State instead, perhaps as soon as Monday.

A conversation with Austin Collie

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 12:22:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

Austin Collie is a third-year wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. I met Austin when he was a freshman at BYU in 2004 and have followed his football career ever since. Over the years our families have bonded and I have been impressed with his hard work, dedication and success on and off the field. I caught up with Austin last week and here is part of our conversation.

Hansen: Are you glad you left BYU after your junior year?

Collie: It's funny because (my wife) Brooke and I always talk about that. I have been so fortunate after leaving BYU. It was hard to leave because I loved playing at the Y. I had all my friends there. It would have been easy to stay, but I was comfortable. I never blinked about coming out early and going into the draft. I am so glad I did come out early. If I hadn't I might have been on an entirely different NFL team, with a different playbook and an entirely different experience.

BYU invited to join Big East, but have not accepted invitation — yet

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 11:30:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

For weeks, there have been discussions between BYU and the Big East Conference about the Cougars possibly dropping their independent status in football to join that league.

It appears those talks are getting more serious.

BYU has been invited to join the Big East as a football-only member, but, for now, BYU has not accepted the invitation, according to a Washington, D.C. columnist.

The Washington Examiner's Jim Williams, whose expertise is sports business and media, has talked to numerous sources on the East Coast that have told him that an invitation has been extended and that BYU officials are in favor of a move to the Big East.

Returned Mormon missionaries in college football

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 11:23:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

A mission call rarely comes when it’s convenient.

Prior to the 2007 Poinsettia Bowl, University of Utah freshman Dallin Rogers was in a San Diego hotel room with his parents when he was overcome with the realization he needed to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after the season.

“It hit me so hard that I couldn’t deny it,” Rogers said. “I told my parents I needed to serve a mission and I needed to serve it now. I didn’t know why.”