The BYU Sports Insider December 2018, Volume 1 Edition 1 BYU BASKETBALL HITS THE PITCH IN FIFA DECEMBER 2018 VOLUME 1, EDITION 3 SQUALLY CANADA INSPIRES WITH FOOTBALL AND MUSIC COLLEGIATE ATHLETES: LIFE ON & OFF THE FIELD INSIDE SCOOP THE FUTURE OF BYU FOOTBALL The BYU Sports Insider DECEMBER 2018 WHAT TO VOLUME 1 LOOK FOR EDITION 1 4 16 12 8 17 22 The Y Photo Credit: BYU Photo unless other wise noted. The Y Photo Credit: THE VERSATILE SQUALLY WEAPON CANADA Taysom Hill on SUPER Inspires with the Saints GOLFER football and Rose Huang’s music BYU excellence BYU FOOTBALL ENERGIZER BASKETBALL Freshmen BUNNY Hits the pitch Spotlight Mary Lake’s in FIFA journey December 1, 2018 Dear Readers, It was for people like you that I originally set out to create this magazine in the first place. The fact that you picked up a copy, likely from a stand outside one of your classes or on your way into the Cougareat, means there is a deep interest in BYU sports that goes beyond the box scores and statistics and; a yearning for quality content that brings you closer to the teams and gives you insight into the lives of players on and off the field. What role does music play in the lives of athletes such as Squally Canada? What makes Rose Huang so super on the course and in the classroom? How were Zach Wilson and the other football freshmen able to transition to easily to the college game and lifestyle? You see, sports culminate in the stuff we see on TV and in the stadium, but there is so much more that goes into them, creating a world and culture in and of itself that impacts the rest of society as well. Sports touch so many different aspects of our lives, and even though there is no way we can cover all of them in a single issue, we tried our best to create something new and interesting that starts with wanting to know what happened to our defense against Utah State, and ends with finding out that the player you thought you knew so well on court has a whole life off of it as well. Along the way we hope to enter- tain as well as inform, as we get to know The Y. Editor, The Y, Editor in Chief Photo Credit: Ari Davis THE FRESHMEN By Caleb Turner able to rise calmly and confidently against Hawai’i, Wilson was the The Y to the occasion. starting quarterback, the youngest Wilson got his first taste of in BYU football history. For his first three games as BYU football in the final quarter of BYU football is experiencing a Cougar, highly-touted freshman a lopsided victory over McNeese what is best described as a “youth quarterback Zach Wilson had to State on Sep. 22. Then on Oct. 5 movement” this year. With injuries watch from the sidelines as senior against Utah State, Wilson once and poor performance plaguing Tanner Mangum led the Cougars again came in for Mangum, this many of the upperclassmen, the to impressive wins over Arizona time down by double digits, and freshman class has been forced to and No. 6 Wisconsin. Still, Wilson threw his first touchdown. It was step up and play a larger role than said he prepared every week as if almost poetic, as Wilson threw to usual. he was going to start so that when fellow freshman Gunner Romney BYU has played 25 fresh- the opportunity came to get playing for the wide receiver’s first BYU men this season, and 11 of those time, the 19-year-old freshman was touchdown as well. The next game, have started games for the Cou- 4 The Y Magazine December 2018 gars. Against Hawai’i on Oct. 13, tailing the life of Wilson, and said ney, who may not be as familiar the team started seven freshmen, he now considers him to be one of with the ins and outs of life in the including six on offense. To give his best friends at BYU, despite not Beehive State. some context, only Minnesota has knowing each other prior to this The group of freshmen from started more freshmen on offense year. Utah also includes Lopini Katoa in a game, with seven. Freshmen and Dallin Holker, both of whom have accounted for just over half of A good thing about have started for the Cougars and BYU’s total scoring this year with “ contributed important plays and 95 of the Cougars’ 182 total points. having so many scoring opportunities for the of- Though he wasn’t the first to fense. start, Wilson has led this movement freshmen is we can “I definitely hoped to play, as the face of the freshman class. always ask each other I thought I had a good chance,” Wilson came to BYU as a four-star Katoa said of playing early. “I felt recruit from Corner Canyon High and learn together... like I was getting used to the col- School in Draper, and put on an lege game quickly, but I just didn’t impressive performance during But‘ it’s always in the know. I knew I would have to fight spring and fall practices to earn the back of your mind that for (the starting spot) because there starting spot midway through the are a lot of good running backs. season. you’re competing It doesn’t feel like I’m new just Romney traveled a little far- because we’ve been going for so ther than Wilson to come to BYU, With them...” long.” from his hometown of Chandler, -DAX MILNE Katoa served a mission before Arizona, and didn’t know many BYU Freshman Football Player coming to BYU, and redshirted players on his arrival. This is the last year, so his freshman experi- case with many first-year players Milne and Romney both start- ence may not be quite the same as coming to play at BYU, leaving ed for BYU against McNeese State, those who were in high school just home for the first time and enter- and one of the two have started last year. New NCAA rules allow ing the fast-paced world of college each of the last five games. Milne coaches to play freshmen for up to football. Luckily, Romney came added that the young wide receiv- four games and still redshirt them, to a BYU football that prides itself er group, which includes his high opening up new opportunities and a on brotherhood, and has joined a school teammate, Brayden Cosper, tight-knit wide receiver group that has gotten help from fellow starter features several freshmen, such as and team captain Micah Simon. Dax Milne, who start alongside “He took me and Brayden him. Cosper in from the very start and “It’s been different, I mean just helped us with the playbook,” college itself is a lot different from Milne said. “He has been a good high school,” Milne said. “BYU is friend to us and I appreciate that.” different from other places too. It’s Milne attended Bingham taken me a second but I think I’m High School in South Jordan adjusting.” with Cosper, and grew up playing Luckily they are not alone, against many of his current BYU and just like it happened with teammates, including Wilson. Wilson and Romney, the chemis- The friendships that already ex- try and connections formed on the ist among those from Utah have field help to create a new bond and allowed for them to adjust more brotherhood. Romney was recently easily to the college environment featured on a BYUtv special de- and welcome those, such as Rom- December 2018 The Y Magazine 5 One unique aspect of the leaders on the team, we hang out to make an impact immediately on situation at BYU, however, is that with them a lot.” the team. He formed part of one of the expected starters and more The veterans on the team are the deepest groups on the offensive experienced players have willingly equally impressed and grateful for side of the ball, playing alongside given up time on the field and help the freshmen and surprised by their Freshman All-American Matt the younger players for the best maturity and ability to adapt and Bushman. interest of the team as a whole. even thrive so quickly at the next When Moroni Laulu-Pututau The aforementioned Mangum and level. Following the game against tore his ACL at UMass, even more Simon both came into the season as Hawai’i, Wilson’s first start when opportunities opened up for Holker, team captains and sure-fire start- he threw for three touchdowns and and he took advantage. Although ers, looking to lead the team after ran in for another, senior Dylan his only score came against Ha- paying their dues for several years. Collie had nothing but praise to wai’i, he went for 20-plus receiving Midway through the season, how- heap on the 19-year-old signal yards in four of the final five games ever, Simon and Mangum found caller. of the season. He is fourth on the themselves playing less and cheer- “To come in and play as confi- team in total receiving yards with ing on their younger teammates dent and be as confident as he was, 214 and averages almost 12 yards from the sidelines. to be honest with you I don’t think per catch. Both captains, along with a lot of kids could do it,” Collie Though the transition hasn’t several other upperclassmen who, said.