Best BYU Non-QB Player Ever

Someone on another thread mentioned that the offensive players, and especially the QBs get all the glory. That is probably true - although they also get a disproportionate share of crap too. Maybe this thread should have said best non QB ever and then Staley and and Oates, etc., might make the list. But let's focus on defense.



KVN has been mentioned - I think prematurely.



Who else is there? Any storied NFL Dick Butkus types? NFL or conference defensive MVPs?



Any player of the year for their NFL team or at least defensive POY?



#1 player taken in draft or at least 1st defensive player taken?



We have had some award winners drafted early - Jason Buck comes to mind.



If we included offensive line - a trophy winner or two might show up.



I may be overlooking someone - but has BYU ever had a defensive player of that caliber.



OK - let's blow it open.



Other than Jim, Steve, and TY - what players on offense or defense won prestigious awards and / or got drafted early first round and / Or had franchise player seasons on offense or defense, Super Bowl MVP, etc.



I think this is a very short list. We are QB U.



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Shawn Knight?



;)

SpiffCoug wrote:
Shawn Knight?



;)

Was Shawn the other half of the twin towers with Jason Buck. IIRC they were both expected to be first rounders.



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Rob Morris, as I mentioned in the other thread.

Cougarbib2 wrote:

Shawn Knight?



;)

Was Shawn the other half of the twin towers with Jason Buck. IIRC they were both expected to be first rounders.



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Yes. I think Shawn was actually taken before Buck. By the Saints or Bengals, if I rememebr correctly without checking.

Kyle Morrell was fun to watch in the mid 80's. He didn't do anything in the NFL but he made some great plays the helped us win the Bowl game against Missouri, and helped us win the national championship. The freight train was probably the best, but some of the earlier players like Gary Kama didn't have the advantage of media coverage

Shawn knight had to have the largest neck I have ever seen. I sat close by him while taking the GRE back in 1991. His neck Had to be 20+ inches. I know that sounds a bit odd. But there is Olinman huge, then there is muscle bound huge. That may have been the best bookend D-end combo, with Buck, to ever play at BYU.



But, Rob Morris is the best Dman to ever play at BYU, if NFL success is heavily weighed in. Back was no slouch either. Super Bowl ring as a starter has to count for something.

vancouvercougar wrote:
Kyle Morrell was fun to watch in the mid 80's. He didn't do anything in the NFL but he made some great plays the helped us win the Bowl game against Missouri, and helped us win the national championship. The freight train was probably the best, but some of the earlier players like Gary Kama didn't have the advantage of media coverage

I do not remember Gary Kama. Tell his story here.



Was it Kyle Morrell that perfectly timed the snap and leaped over the line of scrimmage and make the game saving sack of the UH QB that also saved the 1984 NC?



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That was Kyle M! What a play.

Cougarbib2 wrote:

Kyle Morrell was fun to watch in the mid 80's. He didn't do anything in the NFL but he made some great plays the helped us win the Bowl game against Missouri, and helped us win the national championship. The freight train was probably the best, but some of the earlier players like Gary Kama didn't have the advantage of media coverage

I do not remember Gary Kama. Tell his story here.



Was it Kyle Morrell that perfectly timed the snap and leaped over the line of scrimmage and make the game saving sack of the UH QB that also saved the 1984 NC?



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Kyle was drafted in the 4th round to the vikings, and yes you are correct about "the tackle" at UH.



Gary Kama was born in Hawaii, but went to high school in California. His last year at BYU was 1979. I don't remember his early years at BYU, but I was on my mission for much of them. It seemed like he lived in the opponent's backfield his senior year.

Although undersized Muirbrook was pretty damn good. If were going non qb then Austin Collie is there as well.



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Yeah, you'd have to put Pitta in there too, and C. Lewis.

And Mili, and kowslowski (glen) and Hudson, and jamal willis.....All these guys were great, but the thread title is obfuscating. Haven't we had polls of greatest at their positions?

Either go with the greatest D or greatest O (non qb), but this category is el stupido

DM - the point is this:



We are QB U. McMahon and Young are household names outside of the BYU Bubble. Detmer is not as well known as those two - but he is known outside of the BYU Bubble - asterisk or no asterisk.



At this point, I do not think any BYU player at any position is as recognized outside the bubble as Jim and Steve and maybe not as recognized as TY.



Some, like AC are still early in their NFL career. Maybe a non QB will get to those lofty heights.



But my memory is not perfect and I may have overlooked someone.



Even USU has Merlin Olsen. His name would be as recognizable outside the Aggie bubble as Ty and maybe as Jim, if not Steve.



No Utes come to mind as being this recognizeable at any position.



Our QB legacy at the Superbowl MVP level is quite impressive. But outside of the QB position - we have had to make do with less.



It would be great to have similar dominance at other positions.



Wait a minute - just came to mind - not currently popular inside the bubble -



Todd Christiensen. And he was a RB or FB at BYU and the Dallas Cowboys before becoming all-pro at Tight End. Todd is high on the list.



Others can comment on how high Bart Oates was recognized. He was pretty good for a long time.



Just talked to Tim Hanshaw Sunday at Church. He was a very good player at BYU and had a good NFL career - but not the level of fame and acclaim of Steve, Jim, Todd, Ty, and Bart. We have a fair number of very good players like that.



So call the category El Stupido or La Stupida for the little sisters, if you want - but who are the BYU football icons recognized as all-pro, etc. outside the bubble.



Maybe a kick returner or punter? Vai? Lee?



I do not follow NFL closely anymore - I need help here



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For your next fun thread you could ask what was the best p layer to play at byu without an asterisk after his name.

dmcougar wrote:
For your next fun thread you could ask what was the best p layer to play at byu without an asterisk after his name.

Since it's been conclusively proven that there isn't an asterisk anywhere near Detmer, maybe the next "fun" thread would be to find ANY BYU player with an asterisk by his accomplishments.

hawkwing wrote:

For your next fun thread you could ask what was the best p layer to play at byu without an asterisk after his name.

Since it's been conclusively proven that there isn't an asterisk anywhere near Detmer, maybe the next "fun" thread would be to find ANY BYU player with an asterisk by his accomplishments.

Call it whatever you want. BYU - and therefore all of its players - carries the stigma of being a mid-major that plays a weak schedule. That is the metaphorical asterisk carried by all. I think it is overblown - but not entirely unfair. This year a list proclaimed us as the best mid-major not counting BSU now that Utah and TCU graduated. That is the stigma.



And that is the point of this thread. Even moreso than college awards like Heisman, Butkus, O'Brien, Outland, etc. trophies BYU has won, the NFL is the great equalizer. But even more than the NFL draft - all pro distinctions - league MVP - Superbowl MVP - team MVP - carry no mid-major stigma.



And a few BYU players have overcome all of the east coast bias, PAC arrogance, and BCS elitism, by proving that they were the best of the best when thrown into the big mix.



Steve Young

Jim McMahon

Todd Christiensen

Bart Oates - 2 USFL Championships, 3 Super Bowl Rings, 5 Pro-Bowls



And Maybe



Vai Sikahema - *punt return specialist

Lee Johnson - *Punter - longest punt in playoff history - 3rd leading career punter

And possibly others have risen above them all for at least one season



Could not resist putting an * for special teams role players vs every down guys





Added note: Brett Keisel, John Tait, and Chad Lewis all made a pro-bowl.

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Maybe you should consider a name change to "THE Astersik" or at least "THE Apologist" ;)

I was wondering how this thread made it as far as it did without a John Tait mention



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hawkwing wrote:

For your next fun thread you could ask what was the best p layer to play at byu without an asterisk after his name.

Since it's been conclusively proven that there isn't an asterisk anywhere near Detmer, maybe the next "fun" thread would be to find ANY BYU player with an asterisk by his accomplishments.

McMahon? The asterisk for the alleged frequent bar tab.