PROVO — He contributed as a sophomore, started as a junior and has starred as a senior.
With each passing season, senior strong safety Andrew Rich's influence and importance on BYU's football team has grown and expanded.
That much has been evident through this season, his last as a Cougar. Rich has been an integral part of BYU's team — both in terms of how he plays on the field and how he leads on and off it.
One of BYU's two captains, Rich has been instrumental in helping BYU's defense right the ship over the second half of the 2010 season, as the Cougars have recovered from a 1-4 start to win five of six games and become bowl-eligible for the sixth consecutive season.
On the day BYU clinched its bowl eligibility — Saturday — Rich played and starred in his final appearance inside LaVell Edwards Stadium.
The Bonneville High product, who came to BYU via Snow College, had a pair of second-half interceptions during BYU's 40-7 win over New Mexico on Senior Day, and afterward, BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said it's difficult to sum up what Rich has meant to his program.
"There's not (a way to sum it up), other than he's exactly what we want from a BYU football player — how he plays, how he conducts himself, who he is, how he leads," said Mendenhall. "I'll use him as an example from this point forward as long as I'm at BYU to say to my coaches, 'Does he play like Andrew Rich?' If they can't answer that, he's probably not gonna meet the standard we're hoping for because the more we get to play like him and be like him, the better we're gonna be as a football team."
In what was his last play at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday, Rich had a moment to remember. At the BYU 27, Rich intercepted New Mexico's B.R. Holbrook and raced the other way.
He made it all the way down to the 1-yard line before being brought down. As it turned out, a penalty would have nullified the TD had he scored one, but Rich was nonetheless credited with the pick.
And he was OK with the fact that he didn't make it to the end zone, even if wasn't going to count.
"I've always dreamed of taking one to the house at LaVell Edwards Stadium, and as I was runnin', I hit the wall around the 30," he said. "I was just hopin' and prayin' I would get in. The fact that I didn't get in is OK. It's fine. It was a good play for our team, and I'm glad we were able to get a stop."
Rich's two-interception performance was one of several standout statistical performances by BYU players Saturday. The others were all by freshmen.
True freshman QB Jake Heaps threw for 231 yards and two TDs, true freshman running back Josh Quezada rushed for 107 yards and a score and redshirt freshman Cody Hoffman caught five passes for 71 yards and two TDs.
As Rich and the other seniors prepare to complete their BYU careers next week at Utah and in a probable bowl game next month, Rich believes they're leaving the program in the hands of some extraordinary underclassmen.
"You've seen 'em blossom this year," Rich said of BYU's freshmen. "I've been so impressed with just their ability to handle adversity and just the way they perform. Like Vic (So'oto) said, tonight they played their hardest for us. They knew it was an important day for us.
"I'm excited, I know, to watch next year and in the years to come these guys play because I think that they're some of the best talent that's ever walked on this university."
e-mail: drasmussen@desnews.com