When Utah and BYU meet on the turf at Rice-Eccles Stadium Saturday, it will be the largest gathering of returned missionaries in college football.
Talk about a priesthood meeting.
Going from full-time elder to full-time student-athlete is not unique to football programs in the state of Utah. Former missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are appearing on more and more rosters across the college football landscape, including Auburn, Oregon, Oklahoma State, Boise State, UCLA, Stanford and others. Along the way, they've experienced the benefits and challenges of service and encountered numerous opportunities to share stories from their previous field.
Here is our list of returned LDS Church missionaries for Football Bowl Subdivision teams in 2010:
BYU (67)
Name, hometown, class, position, playing status
Nick Alletto, Parker, Colo., Sr., OL, backup
Famika Anae, Provo, Utah (Timpview HS), Fr., OL, has not played
Luke Ashworth, Provo, Utah (Timpview HS), Sr., WR, backup
Brandon Bradley, Tallahassee, Fla., Sr., DB, starter
Braden Brown, Salt Lake City (Highland HS), So., OL, starter
Rhen Brown, Alpine, Utah (Lone Peak HS), So., WR, played in 4 games
Terence Brown, Summerville, S.C., Jr., OL, starter
Robbie Buckner, Ashdown, Ark., So., DB, backup
Tanner Cox, Pleasant View, Utah (Weber HS), Fr., LB, has not played
Andrew Cusick, Provo, Utah (Timpview HS), Fr., WR, has not played
Dallin Cutler, Draper, Utah (Alta HS), Fr., WR, has not played
Matt Edwards, N. Salt Lake, Utah (Woods Cross HS), So., TE, played in 1 game
Garrett Eskelsen, Ballwin, Mo., So., DL, has not played
Ryan Folsom, Medford, Ore., Fr., RB, played in 7 games
David Foote, Washington, Utah (Pine View HS), So., RB, played in 10 games
Landon Fowler, Kaysville, Utah (Davis HS), So., DB, has not played
Jameson Frazier, Draper, Utah (Alta HS), Jr., LB, starter
Ryan Freeman, Orem, Utah (Orem HS), Jr., OL, has not played
Romney Fuga, Huntington Beach, Calif., Jr., DL, starter (injured)
Spencer Hafoka, Kahuku, Hawaii, Jr., WR, backup
Mike Hague, Salt Lake City (Brighton HS), So., RB, played in 9 games
Braden Hansen, Sandy, Utah (Alta HS), So., OL, starter
Connell Hess, Boise, Idaho, So., LB, played in 4 games
Austin Holt, South Jordan, Utah (Bingham HS), Fr., TE, played in 10 games
Reed Hornung, Anoka, Minn., So., DS, played in 11 games
Shane Hunter, Idaho Falls, Sr., LB, starter
McKay Jacobson, Southlake, Texas, Jr., WR, starter
Landon Jaussi, Wylie, Texas, Sr., DB, played in 10 games
Austen Jorgensen, Mt. Pleasant, Utah (N. Sanpete HS), So., LB, backup
Walter Kahaiali'i, Lahaina, Hawaii, So., OL, backup
Bryan Kariya, Kaysville, Utah (Davis HS), Jr., RB, starter
James Lark, St. George, Utah (Pine View HS), So., QB, backup
Aveni Leung-Wai, Aiea, Hawaii, Jr., LB, played in 8 games
Devin Mahina, Upland, Calif., Fr., TE, starter
Eathyn Manumaleuna, Anchorage, Alaska, So., DL, starter
Josh Marquardt, Vista, Calif., So., DE, has not played
Marcus Mathews, Beaverton, Ore., Fr., WR, played in 8 games
Greg May, Orem, Utah (Mountain View HS), Fr., DB, has not played
Carter Mees, St. George, Utah (Pine View HS), So., DB, played in 7 games
Zed Mendenhall, Alpine, Utah (Lone Peak HS), So., FB, backup
Zeke Mendenhall, Alpine, Utah (Lone Peak HS), Sr., DB, backup
Mike Muehlmann, American Fork, Utah (Am. Fork HS), Fr., TE, backup
Jason Munns, Kennewick, Wash., Fr., QB, has not played
Riley Nelson, Logan, Utah (Logan HS), Jr., QB, starter (injured)
Austin Nielsen, Glendale, Ariz., So., LB, played in 2 games
Brandon Ogletree, McKinney, Texas, So., LB, starter
Mitch Payne, North Ogden, Utah (Weber HS), Sr., K, starter
Chase Pendley, Sandy, Utah (Skyline HS), So., DB, has not played
B.J. Peterson, Salt Lake City (Brighton HS), Sr., WR, played in 11 games
Matt Peterson, Bluffdale, Utah (Riverton HS), Fr., DL, played in 3 games
Seth Probert, Lebanon, Ore., Fr., LB, has not played
Matt Putnam, Brigham City, Utah (Box Elder HS), Jr., DL, starter
Houston Reynolds, Provo, Utah (Timpview HS), Fr., OL, backup
Matt Reynolds, Provo, Utah (Timpview HS), Jr., OL, starter
Andrew Rich, Ogden, Utah (Bonneville HS), Sr., DB, starter
Jordan Richardson, Idaho Falls, Idaho, So., DL, starter (injured)
Brian Smith, Orem, Utah (Mountain View HS), So., K, has not played
Jason Speredon, West Valley City, Utah (Granger HS), Sr., OL, starter
Tom Steele, Orem, Utah (Orem HS), So., LB, played in 5 games
Riley Stephenson, St. George, Utah (Pine View HS), So., K/P, starter
Marco Thorson, Ramona, Calif., Jr., OL, played in 3 games
Dalin Tollestrup, Raymond, Alberta, So., DB, played in 2 games
Travis Uale, Hawaii Kai, Hawaii, Jr., DB, starter
Simote Vea, Hau'ula, Hawaii, Jr., DL, backup
Jadon Wagner, Lethbridge, Alberta, Jr., DL, starter
Jake Webber, Salt Lake City (Highland HS), Fr., DB has not played
Michael Yeck, Keller, Texas, Fr., OL, has not played
UTAH (21)
Tony Bergstrom, Salt Lake City (Skyline HS), Jr., OL, starter
Greg Bird, Mesa, Ariz., Jr., DB, backup
Tyson Buck, Highland, Utah (Lone Peak HS), Fr., LB, has not played
Daniel Bukarau, Kailua, Hawaii, Sr., OL, played in 3 games
Brad Clifford, Salt Lake City (Olympus HS), Sr., TE, backup
Christian Cox, Bountiful, Utah (Bountiful HS), Sr., DL, starter
Sean Fitzgerald, Mission Viejo, Calif., Fr., WR, played in 11 games
Kenneth Golloday, Mesa, Ariz., Jr., K, has not played
Mike Honeycutt, Cedar Hills, Utah (Lone Peak HS), Fr., DB, played in 11 games
Semisi Makai, Spanish Fork, Utah (Sp. Fork HS), Fr., DT, has not played
Griffin McNabb, Pocatello, Idaho, Fr., WR, played in 7 games
Joe Phillips, Salt Lake City (Lone Peak HS), Sr., K, starter
Trevor Reilly, Valley Center, Calif., Fr., DE, backup
Griff Robles, Spanish Fork, Utah (Sp. Fork HS), Fr., QB, played in 4 games
Dallin Rogers, Placerville, Calif., So., TE, backup
Tevita Stevens, Hemet, Calif., So., OL, starter
Lolo Tenifa, Sandy, Utah (Highland HS), Jr., DB, has not played
Junior Tui'one, Hawthorne, Calif., Sr., DE, played in 8 games
Zach Wade, Salt Lake City (Cottonwood HS), Jr., WR, has not played
Tyler Whittingham, Salt Lake City (Brighton HS), Jr., DB, played in 8 games
J.J. Williams, Aurora, Colo., Jr., LB, played in 2 games
UTAH STATE (8)
Matt Ah You, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., (Lone Peak HS), Sr., LB, has not played
T.J. Canales, Layton, Utah (Northridge HS), Fr., QB, has not played
Gavin Jones, Orem, Utah (Orem HS), Jr., DB, backup
Josh Johansen, Kaysville, Utah (Davis HS), Jr., WR, backup
Eric Moats, Highlands Ranch, Colo., Jr., WR, starter
Eric Schultz, Connell, Wash., Fr., OL, starter
Brad Theurer, Logan, Utah (Logan HS), Fr., TE, backup
Josh Thompson, Logan, Utah (Logan HS), Fr., K, has not played
OREGON (3)
Mark Asper, Idaho Falls, Idaho, Jr., OL, starter
Brandon Bair, St. Anthony, Idaho, Sr., DL, starter
Sam Doman, Canby, Ore., Sr., TE, played in 1 game
OTHER SCHOOLS (5)
Jorrell Bostrom (Auburn), Nampa, Idaho, Sr., OL, backup
Sione Fua (Stanford), Encino, Calif., Sr., DL, starter
Tolu Moala, (Oklahoma State), Inglewood, Calif., LB, backup
Clayton Tunney (UCLA), Carlsbad, Calif., Jr., QB, played in 1 game
Walker Vave (Oregon State), Laie, Hawaii, Sr., LB, backup
Did we miss anyone? Send us an e-mail to mormontimes@desnews.com