When his plane touched down on Jan. 6 at San Antonio International Airport, McKay Madsen was carrying more than his luggage. The prized high school recruit from Clovis, California, had a heavy decision to make and a self-imposed deadline that was closing in fast.
“I was still undecided, and I knew I had to commit (to a school) that Saturday on national television,” Madsen told the “Y’s Guys” podcast this week. “I set that date so I would have a commitment ready by then. I thought I would (have a decision), but I didn’t.”
Madsen had no shortage of college suitors. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound running back/linebacker averaged 8.8 yards per carry during his senior season at Clovis North. He finished with 1,238 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball at linebacker, Madsen amassed 131 tackles and had eight interceptions.
The swollen numbers landed him a well-earned invitation to the Navy All-American Bowl in the Alamodome — the same venue where BYU routed Colorado 36-14 just nine days earlier in the Alamo Bowl.
“I had a great recruiting process. I dove deep into my top schools,” Madsen said of his finalists: Oregon, UCLA and BYU. “I did my due diligence and went to two home games at each place.”
Recruiting experts tagged Oregon as the favorite to win gold in the competition for Madsen. BYU was on the podium, but the Cougars appeared to be stuck somewhere between the silver and bronze.
“It probably wasn’t going to be BYU on that Monday,” he said. “But every day throughout the week, and this is such a cool spiritual experience for me, every day it grew stronger and stronger. It was like a nagging from the spirit that I need to go to BYU.”
Madsen practiced with the all-stars during the day in preparation for the game, but at night, when the real stars came out, his sleep took him into a galaxy of blue.
Dream team
“I’d have these dreams of playing football and I’d wake up the next day and realize I was in LaVell Edwards Stadium. It wasn’t any other stadium,” Madsen said. “I’d be like dozing off or on my phone and I’d envision myself scoring a touchdown and I would be in a Cougar blue jersey. Just small things like that, repetitive and nagging throughout the whole week. I couldn’t deny it.”
Josh and Tiffany Madsen, McKay’s parents, arrived in San Antonio on Thursday night. Josh played football at Stanford. Tiffany was a Cougarette at BYU. Both were eager to learn of McKay’s decision.
“I said, ‘I need to go to BYU,’” said McKay. “That’s all it is. I can’t argue with what I felt this week.”
The next day, Madsen broke the news to Oregon, UCLA and to BYU. He called running backs coach Harvey Unga first.
“I played with him a little bit,” Madsen said. “I said, ‘I just want you to know I’m committing tomorrow, and I appreciate all the love, and this process has been fun.’ I kinda made it seem like I was telling him (no), but ‘thank you for everything — and that I’ll be committing to … BYU.’”
A conversation with Kalani Sitake was next.
“He said, ‘Hey, how are you doing?’” Madsen recalled. “We talked about how I got the No. 5 jersey to wear in the all-star game because that was my childhood number (and the number worn by his idol Christian McCaffrey). We didn’t have it in high school, so I wore No. 3.”
Then, Madsen dropped the news.
“I said, ‘I’m wearing No. 5, but I kinda wish I had No. 3 though — so start sewing it up because I’m coming in two years!” he said. “(Kalani) just got ecstatic.”
During the NBC broadcast on Saturday, with Oregon, UCLA and BYU baseball caps sitting on the table, Madsen picked up the Cougars hat and announced that following his church mission, the four-star prospect would be attending BYU.
With the life-changing week over, Madsen flew back to Fresno on Sunday with the same luggage, but with a much lighter load.
Mission plans
Madsen will report to BYU in the fall of 2027 after serving for two years in the Argentina Mendoza Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“First of all, it’s because I love my Savior and that’s what he’s asked us to do. Second, it’s a priesthood responsibility,” Madsen said of his mission plans. “It’s kind of dwindling a little bit with young men these days and they are kind of being pickier and more choosey on it, when that’s not what it is. It’s our responsibility to serve.”
Madsen begins his mission on July 21.
“I have always been set on serving a mission,” he said. “I have no problem putting aside my career for two years when I’ll get blessings for the rest of my life. Really, it’s kind of cheating. When I get back, I’ll be 21 years old and running the ball as a freshman.”
Trash talk
Madsen was recruited by both Unga (running backs coach) and Justin Ena (linebackers coach) and he said both helped shape his decision. Madsen hasn’t ruled out playing on both sides of the ball, just not in the same game as Colorado’s Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter did last season. However, running is what he prefers.
“I love the ball in my hands,” Madsen said. “I know what I can do and that’s help my team score. I’m happy to do whatever. Throw me in a swing route, wildcat quarterback or just run up the gut. I’m down to do whatever.”
Madsen runs with a confident and punishing style like Luke Staley, BYU’s 2001 Doak Walker Award winner. Like Staley, he lets his performance do the talking.
“I won’t talk trash, but I might run down the sideline, turn and look at them and start laughing,” he said. “Or I might blow somebody up and while helping them up I’ll say something like, ‘You are good bro, just break down earlier next time.’ I’ll just give them some tips and get in their head. They hate that. I won’t start the trash talk, but I’ll try to finish it in a polite way.”
Title defense
Madsen is spending the rest of April and May preparing to defend his California state high school titles in the discus and shot put (May 30-31) — something he hopes to continue with BYU’s outdoor track and field team after his mission.
“It’s nice and refreshing. Having track in the spring and still be able to compete every week, it helps me to not get burned out from football,” he said. “I love doing two sports. You get the best of both worlds, and it makes you more well-rounded. This might be a hot take, but I think throwers are the most athletic people in track and field. Throwing is so complex. I love doing both.”
Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.