Once again, I haven't written on this blog in forever... and truth be told, I really don't have time to write a blog today, but desperate times call for desperate measures. The clock is ticking!
I got a text message this afternoon from a good friend of mine, Erin:
"I just heard that Dax Milne and several other BYU football players are declaring for the draft, and I remembered that you wrote an influential blog that got Kyle Van Noy and Cody Hoffman to stay at BYU for their senior year, so I was wondering if you could use your influence again. 😉"
Why hadn't I thought of this before?
She's right-- I am the sole reason (cough, cough) that KVN and Cody Hoffman came back for their senior year at BYU because of a blog I wrote.
So, while it might be too late for Brady Christensen, Dax Milne, Khyiris Tonga, Matt Bushman, and others who have already made their intentions known, Zach Wilson has yet to announce his firm plans, and, contrary to popular belief, I think there is still a chance he could come back next year... so I've gotta do my best to see if I can make it happen. At least then I can't say I didn't try!
In discussions on BYU Sports Nation the last few months, the hosts and guests have pretty much decided it's a foregone conclusion that Zach is not coming back to BYU next year... but I'm not so sure. Yeah, there may be a 90% or even a 95% chance he's leaving, but I believe there really are some good reasons for him to stick around. So here is my letter to Zach-- a "hail mary" if you will to try to convince him to stay at BYU:
Dear Zach Wilson,
Congratulations on a great year! I admit I was on the fence about you before this season, but you've turned me (and lots of other cougar fans) into believers. All the hard work you put in last summer has really paid off. Not only have you improved on the field and become significantly more reliable and efficient with your decision making and pass accuracy, but you've also won over a lot of doubters with your composed and humble attitude off the field. You have a great career ahead of you in the NFL, and you can hopefully play for many years... but do you really want to do that now?
First, I think you should at least read Tasha's three reasons why Zach should come back to BYU in 2021:
1. It's no secret that 2020 has been a dumpster fire in so many ways. Unfortunately, BYU wasn't able to play any Power 5 teams this year. While we were only 1 yard short of being undefeated, the whole season still has an asterisk on it with "COVID-19" stamped in giant letters next to it. Would you really have done that well against a tougher schedule? It's like wondering how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop. The world will never know... unless you come back for another year. That's the only way to prove to those who remain haters that this year was NOT a fluke or merely the result of a mediocre schedule. Come back and stick it to that jerk Gary Barta and the rest of the people who didn't believe in you-- show them that you really are something truly special and you can handle stiff competition!
2. You only get your college experience once. I graduated from BYU [redacted] years ago, and there have been many times I wished I could go back. Yeah, I don't miss the homework or some of the weirdness that is synonymous with BYU, but I do miss the friendships, the roommates, the college atmosphere, and the memories. After you leave college, you'll never get a chance to have those experiences again. The NFL and the fame and the money will still be there for you next year... take another year to make memories with your brothers (including your actual little brother!) that you can remember the rest of your life. David Nixon even said on BYUtv (I think it was on Countdown to Kickoff for one of the games?) a few weeks ago that he would gladly give up some of the money he made in the NFL to have one more year at BYU. Also, football doesn't last forever. Getting a college degree could be a huge part of determining what happens in your future. You don't want to live with any regrets... make your memories, graduate, and then go play pro ball.
3. Last but not least, remember how you grew up as a Utah fan? And then when it came time for you to choose a college, Utah didn't want you? That had to sting. Isn't there something inside you that REALLY wants another opportunity to beat those guys up north? The school you grew up cheering for that scorned you in the end... come on, you gotta beat those guys and end the streak! That would solidify you as even more of a legend in the BYU history books, and it would be nothing short of epic. Please. We need you. End the madness.
Some of the reasons I gave to KVN and Cody are also still relevant today. You could be the next Jimmer... you could avoid an NFL injury curse... you could become a legend.
On the off-chance that I have persuaded you to stay, could you convince a few of the other players who have already decided to leave to change their minds? I certainly wouldn't complain about that either. You want to throw dimes to your roommate Dax again, right? And what about Matt Bushman, who never got a chance to play this year? Cougar fans want as much time with all of you as we can get!
After all is said and done, I support you in doing what's best for you. Good luck with whatever you decide, and go cougs!
Much love from your fan,
Tasha
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