His return was expedited because of a knee injury suffered while playing soccer in Chile. Hatch walked with a torn meniscus for two months, but ultimately, his knee required surgery. After three months of rehabilitation, Hatch was released from missionary service and decided to pursue his education at Harvard, where he played as a freshman.

But his ties to former BYU head coach Gary Crowton, who had worked with Hatch during football camps in Provo, ultimately led him to Baton Rogue, La. Crowton became the offensive coordinator at LSU after the 2006 season. The Tigers needed another quarterback and offered Hatch the chance to earn a scholarship, which he eventually did.

"This just kind of came up and just seemed like a great opportunity," he said.

In four years, Hatch has been all over the country — and world.

"I feel like that's definitely been unique," he says. "But definitely it's been challenging because I've been in a different place each of the last four years.... That definitely gives you a good chance to grow."

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For Dobbs, the difficult transition from mission field to football field isn't much of a consideration.

"If I had to choose between a mission and football, it'd be a mission hands-down," he said. "I wouldn't put any thought into what I'd have to give up. I received 10 times more education there in Argentina serving those people than I have in college."

But football success has come, although it did take some time.

As a sophomore on the Fiesta Bowl team, Dobbs played sparingly and didn't even letter. The following season, he became a starter and received the "Bronco Excellence Award" as the team's most improved player. He was named WAC player of the week after his four-tackle, one-interception effort against Utah State.

Dobbs attributes the turnaround to three factors — increased individual effort, playing a new position and a change in the coaching staff that afforded him more repetitions in practice.

"That's when I started getting better," he said.

Dobbs will return in 2008 as part of an all-senior starting-linebacker corps. Another returned missionary on the Bronco roster, Mitch Rudder, should compete for a starting job at center. Rudder (Arcadia, Calif., mission), a freshman from Nampa, Idaho, was a backup on the offensive line in 2007.

The two third-string quarterbacks will have a chance to move up the depth charts in the coming season. LSU loses senior starter Matt Flynn, but backup Ryan Perrilloux, who saw extensive time in 2007, will return as a junior. Hatch appeared in two games in his first season at LSU.