Mapu, who spent his entire playing career in Knoxville, says that once Tennessee coaches knew he was serious about serving a mission, they were supportive. Upon his return, there were plenty of opportunities to talk about his service in Houston.

"It's always fun to share," he said. "A lot of people are curious."

Even in Idaho and Hawaii, where there are more members of and familiarity with the LDS Church, there is no shortage of questions for returned missionaries. In fact, Dobbs says he has the opportunity to talk about his mission every day.

"(Teammates are) very curious because that's a once-in-a-lifetime experience ... especially because it's a foreign country," he says.

Says Funaki: "They have a lot of questions, just curious about why I was there for two years straight away from football.

"It's been a good opportunity for me to share about the church."

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E-mail: ashill@desnews.com